Have you ever said to yourself: "I'm sure this paper would have been accepted if I had just included a pretty picture..."? The pretty pictures you often see gracing the cover of Nature can be made in a number of ways, from simple sketching in Powerpoint to full-blown 3D modeling. Among the numerous software packages available for 3D computer graphics is Blender, a free and open-source package that can be used for modeling, sculpting, animating, rendering, and more. In this hands-on workshop, I will introduce basic principles of operation for the modeling and rendering of objects in Blender. Together, we will create some simple models before diving into some advanced techniques that are necessary to make images like the one seen below. Are you the type of person that prefers working from the command line? Blender is built on Python, and can be directly manipulated from a Python console or script. I will show you how to perform some unique operations using a simple Python script, with an eye towards visualizing your own data in Blender. Are you simply looking for a method of converting a 2D image into a shiny 3D model? I will also show you how to take an SVG file and turn it into a 3D model in Blender that can be manipulated. This workshop is intended for people that are entirely unfamiliar with Blender software, but the concepts covered can easily be applied to any rendering software of your choice.
This is a hands-on workshop: bring your laptops, a keyboard with a numpad, and a mouse!