Blender is a robust 3D modeling program which is both free and open source. Three dimensional meshes, animations, and even video games are possible. Blender is a fully packed, feature rich 3d suite. Considering Blender’s free status, it is a stunning example of what can be accomplished with open source software. With the Blender builds becoming increasingly feature packed, volume related problems with teaching, and more importantly, with learning are becoming evident. This work serves to bypass the problem at hand. Only the very core modeling techniques are shown; all else is forsaken. Topics such as advanced texturing, the new Cycles rendering engine, nodes, and the like, are purposefully sidestepped. This is done in an effort to avoid burnout and get modelers off the ground within a few weeks. The teaching style relies on small technique based examples, for which readers are to work through and replicate. Full models are not used to demonstrate technique, -this alone speeds the learning process considerably. At the end of the book, 5 small, but complete models are given with step-by-step instruction. This allows for a small period, whereby modelers are essentially using training-wheels while transferring from ’technique understanding’ to ‘full on’ model development.
