No, Blender can be a bit intimidating when you run it for the first time. But the great news is that you can find a ton of beginner-friendly videos on YouTube about how to use Blender. This is the great thing about free software—you only need to invest some time to learn how to use it.
Blender is much easier to learn now than it was 5-10 years ago. Always download Blender from blender.org to ensure you’re getting it from the official website.
The first thing you need to learn in Blender is how to navigate the 3D space in the Layout tab. It is possible to navigate the 3D viewport with a touchpad on a laptop, but a mouse with a scroll wheel is highly recommended, along with a keyboard with a numpad.
You can zoom in and out by rolling the scroll wheel.
Holding down the scroll wheel allows you to rotate around the viewport.
Holding down Shift and the scroll wheel lets you pan the viewport.
The reason you need a numpad is to change the view to, for example, front view (Numpad 1), left view (Numpad 3), or top view (Numpad 7). Hold down Ctrl to choose the opposite view, like Ctrl + Numpad 1 for the back view.
Is blender easy to learn? Dive in
It’s not fun to learn new skills like using Blender if you don't create something cool along the way.
PIXXO 3D on YouTube has some great videos about creating various sports balls. You’ll learn a lot from them, and the best part is that you can produce nice 3D models to show off really fast. :)
The good thing is that these videos were made recently with the latest Blender version, Blender 4.2. Don’t forget to give him a like—he really deserves it!
I made the balls myself, and this is how the result looks. It was really fun to make them.
Is Blender easy to learn? I hope you aren’t overwhelmed by all the functions Blender has—it’s truly comprehensive software.
Here’s a more lengthy playlist where you can see different functions of Blender and create a snowman.
Here’s the first video from the series. It starts with a recap of how to navigate—you can skip that if you want to. Ryan King has many good beginner videos, especially on how to create materials. Procedural textures mean that you don’t need to unwrap the model, meaning you don’t need to project an image onto the model. As you can see in the basketball video, materials are important for giving our models realism.
Some of Ryan King's cool material videos:
His great material playlist:
Playing with free models
If you want to get some free models to play with, BlenderKit is genius. It has lots of free models and some paid ones. You install an add-on in Blender, and you get a bar in the viewport where you can search for models and drag and drop them into the viewport. At this download link, you can see how to install it.
BlenderKit:
Is Blender easy to learn? No, but it is definitely a rewarding experience if you choose to. Lastly, I’ll show you the importance of using keyboard shortcuts in Blender. They make you work much faster. As you’ll see in most tutorials, even though you can do many things from menus, Blender is geared toward keyboard shortcuts.
Here are some important ones to start with:
Tab to switch between Object Mode and Edit Mode.
In Edit Mode:
1 for Vertex Mode (single points)
2 for Edge Mode
3 for Face Mode
In both modes
G to move objects
S to scale
R to rotate
There are many more, but I don’t want to overwhelm you. Many YouTubers turn on screencast keys so you can see which keys they press. It’s also possible to assign keyboard shortcuts to almost everything in Blender, but I recommend not changing the default ones because it will be harder to follow YouTube videos. If you still want to do it, you can right-click on menu items and choose "Assign Shortcut."
I hope I haven’t scared you away from starting to use Blender. Blender is amazing free software, and there are tons of add-ons for it—but that’s a subject for another post.
Optional you can have a look at my post about the best youtube channels for blender here.
Here is a breakdown of the different things Blender can be used for.
1. Modeling: Blender’s modeling tools allow you to create complex 3D objects with precision, whether through traditional polygon modeling or more abstract techniques like curves and modifiers.
2. Sculpting: With its sculpting tools, Blender simulates working with digital clay, where you can add, remove, or shape details organically. It’s perfect for artists who want to bring a more hand-crafted feel to their models.
3. Texturing/Materials:
Shader Editor: Blender’s Shader Editor provides a node-based interface to create complex materials.
Image Textures: When using image textures, the model needs to be unwrapped, similar to laying out a flat pattern of a 3D object.
Procedural Textures: These textures are generated mathematically and don’t require UV unwrapping. They're resolution-independent, making them incredibly versatile.
4. Animation: Blender allows you to animate virtually anything, from object movement to changes in material properties like color or transparency, making it an animation powerhouse.
5. Compositing: Blender’s compositor allows for post-processing effects such as color correction, blurring, or combining different image layers after rendering, giving you full control over the final image.
6. VFX: Blender’s ability to combine real-world footage with 3D objects using its motion tracking system is fantastic for visual effects. It makes it easy to integrate digital elements seamlessly into real video.
7. Geometry Nodes: The Geometry Node Editor lets you build objects in a non-destructive, procedural way. It’s a node-based system that can create complex objects like cityscapes or natural elements like flowers. While it has a steep learning curve, its potential for procedural generation is limitless. One of the great advantages is the large number of generators available online, such as building generators, flower generators, and more, which allow you to create almost anything you can imagine.
8. Video Editing: Blender also includes a surprisingly capable video editor, allowing you to cut, edit, and add effects to your videos without needing additional software.
9. 2D Animation (Grease Pencil): The Grease Pencil is a standout feature for 2D artists. It allows you to create traditional 2D animations directly in Blender, with the added flexibility of working in a 3D space.
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