Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
image is complete. If the scene contains
simple forms, basic surfacing, and only a
few lamps, this can be accomplished in
as little as a few seconds. More complex-
ity costs more time. Scenes that contain
large numbers of polygons, math-inten-
sive surfacing like true refraction, and
certain kinds of diffuse shadows can take
hours to render.
This raw render output can be put
through Blender's compositor. Even if
you are not a photo editing professional,
you have almost certainly put your home photography through some kind of management or enhancement
software like Adobe's Photoshop Elements or Google's Picasa. These programs allow you to enhance your
raw photography: fixing exposure problems, clearing red eye, or adding special effects like a soft glow,
directional blurring, or sepia toning. Blender's compositor is a kind of integrated after-processor for your
rendered images.
Figure 1.11
The same scene after visiting the compositor.
As you can see from
Figure 1.11
, the compositing process can add a great degree of believability to an
otherwise pedestrian render.
And so, after creating your scene, then rendering and processing it, you arrive at a final 2D image that
hopefully expresses what you had been thinking in the first place.
But, how do you get to this final image? Anyone firing up Blender for the first time will find a confusing
array of buttons, screens, and controls. Before we get into actually doing anything, it pays to spend a few
minutes to familiarize yourself with Blender's interface, both the widgets that make up the control system
and the thinking behind it. In Chapter 2, we'll look at how to find your way around in this innovative
interface.
Next Up …
In Chapter 2, we actually dig into Blender's interface, going over the different widgets, screen elements,
and the thinking behind the whole thing.
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