Here's something to get animated about - free 3D animation software and this fun and easy guide! So you really want to explore 3D animation, but you can't afford one of the high-end 3D graphics programs? Blender was made for you, and it's free! And this book is even friendlier than the open source Blender community. It shows you just what you need to know to turn your ideas into cool movies or games, even if you've never used 3D software before. Think like Blender - get familiar with Blender's novel way of doing things, especially the unique interface The basics - start creating 3D objects with meshes, curves, and surfaces, and use the Extrude tool Lights, colors, and scenes - learn to build detailed 3D models, create characters and props, and light your scenes Get moving - understand animation curves, rig characters for motion, use particles, and make objects bounce and jiggle From Blender to something bigger - see how to render your files and move them into a movie file format such as QuickTime Open the book and find: Updates and new Blender features How to save time with hotkeys Ways to use Modifiers Tips on adding color and adjusting shader values All the options for adding texture How to build a character from skeleton to skin Basic animation principles Ten solutions to common problems that new users face Learn to: Create realistic animations with this free, open source software Build 3D objects with meshes, curves, and surfaces Take advantage of the new interface and other features of Blender 2.56 Install Blender 2.56a from the bonus DVD Bonus DVD Includes Blender v 2.56a with installation instructions A sample Blender movie to illustrate what you can achieve Other helpful materials to get you going with Blender Please see the About the DVD Appendix for complete system requirements. Visit the companion Web site at www.dummies.

com/go/blenderfd2e for examples, a link to download Blender, and more!.