Day 2: Blender tutorial for making illustrations - Creating Basic 2D Shapes and Text in Blender

 

Objective:

Learn to create and manipulate basic 2D shapes (circles, squares) and add text elements in Blender. By the end of this session, you will create a basic 2D diagram with text labels.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Open Blender and Set Up Your Workspace:
• Open Blender and start a new project by selecting File > New > General.
• Delete the default cube by selecting it and pressing X, then confirm by clicking "Delete."
2. Switch to 2D Mode Using Grease Pencil:
• Switch to 2D Animation Mode:
• On the top bar, click on 2D Animation from the dropdown menu next to "File." This switches Blender to a 2D drawing environment, which is ideal for creating flat shapes and text.
3. Creating Basic 2D Shapes:
• Add a Circle or Square (Rectangle):
• Press Shift + A to open the Add menu.
• Navigate to Mesh > Circle or Mesh > Plane for a square/rectangle.
• Once added, the shape will appear in the 3D viewport.
4. Adjust Shape Properties:
• Scale the Shape:
• Select the shape and press S to scale it up or down.
• Edit Shape Vertices (Optional):
• Press Tab to enter Edit Mode, where you can adjust individual vertices. Use G to move vertices and reshape your object as desired.
5. Add Text to Your Scene:
• Adding Text:
• Press Shift + A and select Text from the Add menu.
• A default "Text" object will appear in the viewport.
6. Editing Text:
• Switch to Edit Mode:
• With the text object selected, press Tab to enter Edit Mode.
• Change the Text Content:
• Delete the existing text by pressing Backspace and type in your desired label (e.g., "Circle Diagram").
• Exit Edit Mode:
• Press Tab again to exit Edit Mode.
7. Adjust Text Properties:
• Scale the Text:
• With the text selected, press S to scale it up or down to fit your diagram.
• Position the Text:
• Use G to move the text into the correct position relative to your shape.
8. Customize the Text Font (Optional):
• Access Text Properties:
• On the right side, in the Properties Panel, click the A icon (Font Properties).
• Change Font Style:
• Under "Font," click the folder icon next to "Regular" to browse and select a different font from your computer.
• Adjust Spacing and Alignment:
• Use the alignment options to center, left-align, or right-align the text.
9. Adding Colors to Shapes and Text:
• Switch to the Material Properties Tab:
• With the shape or text selected, go to the Material Properties (circle icon) on the right.
• Create a New Material:
• Click "New" and adjust the Base Color to your desired shade.
• Apply Different Colors to Text and Shapes:
• Repeat the process for each element, using distinct colors to enhance readability.
10. Organize Your Diagram (Using Layers):
• Create Layers for Better Organization (Optional):
• Use the Outliner to name each shape and text for easy identification.
• Group Elements:
• Select related objects and press Ctrl + G to group them together, making it easier to move the entire diagram.
11. Save Your Work:
• Save Your Blender File:
• Go to File > Save As and name your file (e.g., "Day2_2DShapesAndText.blend").
12. Rendering a Still Image of Your Diagram (Optional):
• Render the View:
• Go to Render > Render Image or press F12 to render your diagram.
• Save the Rendered Image:
• In the Render window, select Image > Save As to save your 2D diagram as a PNG or JPEG.
13. Wrap-Up:
• Take some time to adjust and refine your shapes and text until you are satisfied with the look of your diagram.
• Explore different text alignments, shapes, and sizes to see how they affect your overall design.

Outcome:

By the end of Day 2, you will have created a simple 2D diagram with labeled text in Blender, setting the stage for more complex illustrations and animations in the upcoming sessions.

Let me know if you have any questions or need further clarification on any step!

Source:

ChatGPT

Post 16/30: How to identify fake file in property?

(Source: Pixabay)

I thought of learning about different aspects of Pakistan, as I want to do something for it. Therefore, I started with some of the well-known indices or reports that would help me in gaining more information about Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat (SWOT). These were 12 posts. You can search my posts related to Pakistan by typing: #UsmanZafarParacha_Pakistan

Now, I have been learning about real estate business in Pakistan. I have started from Youtube videos and hopefully during my learning Journey, I will get some more useful resources to move ahead in this learning and perhaps entering into the real estate business.

