Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mr. Coxhead and this lesson is called Move, Rotate, Scale and Colour.

And we're gonna be looking at how we can do these things inside of Blender to create 3D animations and 3D models.

Let's get started.

Here's the outcome for today's lesson.

I can create and modify 3D models, and there are three keywords for today's lesson.

First, we have model, which is a physical or digital representation of a real object.

Rotate, to move an object around an axis or centre.

And scale, to reduce or enlarge the size of an object.

There are three parts to today's lesson.

First, we have add, delete, and move 3D objects.

Second, we have scale and rotate 3D objects.

And lastly, we have create and add materials to 3D objects.

Let's get started and looking at how we can add, delete, and move 3D objects.

Take a look at these images.

Can you think of anything that links them together? Video games, product adverts, and films and TV.

Take a moment if you need to pause the video and have a think what might link them together.

Okay, so they are all likely to include 3D models and animation.

So a 3D model is a virtual object that is created inside 3D modelling software.

3D animation is the process of capturing static images of 3D objects to create the illusion of movement.

So here we have a bouncy ball and many types of software can be used to create 3D models and animations, but in this lesson I'm gonna be using Blender.

If you have access to blender, you can use that or you can use your own preferred software.

3D models and animations are used in a wide variety of industries such as entertainment and media, medicine and healthcare, architecture and engineering, education and training, product design and manufacture.

And these are just a few examples.

There are many, many others.

Many different applications are available to create and animate 3D models and scenes.

But Blender is an open source and free to use 3D modelling and animation software.

And we're gonna use it in this lesson, but you can use whatever you have access to.

But it is a great starting point and it's a really powerful software to use.

Simple 3D shapes are used to create 3D models.

Can you name any of the 3D shapes? Pause the video and have a look at the image and see if you can name these shapes.

Okay, let's take a look.

So cube is this one to the top left.

Then we have a cylinder.

Did you get that one? It's the one next to the cube.

Next we have the sphere, then we have the torus, looks a little bit like a donut.

And finally we have the cone.

And these 3D shapes are used to create lots of different models as a starting point.

And they're a great start to make your models.

They're called primitives and they're the basic building blocks for more complex and detailed models.

So all 3D models are made up of a number of features such as edges, vertices, and faces.

And we're gonna take a look at these to start with so we understand what a 3D model is and what parts make up a 3D model.

So a vertex is a point in 3D space.

How many vertices can you see in this image? Pause the video and have a count.

Okay, let's take a look and see how many we've got.

So we have one, two, three, four, five, six and seven.

So we can actually see seven vertices in this image, but there's also a vertex hidden from view behind the model, which is here.

So in total this would have eight vertices.

So an edge is formed when two vertices are connected together.

And here we can see on our cube, an edge is highlighted in white.

So how many edges can we see in this image? Pause the video and have a count.

Okay, let's take a look and count of how many edges we have.

So we have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine.

So there are nine edges in total that we can see on this cube, but there are also three edges hidden behind the model.

One, two, and three, just there.

When three or more vertices are connected together, a face is formed.

And here we have our cube again.

And we can see the face there in a slightly different shade.

So how many faces can we see in this image? Pause the video and have a count of the faces.

Okay, so let's take a look.

We have one, two, three.

So we have three faces that are visible on this cube, but there are another three faces hidden behind the model.

As we would expect for a cube.

Together, edges, vertices and faces make the mesh of a 3D object.

So here we can see the Blender monkey, lots of edges, vertices, and faces, and we have a quite a high resolution model of a camera.

Again, lots of faces, vertices and edges.

A check for understanding.

Let's take a look which image shows a highlighted vertex? A, B, or C? Pause the video and think about your answer.

Welcome back.

Let's take a look at the answer to this question.

And the answer is of course B.

So we can see there the vertex on that cube.

Well done.

If you didn't get it correct, take a look back through the the previous slides.

Feel free to move on when you're ready.

So it's important to be able to navigate a 3D workspace while modelling and animating.

And the main tools to navigate in a 3D workspace are the orbit, the pan, and the zoom.

Here's a video to have a look at how we do this inside of Blender.

To orbit around a 3D shape, we can click and hold the middle mouse wheel and move the mouse.

Alternatively, you can left click and hold on this icon and drag your mouse.

You can use whichever way you prefer.

To change the view from left to right or up and down, we can use the pan tool.

Left click and hold shift and drag your mouse.

Alternatively, you can click on this hand icon, left click and hold and drag your mouse.

To zoom in and out, we can simply scroll the middle mouse wheel.

If you prefer, you can also left click and hold on the magnifying glass icon and drag your mouse in and out.

Combine the orbit pan and zoom tools to navigate around your 3D model.

Although tricky at first, once you master these techniques, you'll soon be able to get around your model with ease.

