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FAQ

Hello there! Looks like you’ve found the FAQ page :)

I get close to 200 emails every week and I’m running out of time to answer them all, so alas I’ve created this FAQ to lesson the work load. Here you will find questions that I get asked frequently.

Q. Can I email you if I have a question about Blender or one of your tutorials?

Unfortunately no. To ensure that I have enough time to do new tutorials, I don’t reply to individual Blender support requests. However, if you go to BlenderArtists.org and submit your question, someone there will be able to answer your question.

Q. What software do you use to record your tutorials?

I record all my tutorials with Camtasia Studio.

Q. How does Blender Guru make money?

Blender Guru makes all it’s money from it’s products. You will not find any ads or affiliated promotions on this website.

Q. Can I donate money to Blender Guru?

Thank you, but currently I am not accepting donations. The reason for this is that I want Blender Guru to be seen as a professional company not a blog or charity. If you would like to help Blender Guru continue, please consider purchasing a product.

Q. Can I translate the tutorials on Blender Guru for use on my site?

Absolutely! Provided you credit me as the author and provide a link to the official version at Blender Guru, I am happy for you to create a translation. Plus if you shoot me an email with a link to your translated version, I’ll add it as a link to the post on Blender Guru.

Q. How did you learn Blender?

I originally started using blender back in 2003, and learned from watching other tutorials on the internet. There were no courses or books that taught  me what I know. Read more about my learning process on my about page.

Q. Can you offer some advice for people starting out in Blender?

Practice, practice, practice. There are no secrets or magic bullets when it comes to learning blender or any 3d application for that matter. Getting good at anything takes practice and lots of it. Don’t be discouraged if your work doesn’t look like Pixar straight away, because it won’t (heck mine still doesn’t!) but if you keep at it and stay focused you will make progress over time.

<Go back to BlenderGuru.com

  • http://www.facebook.com/the.dave.ferriman E David Ferriman

    A comment and a question… First, the links in your Q&A for “product” lead to (I’m guessing) old product page, you may want to update that. I followed the bread crumbs and it lead back to your main page.

    My question, I’m VERY interested in your nature academy, but have 0 interest in learning to use the Blender Render program. Will you be remaking your videos for Cycles, or will I need to figure out that part on my own? I saw that you have a “Cycles Guide” class in the tutorials, but I wasn’t sure if that was a temporary fix or not. With the Blender Render being a dead project, I’m hoping you’ll decide to update your videos to keep them relevant. Thanks.

  • Mordin

    Hello all,
    I’m working on creating a group of textured objects for a blender game project I’m beginning. However, I can get a single texture to work perfectly in the game viewport, but as soon as I add a second object, it converts the first one to that texture. I’ve already tried the single user option, but to no avail. I checked to make sure that this was not unique, and I had the same results no matter the texture, mesh, or method. Any advice would be appreciated.
    Thanks.

  • Ashleigh

    Hi guys! for some reason when i move my objects when modeling, it skips every other grid line, instead of panning the way it usually does.. I’m not sure how it got to be this way or if I accidentally pressed something. I cannot find settings for navigating or anything and i am far into my project so i would like if i didn’t have to restart. Any suggestions?

    • Mordin

      Try pressing the O key.

  • Vicky P

    I would like to know what software you used for architecture rendering

  • Alanimation

    Hey, what do you think of this?

    • Alanimation

      I made this in just blender render

      • http://twitter.com/RKMStudios Ryan

        Wow, nice! I would suggest giving the web some sag and curvature. Never seen a real web so taught.

  • Nikolas Anaxios

    hello there Andrew, i ‘ d like to ask for a recommendation about my PC.

    i have :

    AMD athlon 640 quad core, 2GB RAM (1333MHz), Win7(32bit), EAH5450 1GB

    and i ‘ d like to do an upgrade to have something like this:

    AMD athlon 640 quad core, 4GB RAM (1333MHz), Win7(32bit), GTX 550 Ti

    what do you suggest?
    thnx.

    • enemylslayer

      i think you should at least have 8gb ram

      • http://twitter.com/RKMStudios Ryan

        I concur. Personally I’ve used up to 10 on complex scenes.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Longevity86 Robert Chamberlain

    My surface modifier does not connect correcty on the mirror image there is a dip where the mirror meets but they do not uniform and trn into one object. Do you know how to fix this?

  • David Scandlyn

    Andrew Hi my name is David Scandlyn, Im currently doing business in Los Angeles under my company named slappystudios. Ive been using Blender in my production for the last 2 years now, I was a Maya user of the last 12 years.
    If you ever make it out to LA give a holler. My question is, How do you turn off the back round when you use HDRI lighting in blender or cycles render. So I can make a alpha channel to composite it on another back round..