I have seen a video, titled, “Fake Property File Kesy Check Karen ? | Verify Your Property Here by M ismail Advices” on the channel “PROPERTY NAAMA”

The host tells that one of the ways to identify fake file is that property would be available at a lower price than that of market value. Don’t be greedy, or you would face bad experience. The second point is to check the seller (dealer), who must be honest, who must be a proper group, who must be strong, who must have a strong background, and who is a big company or multi-national company. The third point is to work on a society, as to how much files that society has sold and how much property is available. Fourth point is that about 80% of projects in bigger cities have already gone through over-selling. Over-selling means if there was 1000 kanal of area, the project has already sold about 50000 plots. In this case, about 30% of people would get plots, but about 70% of people would not get any plot. After many years, (suppose 10 years), when the client does not get plot, they would be refunded but with some percentage, suppose 25%, less amount. So, society has already gained profit from the money, and client has already gone through losses. Another point is to find good consultants, who would advise you to go in the right direction. The host also tells that every that file is fake, which would not be delivered within 3 years.

Follow my Hashtag #behtareenkitalaash on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/behtareenkitalaash

Sources:

PROPERTY NAAMA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9qRf5ygZiM

Day 1: Blender tutorial for making illustrations - Introduction to Blender Interface and Basic Navigation

 

Objective:

Learn the basics of Blender, including navigating the interface, understanding the 3D viewport, and basic transformations (move, rotate, scale). By the end of this session, you'll create a simple shape (cube or sphere) and manipulate its position.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Download and Install Blender:
• If you haven't already, download Blender from the official Blender website.
• Install Blender following the on-screen instructions for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
2. Open Blender and Get Familiar with the Interface:
• Launch Blender. When it opens, you'll see the default workspace with a splash screen.
• Close the splash screen to reveal the main interface, which consists of several key areas:
• 3D Viewport: The main area where you'll create and manipulate objects.
• Toolbar (left): Tools for editing objects (Move, Rotate, Scale).
• Outliner (top right): Displays all objects in your scene.
• Properties Panel (bottom right): Adjust object properties like size, location, and materials.
• Timeline (bottom): Used for animations (not needed for today).
3. Basic Navigation in the 3D Viewport:
• Orbit (Rotate View): Middle mouse button drag or use the Numpad (4, 6, 8, 2) to rotate the view.
• Pan View: Shift + middle mouse button drag.
• Zoom In/Out: Scroll the mouse wheel or use Numpad (+ and -).
4. Understanding the Basic Elements:
• Default Objects: Blender starts with a cube, a camera, and a light.
• Axes: The red, green, and blue lines represent the X, Y, and Z axes, which help you orient objects in 3D space.
5. Selecting and Manipulating Objects:
• Select Object: Left-click on the object (e.g., the cube) to select it.
• Move (G): Press G to move the object. You can lock movement to an axis by pressing X, Y, or Z after pressing G.
• Rotate (R): Press R to rotate the object. Lock to an axis by pressing X, Y, or Z after pressing R.
• Scale (S): Press S to scale the object larger or smaller. Use X, Y, or Z to scale on a specific axis.
6. Practice Creating a Simple Object:
• Add a New Object:
• Press Shift + A to open the "Add" menu.
• Choose Mesh > Sphere (or any other shape you prefer).
• Position Your Object:
• Use G to move the sphere to a new position.
• Rotate it with R or resize it using S.
7. Save Your Work:
• Save Your Blender File:
• Go to File > Save As.
• Name your file (e.g., "Day1_Practice.blend") and save it in a location you can easily find.
8. Explore Viewport Shading Options (Optional):
• At the top right of the 3D Viewport, try different shading modes:
• Wireframe: Shows only the edges.
• Solid: Shows objects with basic shading.
• Material Preview: Displays materials and textures.
• Rendered: Shows the final look with lights and shadows.
9. Wrap-Up:
• Take a few minutes to play around with moving, rotating, and scaling your objects to get comfortable with the controls.
• Reflect on what you’ve learned and note any questions you may have for further exploration.

Outcome:

By the end of Day 1, you will have created, positioned, and manipulated basic 3D shapes in Blender, setting the foundation for more complex illustrations in the coming days.

