Day 1 - Introduction and Blender Basics

Today we will introduce the course. Talk about communicating through art using the movie Sintel as an example. Finally we’ll learn some technical skills in running Blender.

Introduction

• Go over syllabus

• This class uses some video tutorials. Why are we using video tutorials?

  • You can easily stop and replay the video if you didn’t catch where to click or what key to hit.

  • It keeps other people from being halted when someone has a question.

  • Videos allow for self-paced study. Not everyone is going to learn this at the same speed.

  • They free up the instructor to have more time to answer questions.

  • It allows students to customize what topics are learned. Students can spend time on animation tutorials, tutorials on modeling a face, texturizing, etc.

  • There are a lot of high-quality tutorials out there, no need to re-invent the wheel.

  • People who are away for sports during May Term can stay caught up.

• How much work is expected?

  • Be in class every day, all during the class time.

  • Do not leave class early.

  • Plan to spend at least two hours per day learning and creating with 3D graphics outside of class. More if you want to get an A.

  • There are enough materials to keep someone occupied for years learning Blender. There will be no problem finding enough material to learn.

Principles and Elements of Art

• http://www.vwarthistory.com/elements-and-principles.html

• https://drawpaintacademy.com/principles-of-art/

An artist can convey a message using visual cues. A limp can communicate a past injury for example.

An artist can also convey an aesthetic response. An aesthetic response is a feeling. A photo of beautiful spring flowers can evoke a feeling of happiness and hope. A run-down cyber-punk cityscape can evoke a feeling of despair.

We can communicate an aesthetic response based on certain artistic elements and principles.

• Color

  • What colors communicate what aesthetic?

  • A color can be light or dark. How does that change things?

  • A color can be bright and pure, or dull.

  • Look at the use of color in the portfolio of this artist: https://seventeenth.cgsociety.org/

• Form - If we are working with 3D art like sculptures, we are talking about the actual shapes. Cones, spheres, etc. For more info, see Form in Art.

• Line - Actual lines, curves, or implied. With still 2D art, how can you interpret movement and intention?

• Shape - How can you use shape in art? A master of using art, Pablo Picasso:

  

• Space -

• Texture/pattern/rhythm

  • Texture - how do you think things would feel if you touched them? https://3dtextures.me/

• Scale - Smaller objects can appear further away, angles can give a sense of size (e.g., Hagrid in Harry Potter.)

• Proportion - How things look in relation to each other. For example, note the two outfits, and how the clothing can affect the sense of proportion:

  

  Image from Beauty Fashioned Simply

• unity/variety

• movement

• mass

• balance (symmetry, asymmetry, radial symmetry)

• contrast (difference between objects)

• volume

• perspective (camera angles)

• depth (focus/depth of field)

How did Sintel Use Art to Communicate?

• View Sintel movie on YouTube. Sintel was created with Blender back in 2011.

• Examine video stills (below) from movie. What is being conveyed? How?

• What to look for:

  • Lighting

  • Shapes

  • Camera angles

  • Position in the frame

  • Focus/depth of field

  • Color

  • Blur

  • Reflectivity

  • Posture

  • Facial expression

  • Eyes

  • Eyebrows

  • Mouth

For Assignment 1 - How Did The Artist Convey The Message? I am looking for you to pick an image and do the same type of analysis. Look at the types of things we called out in the images, and write up what the artist’s message was by using these cues.

Looking Forward

• Go over the Final Project so you know where we are headed for the course.

• Go over Assignment 2 - Primitive Modeling so you know where we are headed today.

• There will be about nine assignments before the final project.

• There is a lot of detail work you can do with either assignment. If you find yourself done early, just spend more time creating and perfecting things in the assignments.

Videos to Watch

These are from the Blender Basics Course Make sure you take your time and completely understand everything in these videos. You’ll use it every day from here to the end of class.

• Intro to Blender and CG Cookie (9 min)

• Navigating the 3D View (7 min)

• Selecting Objects (6 min)

• Transforming Objects and Adjusting Operations (13 min)

• Adding, Deleting, and the 3D Cursor (11 min)

• Local Space and Parenting (12 min)

• Primitive Modeling Exercise (6 min)

Assignments

Due Wednesday morning, but I suggest treating the assignments like they are due Tuesday morning. There will be more assignments on Wednesday, and the work Wednesday assumes you know this stuff.

• Assignment 1 - How Did The Artist Convey The Message? - Apply what we learned about interpreting how the artist delivered their message.

• Assignment 2 - Primitive Modeling - Demonstrate you learned about basic Blender manipulation of objects.