What Do I Need?
- Any Dedicated or Virtual Server
- Ubuntu
What is Blender?
Blender is a free and open-source 3D computer graphics software tool used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, 3D printed models, motion graphics, interactive 3D applications, virtual reality, and computer games. Blender’s features include 3D modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, raster graphics editing, rigging and skinning, fluid and smoke simulation, particle simulation, soft body simulation, sculpting, animating, match moving, rendering, motion graphics, video editing, and compositing.
Though Ton Roosendaal is its original creator, currently, Blender Foundation is working on the project. Furthermore, it was first released on January 02, 2024 as a public project, made by hundreds of people from around the world; by studios and individual artists, professionals and hobbyists, scientists, students, VFX experts, animators, game artists, modders, and the list goes on. This makes Blender software that’s dedicated to a limited number of people. However, many audiovisual productions have been created with Blender and are already considered the open-source alternative to very advanced proprietary software. Otherwise, you can expect everything that a piece of professional, premium software can do. Besides this, it has an API where using Python many creators can automate tasks through scripts.
And unlike most things that are free – Blender is simply freaking amazing for 3D and visual effects creations.
- Update your Server
Always remember to run your basic upgrade and update checks before installing awesome applications like this one. Open ‘Terminal’ and use the following commands:
sudo apt upgrade sudo apt update
- Install Blender using Command Line
- Next, if you’re obsessed with the command line like I am, you’ll want to install Blender using ‘Terminal’.
sudo apt install blender
- Now, this can take a while depending on the speed of your server hardware. If like me you get bored easily, I can personally recommend watching some videos by Hak 5 on YouTube. Put together by a band of IT ninjas, security professionals, and hardcore gamers, Hak5 isn’t your typical tech show. They take on hacking in the old-school sense. It’s freaking amazing!
- After waiting and feeding your technolust on awesome tutorials you should now see it in your Unity loader.
- Right-click ‘Blender’ and select ‘Add to Favourites’.
- Click the ‘Blender’ icon on your ‘Favourites’ bar.
- Even running on my Hyper-V virtual machine, ‘Blender’ loads quickly.
- Scroll your middle-mouse button in order to zoom in towards your model.
- Click-and-hold the middle-mouse button to rotate around your model.
Next Steps
Don’t forget to visit Edit > Preferences > Add-ons for a great array of tools and scripts that can really help you to get started in the world of 3D modeling and animation.
Conclusion
It’s always useful to keep your finger on the pulse of what resources are available for your journey into the awesome world of 3D modeling, texturing, and animation. Over the years I’ve come to appreciate a select few in number that deserves a shout out here for their awesome array of resources and helpful communities.
Blender: yup – that’s right the developers themselves and their super impressive community.
CG Masters: A great place to start your journey with a massive collection of tutorials and courses.
Blender Nation: An amazing collection of free models from a huge community.
CG Cookie: learn to create 3D animations, game art, and visual effects with ‘Blender’.
Blend Swap: an ever-growing community that creates and shares models and environments.
Udemy: If you’ve got some cash and an inclination to learn you can check out their amazing, detailed, and fully interactive courses.
Blender Guru: Enjoy a ton of tutorials written and produced with an eye on detail and conciseness.
- Want suggestions about Best dedicated servers hosting? Click here and read more.
