Darcys Technology Reading Blog
I love reading, so this is a great place for me to be :)
Five of the best books for learning Blender software.
Following on from yesterdays “Best Architecture book’s” article, I’ve continued the theme onto today article, which is all about software that’s used for creating 3D images.
People want more than images.
Architectural Visualisation has become a big part of the Architectural industry sector. Beautiful illustrations are no longer enough for a new generation of clients that expect to see their vision in highly detailed 3D animations, CGI images and 360-degree 3D visuals that can be viewed through a Virtual Reality Headset. I recently experienced an interior design myself through a Virtual Reality headset at Emperor Vision and I have to say that it was amazing. The designs are so realistic, that you almost feel like reaching out and opening the doors and windows.
Five of the best books for Blender users.
When it comes to the software that’s used to create these stunning designs - as a techie, my curiosity got the better of me. I recently downloaded a copy of Blender, a popular open source 3D modelling software application that’s used by many architects (and in other industries where 3D rendering is used in production). I’ve been playing with Blender for a while now. As I’m a bookworm, it wasn’t long before I hit Amazon to look for some guides that will help me on my journey, because I really need that distraction right now! Here’s 5 of the best that I found on my Amazon travels…
Blender for Dummies. Jason Van Gumster.
Stating the obvious, but this is the perfect book for people like me that are new to Blender and want to learn how to use blender by following a user-friendly step-by-step guide. At over 400 pages long, this book takes you from understanding how Blender thinks and works to exporting and rendering scenes. They have also dedicated a couple of chapters the best community resources and working more efficiently. Highly recommended for newbies. Take a bow Jason!
Click here to view the book on Amazon.
Blender 3D by example. Romain Caudron and Pierre-Armand Nicq.
At over 300 pages long, this book provides a guide on how to design a complete workflow with Blender in order to create stunning 3D scenes and films. At first glance, this book looks a little overwhelming, but you soon realise that it’s actually aimed at beginners that want to learn how to create 3D projects.
This book will teach you the basics of 3D and how to find your way around the Blender Interface. From hereon in, you’ll learn how to create a 3D robot toy model from scratch, how to create a haunted house using advanced modelling tools – and how to create different materials for house and its surrounding environment. This book is easy to read, fun to follow and very educational.
Click here to view the book on Amazon.
Blender 3D Basics Beginner's Guide Second Edition. Gordon Fisher.
Although this is a beginner’s guide, the author states that knowledge of 3D modelling is essential, but no previous knowledge of Blender is required. After trying to tackle Blender without any prior knowledge of any design work, I understand where he’s coming from!
Be warned, this book is over 500 pages long and contains a LOT of information about Blender for you to soak in, although for the most part, this information is nicely broken down into different sections that clearly explain every step and the outcomes of each exercise. It’s certainly not heavy reading.
There’s also some interesting background information about animation in the book, including going back to 1922 on an animation field trip that goes into detail about Felix the cat, which I very much enjoyed.
Click here to view the book on Amazon.
Blender 2.8 for animation. Allan Brito.
Freshly published in June this year, as the name suggests, this book focuses on using the latest version of blender for modelling and rendering architecture. This book does a great job of providing you with all of the information needed to use Blender for architectural design, covering numerous subjects such as importing CAD data, precision modelling and preparing scenes for rendering. Basically, it will teach you how to perform the most important tasks!
The book also provides you with useful information on how to get around the interface updated for version 2.8.
Click here to view the book on Amazon.
Learning Blender: A Hands-On Guide to Creating 3D Animated Characters. Oliver Villar.
My last recommendation is a publication that focuses on creating 3D characters in Blender. This book takes you through the entire process of creating 3D characters from scratch, from your very first scene to camera tracking, lighting and rendering. The book is nicely laid out with plenty of visual guides that explain all the different elements of the user interface. And at 368 pages long, this book is great value for money.
Click here to view the book on amazon.
I hope you found this Blog useful.