Feel free to ask if you need more guidance or clarification on any of the steps!

Source:

ChatGPT

Post 4/30: VFX tutorial for Blender - Lighting Techniques for Enhanced Visuals

Goal:

Learn basic lighting techniques in Blender to make your scenes look more realistic and visually appealing.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Step 1: Open Your Previous Project or Start a New One

• Open Previous Project: If you want to continue from Day 3, go to File > Open and select your "Day3_Project.blend" file.
• Start Fresh: Alternatively, open Blender and select File > New > General to start with a new scene.

Step 2: Set Up a Basic Scene

• Add Objects: If starting fresh, add a few basic objects like a cube, sphere, and cylinder (Shift + A > Mesh > [Choose Shape]) to create a simple scene.
• Arrange Objects: Position them in an interesting composition using the move (G), rotate (R), and scale (S) tools.

Step 3: Switch to the Rendered View

• Rendered View Mode:
• In the 3D Viewport, switch to Rendered View by clicking the top-right shading option (a circle icon) or pressing Z and selecting Rendered.
• This will show you a live preview of your scene with all the lighting effects applied.

Step 4: Understand Basic Light Types in Blender

• Types of Lights:
• Point Light: Emits light uniformly in all directions, like a light bulb.
• Sun Light: Emits parallel rays of light, ideal for outdoor scenes to mimic sunlight.
• Spot Light: Emits a cone of light, great for focused lighting effects.
• Area Light: Emits light from a rectangular surface, useful for soft, natural lighting.

Step 5: Add and Position a Point Light

• Add a Point Light:
• Press Shift + A > Light > Point.
• Move the light using G to position it near your objects.
• Adjust Light Settings:
• With the light selected, go to the Properties Panel > Light Properties (bulb icon).
• Increase the Power value to adjust brightness (start with around 50-100 watts).
• Change the Color to see how colored lighting affects your scene.

Step 6: Experiment with a Sun Light

• Add a Sun Light:
• Press Shift + A > Light > Sun.
• Position doesn’t affect the light; only the direction matters.
• Rotate the Sun Light:
• Rotate the light (R) to change the direction of the sunlight. This will cast shadows in different directions.
• Adjust Sun Light Settings:
• Go to Light Properties, adjust the Strength (try values between 1-10).
• Experiment with the Angle to soften shadows.

Step 7: Add a Spot Light for Dramatic Effects

• Add a Spot Light:
• Press Shift + A > Light > Spot.
• Position the spot light to focus on a specific object or area of your scene.
• Adjust Spot Light Settings:
• In Light Properties, adjust the Power to control brightness.
• Use the Size setting to adjust the cone angle, making the light more focused or wider.
• Blend: Adjust to soften the edges of the spotlight.

Step 8: Create Soft Lighting with Area Lights

• Add an Area Light:
• Press Shift + A > Light > Area.
• Position and scale the area light (S) to cover the scene for soft, diffused lighting.
• Adjust Area Light Settings:
• Increase the Power to brighten the scene.
• Scale the light to see how size affects softness—larger lights produce softer shadows.

Step 9: Set Up Multiple Lights for a Balanced Scene

• Three-Point Lighting Setup:
• Key Light (Main Light): The primary light source. Place it to one side of the object (try a Spot or Area Light).
• Fill Light: A softer light on the opposite side to fill in shadows (try a weaker Point Light).
• Back Light (Rim Light): Placed behind the object to create a rim of light, highlighting the edges (try a Sun or Spot Light).

Step 10: Fine-Tune the Lighting Settings

• Adjust Color and Brightness:
• Experiment with different colors for each light to create mood and contrast.
• Balance the brightness of the key, fill, and back lights to achieve a natural look.
• Play with Shadows:
• In the Light Properties, you can enable or disable shadows and adjust their softness.
• For softer shadows, increase the Radius or Angle of the light.

Step 11: Add Environment Lighting (HDRI)

• Add an HDRI for Realistic Lighting:
• Go to World Properties (Earth icon) in the Properties Panel.
• Click Color > Environment Texture, then click Open and choose an HDRI image from your computer (free HDRIs can be found online).
• The HDRI will add realistic environmental lighting and reflections.

