Being that it’s Christmas, I decided to put my blender skills to the test by creating a Christmas card for my friends and family. It’s one of the first times I’ve gotten my work professionally printed, so it was all very new to me. The result wasn’t perfect but I learnt a few things that I thought I might share with you.

Learn from my experiences in the video below!

In the true spirit of Christmas, I’m also giving away the source file to my log cabin scene. Feel free to pull it apart and see how it was made!

In 2009, we’ve seen the biggest attendance on record for a Blender conference as well as the massive milestone release of version 2.5, so it has definately been a good year for Blender.  A big thank you to the community and the developers for upkeeping the true spirit of open source. I can’t wait to see what 2010 brings.

Of all the different genres within the 3d industry, I’ve always found animated shorts to be the most enjoyable. It allows a group of artists to get together and do what they do best: be artistic. When you take away the strict guidelines usually set out by a client or boss, you have the potential for some pretty impressive results.

So whether it’s the stunning visuals or great storytelling, these are the short films that stuck with me well after the credits roll.

6. Kiwi!

Made by Don Permedi as part of his thesis animation, ‘Kiwi!’ quickly turned into a cult hit as people around the world fell in love with the adorable kiwi and his quest to fly. With over 22 million hits, and a #1 ranking in the Top favourited Animation and Arts category, ‘Kiwi!’ is one of the most watched 3d animations worldwide. This is just further proof that in order for an animation be liked and accepted by people other than your 3d buddies, you need a great story. It’s something we’ve all been told countless times before, but with the evidence right in front of us, it’s hard to ignore it.

There’s a good interview with Don here where he talks about the processes he took in making the film. Be sure to also check out his equally impressive showreel.

5. Burning Safari

Fun, fast and never a dull moment, Burning Safari packs a powerful punch from start to finish. I wish I knew more about this film but sadly I do not speak french and can’t even tell you the name of the studio. (Someone want to help me out?)

4. Yankee Gal

Set in World War II, Yankee Gal shows a pilot’s dream-like moments between life and death. The amazing visuals combined with the superb audio effects, make for an amazing short that stays in your mind long after it’s finished.

3. Cubic tragedy

This film gets a mention because as someone that does a lot of 3d modelling, I can’t help but laugh raucously at it’s inside jokes. It might not make all that much sense to the general public, but it definately strung a cord with the 3d crowd, winning first prize at the 2005 siggraph short movie festival.

2. Bunny

1. Ark

This gets better everytime I watch it. The lighting, visuals and animation are all fantastic, but it’s the story that blows me away. I won’t say anymore for fear of spoiling it, but it’s got to be one of my favourite animations of all time. More at TheArkFilm.com

I hope you enjoyed this list. I plan to post more in the future, so if there’s a particular film you’d like to see mentioned, drop me a comment below!

Architecture on it’s own is boring. It’s everywhere we look, and to the rest of the world, it’s nothing more than a way to keep the rain off our heads.

It takes a lot of talent to turn an object mostly comprised of right angles into something you could call art, but that’s exactly what this post is about. Today I present you with a list of the most beautiful architectural renders ever created. They weren’t all made in Blender (in fact none of them are), but every one of them speaks emotion through the use of lighting, texturing and a carefully selected colour palette.

20. Rem Koolhaas Bordeaux House by Dimitar Rashkov

19. Restaurant by the sea by Stefano Di Noia

18. 0528 by Mike Johnson

17. Forest Refuge by Alex Roman

16. Phillips Exeter Academy Library by Alex Roman

15. Naoshima by Alex Roman

14. Four Cubes Business Centre by Azuolas Juskenas

13. Church on the water by Karuna Karan

12. Office building at night by Viktor Fretyán

11. Dormitory by Viktor Fretyán

10. Row House by Viktor Fretyán (designed by Tadao Ando)

9. Interior in a classical style by Viktor Fretyán

8. House at the beach by Viktor Fretyán

7. House by Viktor Fretyán (designed by Satoshi Okada)

6. With view on the river by Sébastien Gaudard

5. Brosmith Residence by Sébastien Gaudard

4. Exterior Test Scene by Michal Konwicki

3. Kitchen in big house by Stanislav Orekhov

2. Mies van der Rohe Farnsworth House by Alessandro Prodan

1. Ras-Al Khaimah by MIR Visuals

Have I missed anything? Which piece do you like most and why? Post your comment below!