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.