UNITS IN BLENDER

 UNITS IN BLENDER(Blender Version : 2.79b)

 Units of measure in  Blender are as default set as Blender units. When we open the default screen and then press "N" key to open the properties window where we can see the dimension of the default cube is 2 units along all X,Y and Z axis. These units are defined as Blender units which serves as a general  unit of measure to set dimensions of any object or to compare their dimensions.
 

 Measuring units in Blender can also be set as mm(millimetre), cm(centimetre), m(metre) or as inch, feet, yard etc. To set the units with these units, the procedure is as follows:

 In the Properties window click on the "scene" BUTTON.(the third button from the left). You will see the drop down panel with heading "Units" and the button marked "None" which  would be highlighted with Blue colour. Click on Metric. Now move to 3D window and make sure you have added an object(let us say a Cube). Now hit "N" key to open the panel which would display the location, scale and dimension of the cube. Under Dimension, enter 10cm for x,y, and z dimension. The background  grid would change accordingly and the unit as  cm will be displayed at the top left corner of the 3D window.

 If you select the option "Imperial", then you can set the unit as inches or feet.

BOOLEAN MODIFIER

 BOOLEAN MODIFIER

 Boolean Modifier can be used to do the following three operations on an object- ie, union, intersect or difference.
 

  When we apply  an union operation then the end result is the combined shape of the two objects. Intersection is the the shape of the two objects where they commonly intersect. In case of difference, it the shape of the second object is removed from the first object. As an example if you consider a cube and a cylinder. when you do an union operation it will be the combined shape of the two objects. If you do intersection then it will be length of the cylinder which is intersecting with the cube will be the result. In case of difference the end result will be a cube in which the volume up to which the cylinder intersects with the cube is removed as if a hole is drilled in the cube body.

 To apply the Boolean Modifier, the steps are as follows: In the 3D window, add a Cube scale it 3 time along the X and Y axis. Add a cylinder and scale it 5 times along Z axis only.
To do the union operation, locate the Cube a convenient location, the position the cylinder on the Cube such that about 3 units length of the cylinder is inserted into the Cube.

 Now go to the Properties window and click on the spanner icon to open  the Add Modifier drop down menu. Click on "Add Modifier" . Under Generate heading,click on Boolean, under operation select Union. Select the Cube in the 3D panel, under Object click inside the window where you see an ink dropper icon. Select the cylinder. Then click on the Apply
button. Click on the cylinder to select it and drag it away. You will the Cube and cylinder joined as a single object.

 Follow the same procedure for intersect or difference. Corresponding to this operation the setting under "Operation" should be selected as Intersect or Difference.Then click on Apply. After the operation move the cylinder away to see the end result.

NOTE: When you are positioning the two object in the 3D window, under "View Port shading"  select wire frame. This will give wire frame view of both the objects.This view option is preferable over the solid view option.

 

ARRAY MODIFIER

 TO CREATE MULTIPLE OBJECTS OF THE SAME TYPE(BLENDER 2.79b)

 If you want to create, let us say 10 cubes of the same size , placed side by side with some spacing between the cubes Array modifier can be used.
 

  First open the 3D window and a cube.To active the Array modifier, go to the Properties window and clip on the spanner icon.A window with a  heading "Add Modifier" will appear. It has a drop down menu with a number of modifier options. Under the Generate heading click on "Array" to open the Array modifier option. In the window which opens, set count to 10 and under the Relative option, against x axis set it to 1.1 . Then click on Apply button to create an Array of 10 cubes.

 You can try out different settings by varying the count setting, and offset settings. Similarly set the offset along Y or Z axis and  see the result.For more details on Array modifier, see some video tutorial on the subject.

 Once the array is created, go to edit mode and hit "P" key and then click on Separate  by loose parts. Then go to object mode,select all the cubes and click on Ctrl+Shift+Alt+C to move the origin to the centre of each cube. Now each cube can be moved separately. Before you did this, all the cubes would move together.

Array modifier can be used to create a row of cubes(any object), which we may define as 1X5 for a row of 5 cubes in one row. Two dimension layout of cubes can also be created, which we may define as 5x5 and three dimension can be defined as 5x5x5.

