The miracle that is open-source has given us stunningly powerful free software like the Blender 3-D graphics tool. Harness the power of Blender with the new book Blender Master Class: A Hands-On Guide to Modeling, Sculpting, Materials, and Rendering by 3-D artist and animator Ben Simonds. Simonds' goal with Master Class, which is filled with eye-grabbing full-color artwork, is to inspire and equip new users to create their own masterpieces. Simonds walks readers through three complete projects: a muscle-bound gargoyle, a futuristic robotic spider and ancient temple ruins overgrown with jungle. In the process, readers master the Blender interface and learn how to model and sculpt amazing models. Other topics include working with reference and concept art in Blender and GIMP, utilizing textures from GIMP, mastering the art of creating materials and lighting for scenes and rendering and compositing images to create striking images.
