What is Blender

Blender.Org is the official website for this free yet incredibly powerful 3D package. We use the Software Center for school installs, but you can download the version 3.51 installer for your home computer as well. I recommend keeping the same version at home and at school. The "demo reel" videos show some of the best work from animators who prove that professional results are possible with open source software.

You can also download the ZIP FILE VERSION of 3.51 (or any other version) HERE.

Organizing Folders

Since we are going back and forth between two programs, we are going to have a lot of files. Let's keep them separated by making some sub-folders (folders inside of other folders) and take extra care where we export and save to. Make the following 2 new folders inside the current OneDrive project folder
(240108 3D Modeling Project Folder)

DAE

Blender

Getting Ready for Blender

After making the folders, we want to make a copy of our house model to use in Blender so we keep an original safe. Group and Center your model if you haven't already. Review all parts with Entity Info before exporting!

Prepping Sketchup Models for Export

Before we can use Blender to animate a more realistic version of our models, we have to prepare them for export to a format that Blender can use, the Collada.DAE format.

Everything going to Blender must be in one big group and centered on the axis.
There can't be any material on the outside of any group or component.
Check and remove material from groups and components using the Entity Info panel.
Groups inside of groups can cause problems. Careful exploding of such meta-groups may be necessary.
Multiple faces in the same place confuse Blender - it doesn't know which one you really wanted to see. "Flickering" in Blender's render view can mean there is more than one thing in the same place.

In addition, paint or material on reverse faces can cause problems. If the entire inside is painted, don't try to remove it all unless a problem presents itself in Blender.

The 2 Biggest Errors

There are two things that tend to crop up on most models: First, you have to make sure you just have one (1) Sketchup item in your Outliner panel. If your house is grouped and centered correctly, you can manipulate it, but if it's a random collection of pieces, you are stuck in one position.

Second, material on the outside of a group/component may not be visible in Sketchup, but it will be rendered on the outside in Blender, hiding actual faces under a coating of "paint". Examine the Entity Info before exporting!

Exporting to the DAE File Format

Just above the menu where we have downloaded PNG and SKP files from our Sketchup model is the Export option. There are many 3D formats but the DAE (also known as Collada files). Choosing the DAE format sends the job to an online exporter, and the file is usually ready for download in about 30 seconds.

If there are any textures in a model, a zip file is created that has the DAE file and a folder with the same randomized name. DO NOT rename the folder or the DAE file can't find the textures. You must extract both as a pair and keep them together. Copy paste both into the DAE folder we created in our 3D Project Folder. Then we are ready to run Blender!

Getting a Model Into Blender

Before we do any actual work, we need to see our house in Blender and make sure there are no errors. Increase the background light to get a good look at your house from every angle before we do any keyframing.

Creating a Better Default Starting Point in Blender

We will be rendering many images and videos. Let's keep them separate from the rest our files to make them easy to find. Go to the Blender folder we made earlier and make a folder INSIDE it called:

Output

The factory settings for when you open Blender have a number of things we don't like: the starting position of the camera, the location of the light, the grey background that renders with your house and, very importantly, the location and type of video file created when we render. There are other improvements we want as well, such as the amount of background light we start with and the fact we want all the textures to be bundled in the Blender file instead of having to keep that folder around all the time or we'll lose the textures.

Watch on YouTube

240207_blender_startup_defaults

Changing the Blender Defaults

The simple solution is to download the Blender file I provide, change where the output files go (after all, you can't access MY OneDrive folder), and then make it the new default starting point for fresh Blender projects. You DO have to do this again if run Blender on another computer. Click on blender_startup_defaults to download the new startup file. Close Blender after making the changes and test by re-starting Blender.

Save the New Default

This GIF shows where to click to teach Blender to remember the improvements the next time you open Blender.

CLOSE Blender and open it AGAIN to make sure the defaults have been changed. Do not import your house into the file you downloaded for this step!

Starting Blender, but for REAL This Time

With a good DAE file and a proper stage for our Simple House to sit in, we are ready to actually begin working in this new program. Start Blender, then immediately save the project file (they end in .blend) in your Blender folder with a name that makes sense, such as:

240208 House Animation - YourName

Then you are ready to import your DAE file and adjust the camera position so it shows your entire house. You will need to elevate it, for sure, and maybe move it away from the house if it's an extra tall one.