Looking for Top 3 Tips

#1

This may seem obvious, but let me explain my situation:

I’m not new to 2D or 3D modelling, but I’m being forced into a software change. For years I used AutoCAD and 3DS Max at work. In my off time, I would hone my skills building model ships (hence the name Shipwright). I got reasonably good at it working towards photo-realistic renders, though by no means would I call myself an expert.

Then I changed jobs. And I no longer have access to 3DS Max (though I still use AutoCAD).

I have charged at Blender many times and have found myself frustrated and I inevitably quit trying. I think my main problem is that I have too many “bad” habits. I need to start over - pretty much in the same manner as when I started with 3DS MAX.

So what would your top 3 tips be for someone in my situation? I know Blender can do what I want, I just need to get past some barriers that are largely in my own head. Hopefully some of you have gone down this path before me and can help guide me past my frustration.

Thank you all in advance.

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n51/nec1163/Mechanical/102908-MH-01.jpg

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n51/nec1163/USS%20Delaware/BB28Cutaway070508b.jpg

#2

There is a Blender forums named blenderartists.com, might want to check that out. They have tutorials as well. There are tut on youtube, can’t recall their name, but they helped me.
As someone not new to modeling, you won’t have a hard time using Blender, it has a decent modeling toolkit that is very close to Max’s and Maya’s, IMHO in some cases it is better than Maya’s anyway.
The most daunting might be the different UI and that edge loop is loop cut and slice and so on. That’s why I’d recommend watching basic tuts and following along.
Its rendering engine Cycles is like the easiest to use I have ever seen, even easier than Keyshot. For preview models you basically have the diffuse shader and glossy shader. You can lego these in your node editor to get the final result.

#3

Tip #1: Once you “get” Blender’s interface, it becomes very fast. I now find other software clunky in comparison.
Tip #2: http://blenderartists.org/forum/ Is the correct place to be. I frequent there and try to help people with rigging and animation issues.
Tip #3: Don’t randomly press keys on your keyboard or buttons in the gui. You WILL activate something and have no idea how to turn it off. If you aren’t sure how to do something https://www.blender.org/manual/ as well as blender.stackexchange.com

I’m a hotkey kind of person and love having hotkeys for everything. I’ve recently been setting up some custom PIE menus that have helped a good bit for those commands that I rarely use. The SPACEBAR search feature is really great.

#4

Learned that one quick!!

Thanks to both of you for your response!!

#5
  • Don’t try to emulate your previous software
  • Use something simple, like physics simulation as a starting point for learning the interface concept
  • Its ok to turn off blender in frustration, as long as you restart it.