New project, learn to use Blender

New project, learn to use the 3D software Blender.

I have been playing with the idea for sometime now, but have really not put the effort into having a good go at it, and something like this needs just that, effort and time. Now I thought if I start doing maybe a weekly blog post about my progress, it might make me push myself more.

I am aware that I blog for myself more than anyone else, and that maybe no one will even read this, it's still my way mentally to get my arse in gear…. As some of you may know my line of work is Photoshop. I had been a photographer for around 16yrs, then digital really took hold of the industry and I realized that the craft that I had learnt had gone, as it was no longer needed to get the right shot in one or two goes, you could shoot 100+ shots and pick one. So I looked towards the digital editing side of the business and trained myself until there was a position for me.

And now I’m starting to think the same again about the industry. Every photographer uses Photoshop, it has become the normal work process, not always for the best, so I look towards 3D. I have seen some amazing renders, you really would have to look hard to find that they are not real. More and more big companies are using them for their products and catalogs, I have read that Ikea’s catalog book in now 70% done with 3D software which is amazing when do flick through the book.
Why Blender? The main and only real factor is it's free, open source, so no cost outlay apart from the computer to run it on. You can of course buy lots of professional plugin in's, materials, textures and models, but there are also plenty of free available resources to play with.
So I will really try my hardest to write something every week and what I have learn't and what progress, if any, I have made.
Wish me luck :)

Here are just a few examples of 3D renders I have found that really inspire me to give this a go.

SteamVR Performance Test

 Thought I would give Steam's VR test programme a run last night. I bought my pc last year and I did my best to get the most for my price range, so I was interested to see how it would stand up to what some people are saying is the next big thing for gaming (though I have my own views on that).
The programme itself is available in your steam library under Software/Utilities and is about a 1.9gb download, which I thought was overkill for what it does....  Anyway once installed it runs for about 2mins to see if your pc can handle VR. I'm happy to say it passed and was marked as Ready, but only just in the ready marker! (see screen grab). I guess I'm glad that my system would be good to go, but VR is in my mind many years away from being a real need for any gamer, and at the price mark of $800 which will be £800 uk when it does come out here, as our exchange rate is odd that way, it's not going to be on many people's shopping lists.
 As with all new tech coming onto the market, the price is very important and really is only for the first adopters. I myself have trouble with motion sickness while playing fps, though I do believe they have managed to reduce that problem, I would still have to test run it, and even then it's like 3D movies, when they just chuck a few things flying at the screen to say "Hey look 3D" it's a real waste, they will really need to make it it's own genre not just adapt a few games to work with it. VR it's the future......

Steam VR.

Total War: Warhammer

(UPDATED) This game I have been keeping an eye on for sometime now. I always knew the total war series would make a great fantasy platform, I just kinda wish it wasn't with Games Workshop. Oh I don't think there is anything wrong with the warhammer game, it's just I see GW forcing dlc after dlc after dlc to squeeze as much cash out of the fans, as they do with all their other lines. I will maybe in the future pick this up, as it looks amazing and have always liked the Total War games, I just might wait to see how they play the dlc game.

Street Fighter V: Full Length CG Trailer

 Amazingly cool full length trailer for Street Fighter V. This game has come along way since Super Street Fighter II on the SNES, which was my first introduction to the game. Loved the switch over to the new look, but I just wish they wouldn't do so many versions and DLC content. It never feels like your getting the full game until you have bought it all.

 Some more images after the link.

Bill Nye

All the Bill Nye gifs you will ever need to answer anything on social media. :)

In a very surprising move, Amazon have released their own gaming engine for all to have a go with. And giving this even more of a twist is that it will be completely free, no download cost or royalties to pay.
 It's a very nice, and one that might make Unity and Unreal 4 have to have a long think about where they stand, because if Lumberyard gets the support from the gaming public and enthusiasts, it will become the go to engine.

Link to the download here.

Super Bowl commercials film trailers

Now that Super Bowl 50 is over let's, look at what is really important, the film trailers in the commercials.
 I have to say I'm getting more excited for Civil War now, and Jungle Book looks great.

Deadpool

Captain America:Civil War

January's Camera Pictures

 January is always a slow and not very eventful month for us, so we didn't really get out and about much, plus the weather was just wet, wet wet......
 Anyway we did get to see The Flying Scotsman which was nice and we had the smallest amount of snow, which we still made the most of :)

Best of cosplay January 2016

 Welcome to my collection of the best cosplay images I found around the web in January 2016..
 We have the usuals like starwars, wonderwomen and superhero's, but it's nice to see more steampunk and a few gender twists.