Clueless...Blender

[Grafixman]

I'm primarily 2D, but with everybody in PI world busy discovering new things, I thought I'd try doing 3D, so I downloaded Blender and is now blissfully making boxes and spheres. I was looking at online documentations on Blender at various sites and it seems that you can import dxf files into it. This seems interesting because I thought I could make shapes in Draw, export it as a dxf file then import it in Blender to make it 3D. No luck. Can it be done? How?
My current solution is to make my shape in Draw, export that as a ttf font file, create a text object in Blender and change the font to this. I didn't think anybody does it this way, but I managed to get my shape into Blender and was able to convert this to a curve then a mesh. Is there an easier way of doing this. How come the dxf file I created in Draw couldn't be read by Blender?
This 3D stuff is harder than I thought...

[Grafixman]

I'm primarily 2D, but with everybody in PI world busy discovering new things, I thought I'd try doing 3D, so I downloaded Blender and is now blissfully making boxes and spheres. I was looking at online documentations on Blender at various sites and it seems that you can import dxf files into it. This seems interesting because I thought I could make shapes in Draw, export it as a dxf file then import it in Blender to make it 3D. No luck. Can it be done? How?
My current solution is to make my shape in Draw, export that as a ttf font file, create a text object in Blender and change the font to this. I didn't think anybody does it this way, but I managed to get my shape into Blender and was able to convert this to a curve then a mesh. Is there an easier way of doing this. How come the dxf file I created in Draw couldn't be read by Blender?
This 3D stuff is harder than I thought...

[gidgit]

Well, here's hoping that a Blender fan will come and answer your questions there Grafixman... you sure picked a doozy of an app to get started into 3D with... phew

Blender is as hard as they come... and even then some... ouch... (though the Blender crowd will have something different to say about this I am sure )

If I was just getting into 3D, knowing what little I do at present hehe, I would check this link out...

Randy Rives is a member here at TG, and drops in from time to time, and... he is putting on a entry level intro to 3D course... it cost's twenty bucks, and I believe you get a licenced version of C4D CE with the course... this is one awesome deal... 20 bucks for C4D CE, and lessons on how to use it to boot... you really can't go wrong with this one...

I think the classes started on June 11, but it is probably not too late...


http://www.eclecticacademy.com/newcl...htm#3Dmodeling

Randy cab also be reached over @ http://www.indeptharts.com/

[Mike Bailey]

Hello Graphix man, I am not familiar with Blender but I believe the .dxf files you can import into Blender are 3D (geometry) mesh models in .dxf format. The dxf format is/was native to Autocad.

As far as using 2d work to model in a 3D application, you would import a vector line drawing and use it to do an extrusion or similar operation. You can also use almost any 2d application to paint texture maps and such.

For a freebee, You should investigate,
http://www.wings3d.com/
Its a very friendly modeler.

[randyrives]

Hey gidgit thanks for the plug. The class actually starts on July 11th. You must sign up by July 7th. So there is plenty of time to sign up.

I agree if you are new to 3D this is a great inexpensive way to get started. You will get a very good software product, and 6 weeks of lessons.

I still pop in and lurk here. But outside of Indepth Arts, I don't post much. My life has thrown me a few curve balls, and time is ever going short for me.

[gidgit]

Any time Randy I have been plugging this course everywhere I go

Ah man, I just got shivers reading this Randy... hey man, fight till the end... model on...

Our prayers are with you

[randyrives]

Hey bud, nothing so heavy. I am doing fine, just read my post and hope people don't take it that I am sick.

My father-n-law was in an auto accident and now is paralyzed from the neck down. This has put a big strain on our family.

He has a small farm and my son, wife and I have been taken over the chores. Plus I was laid off work and having to work a couple of jobs to make ends meet. So I have less time to surf and all.

Thanks for the concern!

[gidgit]

Hey sorry to hear bout that Randy... here's hop'n your chores will go lighter with time put in and that all will go better for you and yours...

[Grafixman]

So I took a dive off the deep end of the pool? Now I know I'm really clueless! . Sink or swim, man. Sink or swim...
Thanks for the tip about Randy's class. I'll keep it in mind. I'm just testing the water for this 3D stuff, seeing the fantastic works you people post. It seems a lot harder than I thought. How do you people do these things and still be able to think creatively? I'm getting drained just navigating through this 3D space. I feel like an astronaut trying to sculp while wearing a spacesuit and floating in zero g.

[gidgit]

Perhaps you have chosen the wrong diving board to begin 3D with...

Blender is an app, though loved by it's ultra loyal fans, is also an app which is known by the rest to be much too difficult in UI design to actually be all that usefull to the rest of the 3D World... some love it, while the majority hate it...

Blender's modeling tools are nowhere near as powerful, or as easy to use, as are the tools found in Wings3d, later versions of C4D, Silo etc.... and sure, it now has built in rendering, animation etc, but so does C4D, and with C4D you really don't have to do a whole lot of configuring before ya even get going...

Personaly, I would very much consider taking Randy's course... It will totaly help you understand the basics of 3d, and... you get the licenced C4D CE app... For twenty bucks you would be doing yourself a huge favour...

Put it to you this way... C4D CE is actually C4D XL6, with the only limitation between the CE version, and the full XL app, being that in CE you are limited to rendering animated frames at 640x480... this said however, you can render still shots in the view window as large as ya want...no limits... So heck, you are basically getting what used to cost 700 bucks, for 20 bucks, and some very good instruction to boot...

Grafixman, I really should tell ya that 3D really is a lot harder than it looks... there is actually quite a bit of knowledge to be aquired and practiced... it doesn't come over night by any means, for anybody... Just plain too much info to absorb...

but... on the otherhand, once you have made the plunge, have geared up with a few apps that agree with yas, then all should become more apparent with each day of practice...

As my buddy Stu keeps pounding into my head... You Can Do It !!!