Dec 07

Free Video Tutorial: Introduction to Blender

This free online video tutorial will show you how to get the open source 3D software program Blender 3D, load a file and basic navigation.

Introduction to Blender from Matt Elder on Vimeo.

To download the file used in this tutorial click link:
Playstation Controller Zip file containing .blend file (1.5MG)

Links

The links used in this tutorial are:

http://www.blender.org/

http://www.gryllus.net/Blender/3D.html

http://www.blenderguru.com/

http://www.blendercookie.com/

https://www.mattelder.com/

ShortCut Keys

Middle Mouse Button – rotate around viewport
Right Mouse Button – Select object
Scroll Wheel – zoom in and out
Shift + Middle Mouse Button – pan around object
Tab – Toggle edit / object mode

Numpad

. – center around selected object
1 – Front View
3 – Side View
7 – Top View

5 – Perspective / Orthographic mode toggle on and off

2, 4, 6, 8 – move around object in 15 degree increments

z – toggle wireframe mode on and off

Numbers 1 to 9 above QWERTY keys – display corresponding layer only
~ – show all layers

Nov 23

Free Video Tutorial: How to Draw: The Basics

I’ve decided to start doing some video tutorials on drawing and art. Best of all, they are free to watch / download. You can watch them below here, or the full video on my Vimeo channel (where you can download the whole video for free) or individual sections on my Youtube channel (or click the icons on the right hand side of the page).

This first video of the series teaches you how to draw basic shapes and objects, and assumes you know nothing. So if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to draw, this is a great jump on point for you.

How to Draw: The Basics of Lines, Squares, Cubes, Circles, Ellipses, Cylinders, iPod, Sketchbook & Nintendo DS by mattelder.com from Matt Elder on Vimeo.

Covered first are basic materials that are accessible to everyone. We start of with lines and build them up into squares and cubes. We follow a similar progression for circles, ellipses and cylinders.

Next we take these basic shapes and start drawing real life objects such as an iPod, Sketchbook and Nintendo DS. Some comments are made on how drawing can be compared with juggling.

Various sections times are:

00:00 Introduction and drawings made in this video
01:36 Materials, Lines, Squares & Cubes
11:25 Circles, Ellipses & Cylinders
18:24 Drawing an iPod
26:01 Drawing a Sketchbook
32:52 Drawing a Cylindrical Wipes Dispensor
39:55 Drawing a Nintendo DS
56:55 Drawing is Like Juggling Comments and Website Info

Nov 17

Website Facelift … ’bout time

My website was finally driving me crazy and needed a face-lift badly. Originally I coded the website, got that done and wanted to give it  a face lift shortly after… that was almost 5 years ago. The content on my website kept growing so decided it was time for a proper website that would enable quick updates.

Moving forward I hope to update content more regularly, post up more sketches and works in progress (rather than just finished pieces).

I’m also planning to do free video tutorials on how to draw and paint and going into quite some depth. So if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to draw, this could be a great jump on point.

Feel free to post comments as I’d love to hear what you think about the site and/or, any topics you’d like to learn how to draw on. Feel free to also join me on twitter 😀

Nov 14

Selected for Waterbrook Art Exhibition

“And The Son Will Set Another Day” painting of mine was recently selected in the Waterbrook Art Exhibition. Details of the exhibition can be found on the waterbrook website:

http://www.waterbrook.com.au/greenwich/events/waterbrook-art-exhibition

And The Son Will Set Another Day (aka Blue Landscape) - Landscape Oil Painting Oil on Canvas

And The Son Will Set Another Day (aka Blue Landscape) - Landscape Oil Painting Oil on Canvas

Nov 14

Selected for St George Art Awards

A couple of my paintings were selected as finalists in the St George Art Awards (on now til December 16th). “Fisherman off Balmoral Park” and “Figure … At the Beginning or the End ?!” which is on at:

Hurstville City Museum & Gallery
14 MacMahon St, Hurstville
(02) 9330 6444
Website: http://lmg.hurstville.nsw.gov.au/

Opening Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
First and fourth Saturday of the month 10.00 am – 3.00 pm (Other times by appointment)

"Figure … at the Beginning or the End?!" Oil Painting

"Figure … at the Beginning or the End?!" Oil Painting

Please vote for my Fisherman painting in the people’s choice awards.

Fisherman off Balmoral Park - Landscape Oil Painting

Fisherman off Balmoral Park - Landscape Oil Painting