The Blender Book

Rating:
Summary: A very well written manual for detailed software.
Review: A very well written and detailed manual. The accompanying CD includes dozens of detailed blender files which can be refered to while working through the tutorials. The manual has a comprehensive index to assist searches for specific program functions. The manual is particulary suitable for those who want to learn Blender in a methodical way.

Rating:
Summary: Discover Blender and become a fan
Review: First the subject: 3D graphism. I always wanted to tackle this area but had no previous expertise and can thell that the book works well for somebody with no previous knowledge in the area. Thru this book I tried it out and can tell that it requires the practicer some work but is a very rewarding experience.

Then the program: Blender. Blender was the choice since it is free (amidst very expensive competitors). If you are already familiar with it you can pass on the book. Otherwise this book will be of GREAT help since Blender interface, consistent and practical as it is, is yet very different and does not adopt some standards (like using right button for contextual menues, etc.)which may come at first as an added difficulty. But Blender is GREAT once you have picked up its own interface logic.And this book helps you doing so.

Last, then, the book: I consider it a great job and very useful in discovering Blender. First chapter hooks you by making you build a quick animation: a marble will roll (actually translate) under a spot-lighted camera.
Next chapter exploits this achieved enthusiasm to boringly review buttons, screens, commands and stuff. Be brave, from then on you are in for a treat.
The web is full of very good tutorials. Yet I think I would never start "blending" without a book giving me the basis.

I sure recommend you to give Blender a shot.

Rating:
Summary: Almost Terrible
Review: I liked the idea of a free 3D graphics tool (especially considering similar programs cost thousands of dollars), but Blender's user interface was completely baffling.

This book opened up the world of Blender to me. It is a great book explaining how to successfully use this great program. Blender's interface seems well thought out and very useful now that I understand it.

The exercises in this book help you master a lot of Blender's capabilities and puts you in a position to expand your knowledge as much as you want to.

This was the first book I read by this publisher. I was impressed and plan on reading more.

Rating:
Summary: leaves the beginner stranded
Review: I've used a total of four books for learning Blender. Three of those were from the Blender Foundation, and included 1) the Tutor Guide #1, 2) The Official Blender 2.0 Guide, and 3) The Official Blender Gamekit. When I had completed them, I wasn't sure if I was ready to tackle my projects. In other words, I wasn't ready to tackle my projects. They are pretty much terrible. The Blender Book, however, is a REAL book on Blender. I'm using the English version, and it just works. It is the only book on Blender that really covers the basics and brings you up to speed. There is a manual that is being produced by the Blender users, available on their site, that is as of this date (June 27, 3003) still incomplete. If you want to get up to speed with Blender, this is probably your only option. (Good work Carsten.)

Rating:
Summary: The only viable guide to Blender
Review: I've used a total of four books for learning Blender. Three of those were from the Blender Foundation, and included 1) the Tutor Guide #1, 2) The Official Blender 2.0 Guide, and 3) The Official Blender Gamekit. When I had completed them, I wasn't sure if I was ready to tackle my projects. In other words, I wasn't ready to tackle my projects. They are pretty much terrible. The Blender Book, however, is a REAL book on Blender. I'm using the English version, and it just works. It is the only book on Blender that really covers the basics and brings you up to speed. There is a manual that is being produced by the Blender users, available on their site, that is as of this date (June 27, 3003) still incomplete. If you want to get up to speed with Blender, this is probably your only option. (Good work Carsten.)

Rating:
Summary: leaves the beginner stranded
Review: i,m still trying to get grounded in blender,this book very often leaves me confused and helpless.Its like tryung to run through slow setting cement. That said what choice do i have but to carry on,the online tutorials are mostly for people who know what their doing,and slowly word by word i,m starting to feel like i,m getting there.
It may be that the translators are completley usless at their job,whatever the reason for the terrible state of affairs ,it makes what i sense should be an easy learning curve into a crusade.
Blender is a wonderful gift ,but you need moses to lead you to blendsville.
Wonkyjoe , London.

Rating:
Summary: Master 3D modeling and animation with Blender
Review: The Blender Book: Free 3D Graphics Software For The Web And Video is an indispensable guide for anyone seeking to master 3D modeling and animation with Blender, a fast and powerful high-end 3D graphics and animation software. All aspects are covered including modeling with polygons, curves and surfaces; crating 3D texts and logos; adding materials and textures to Web and video creations; integrate 3D objects into videos; controlling objects and crating interfaces using Python scripts; adding cuts, dissolves and other effects with Blender's Sequence Editor. Blender expert Carsten Wartmann provides step-by-step tutorials enhanced with illustrations, and an accompanying CD-ROM contains the latest version of Blender for all platforms, as well as textures, and all the tutorials, scenes, and animations of the book. The Blender Book is a "must" for anyone seeking to employ its abilities and advantages.

Rating:
Summary: Systematic Guide to Blender
Review: The first systematic guide to Blender. Blender is a great 3D modeling, animation and rendering tool; now also a game creation and playing tool. However great Blender is, it's still difficult to operate it until one knows the relevant key shortcuts. With this book blender lost its feature that only insiders could make full use of it. The book explains navigation, modeling and animation, as well as Python scripting in Blender and postprocessing of movies. After working through this book one is able to make useful animations which can easily be imported into a tool like Macromedia's Shockwave Studio and one also wishes to know even more about Blender, which seems to have an infinite amount of features.