Cover; Copyright; Credits; About the Author; About the Reviewers; Table of Contents; Preface; Chapter 1: Introduction to Blender and Architectural Visualization; Architectural visualization; How about Blender 3D?; Hardware and software requirements for Blender; Other tools for visualization; CAD and 3D architectural modeling; 3D models from the Internet; Visualization with Blender; Summary; Chapter 2: Blender 3D: Quick Start; Interface; Windows and menus; Multiple windows; Merge windows; Header; Add or remove a header; Active window; Keyboard shortcuts; 3D visualization; Selecting objects
Boolean modifierMirror modifier; Groups; How to create a group?; Proportional editing; Summary; Chapter 4: Modeling for Architecture; Architectural modeling; Modeling by proportions; Planning is the key to success; Precision modeling; Edge length; Transforming with precision; Layers; Modeling in practice; Walls; Rounded corners; Symmetry; Openings; Floors and Lining; Modeling using the walls; Modeling with separated objects; Starting from a CAD drawing; Preparing the DXF files; Importing DXF files; Summary; Chapter 5: Modeling Details; Level of detail; Windows; Doors; Summary
Chapter 6: Modeling FurnitureCreate models or use a library?; How to get started?; Appending models; Importing models; Modeling a chair; Modeling a sofa; Summary; Chapter 7: Materials; Creating and organizing materials; Material color; Solid color; Gradient colors; Shaders; Diffuse; Specular; Ray tracing; Creating glass; Simple glass; Mirrors and reflections; Glossy reflections; Glossy transparency and frosted glass; Ray traced shadows; Wireframe materials; Self-illumination; Summary; Chapter 8: Textures; Procedural textures vs. Non-procedural textures; Texture library; Applying textures
MappingNormal map; UV mapping; Unwrapping scripts; Summary; Chapter 9: UV Mapping; What is UV mapping?; Why UV mapping?; Marking the model; What makes a good seam?; Unfold the model; Editing the unfolded model; Export the unfolded mesh; Smart projections; Summary; Chapter 10: Light Basics; Lamps; Energy; Distance; Color; Controlling light; Hemi; Sun; Lamp; Area; Spot; Volumetric shadows; Soft shadows; Lighting exercise; Summary; Chapter 11: Radiosity and Ambient Occlusion; Global illumination (GI); Radiosity; Vertex Paint; Ambient Occlusion; Outdoor scene; Indoor Scene; Summary
Selecting by nameRenaming objects; 3D Cursor; Cursor Snap; Modes; Creating Objects; Erasing Objects; Duplicating Objects; Transforming Objects; Cameras; Render Basics; Render Preview; Summary; Chapter 3: Modeling; Types of objects; Mesh primitives; Mesh editing; Transformations; Transforming with precision; Loop Subdivide; Knife tool; Selecting loops; New edges and faces; Merge; Removing double vertices; Extrude; Extrude with vertex; Extrude with edges; Extrude with faces; Constraining the extrude; Modeling example; Modifiers; Subsurf modifier; Smoothing faces; Array modifier; Array example
0
8
8
8
8
In Detail Every type of construction-such as building a house, a movie set, or a virtual set-needs a project. These projects are made of a lot of documents and technical drawings, which help in the construction of those buildings. These technical drawings and documents are just fine, but when you need to make a presentation of these projects for people who can't read technical drawings, things can get a little difficult. To make presentations for people who can't read technical drawings, we use tools like Blender. With Blender we can create, texture, and generate photo-real images of a project. These images are helpful to architects or companies to explain their projects in a better way. This book will show you how to generate real-looking architectural models quickly using Blender. You can also create natural scenery, landscapes, plants, various weather conditions, environmental factors, building materials such as wood, metal, brick, and more using Blender. As you walk through the chapters you will see that Blender is a tool, designed to give you high productivity and fast access to tools and menus helping you to create 3D models quickly for 3D visualization. You will learn how to add people to different scenes as well as other objects to an already existing photograph or a video making it easier to increase its realism. The process begins by learning how Blender user interface works then moves on and starts to deal with 3D modeling. In the 3D modeling chapters you will learn how to work with polygon-based modeling for architecture, creating walls and other architectural elements. But, a project is not only made of large scale models and this is the reason why you also learn to create 3D furniture. In the section about advanced lighting for architecture, you learn how to work with YafaRay to use global illumination techniques such as Photon Mapping and Path Tracing, and create photo-real renderings. In the last section of the book, dedicated to animation, we will create linear animation based on keyframes and interactive 3D applications. Create realistic models of building exteriors and interiors, the surrounding environment, and scenery. Approach The book consists of a lot of exciting examples, which are shaped using the various features of Blender. It provides step-by-step instructions leading you to realistic models of buildings, landscapes, and more. A collection of amazing screenshots will add excitement to your learning experience. You can build realistic 3D models that can be used while creating different animation projects. The printed version of the book is in black and white, but a full color version of the images is available for download here. The eBook version, available from Packt, is in full color. Who this book is for This book is for architects, game designers, artists, or movie makers who want to create realistic buildings, interiors, and scenery using Blender 3D, a free, open-source graphics tool. This book is not a general introduction to Blender, but focuses on developing expertise on the architectural aspects of the tool. You need not have prior knowledge of Blender.