A very simple Blender "Skin B

☆☆☆

For
A simple mouse with a scroll wheel.
&
No numerical Keypad.

Note: Don't ask why your user interface is all grey and this one blue with
This is the Midnight Blue THEME that is very suitable fo
Themes are not included in the scope of this tutorial, like

Please, note that you must have Domino Marama's scripts l

folder (usually in C:\Documents and Settings\Yourusernam
Data\Blender Foundation\Blender\.blender\scripts). Downloa
unzip & properly set them, you should see Second life scu
open File -> Import.
Thank you Domino!

INGREDIENT

1 lb Python
2 lb Blender
10 ounces Domino's script
Gimp (or P.S.) ready Targa (.tga
1
skin
1 SL Mesh

First thing is to be sure that you see every Windows & Menus.
If you do not see the Pulldown Menus then click on this arrow.

(This applies for the menus on the lower left side. )

___________
--- Splitting & Resizing windows -------------------------------------------------------

Splitting:
Hold your mouse over the border between the two windows, and the mouse pointer will change to up/down arrows.
Right click.
Select "Split area". Left click to snap.
(Want to undo -> Click on the line and select "join areas")

To switch between vertical and horizontal division, just use the TAB key.

Resizing:
Hold your mouse over the border between the two windows, and the mouse pointer will change to up/down arrows.
Left click - Hold - drag.
Release when done.

--- Preferences ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Important if you don't have a Numerical Keypad (numpad)

Resize the window under the top menu.

Select System& OpenGL.

Then Emulate Numpad

☆☆☆

--- Getting some Mesh -------------------------------------------------

Get the SL male or female avatar mesh OBJ file (direct download.)
Unzip & put the avatar_mesh in your Blender directory.
Start Blender and delete the default cube, light and camera (select each by right-clicking and press ‘x’ to delete)

Now, go to the bottom menu left icon & select the File Browser window type.
Note: If you do not see the bottom menu: click on a window separator with the RMB or MMB and choose "Add Header"

Select File and Import

Then Wavefront (.obj)
Navigate with the P button to your avatar_mesh\SL Avatar folder.
Click on the .obj file you want to import.

Open the file by clicking on (right up side)

At the window prompt, select Group and leave the other options as they are.

Click Import.

------

Go back to the 3D View window

ZOOM UP !! (yes - this little dot is your magical mesh :)

Then Rotate & Pan as explained just below ( 1 (front view) / Ctrl8 or Ctrl2 (down or up) / Ctrl4 or Ctrl6 (left or right) /,

Now we go!

This is your SL basic avatar mesh - A good pal indeed! - Might as well love the chum, coz this is your best friend from no
Now let's play Blender.
"Note: SL_Female.obj" and "SL_Male.obj" match the base Second Life female and male meshes (prior to any morphs applied.)

--- Zooming ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Mouse scroll the wheel. (or CTRL+MMB (if no MMB))

--- Rotating ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Free-form rotate holding down the MMB (Mouse Middle Button), move the mouse
- Vertical axis CTRL+ALT+SCROLL or NUM4 NUM6
- Horizontal axis SHIFT+ALT+SCROLL or NUM8 NUM2

--- Panning ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Down CTRL+NUM8
- Up CTRL+NUM2

- Right CTRL+NUM4
- Left CTRL+NUM6

---- Views -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Front view NUM 1

- Side view NUM 3

- Top view NUM 7

---- Edit & Object modes -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Shift mode TAB

OBJECT Mode:
- Select object Click Right Mouse Button
- Delete object X or DELKEY
- Toggle solid/wireframe Z

---- Others -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Deselect Everything a

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gee! we are already there - Sounds like Blender is not "that" complicated after all. :)
I think it's just memory & finger moving skills. I mean, the practical part of it.
Artistic abilities are of another domain though ;)

PREPARING
Let's move these little fingers in the "dou

As for memory, remember:

2-8
4-6
&
Ctrl 2-8
Ctrl 4-6
&
Mouse wheel

First, deselect everything: just click the letter a.

