Blender is a free and open source 3D creation suite. Users can create impressive 3D artworks including models, animations, visual effects, interactive games and more.
What Can You Do With Blender?
Blender provides all the essential tools required to take 3D projects from start to finish. Key features and capabilities include:
3D Modeling – Build detailed and complex 3D models of objects, characters, environments and more using Blender’s extensive mesh modeling toolset.
UV Unwrapping and Texturing – Assign 2D bitmap textures to 3D models to control their visual appearance.
Rigging – Create armatures and skeletal systems that can be posed and animated.
Animation – Animate 3D models with keyframes, create physics simulations and use Blender’s powerful animation tools to bring your creations to life.
Rendering – Photo-realistic rendering with Cycles and Eevee render engines which support advanced techniques like volumetrics, subsurface scattering, caustics and more.
Video Editing – Blender’s built-in video editor allows you to perform basic video editing including cuts and transitions.
Game Creation – Create interactive 3D games natively in Blender with the powerful Blender Game Engine.
And much more! Blender provides a complete end-to-end workflow for 3D projects.
With all of these capabilities available for free, it’s no wonder Blender is used by hobbyists and professionals worldwide.
Why Choose Blender?
Here are some of the key advantages that make Blender an extremely compelling choice for your 3D creation needs:
Completely Free and Open Source
Blender is free for everyone to use. As an open source project under GNU GPL license you have complete access to Blender’s source code and can build custom versions if needed. No strings attached!
Cross Platform
Blender runs on Linux, Windows and Mac systems with the same consistent user experience and performance across devices.
Cutting Edge Features
Blender stays up to date with the latest graphics and 3D innovations. Features like PBR materials, real-time render preview, VR/AR support and much more enable stunning results faster.
Extensive Documentation and Training Resources
As a popular open source project used widely in graphics, Blender has outstanding community created documentation, tutorials and courses available for free to assist your learning.
Constant Development
Blender sees updates every ~3 months with new features and fixes implemented by its talented worldwide development team and contributors.
Thriving Community and Industry Adoption
Proof of an excellent free and open source software is adoption by the community and industry. Blender is used by everyone ranging from hobbyists to AAA game and VFX studios worldwide.
Getting Started
Below is a quick 6 step overview to begin your Blender journey:
- Download Blender
Head over to blender.org and download the latest stable release for your operating system. - Installation and Setup
Install Blender by running the downloaded installer package. Ensure Blender runs smoothly by installing appropriate graphics drivers for your system. - Launch Blender
Open Blender! Welcome to the default startup scene. Take a moment to acquaint yourself with Blender’s UI and key editing modes. - Add Objects
Add primitive objects like cubes, planes and spheres into your scene via the Add Menu. Manipulate them with grab, rotate, scale tools. - Apply Materials
Use the Material Properties editor to adjust object surface settings like base color, roughness, shading model and more. See your material updates instantly in the 3D Viewport using Eevee’s real-time render engine. - Render Image or Animation
Adjust scene settings like camera position, lighting and output resolution in the Properties panel. Then render out your scene by pressing F12!
With these basics covered, you’re ready to take on any kind of Blender project!
12 Applications Where Blender Shines
Thanks to its versatile toolset, Blender can be used to create impressive graphics and animations for many different use cases including:
- 3D Modeling
Build detailed 3D models of characters, environments, architecture, products and more. Great for hobbyists and professionals. - Concept Art
Use Blender tools to flesh out ideas and create concept art pieces and mockups for games, film and industrial design. - Animation
Craft stunning animations using Blender’s character rigging, animation and physics simulation toolset. - VFX & Compositing
Composite and post-process visual effects in your footage and film clips with nodal compositing in Blender. - Architectural Visualization
Create photorealistic architectural renderings with Blender Cycles ray tracing render engine. - Game Asset Creation
Design stunning 3d game assets including characters, weapons, environments and cinematics with Blender. - VR/AR Content Creation
Build immersive virtual or augmented reality experiences with Blender’s real-time capabilities. - 3D Printing
Convert your 3D models into files ready for 3D printing and build physical objects with Blender. - Motion Graphics & Titling
Animate your logo, create dynamic text effects and produce broadcast quality titling in Blender. - Education & Research
Blender is used extensively in schools, colleges and universities for graphics, animations and geometry research. - Independent Filmmaking
Complete your short film or animated feature with Blender’s video editing and VFX capabilities. - Game Development
Create full featured, playable games completely in Blender with logic bricks and the Game Engine.
Ongoing projects to improve Blender even further include:
Continued improvements to modelling and animation toolset to enhance workflows
Expanding Cycles rendering engine capabilities with new features and hardware support
Massive upgrades to real-time viewport and game engine for greater interactivity
Better USD pipeline support for use in large studio production environments
Notable Companies Using Blender
Despite being free and open source software, Blender is used professionally by many organizations and prominent studios worldwide including:
Animation Studios
Tangent Animation – Australia based studio that worked on films like Happy Feet. Uses Blender for animated films.
Tonko House – American animation company behind Netflix’s Kajillionaire short. Relied on Blender’s 2D and 3D capabilities.
Strange Beast Animation – Blender is the primary software used by this TV animation studio in Vancouver, Canada.
Visual Effects Studios
The Mill – Leading VFX studio with offices in multiple locations across the globe. Utilizes Blender’s capabilities.
Energia Productions – Created VFX for Netflix’s Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime using Blender open source pipeline.
Goodbye Kansas – Originally from Sweden, this major European VFX studio offers Blender expertise.
Game Development Studios
Ubisoft – French game developer behind popular franchises like Assassins Creed. Uses Blender tools and formats in its production pipeline.
Nintendo – Reviews and accepts Blender models, animations and more for inclusion in titles like Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
Wolfire Games – Independent game developer that used Blender to build popular titles Overgrowth and Receiver 1/2.
In closing, Blender is an extremely capable, open source 3D tool used to craft everything from 3D printable everyday objects to Hollywood blockbuster special effects. It empowers both hobbyists and professionals alike with pro-grade design capability at no cost. Blender’s success rests completely on the efforts of its community developers and contributors.