  • Guest

    Herp, I think my comment was removed… some unscrupulous fellow has recreated one of your nature academy tutorials and is playacting it to be his own. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-eAmIR56FE I’ve commented on his videos suggesting he give credit where due, but he just removes them. Sad days.

  • Guest

    I’m not sure this will let me link here, but some cockweasel has recreated your grass tutorial from Nature Academy and posted it to youtube, feigning it to be his own. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-eAmIR56FE I’ve commented on it a few times telling him to give credit where due, he just removes my comments. Sad days.

  • Daniel

    Since I can’t email you, I’ll say it here: thank you. I just watched your intro to camera tracking and was getting results within minutes. I can’t wait to get into some more of your tutorials!

  • muson

    how do I customize the look of the 3D camera like in a blender 2.49?
    thx

    my blender now 2.63

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/EstimatorSurveyor/videos Gavin

    Dear Andrew

    All i can say is EPIC (TOP CLASS) web site

    My question is, as you will see from my you tube site I’m a sketch up user, with Kerkytha render.

    I feel them two products are being left behind with programs like blender, my key problem is how easy is it for the jump to blender i like the model environment in sketch up, but when it takes 3 times as long to produce rendered animations than it does in Blender sort of looking for tips on that last push to cross over with confidence

    i render using a mac pro fully loaded, pc 16 gig men 2 gig graphics duel processors i7

    What would be a good tutorial to make the jump with (Love joinery related 3d)
    http://www.youtube.com/user/EstimatorSurveyor/videos

  • Kristina

    Hey Andrew, I saw this and thought you may want to know someone is selling your tutorial :/

    http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-model-grass/643234

  • Sinan

    Hey dude,

    just two short question from a rookie. Is there a way to make Ice brake in different parts without seeing the cracks inside before it brakes because of its transparensy?

    Second: How do I model an ice object which is slowly melting and the water runs slowly down the surface, especially a curved surface such that it does not drop off the surface imediatelly?

    Thanks,
    Best regards

    I like your turtorials really much!

  • Agustin

    Hi Andrew, I want to congratulate you and thank you for all the excellent work you do. Sincerely helped me get started in the world of 3D animation.

    The truth is that my current PC is not very powerful and slows me a lot to do a project, and I wonder if you could give me the features of a powerful PC for work most complete and better.

    From already thank you very much.

  • Faadiel

    Nice Site. Just one major downfall thou, not everyone have massive internet broadband to watch HD streaming videos or any videos on the web for that matter.

    Whatever happen to good old ebooks with screenshots and step by step instructions? Seems to me ebooks is either to hard for you to make or to time consuming. Far more people still rely on ebooks believe it or not.

    There’s not enought Blender books or ebooks.

    It’s a real pain finding tutorials for Blender 2.6 when you starting out, then you stuck with video as only option to learn on this site. not cool, so not cool dude.

  • Eddie

    You have said you provide no support.

    How about advice on particular problems for a FEE?
    I have used Blender Artists but there is a limit to what they can do.

  • wizzy

    umm excuse me but the wow factor product site is down

  • http://bldes.blogspot.com Melvin Guerrero

    Hi, I’m so glad for you and your website, I’m here because I translate one of your video tutorial. Your tutorials are very good! and I learn a lot of things with your web. thank you.

    http://bldes.blogspot.com/p/mundo-realista.html

  • Connor

    Hi Andrew,

    If i wanted to purchase your can design (with a different logo, colours, and words) for commercial use, how much would this cost me and what are the implications/limitations?

  • Alvin Combrink

    Hi Andrew!

    where do you get the sound effects for your videos?

    keep up the good work =D

  • http://mattiaslind.net78.net/clear Mattias

    Hi!

    I’m just wondering where to send images for “Focused Critique”…

    • RossM

      Hi Mattias,

      Unfortunately, Andrew is no longer doing his focused critique episodes. However, you can still get your artwork critiqued by posting it on the blenderartist focused critique forum.

      Hope this helps.

  • http://ongoing WangYu

    Hi, Guru. I am a fan of you and delight with your website style. Now I want to build my own website but I really don’t know how to start. Would you like to tell me which domain and hosting supplier is popular, and which website-template is used by you?
    Thanks for your attention.

  • http://www.facebook.com/triston.armstrong triston

    i have been using blender for a while now but im just not that great at it. im prety basic. i just wish i had the time to practice more. and why is youtube blocked in china. your tutorials are great. and you talk to the audience like were right there. i love the way you go at your tutorials and you give details aboout your experiences and your life so you dont get bored watching the tutorial like most others.

