3D design is everywhere and movies and video games are just the tip of the iceberg. You can see 3D design whenever you buy a commercial product, watch an Internet or TV advertisement, or when you see a piece of modern architecture. Almost every area of design has embraced some amount of 3D computer generated design. Unfortunately, for a long time most commercial software was far out of reach of the average consumer, both in terms of price and ease of use. This is no longer the case. Blender 3D is a complete, professional 3D content creation package, and what's more, it is open source (read: free). Check it out at www.blender.org.

It is now possible to create professional quality 3D animation, product design, and video games on any operating system. Blender is pushing the bounds of what is possible with free software and with a free community. 

In Blender 101, you will gain basic knowledge about 3D design concepts, some of which apply to traditional sculpture, and some of which are exclusive to 3D digital design. You will also gain a functioning knowledge of Blender's modeling tools. We will be focusing on Box Modeling techniques. You will walk away having created your very own 3D design, with a rendered image to show to your friends. You will have connections to an extremely successful open source community and the tools and knowledge to begin creating the movie/game/product of your dreams.

This class is being hosted by NYCResistor, a community hacker space who's members are pioneering the art of 3D printing, that is, taking a 3D computer design and printing it out by extruding heated plastic in very thin layers, built up to produce a finished piece. 

My intention is to host further classes in which there is an opportunity to design an object in Blender and then print it out during the class, so that you can go home with a physical manifestation of your design. Blender 101 is a perfect opportunity to be introduced to the skills necessary to design 3D printable objects. 

For further information about 3D printing, check out these sites.

www.makerbot.com

www.thingiverse.com

www.shapeways.com

www.reprap.org