[ENDED] BC1-1801 - January Class Homepage - Getting Started with 3D Modeling & Blender

Kent Trammell

CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #5 (Feb 1, 2018): The class is officially closed! Thanks to all who participated. Be sure to check page 43 for the closing "statement" and commendations.


CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #4 (Jan 30, 2018): The timing worked out where this week's homework stretch is 10 days instead of the usual 7. So you've got extra time to complete the assignment! I'll look for submission through tomorrow, the 31st, and then I'll do a final post to close out the class.

BTW week 4's live event is archived if you missed it.


CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #3 (Jan 15, 2018): Week 2 is done - We're halfway through the class! Today WEEK 3 begins where the focus is digital sculpting. This is a far more artistic method of shaping 3D models, so if you struggled in week 2, week 3 should be refreshing.

Keep up the awesome work, Class! So much creativity and hard work being contributed from everyone 🤘

CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #2 (Jan 8, 2018): Week one is accomplished! Today WEEK 2 begins. We're moving forward from basic viewport interaction and into mesh modeling; into Edit Mode and the modifier stack.

As always, don't hesitate to ask questions in this thread!

CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #1 (Jan 2, 2018): The class has officially started! Today we held the first live event to kick things off. The recording will be published by tomorrow at the latest is now available in "Past Events".

That means it's now up to you to watch the Blender Basics Course and submit your homework to this thread. Please add a big, bold title to your homework submission reply so I can easily tell. Like this:

"BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission"

Also don't hesitate to ask questions along the way. I'll be checking this thread daily to answer questions, give advice, check homework.


This thread is for CG Cookie Citizens that are participating in the "Getting Started with 3D Modeling and Blender" class! Its purpose is to serve as central communication for all participating Citizens (excluding Hobby plan Citizens) to ask me and each other questions and to post homework. As the instructor of the class, I will be monitoring this thread on a daily basis (especially Mon-Thurs) throughout the month of January to review homework and answer questions.

This thread is intended only for Citizens who are participating in the class. Free members are welcome to observe the thread but please respect that communication is reserved for Citizens.


SYLLABUS

Welcome to the CGCookie Class: Getting Started with 3D Modeling & Blender! This is the first "Class" format where Citizen members are invited to focus together on a particular topic/skill together for a month. Participation is this:

  • RSVP and attend the Live Events
  • Watch the courses outlined below
  • Ask questions
  • Submit homework
  • Generally be active in this thread

It will take place from January 2nd through January 31st and the topic is for beginners that want to get into 3D modeling. The class is based on pre-recorded courses that students are expected to watch each week along with weekly Live Events.

WEEK 1: First time with Blender...overwhelmed yet? (Jan 1-6)

Download the latest official version of Blender and watch the Blender Basics course. The goal this week is to simply get familiar with the application. We’ve all been there: Opening Blender (or any 3D package), gazing at all the crazy UI, trying to orbit in the viewport, crying...Ok, maybe you were stronger than me and didn’t cry. But the reality is 3D software is daunting. There’s SO MUCH to digest especially when you’re a beginner.

This first week we’re going to overview Blender and 3D from an absolutely beginner perspective. What is Blender for? What can it do? Wait, this isn’t a juicing seminar?

During the Live Event we're also going to open the floor, ask me anything (AMA) style, so I can answer all your questions about getting started with Blender.

HOMEWORK: Create a scene out of primitive shapes. It can be anything from a landscape to a spaceship to a character. Just get comfortable with creating and positioning mesh objects. Here's an example:

Take a screenshot of your scene and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 1-6*.

WEEK 2: Pushing & Pulling Verts (Jan 7-13)

Enter the world of mesh modeling! The oldest form of building objects in 3D, in the computer. We’ll discuss the technical art of “pushing and pulling verts” as modelers often call it. First, watch the Mesh Modeling Fundamentals and Modeling with Modifiers courses to be introduced to this wild, geometric world.

Practice makes perfect here and during this week's Live Event we’ll be mesh-modeling a few objects to demonstrate tools and workflow available with Blender. It’s ideal if you practice along with me!

HOMEWORK: Model either 1, 2, or 3 unique objects using mesh-modeling techniques. They can be as simple or as complex as you like, but they can't be primitives. I want to see that you've used mesh tools to significantly customize your shapes. For example, you could model a hammer, a cell phone, a keyboard, a game controller, a picture frame, a coffee cup - choose something fun!

Take a screenshot of your shaded model + wireframe-over shaded (as pictured above) and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 7-14*.

WEEK 3: Digital Clay (Jan 14-20)

Digital sculpting is the more artistically intuitive method of 3D modeling. If pushing and pulling verts felt like the hard way of doing things, sculpting will be a welcomed alternative! Watch the Fundamentals of Digital Sculpting course this week.

During the Live Event, we'll discuss the pros and cons of digital sculpting as well as how it compares to mesh modeling. Again, practice makes perfect with any craft, and we will also practice sculpting. Be sure to have your pen and tablet ready!