    Thanks
    Triston from America

  • Kevin Chang

    Andrew, I know you might not have time, but could you consider posting your tutorials on this site to download in a low-resolution, or on another video hosting site? Vimeo is unfortunately blocked here in China, so I can’t use any of your tutorials… Or just write a small list of how you did what you did in text form, or something like that. Thank you if you do.

  • http://www.websiteserviceswholesaler.com how to build a website, build a website

    Blender reviews of the Vita-Mix have provided a lot of insight into the quality you get for the price you will pay. Although it may not be as well known as the Cuisinart or Sunbeam brands, it offers just as many features and possibilities! If you have not come across Vita-Mix blender reviews yet, it is time to discover what you are missing! At just under $600, Vita-Mix provides a well-rounded blender with many features.

  • James

    Love your tutorials. Are you aware that the singular for vertices is vertex?

  • Grant

    Anyone know how to take the explosion tutorial into the Blender game engine? I have tried for two days. Maybe its not possible but thought I would ask.

  • David

    What program did you use to make the website?

  • http://nothinghere.com jack crews

    i have frustrated for nearly five years trying to learn blender. its been the most frustrating thing to learn cause the tutorials were out of date or missed small steps because the person who created the tutorial assumed you knew certain things. i can remember being so frustrated that i would literally toss my laptop across the room,yeah stupid i know but it always landed on my bed so no harm really.

    the real problem with blender is that there is no up to date information and by the time they revise wikis and whatnot, they are later releasing a new version that instantly makes everything obsolete, i was to the point of totally giving up on blender until i found your site, your tutorials are fun and easy to follow and you rarely ever leave out steps so that i can pause the videos and recreate what you do, thanks to you i am now after nearly five years actually learning blender, in my book you are the answer to my graphic prayers, and i just wanted to thank you for making your site and being a good teacher, your style of teaching is easy to follow and comfortable, thank you so much

    jack in germany

  • http://www.blenderaristocrat.yolasite.com Oliver Mitchell

    Andrew, where can I submit my creations to go on the Focused Critique?

  • http://blendercycles.com Kelvin M

    Andrew didn’t hire a web designer. The site is WordPress, with the Premiere theme(paid theme). Apparently, Andrew made no personalizations to it.
    Take a look at the page source. You will find multiple references to wordpress.

  • luc

    Hi Andrew,

    really like the website (and of course all the great tutorials).
    Was wondering who made it, did you ?

    Cheers,

    Luc

  • Jonas

    can i use models and so on i can download (final .blend) for not commercial uses?
    like the model by Lee Salvemini ?

  • jorge

    Hola Andrew

    me llamo jorge no hablo ingles y me gustaria tener tus tutoriales en español si no es mucho pedir me han ayudado mucho pero al no hablar ingles es un poco complicado por ahi hay paginas en español de blender pero no tienen tan buenos tutoriales como los tuyo por eso los veo no importa que no entienda pero algo se aprendo
    posdata: disculpa errores del traductor que use
    guerrerojota@hotmail.com

  • jorge

    Hi Andrew

    My name is Jorge (a user over blender) I’m from Santa Marta Colombia I have 18 years.
    I wonder what happened to the idea of ​​redesigning the page blender.org
    I’m sure there are many new people wanting to get the 3d blender and were not allowed
    as a friend of mine who could not download and chose Maya knowing that weighs 100 times more than
    weighs the blender but it tells me it was easier to wait 2 hours to navigate downloading 1.4GB
    2 hours in the blender page to download 30Mb, says the site is very confusing.
    and I think that the website is alienating those new to the community.

    Att: Jorge Guerrero
    guerrerojota@hotmail.com

  • http://mocap.deviantart.com Mike

    Hi, i was just wondering, where do you submit art to for focused critique?

  • Cames

    Hi,
    I had the same problem that steve. Your site is being blocked by google because of badware.
    Try to fix that. I only could enter in this site on Chrome. Mozilla blocked me and i couldn’t see almost nothing.

  • Steve

    Hi Mate,

    Just to let you know you’re being blocked by google when I try to access it… Might want to check it out!

  • John

    I was just wondering where I get the images for the tutorials in The WOW Factor. I purchased it a couple of days ago.

  • NOT A FAN OF THE SITE!!!!

    Hope this is not the finished new site.. not good.. Sorry,.,,

  • Nuno

    Ok, so nothing really to do with this but Andrew, a cool tip: please let the clicked link on your website open a new window! It’s just something that is a pain when you open, for example, someone’s link (on comments) and then you close it and… OH NOOO! I CLOSED BLENDER GURU! :)

    Ok, nothing dramatic, just a little idea that might help navigability around here!

    Love the tutorials btw :)

    Cheers m8,

    Nuno, from Portugal

    • Maxinator

      If you use Google Chrome, you can change that in the browser settings;)