Okay, and let's take a look at our second check for understanding in this learning cycle.

How would you zoom in and out on an object in Blender? Is it A, left click and shift? B, scroll the middle mouse wheel? Or C, click the middle mouse button and move the mouse? Pause the video and think about your answer.

Okay, welcome back and well done for having a go at that question.

So let's take a look at the answer.

And it is B of course, so it is scroll the middle mouse wheel to zoom in and out on an object in Blender.

Well done if you got that correct.

If not, you're very welcome to have another look at the video and just check out how to do that.

Let's move on.

So to start modelling, 3D objects are added, deleted and moved within the workspace.

Here's a video on how to add, delete, and move objects inside a Blender.

To delete an object, select the object, right click and select delete.

Alternatively right click on the object in the scene collection and select delete.

You can also select the object and press the delete key on your keyboard.

Finally, you can use a hot key by selecting the object and pressing X.

To add an object, click the add tab and select the mesh you need.

There are many types of 3D shapes that can be added to the scene.

All 3D objects can be moved along any of the X, Y, and Z axes.

To move an object, select it, and then click to move along each of the axis.

You can move along the red axis.

Or you can move your object along the green Y axis.

Finally, you can move your object along the blue Z axis.

You can move your object around the scene by using the handles on the three axes.

You'll soon get used to moving your object around the scene using this method.

Okay, and we have a third check for understanding here.

So in Blender, which shortcut key can be used to delete an object? Is it A, the X key? B, the A key? Or C, shift and middle mouse button? Pause the video and think about your answer.

Okay, welcome back.

Let's take a look at the answer to the question.

And it is of course the X key.

So well done if you got that correct, and again, don't worry if you didn't, you can always go back and have a look through the video until you get familiar with how to do this.

Let's move on.

And we're onto task A, which is the first task of this lesson.

And we're going to create our first 3D model by adding and moving two or three shapes.

So remember we have these primitive shapes to work with.

Use these to create our first model.

And a tip, be brief experiment and try out your ideas.

Remember, you can always delete objects if you need to.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy this task.

Okay, welcome back and let's take a look at an example answer.

So we were creating a 3D model by adding and moving two to three shapes.

And here's Jacob.

So he had a cone shape and the Blender monkey and he moved the position of the cone up so that it sits on the top of the monkey's head like a hat.

And here we have Aisha and she made an ice cream cone using the sphere and a cone and she wanted to add a chocolate stick but couldn't quite find the right shape.

So this is what she's got so far, a really good effort for her first model.

And I'm sure she'll figure out how to add the chocolate stick later on.

Let's move on to the next part of the lesson.

And this part of the lesson is called scale and rotate 3D objects.

So in a 3D workspace, all objects exist inside a coordinate system with three axes X, Y, and Z.

In Blender, three axes are coloured to make them easier to identify.

X is red, Y is green, and Z is blue.

To change the proportions of an object, objects can be scaled along any axis.

And this is known as scaling.

So the scale tool can be used to access the coloured handles that are needed to stretch the object.

And the icon looks like this.

It's often necessary to scale objects to make sure models and their features are in proportion.

And Aisha's had an idea, maybe she could scale the cube to make a chocolate stick and add it to her ice cream.

And here we have Aisha again and she'd made a chocolate stick this time by scaling a cube and added it to her ice cream.

But she's noticed it looks a little strange pointing out the side of the ice cream.

So I think Aisha is gonna figure this out again as we go through the rest of the lesson.

So of course 3D objects can be rotated around an axis to adjust the angle of the object in the 3D workspace.

The rotate tool can be used to access the coloured handles that are needed to rotate an object.

And the icon for rotating looks like this.

And here we have Aisha again, I think she's figured this out.

So she's rotated her chocolate stick to make the model look more realistic and it looks much more like an ice cream wood.

Well done, Aisha.

And a check for understanding.

So true or false.

An object can be scaled along any of the three axes in a 3D workspace.

Pause the video and think of your answer.

Welcome back.

And the answer to that question is of course true.

Well done if got that correct.

If you didn't, don't worry.

You can go back through and have a look at the content we've covered previously.

Let's move on.

What are the labels for the three axes in a 3D workspace? Are they A, B, C? X, Y, Z? Or 1, 2, 3? Pause the video and think of your answer.

Welcome back.

And they are, of course, X, Y, and Z.

Well done if you got that correct.

And if you didn't, don't worry, you can always go back and check through the previous content.

Let's move on.

And we're on to task B, which is the second task of this lesson.

And we're going to create a 3D model of a snowman by adding, moving and scaling and rotating 3D shapes.

A few tips for success here.

Only create the shape of the snowman and don't worry about the colours and textures at this point.

Use a reference image to help you block out this main shape of the snowman.

