This week’s selection is “Blender for Dummies” by Jason van Gumster.
Blender is one of the more unusual tools used to create complex 3D models for 3D printing. It’s an extremely powerful product, and it’s completely free.
Then why wouldn’t it be the choice of 3D tool for most 3D printer operators? It’s because of the tool’s learning curve. As an open source project, it tends to add function over time and eventually you have a pretty complex product. That said, it can be used to create all manner of 3D models and scenes.
Wait, scenes? Yes, that’s because Blender is not purely a tool for creating 3D printable objects; it’s a much more full system that is most often used for creating 3D visual content, rather than solid 3D models for printing. Blender includes the ability to create scenes to place objects within, create animations, trajectories and much, much more.
The attraction for 3D printer operators is that Blender can do the job, and it’s available completely free.
But there is that learning curve…
That’s where this book comes in. Part of the famous “Dummies” series, it takes the reader from zero knowledge of Blender to a certain level of competency. The book is chock full of examples that are easy to follow, and take the reader through the learning journey.
As you might expect, quite a bit of the book is focused on the visual content aspects, which are not necessary for 3D printable models. However, the book has an extensive section where it helps you “think in 3D”, something many people have trouble doing.
The book also provides an extensive review of the Blender interface, which can be quite confusing at first. Note, however, that Blender is updated often and the current version might be somewhat different than what is portrayed in the book. However, the base methods of navigation and other concepts will certainly hold going forward.
If you’re interested in learning Blender in an easy way, this book could be for you.
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Via Amazon
