Blender (Software)

Blender is a free ( GPL licensed ) 3D graphics software. It contains functions to model three-dimensional body to texture it, animate and render. Blender has a built-in video editing editor and a game engine. The very active development has led to a large and ever-expanding range of functions, which includes the simulation of liquids or mixture of 3D sequences ( compositing ), for example. As a scripting language Python is used.

Functionality

The program, despite its functional range is relatively small (packed up to 70 MB) and runs on most common computer systems. Since the source code is freely available, it can be translated, if necessary, for their own platform. It is available as a portable app and thus offers on many systems, such as Windows or Ubuntu the ability to operate without installation (for example, from a network drive or USB flash drive).

• Blender works with meshes, Bezier curves, NURBS surfaces, Metaball and text objects. The support for editing polygon meshes ( since version 2.63 with more than 4 vertices per polygon ) is a major focus. For this purpose are available including: Subdivision surfaces ( subdivision surfaces )
• Multiresolution networks, ie objects in multiple resolution levels
• Sculpting tools with which objects such as virtual sound can be deformed.

• Different UV unwrapping methods ( inter alia Angle -Based, Conformal, Smart Projections )
• Node-based material and texture editors that allow very complex materials.
• 3D paint tools allow painting directly on the model
• Pen tablet support

• Shape Keys ( morph targets)
• Character animation with direct and inverse kinematics
• Curves and Lattice (cage) -based deformation
• Simulation of elastic properties ( soft bodies ) including collision detection
• Simulation of solids ( Rigidbodies ), also with collision detection
• Clothes simulation
• Particle-based hair, grass, etc.
• Particles with collision detection
• Fluid dynamics

• The fully multi- thread capable internal renderer currently supports: Edge rendering (cartoon lines)
• Raytracing
• Ambient Occlusion ( Ambient Occlusion )
• Radiosity
• Multi-layered rendering, and compositing
• Different output formats, including HDR, EXR and DivX animations (depending on installed codecs )
• Rendering of volumetric particles ( since version 2.50 )

Additionally, the program contains Version 2.6 is also a non -biased render engine called " Cycles " that also works in real time, ie during editing and using CUDA and OpenCL (experimental) also can render with the GPU.

History

Originally Blender an in-house program of the Dutch animation studio NeoGeo. The chief developer Ton Roosendaal founded in 1998, the company Not a Number Technologies ( NaN), Blender to develop and distribute. Following the bankruptcy of NaN creditors agreed to make Blender for an amount of 100,000 euros under the free software GNU General Public License ( GPL). On 18 July 2002, therefore, the Foundation Blender Foundation was founded with the goal of Ton Roosendaal to collect donations. On the following September 7 was achieved the goal to collect 100,000 euros. This strategy of fundraising is also known as the Street Performer Protocol.

Significant development steps made ​​the program with the following versions:

An overview of all published versions of the program can be found on the official website and in the German manual in the section "The story of Blender ".

Suzanne

In January 2002, it was clear that NaN would close the doors in March, the developers wanted to once again a " personal touch " in its latest release ( v2.25 ) set and added as a kind of Easter Egg a mesh basic model (primitive ) a chimpanzee head a. It was created by Willem -Paul van Bruggen over and after an orangutan from the movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back named.

Suzanne is a low-poly model ( 500 polygons) and provides in Blender the alternative to the otherwise usual Utah teapot dar. It often serves as a quick and easy way to test materials, textures and lighting setups.

The largest Blender contest will award an annual prize named " Suzanne Award".

Examples of the use of Blender

• In September 2005, some of the most respected Blender artists and developers began working on a short film. They used mostly free software. This project is known as the Orange Movie Project. The resulting film, Elephants Dream, had on 24 March 2006 premiere, was released in May 2006 and released on DVD for download via file sharing networks.
• Another film project called Big Buck Bunny appeared on 20 May 2008 on DVD. It represents the follow-up project of Elephants Dream
• The realized by experienced game developers in Blender open source game Yo Frankie! is available on DVD and since 9 December 2008 at the Internet since November 14, 2008. As the open source graphics engines Engines Crystal Space and Blender Internal Engine be used. The game can be modified and extended in Blender itself.
• In Argentina, the 80-minute animated film " Plumiferos " which had its premiere in Buenos Aires on 18 February 2010 was born.
• On September 2009, the third Open Movie Project was launched under the working title Durian. The finished film called " Sintel " had its premiere on 28 September 2010 at the Netherlands Film Festival, and since September 30, 2010, the film is available for download and can be on public video platforms such as YouTube, are considered.
• In October 2011, started the fourth Open Movie Project at the Blender Foundation with the project name Mango. The aim of the project was to extend the functionality in the field of visual effects. The finished film is called Tears of Steel and celebrated its premiere on September 26, 2012. In the twelve-minute short film, a group of fighters and scientists trying to save the Earth from destruction by robots. The complete film is available for free as a torrent, source material ( PNG frames, stereo and 5.1 sound, rendering in 4K Ultra High Definition Television and other project files ) has also been published.