Blender 2.92: Five exciting updates for makers
Primitives? primitive add
Geometry nodes
Video editing VSE
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There is again a real flood of innovations in Blender 2.92. Many of these are features that appeal more to computer graphics artists and animators. But Blender can also be used in a variety of ways in the maker scene: we present five exciting innovations for makers here.
The new features are documented in detail and with many great examples on Blender's English-language website for Blender 2.92. A German-language summary by Gottfried Hofmann can be found on heise online. If you want to know more about it and are interested in the development of Blender, you will find the release log with links to the patches and the source code on the Blender Foundation wiki pages.
Makers like to use Blender for projects despite its demanding learning curve. Besides the obvious uses - like 3D printing - there are other creative ways to use Blender:
CAD construction, etc. for 3D printing and other CNC
Parametric design of standard parts and structures using Python, add-ons or parametric design
Testing of constructions in the physics engine or by kinematics
3D print preparation of third-party models, error analysis and correction
Presentation of projects in image, video and animation
Video editing for social media and documentation
Control of projects using Python (serial or via network) from within Blender
Record, display and process measured values and status messages
Create 3D or 2D objects for further processing in vector programs
Primitives? primitive add
Basic bodies such as cubes, cones, cylinders or spheres (primitives), which serve as the basis for almost all constructions, can now be added with just a few clicks - similar to many other programs. The base area is drawn up with two mouse clicks, the third click defines the height of the object. By using snapping on corners, edges and surfaces, basic constructions can be created quickly. This is very helpful when it comes to creating (auxiliary) objects in relation to existing surfaces with any spatial orientation. In addition to "just trying it out", the documentation and a demo video help to explore the new function.
In the Make video course, the well-known book author and Blender tutor Carsten Wartmann uses various small Maker projects to show how to use the open source 3D software package Blender for CAD tasks such as constructing your own templates for 3D printing or can use CNC milling productively.
Website for the 3D course for makers: Designing with Blender
The video course in the heise shop
The video course at Vimeo on Demand
Online forum about the Blender course
Geometry nodes
Using modifiers, drivers and/or Python, it has always been possible to create procedural or parameterized objects and constructions in Blender. Geometry nodes go one step further and make it possible to create almost any object in the node editor. It is programmed graphically by connecting nodes to each other.
For now, the focus is still on creating randomly generated landscapes and environments - but why not also generate parameterized buttons or faceplates with generative patterns (or even entire cases) that have random patterns and features for each creation? Or props and figures for role-playing games, where no two poses or walls are the same? For inspiration, check out Erindale Woodford's Challenge or search for the hashtag #nodevember on Twitter.
Geometry nodes are only part of the development goal towards everything nodes. So far there have been material, texture and compositing nodes, but animation nodes and particle nodes are still in the starting blocks.