Then

Right-click/Shift the two parts that form the head so they are selected (pink):

Then group them (Object -> Group -> Add to new group).
The selection will change to a green outline:
Now, we have to join the UV maps (the two parts that form the group, in this instance)

Press Ctrl+J

Let's smooth the head a bit to give it a "real look":

Open the Buttons window, click the Editing button and resize.

In the "Link and Materials" window, click on "Set Smooth"

In The "Mesh window", put a value of 70 with the slider.
Now le'ts apply an image to the UV/Image.

First, resize (see above) you 3D window so as to see it entirely and split it in two:
Set the right hand panel to ‘UV Image Editor’.

For the moment the square is empty.

Go back to the left Panel

Select the Edit Mode (right now, you are in Object mode)

& press Ctrl+Tab+3

This sets the left panel to Face Select Mode.
By now, you should see this on both sides:

Let's add a New image to the UV map

Select Image then New in the right hand panel.

Chose a width & a height of 512 for this tutorial (then later keep the default options)
Should look like this (no texture yet.)

Let's apply a TEXTURE.

Go back to Object Mode and select Textured.

The head (in the left panel) turns black.
Set off the Texture Menu (F6) in the Buttons window

Then click Add New.

.
A new texture named Tex (by default) is created.

Now, click on the little arrow next to None in the Texture Type button & choose Image.

Click on Load to "load" your image.

Note:
You should have a targa file (.tga) With an alpha channel of a SL template (512x512 for the purpose of this tutorial - remember?)
Already worked with Gimp or Photoshop or some software of the sort.
Something like this:

Working with Templates in Gimp, Photoshop, etc, is not covered by this tutorial. (Many, many good tutorials on the net.)

So - Load it!
You should have a preview on the left.

Open the Material button:

In Material, select Texface

&
In ‘Map Input’, select UV

In ‘Map To’, Select Col

Let's put some Light (Otherwise there will be no rendering)
1. Change view - Press 3 (side view).
2. Add a camera (choose an insertion point and Press the Space bar)

To make it simple we will add insertion points an easy way - just to see if the process works out.
See below where I added the insertion points.

3. Add a Light (lamp) (choose an insertion point and Press the Space bar)
See an example of insertion points for the camera & the lamp below.
Render: F12

Nice Hair!

As you can see, the process went on allright.

Camera & Lighting is beyond the scope of this tutorial

Quick tutorial here.
As for memory, remember:
2-8
4-6
&
Ctrl 2-8
Ctrl 4-6
&
Mouse wheel
&
a
&
Ctrl+J
&
Ctrl+Tab+3
&
F6
&
1&3
&
F12

BAKING
the all stuff

Select the head (Right-click on it) - This is important (you should see the green outline around the head.)

In the upper menu click Render -> Bake Render Meshes -> And Full Render

or just select Ctrl + Alt + B and then select Full Render.

See the result in the right hand panel (UV/Image Editor window)
Go back & forth within Blender & your 2D appliation (Gimp - Photoshop, ...) & work your image.

Once you have done all the required modifications,

Save your UV/image as a Targa file (.tga)

Add an alpha channel ( =>32-bit) in Gimp (etc...)

Work the rest of the body the same way as for the head (the two parts left middle & lower part).
(Note: Set first the lights on the complete textured & picture mapped mesh ;)

As for memory, remember:

2-8
4-6
&
Ctrl 2-8
Ctrl 4-6
&
Mouse wheel
&
a
&
Ctrl+J
&
Ctrl+Tab+3
&
F6
&
1&3
&
F12
&
Ctr+Tab+B

Remarks:

Mice lacking MMB:

For simply rotating around the object, enable the "Emulate 3 Button Mouse" option in the View & Control Preferences, an

Please, spread actively & freely.