To create a 2D array of say 5x5, first create an array of 5 cubes. Select all the 5 cubes, again open Array modifier set the count to 5 and the offset against y axis as 1.1 and click on Apply button.

To create a 3D array, select all the 25 cubes created above, set count to 5 and the offset against Z axis to 1.1 and click on Apply button.

COMMANDS FOR SPECIFIC TASKS

 12/11/2020

KEYBOARD/MOUSE COMMANDS FOR SPECIFIC TASKS

1. To insert a key frame while animating, set the location, rotation and scaling for the object as desired. In the Timeline window enter the frame number which you want to be key framed,then click in the 3D window  and press the I key to insert a keyframe. In the menu which appears, click on location,rotation,scale or any combination of these commands. A yellow line will appear in the Timeline window which indicates that a key frame is added.

2. To delete a key frame, select  the yellow line of the frame  desired, in the Time line window.Click in the 3D window, then hold down Alt key and click on I  key.

3. To select different short cuts for view,in object mode,  click on the view  on the control bar. A menu list will appear. Select the option desired.For example to get quad view hit Ctrl+Alt+Q.

4. To loop cut an object, go to edit mode (press Tab key), position the cursor on the edge where you want to make a loop cut, then press Ctrl+R. A pink line will appear. Drag it with the mouse and leave it where you want to make loop cut  and LMB. The pink line will change into yellow.

5. To add an edge between two vertices, select the vertices  and press F key. An edge will be added.

6. To create a face between three or more vertices, select the vertices and press F key. A face will be created between these vertices.

7. To select a circle on any object, go to edit mode. On the required circle, select an edge, then click on "Select" option  in the control bar near the edit mode button, then in the menu which appears click on Edge loop.

8. To unwrap a mesh,split the 3D window into two. Change one window to UV/Image editor window.  In 3D window,go to edit mode, select the complete object. All the vertices and edges should be selected.  The hit U key and then select  Smart UV project. The unwrapped mesh will will be displayed in the UV/Image Editor window.

9. To position an object at 0,0,0 location, select the object in object mode and then press Alt+G. To set the rotation of an object to  zero degree along all three axes-x,y &z.select the object in object mode and press Alt+R.

10. To apply a material to multiple objects. Assume that you have three object- A Cube an UVSphere and a Cylinder. Add a material to the Cube. To add the same material to the other two objects, select the UVSphere and the Cylinder and lastly the Cube,then click on object menu, then on  Make Link option and then on Materials option.


11. The same procedure as explained above(10 above) can be used to link animation data to different objects.

12. To move an object along the X,Y or Z axis: To move along the X axis, position the cursor on the Red arrow and click LMB and drag the Red arrow. The object will move in the X direction. Similarly to move an object along the Z axis, click on the Blue arrow, hold the LMB down and then drag up or down.

13. To scale an object along the X and Y axis, press S to scale then Shift+Z then  1.5 and hit Enter key. The object will be scaled 1.5 times its current size along the X and Y axis.

SAMPLE WORKS DONE WITH BLENDER

Image-Animation2 Some of the art work created with blender are made available for viewing.The links for the same are provided below. Click on the  link  to  see/play the image/video.

HEXAGON ANIMATION

TWO-SPHERES

CUBES-GRID ANIMATION

QUADCOPTER-GENERIC 6 DOF CONSTRAINT

BALL-LAMP -TRACK TO CONSTRAINT

CAR ANIMATION-GENERIC 6 DOF CONSTRAINT

GEARS ANIMATION -COPY ROTATION CONSTRAINT

 DUPLIVERTS-ANIMATION

ELECTRON-SPIN

DUPLIVERTS-PLANES 

DUPLIVERTS-ICOSPHERE 

DUPLIVERTS-ICOSPHERES1 

PARTICLES SIMULATION 

PARTICLES-ASTRO-SIM1 

PARTICLES-ASTRO-SIM2

Thermo-Electric 

DNA-HELIX

Scientific Visualization

Scientific Visualization-3

Scientific Visualization-4

Scientific Visualization-5-Magnetic Field

Scientific Visualization-6-Graphene Tube

Scientific Visualization-7-Galaxy

Multiple Gears Animation

 Drones

Swarm Drones 

Image Animation 

Cubes Animation 

Image Animation 2