HOMEWORK: *Submit during the week of Jan 15-21*

  1. Do the Melvin sculpting exercise (post a link to your submission in a reply to this thread)
  2. Sculpt 3 primitives as demo'd in the week 3 Live Event: cube from a sphere, sphere from a cube, cone from a sphere (post screenshots)
  3. Sculpt 1-3 additional objects of your choice (post screenshots) 

WEEK 4: Next Steps & Homework Awards  (Jan 21-31)

There’s still much more to learn about modeling with Blender. Remember, it’s a craft. Time + practice is the only way to develop your modeling skills.

This week your challenge is to dive into the Modeling in Blender Learning Flow. While the class gives you a boost, the Flow takes you further into intermediate and advanced modeling techniques/workflows. Test the waters and see how far you can go this week.

During the Live Event we'll discuss the journey of becoming a skilled modeler as well as the potential for turning it into a career. Finally, I’m going to sift through homework submissions to commend my favorites and offer critiques!

HOMEWORK: Model and/or sculpt something challenging this week! Try tackling a character or a complex vehicle, etc. Show me what you've learned; what you're capable of!

Take a screenshot of your shaded model and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 21-31*.


Start the new year strong together. See you in January! ❄️

  • duketogo replied

    People who watched all fundamental courses and did some practice should participate in?

    I live in overseas and live event starts like 4am so I won't be able to take part in.

    If there will be something I can do, I want to do.


  • Kent Trammell replied

    If you've already watched the courses I suppose you don't have to watch them again. Unless you want a refresher.

    Nuts, I'm sorry about the time zone issue. I never know how to solve that well...You could post questions you have here in the thread each week and I'll do my best to answer them during the streams. Obviously you could submit homework along with everyone else.

  • Scott McClellan(pffsfs) replied

    This sounds like it will be fun... and challenging. Wait?!? What? Homework? Skooldaze wer u long time ugo. hee hee hee

  • Jonas Grund(meadoc) replied

    So for the record. It is an open class where everybody can participate or not, right?
    I would be interested but January is completly full with other stuff - ergo I need to prioritize. So are you planning to keep doing this format in February as well? 

  • Kent Trammell replied

    meadoc It's an open class in that any and all subscribing Citizens are eligible to participate. Free members are not eligible. I'd like to do classes every month or every other month. Sometimes we'll repeat a class but often there will be new ones.

  • Paula Pazumi(cattece) replied

    Great idea! I am not a beginner anymore, so hopefully I can participate in February :) 

  • sorta replied

    This is exactly what I need! I already did the mesh modeling fundamentals but I lost my mind with tire challenge and skipped it. Looking forward to this class.

  • Kent Trammell replied

    Glad to see you're interested! I'm not 100% sure I'll do another class in February. I've only the capacity to focus on this first class for the time being.

    Assuming it goes well, I may try to schedule classes for all of 2018.

  • Hex Blit replied

    I noticed it mentions to RSVP and submit the homework, is there a specific place to rsvp or is just saying i am in! and uploading the work like other content excercises?

  • Karin K(karinmingyao) replied

    Can you please tell me how long the live stream would take? I have to go to work in the afternoon on that day but might be able to watch it before work. Would there be a recorded version of it later to watch? Thank you.

  • Kent Trammell replied

    RSVP's are for Live Events. Click on any Event in the list and you'll see the RSVP button in the colored window. There's 4 events scheduled for this class (BC1-1801) that you can RSVP to.

    Sorry we don't have a truly official way to 'enroll' in classes yet. We'll build it eventually but A) I just didn't want to wait to do classes till then and B) doing classes will tell us what exactly we should build to facilitate them best.

    During each week of the class, participants can post a reply to this thread with attached media to serve as a homework submission. I suppose it could be distinguished by a "label" at the top, something like this:

    HOMEWORK SUBMISSION, BC1-1801, Week I

  • Kent Trammell replied

    All streams will be recorded and watchable after the fact. But our streams typically last 1-1.5 hrs.

  • Zach Zellman(zachzellman) replied

    When do we submit the homework, before or after the live stream?

  • ironsoul replied

    I'll be able to attend, this is probably a little basic for my skill level but I'll definitely be participating just to make sure I haven't missed anything. Good luck.

  • Kent Trammell replied

    Homework submission will be expected at anytime during the week of its assignment (as outlined in the description above). So before or after the livestream, either is fine.

  • Kent Trammell replied

    All skill levels are welcome! But we will certainly cover more advanced topics in other 2018 classes. I should probably plan out a full 2018 class schedule...

  • galledark (galledark) replied

    I love the idea and i'll do my best to be here !

    Just a question about the homework:

    Do we have something to do with materials and lights ?
    Or do we have to do a 100% grey scene?
    Or maybe we can just color a little bit our homework like in the 1st exemple?

    Thanks :)

  • Kent Trammell replied

    galledark I'm glad you're participating! You can do either grey or colored scene. Adding colors is slightly more challenging than leaving everything grey. If you're up for that challenge, go for a colored scene.

  • Zsolt Cseh(csehz) replied

    Och yes the tire challenge :D That was hard, did finally but only by an outside tutorial

  • Nuha Mahdi(bluegold56) replied

    BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission


    I had lots of fun creating this chicken. It took around 1 hours and I think I'm an expert now at navigating the platform, rotating, and scaling primitive objects.