March 2023 – Learning Blender For Better Renders

Learning Blender For Better Renders

22nd March 2023

Coming from a technical background I’ve mostly used parametric 3D modelling software such as Solidworks, Inventor, SolidEdge and Fusion 360. These software packages are great for producing technical drawings based on the 3D models you create from given or acquired parameters. In simpler terms, parametric models start from a two-dimensional sketch and are then extruded to become three dimensional.

Blender is a 3D modelling program that uses meshes that enable a more free form style of modelling. This let’s the user create natural objects such as people, animals and natural landscapes that can look very nice and this style of modelling is used by Disney and others to create movies such as Toy Story, Cars and Finding Nemo.

To round out my 3D modelling skills, I’ve been trying my hand at Blender to create some more visually interesting and artistic renders. Let me tell you, the learning curve is pretty steep when you first start out in Blender especially if your mind is used to parametric modelling. Like everything though, it can be learned and the best way to learn Blender is to do. Also, there’s the Blender Guru who has a great tutorial series that shows you how to model a donut. “A donut?”, I imagine you’re asking. Yes, this series is regarded as the best for Blender noobs and I have to agree that it covers the basic features of the software in enough detail to allow you to create a video that you can be proud of. Check out mine!

The result of the Blender Guru tutorial series.

Another video render. I don’t recall who made the tutorial sorry.

I dabbled with Blender a few years ago and enjoyed it quite a bit but it became harder and harder to justify the time spent mucking around with it. Since starting Lannix Design I’ve come up with some ideas that require the use of Blender to create the kind of imagery I envisioned. Luckily the models created in Fusion 360 are able to be imported into Blender, combined with other 3D models and rendered using its superior rendering engine. The images in the gallery below have all been produced in Blender by myself.

Take a look at the Blender Guru donut tutorial series if you’re keen to have a go yourself. Link here.

The gallery below shows a few of the renders I’ve produced with Blender both for Lannix Design and for fun or practice. Let me know what you think!

Bye