[Edu-sig] Blender Basics Tutorials

[Jason Cunliffe]

Yeah it is strange bird...

If you can clarify what is confusing/hard that would be helpful

Although Blender is free they sell books to help support it. Check the main
site. A new one in the works looks like it should be the clearest one yet.

I imagine a lot of people would like a good CD/DVD by a Blender guru to show
the rhythm of using it. I would.
Perhaps one is already in the works in France or Netherlands..

There are quite a number of website tutorials out there, including pretty
well illustrated ones. The problem with Blender learning curve is that it is
quite unique [for better and for worse]. It's interface is an odd
combination of interactive contextual and postfix design logic. {Maybe its a
Dutch game things I don't know.}

Blender is designed to be used with two hands - one on the mouse and the
other on the hotkeys [keyboard] and your minds eye on the screen. Everyone
recommends a 3 button [scrolling] mouse.

Context changes everything in Blender so where the mouse is determines
hotkey function.
Than means tutorials have to use a lot of words where really one needs
dynamic illustration.  Flash or some such to explain with rollovers
highlight what is relevant.
I describe it as 'Postfix' also because essential operation like selection
and action seem to be in a counter-intuitive sequence to many other
softwares.

Blender is sort of like Forth meets Modality-zilla. I'll post some more
sites later,  but here are a few for starters:

Slide show tutorial with annotation covers UI basics
http://blendedmind.i8.com/tutorials.html#tutorials

Blender Hot Keys
http://members.chello.nl/j.kassenaar/blender/hotkeys/index.htm

http://www.crosseyedmedia.com/0_a_px800/tutorials.html

good luck
- Jason
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