Let this in-depth professional book be your guide to Blender, the powerful open-source 3D modeling and animation software that will bring your ideas to life. Using clear step-by-step instruction and pages of real-world examples from talented Blender users, expert animator Tony Mullen walks you through the complexities of modeling and animating, with a special focus on characters. From Blender basics to creating facial expressions and emotion to rendering, you'll jump right into the process and learn valuable techniques that will transform your movies. * Walk through the complete process of building a character * Master mesh modeling tools and organic modeling * Fashion skin, hair, and clothing with material shaders, textures, and other tools * Learn to sync lip movements with a sound file * Understand interpolation curves, keyframes, and the basics of animating Model your characters using a variety of mesh editing techniques See how armatures, lattices, and IK interact Light and render your work for exactly the effect you want