Step 12: Render Your Scene

• Render Image:
• Press F12 to render your scene.
• Check how the different lights and their settings affect the final image.
• Save the Render:
• Go to Image > Save As, and save your rendered image.

Step 13: Save Your Project

• Save Your Work:
• Go to File > Save As, name your file (e.g., "Day4_Project.blend"), and save it.

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Summary:

• You’ve learned how to use various light types in Blender to enhance your scene’s visuals.
• You explored key lighting setups like three-point lighting, experimented with light colors, and added HDRI for realistic lighting.
• Understanding these lighting basics is crucial for creating visually stunning VFX that stand out!

Now you have a scene with professional lighting techniques that make your objects look more dynamic and visually appealing. Keep exploring and adjusting lights to achieve different moods and styles!

Source:

ChatGPT

Post 15/30: Real estate business move in cycles of ups and downs

(Source: Pixabay)

I thought of learning about different aspects of Pakistan, as I want to do something for it. Therefore, I started with some of the well-known indices or reports that would help me in gaining more information about Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat (SWOT). These were 12 posts. You can search my posts related to Pakistan by typing: #UsmanZafarParacha_Pakistan

Now, I have been learning about real estate business in Pakistan. I have started from Youtube videos and hopefully during my learning Journey, I will get some more useful resources to move ahead in this learning and perhaps entering into the real estate business.

I have seen a video, titled, “Real Estate Market Updates | Why Property is De value, Fact & Cycle of the Property, Details” on the channel “PROPERTY NAAMA”

The host of the video tells that the real estate values, in Pakistan, have already gone down, but these were at high levels during 2019/2020. This is a cycle of real estate, i.e., values go down and then up, and this cycle goes on. Try to hold on the property at this time, and sale it when the rate would go up. When you keep on showing that your property is on sale, its rate would go substantially downward.

The host tells an interesting point that we usually make a mistake of purchasing property, when its value goes up, and selling it, when its value goes down. For instance, during the years in 2018 to 2020, and in 2012 and 2013, when the prices were very high, every person wanted to buy property. This is the time to purchase property, and if you sale your property, you will experience loss. Interestingly, at this time, property in Dubai is at “boom” (peak values). This cycle of property going up and down is natural, and it is not linked to whether prime minister is this or that, nor whether there is an army dictatorship or there is democracy. However, during the era of General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan experienced a huge “boom” in the context of property. In the era, when in Sindh, Bahria Karachi came during the era of Zardari sb, there was a huge “boom” in property. In the era, when Bahria Rawalpindi came during the era of Nawaz Sharif sb, there was a huge “boom” in property. In the era, when Capital Smart City, and other similar projects came during the era of Imran Khan sb, there was a huge “boom” in property. This is showing that real estate is moving in cycles.

The host has another interesting point. “Roti, Kaprra, aur Makaan” (food, clothing, and housing) are basic needs of human beings, and they are moving in cycles. Their do not usually face downfall.

Giving the example of, probably, Dubai Gas, which is a huge real estate company. During the Russian Ukraine war, money flowed to Dubai, and Dubai “boomed”. In this Dubai, flats were available at 2 lacs and 3 lacs, and now those similar flats are available at around 8 lacs, and this same price will go down after 1 or 1.5 years. Real estate would shift towards Saudia, where “Neom”, a 500 billion dollar project is coming, and about 2 trillion dollars they are spending on real estate.

Another interesting point has been generated by the host. He says, everyone is investing in Real Estate. If people place cash in Banks, they have to pay taxes. If they place money with them, they are fearful of being theft. If you want to establish Industry, you have to take approval from various places. Suppose you want to open an industry of one arab (about 100 crores), you have to pay about 25 crores in “rishwat” (bribe) and have to fulfill the (wrong) wishes of every relevant department. This is why people spend one arab and purchase some property, such as 4 plots, in Bahria Town etc. and wait for a good time, and at that time, they sale the property and profit. So, this a very easy process to invest in real estate.

Follow my Hashtag #behtareenkitalaash on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/behtareenkitalaash

Sources:

PROPERTY NAAMA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LFSdFFALF8