Blender 3D Community Toolbar
Discuss this video at http://forum.irakrakow.com and network with other Blender 3D users.
Read the text and get the links mentioned in this video at http://blender3dvideos.blogspot.com
The purpose of this video is to make you aware of a fantastic resource which I think is an essential tool for any Blender user, from newbie to seasoned professional. It’s called the Blender Community Toolbar, available at:
http://blendernewbies.communitytoolbars.com
The Toolbar installs in seconds on your browser. There are versions for Internet Explorer, Firefox (the one I use because I like open source), and Safari (the Apple Macintosh browser). I also want to point out some of the links that I have found useful. I posted all the links on my blog at http://blender3dvideos.blogspot.com. This is just one person’s favorites list, and certainly it’s not an exhaustive one. Blender has a large and enthusiastic worldwide following of extremely talented people who volunteer their time and knowledge to enrich the experience of working in Blender for all of us.
So let’s start with Kernon Dillon, the author of the Blender Community Toolbar and developer of the blendernewbies site, at http://blendernewbies.blogspot.com. First, I want to publicly thank Kernon for all the hard work he’s put into blendernewbies. Kernon’s clear, precise, and even tempered presentations of even the most difficult Blender topics are a pleasure to watch.
Duration : 0:8:15
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@irakrakow Yeah, it …
@irakrakow Yeah, it looks like the coolest thing in the world. I posted on it in the forum, with a link to the software and a Bugzilla2001 tut on it. It’s in the animation section. Hope you’ll give it a spin before long and do a tut. I haven’t noticed a lot of wordy Blender characters yet. Maybe this will make the difference…
@AdamEtheredge Wow! …
@AdamEtheredge Wow! That sounds fantastic! Any tool that can automate a lipsync like that sounds radically cool. Then, combining that with the Video Sequence Editor can really produce powerful results. Thanks!
@irakrakow Papagayo …
@irakrakow Papagayo is really cool, and seems very simple to use. It’s a piece of software (opensource) that allows you to take put in an aud clip, and then it automatically links the phonetics to the shape keys that you input. This way, the audio that you record actually drives your shape keys for you. It exports a data file to Blender, then theres a Blender script takes the data and voila! you have decent lipsych to your character (I suck at explaining.) I’ll post about in your forum & link…
@AdamEtheredge …
@AdamEtheredge Actually, I’m still working out how to do lip synching. I have to learn more about not only how shape keys work but the correct sequencing so that the lips actually look like the character is realistically talking. What’s Papagayo? Sounds intriguing!
I got the toolbar …
I got the toolbar the other day. It’s VERY helpful. There are all kinds of tools that any Blenderhead can find really useful to every step in the animated filmmaking process. And it’s a quick way to jump to all sorts of great community links. I highly recommend it.
@irakrakow Well, …
@irakrakow Well, thanks again, Ira (blush, blush!)
You’re very kind. I’m very flattered to be praised so highly by someone who so unselfishly and unceasingly shares their time and hard work to help a novice user like myself, and others, learn about the artform. You’ve become a real hero of mine. And you remind me why I enjoyed my time with my college professors.
Yes, character animation sometimes scares me. It’s hard work, but it’s fun.
BTW, have you thought of doing a Papagayo tut on lipsynch?
@irakrakow You’re …
@irakrakow You’re right. It’s a completely different thing than users of the other animation packages must feel. They probably feel that they are out in the dark, doing it all alone.
But, because of people like yourself, we Blenderheads are all part of a thriving community, much like modern scientists, learning, discovering new territory through experiment, then sharing our knowledge with our many colleagues. I love it. I’ve never been part of something so vast and exciting in my life!
@AdamEtheredge It …
@AdamEtheredge It is amazing…all the wonderful people in the Blender community. It is more important than the actual software, I think.
@AdamEtheredge I am …
@AdamEtheredge I am amazed that your Palin Oil Company tutorial was your first one. You do very professional stuff. Character animation really is a process of just keep doing it until you get it right. I look forward to seeing more of your excellent tutorials on my Blender 3D forum.
Yup, Kiernon Dillon …
Yup, Kiernon Dillon rocks. So does this tutorial.
And this toolbar is a great idea. I’m getting it. Thanks.
I’m glad to see you pushing the “Intro To Character Animation.” That was the first tut I ever did and I still remember struggling through it, and then going off and doing my own weird thing, and then coming back and getting it right. That was about the time I really fell in love with Blender. In fact, “Palin OilCo” came right out of doing that tut…
The good acting of …
The good acting of GTA 4 gave good knowledge of New York accent lol
@bogieman987 Yes, I …
@bogieman987 Yes, I am from New York originally.
The toolbar is a …
The toolbar is a great idea, just wandering, are you from New York?
And first! hehe
And first! hehe
Excellent! Thanks …
Excellent! Thanks for the post Ira :~)