Introduction to the Fluid Simulator

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Get to grips with one of blender’s coolest perks: the built-in fluid simulator.

Length:
21 minutes
Software:
Blender 2.5
Difficulty:
Beginner
Rate:
VN:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 4.7/5 (54 votes cast)

In this tutorial you will discover:

  • The basics of fluid simulations
  • How to create a splash effect
  • Advanced settings to tweak for better results

One of the most under rated features of blender is it’s built-in fluid simulator. Commercial users have to fork out close to $4000 for fluid simulations, but Blender users get it for free. Boo yah!

Unfortunately it rarely gets used. Part of this reason is probably that we can’t think of any uses for it besides filling up a glass, but also that there are few tutorials for it.

So in this week’s tutorial I’m focusing entirely on the fluid simulator and how to use it effectively.

Finished Result

Catch! Oops.

At a Glance

Screenshots from the video:

Further Inspiration

Now that you’ve finished the tutorial it’s time to get your feet wet (pun intended) and create something with it. Here’s some inspiration to get you started:

Have fun! Don’t forget to leave a comment below with suggestions for future topics or finished works that you create from this tutorial.

Download started .blend Download finished .blend Introduction to the Fluid Simulator, 4.7 out of 5 based on 54 ratings

About Andrew Price

User of Blender for 9+ years. I've written tutorials for 3d World Magazine and spoken at three Blender conferences. My goal is to help artists get employed in the industry by making training accessible and easy to understand. I'm an Aussie and I live in South Korea ;)
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  • http://twitter.com/SaulSalsa Saúl Beltrán

    I love your tuts Andrew, thank you :) (wait that sounds funny)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1642036161 Andrew Mursingh

    please make a tutorial on how to make a scene like this for the newbies

  • hafidz

    nice tutorial….:) how to create crowd simulation in blender?

  • http://www.facebook.com/alejandra.flores.98434 Alejandra Flores

    Hello, i’m a blender beginner and I really need to know how to record the animation into a video file
    thank you

  • Zasek Xynanthum

    Sorry to sound like a total noob (Well, I suppose I am- I just got blender yesterday) but how do you access the fluids menu? Thanks!

  • sharif

    many many thanks sir………………nice pls more tutorial upload…….

  • http://makermig.blogspot.com Miguel

    Hi, was wondering how you set up to have an object be the spout.
    I am trying to make ketchup come out of a ketchup bottle.
    Thanks
    Miguel

  • Tom

    how are you supposed to select only the inside cause when i try i select every thing but?

  • Israel Raizer Cruvinel]

    What happens if I put the camera under(inside) the water?
    Obs:If I didn’t write pretty well, it’s because I’m from Brasil.
    And… only to you know: I didn’t use the “Google Translator” to translate, I only did use to certify-me that I did write right(or almost).
    And please, don’t answer: “try it yourself”, alright?

    • sega

      Try it yourself.

  • Tiger

    Will this work with cycles too

    • darkcg

      Fluids are a modelling tool. Cycles is a renderer. This tutorial doesn’t cover the rendering and lighting part, so it will work. You don’t even touch the renderer to follow the tutorial.

  • http://qzyxya.deviantart.com Elliot

    Hey, for some reason, when I opened one of your other project files (energy drink), and blender crashed, the default new project was set to that project… Not the original cube thing

    • Matt

      I’m not sure why this happened but there’s an easy fix to it. Go to File -> Load Factory Settings and then when you have already clicked it his Ctrl U

  • Riaan

    Hi, everything works great except that my fluid is coming out the sides of the cup, not really staying inside. I saw yours did the same, any ideas?

    • Israel Raizer Cruvinel

      In object mode, select the domain object, then, in the properties panel, go to Modifiers and apply the fluidsim modifier.
      By last, switch to sculpt mode, and select the smooth brush tool, and reduce the part that is out of the cup to where you want.

  • GhostlyLemon

    hi, question: why isnt my fluid or domain or whatever not being affected by the obstacle?

    • Israel Raizer Cruvinel

      Is the obstacle object no thickness?

      If “yes”: Apply the solidify modifier, then, pick the smaller value for tickness(upper than 0.).
      To end: the resolution of the fluid simulation have to be upper than 80 ~ 150.
      do it going to the Physics properties of the domain object>Resolution-Final: 81+, Preview: 81+.
      By last, choose – Render Display:Final – Viewport Display:Final.

      _______ ______ __
      | | ||| ___ __ __ | ____| | |
      | |____ ||| / _ \ | |_ / / | |__ | |
      | ____||| / /_\ \ | _ / | __| \__/
      | | ||| / ___ \ | | \ \ | |____ __
      |__|____||| /__/ \__\ |__| \__\ |______| |__|
      ————————————————————————————————
      If “no”: I really don’t know.

      • Israel Raizer Cruvinel

        Dung!!!
        This bunch of slashes and lines were not meant to be like that, was to form the word “Bake”.

  • http://www.grupovisuallab.com ivan

    one question, I follow all your steps in the tutorial but in the final result shows a rectangle in the left side of the cup

    attach link image.

    http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2183/fluidc.png

    thanks

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