Sub-division Models

In recent years, there have been huge improvements in n-gon’s (non quad polygons). Specifically how well they render and games engines handle non triangular or quad polygons – in reality of course, all polygons are reduced to triangles for rendering. Three vertices being the lowest amount of points that are needed to create two dimensional forms. It seems now that the last place that require quad sub-D models is in deformed meshes, character animations and the like....

8 April 2023 · Mark

Blender Class Naming Convention

Blender Class naming conventions - Python API As of Blender 2.8 the API naming requirement is for the class name to match the following convention: UPPER_CASE_{TYPE}_mixed_case Where {TYPE} is two letters denoting the class type inherited: HT – Header MT – Menu OT – Operator PT – Panel UL – UI list The class identifier “bl_idname” mast match the class name. Valid class name and identifier examples: class ADDONNAME_OT_my_operator(bpy.types.Operator): bl_idname = 'ADDONNAME_OT_my_operator' ....

19 October 2022 · Mark

Backface Culling in Blender

Backface culling in Blender is set in two places, for solid view and for material view: Solid View In messageSolid view, i.e. Matcap, Studio etc. it is set from the topbar dropdown as shown below: Material View In Material view, i.e. EVEE is it set in the shader panel on the right, as shown below: Advantages Using backface culling allows the user to see through the backside of geometry. This is handy for looking at the bottom of objects, through a ground plane for example....

3 October 2022 · Mark

Empty Pie Menu Blender

This is the basic structure of a Pie Menu in Blender using Python import bpy from bpy.types import Menu, Operator bl_info = { "name": "", "author": "", "version": (0, 0, 0, 1), "description": "", "blender": (2, 80, 0), "category": "3D view" } class VIEW3D_MT_PIE_template(Menu): # label is displayed at the center of the pie menu. bl_label = "Operations" bl_idname="mesh.mypie" def draw(self, context): layout = self.layout pie = layout.menu_pie() pie.operator("auto.smooth") ​ def register(): ​ bpy....

12 June 2021 · Mark

Busy with kits

Over the last few weeks I have been busy in Blender using the Decalmachine add-on to create some decal textures from Blender. You can find all my assets over at Gumroad. For more information on the assets for Blender and Modo just visit the link above.

20 February 2021 · Mark