So if you want to find a picture of a snowman and use that, you are welcome to.

Once you've blocked out the main shape, add smaller 3D objects to detail your model.

Good luck for this task.

I hope you enjoy it and I'll see you soon.

Okay, welcome back.

I hope you enjoyed that task.

Let's take a look at some 3D models that Aisha created.

So she used four shapes to make her 3D model of a snowman and she moved and scaled a cylinder, sphere and cone.

And she had to rotate the cone to get the nose in the right place.

It's a great effort from Aisha here.

So well done for completing that task.

I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you managed to use the scale tools, the rotate, move, and use some simple shapes to create your snowman.

We're really building our 3D modelling skills here, so well done.

And let's move on to the next part of the lesson.

And we're onto the third part of the lesson, which is to create and add materials to 3D objects.

So different model views can be accessed through the viewport shading settings.

And the viewport settings can be changed by clicking on these icons.

The wire frame view hides the faces of a model and shows the lines, edges and vertices.

And it looks like this.

The solid view shows solid geometry and uses simplified lighting and rendering.

And here's the icon to click on to access the solid view.

The material view shows previews of colours and textures added to the solid geometry.

And the icon looks like this.

And finally, the rendered view previews the rendered models and includes lighting materials, textures and shadows.

And the icon looks like this.

So colour is used to make models more realistic and interesting.

So here's some feedback from Jacob and he says that he likes the ice cream that Aisha made, but thinks it would look more realistic if it was coloured.

And Aisha thinks she needs to have three colours, a pink for the ice cream, a dark brown for the chocolate, and a yellow colour for the cone.

So a material can be created and applied to a model to change its appearance.

So to create a material, select the object, click on the material properties icon and adjust the base colour.

And at this point it changes the whole colour of the object.

And here's the icon that you may need to click on to access the material properties.

And here we have Aisha who thought it was quite straightforward to add materials to her model and she's really enjoying it and we can see her adding some materials there to her ice cream.

And here we can see Aisha's model that she's created and Jacob's given her some feedback and says, "that looks so much better, Aisha.

I wonder if there's a way to make the model look smoother?" The smoothness of an object can be improved by selecting the shade smooth option.

To do this, select the object, right click and select the shade smooth option.

And here we can see Aisha's ice cream that's been shaded smooth and she's so pleased with the quality of the 3D model and can't believe how good it looks.

And here we have a check for understanding question.

So Jacob has added coloured materials to his model, but it's still grey.

And he wonders why the colours don't show.

What do you think the problem might be? Pause the video and think about your answer.

Welcome back.

Let's have a look at the answer.

So Aisha thinks that Jacob is in solid view and he needs to click on the material preview or rendered viewport to see the colours.

And she's absolutely correct.

So if he just switches the viewport, he should be able to see his colours that he's put onto his model.

Well done if you got that correct.

If you didn't, don't worry.

Remember, the more you practise, the more you'll get better at using Blender.

And another question.

To change the colour of an object, it must first be selected.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and have a think about your answer.

Welcome back.

And the answer is, of course, true.

You definitely need to select the object first before you can change the colour.

Well done.

If you didn't get that correct, feel free to go and have a look back through some of the content.

And we're on to task C, which is the final task of this lesson.

So welcome for getting this far.

Let's have a look at what we're going to do.

So using the snowman you created in task B, I'd like you to add suitable colours to the model.

Add extra modelling details to improve the quality of your model.

And tips for success.

If you prefer a smooth look, you can now add the shade smooth option.

Good luck with this task.

I hope you enjoy it and I hope you have fun adding colours to your snowman model.

Pause the video and have a go at this activity.

And welcome back.

I hope you enjoyed that task.

Let's take a look at some example answers.

So Aisha added white for the snowman, orange for the nose, as well as red and green for the hat.

For part two, add extra modelling details to improve the quality of the model.

While Aisha added eyes, arms, and buttons to the snowman and also added the smooth shading option to the model objects.

And she's really pleased with the model that she created and I think it looks great.

And here we've got a comment from Jacob who goes, "wow, your 3D model looks really good, Aisha.

You've done a great job." And Aisha says, "thank you Jacob.

It feels like I've really developed my 3D modelling skills." So I hope that you feel like you've improved your 3D modelling skills and I'm sure you've done a great job of your snowman.

Done a brilliant job this lesson, well done.

Let's take a look at the summary.

Primitive shapes can be used to create 3D models.

3D models are made up of edges, vertices and faces.

3D objects can be moved, rotated and scaled.

Now adding materials to objects can change their appearance.

So well done for completing this lesson.

You've done a fantastic job.

I really hope you've enjoyed 3D modelling and creating your snowman and learning the skills along the way.

I'm really looking forward to seeing you in the next lesson as we develop our skills even more using 3D modelling and animation.