In this quick Blender 2.5 video tip series, we will be working to cover the various modifiers available in Blender.
This series will demonstrate what each modifier does, how it works and what you can use it for. In this first installment we look at the array modifier.
really looking forward to the rest of this series. great stuff Jonathan!
The array modifier can be so helpful.
Wes Burke is online
Great tutorial.
I would much rather see tutorials on arrays where you are applying arrays to instanced proxies. Using arrays like this ramps your RAM usage way up and is not optimal. It is simply a bad workflow to teach. For example, take an object and create an array of it 1000 times (Note the RAM usage going way up in blenders header bar). In another scene, create the same object and make it a group. Take that group and link it to another scene or .blend. Create an instance of it in your new scene of .blend by shift + A – add group (if your new object is green, then you have not created an instance of the original object. The instanced object should be orange with an empty). This creates an instance and will take advantage of blender’s memory instancing. Now make it into a proxy and duplicate it 1000 times.
See the difference in RAM usage? Arrays are not optimal in blender.
Using arrays, blender will quickly grind to a halt when a scene goes upward of a million polys or so; depending on the machine obviously. If you take advantage on blender’s memory instancing, which arrays do not, you could have a real-time scene in the hundreds of millions.
that makes sense
Could someone please explain in more detail for the newbie?
good thinking Jonathan. I was about to ask you to do this kind of stuff, modifiers are so important. Thanks~!
I see the download price on some of your tuts are 4 usd’s ???? does that mean its $4.00? just curios because the blender 2010 training seres looks really good:)
Most of the tutorials on the site are free to watch. The 4 dollars will allow you to download the source files and the video file in hd. (or if you want to download alot of source files you can become a citizen member and gain access to premium content and all of the video and source files for all of the tutorials for a monthly fee)
The 2010 training series however is 72 dollars. I actually bought it and it is very good and has I think about 20 hours or so of training.
looks lke the chain around something tut
waiting for the other tuts
good that its not 20 min or plus.
This is gonna open a lot of doors for aspiring Blender artists (like myself).
Woah, already a new tutorial!
Great tutorial, can’t wait to see the rest.
Great idea guys, this will be hugely helpful.
Hey, nice video!!!
But I got a doubt… What if I want to arrange my objects in a circular way??? For example, pieces that represent each number of a clock. Also, may I control the exact position of each element?
Thanks, and sorry about any english mistake.
Make an empty on the point you want it to revolve from.
Uncheck Relative Offset.
Check Object Offset.
Make the new empty as the object.
Rotate the empty!
Fantastic Tutorial…
Been experimenting with arrays, I did the tank tracks using a previous chain tutorial:
http://vimeo.com/15355866
But the info on the end caps let me create this plant that grows leaves and has a flower… its quick and dirty, but shows proof of concept for creating procedurally generated plants in blender.
http://vimeo.com/15355866
Thanks as always, great info.
Just found out with a bit of experimenting that you can use an array for the end cap geometry:
http://www.vimeo.com/15391974
That is really cool!!! That will definatly make things a HELLUVA lot quicker and easier. Thanks Jonathan!!! I look forward to the next tutorial
I like the idea of a modifier series, brilliant!
This is very useful information. It will be very cool to learn about the other modifiers in detail too
Hi, I was really looking forward to tutorials on all of the modifiers, but I haven’t seen another tutorial on modifiers in awhile. Please continue this series.
Been working on a project involving creating a hair braid mesh. The linked tubing example was perfect!
Hi Jonathan,
this exactly what I was looking for but I can’t find any other tutorial on the other modifiers so I wonder if you have ever published them?
Could you tell me and let me know whether I can find them or not.
Hi there,
Here’s a few more that should help you out
http://cgcookie.com/blender/tag/modifier/
Hi….
What can say
Thanks you so much as allways…
As I’ve a small way to talk to you. I’m working on the animation foundamental DVD and I’ve tried to understand how CLIVE rig was made, especialy the hands. Do you think you’ll (or have) post(ed) an advanced rig tutorial. Because this one is so powerfull but not easy to understand
Thanks again for your reply and generaly speaking for your work.
If you’re looking for tutorials on advanced rigging then I would definitely recommend checking out Nathan Vegdahl’s Humane Rigging DVD: http://www.blender3d.org/e-shop/product_info_n.php?products_id=146
He is the primary developer behind Rigify, which Clive is mostly based on.
Incredible, I’ve also purchased this DVD at the same time as the Animation foundamental DVD but didn’t chck it yet…. So I’m very happy to know I’ve allready all the things I need…
Can you also find a way to sell free time on your online shop? I’ll be a good customer
I’ve allready watch a few modifiers tip videos, thank you again. Have a nice day (evening)
Rig rig rig rig…..