Thanks for taking the time to read my latest article. If you’re thinking of becoming a Blenderhead, then I’m sure that one of the above publications will help you on your 3D journey. Thanks very much for reading!
Five amazing Architecture books.
Recently, I’ve been taking more of an interest in Architecture and building design, mainly because our new neighbours are architects! Because of this, I’ve started to get my head into a number of books that examine traditional and modern architecture from across the world, together with some other that focus more on studying. Here’s 10 books that I’ve recently discovered (thanks to EV Architects for the feedback!)
As always, the links in the article below are not affiliate links, just links to the books in case you want to purchase them from Amazon.
The future of Architecture in 100 Buildings. Marc Kushner.
Don’t be fooled by the title. This book showcases the architecture of overt 150 different Architectural building styles from across the world. The architectural designs featured in this book take you on a rollercoaster of creativity, from the incredible relocatable Halley research station in Antarctica to the wild reindeer pavilion in Hjerkinn Norway. This book is packed with stunning visuals that are accompanied by simple explanations. It’s just my cup of tea!
Archi-doodle – an architect’s activity book. Steve Bowkett.
This quirky publication provides an incredibly engaging way to learn about architecture. Packed full of beautiful hand drawn explainer sketches, this book contains a number of drawing exercises that are great fun and get you thinking. As someone that doesn’t have any drawing experience, I really enjoyed working my way through this book. This book also teaches you about a number of challenging issues that architects face when honing their craft. The Amazon description suggests this is a book for everyone, but I’d challenge this and say that its more for students and novices, like me!
Sustainable design. A Critical guide. David Bergman.
A very insightful book that’s more suited to practicing Architects or students (although I still enjoyed it!) This critical guide contains a detailed overview of the different techniques that Architects can apply to reduce the energy footprint of the spaces and structures they design.
The author touches on a number of ecological considerations that I wouldn’t have given a second thought to before reading his book. These considerations include Water and Energy efficiency, materials used, indoor environmental quality, and much more besides. This book isn’t packed full of stunning images, but the thought-provoking insight more than makes up for this.
Architecture in Wood: A World History. Will Pryce.
The Author of this book is considered to be one of the best Architectural Photographers in the world And so as you can imagine, the images in this publication are extremely high quality - it’s really hard to believe that many of the buildings featured in this book are actually constructed from wood! From the Water Pavilions of Taman Gili to the forbidden city, the structures in this publication are truly stunning. The book also contains a glossary that includes just about all of the terminology used to describe wooden buildings and the many different techniques used to construct them. I really enjoyed this one.
Sketching for Architecture and Interior design. Stephanie Travis.
I like my sketches, so I really engaged with the drawings from Stephanie Travis in this book, or more to the point, how to sketch them myself! This book contains 45 sketching exercises that start with creating simple 3D furniture, through to more complex cityscapes. Most of the techniques in this book are beyond me, but I enjoyed trying anyway!
There you have it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the books that I’ve listed here. If you’ve read any other good Architectural books that you’d recommend then I’d love to hear about them in the comments section. Thanks for reading!
Five of the best books for studying Windows 10.
Introduction.
In the industry sector that I work in, most of the studying is now online. However, there are still a few of us out there that resist the pull of the digital landscape by continuing to champion the old-fashioned way of learning, from a book.
I’ve recently been brushing up on my Windows 10 knowledge in preparation for an exam. Working as an apprentice in the IT Support services sector, I use Windows 10 everyday, so I’m pretty well versed in its capabilities. I’m someone that likes to be well prepared and doesn’t need much of an excuse to open a new book!
I’ve delved into quite a few new Windows 10 books recently, so I though I’d make a quick reference list of 5 of the best Windows 10 books for studying.
NOTE – I’ve added links to these books below, but they are direct links NOT affiliate links. I’m just trying to be helpful!
1. Windows 10, the missing manual (2019 update). Author: David Pogue.
I’ve read a few IT books written by David Pogue in the past. They have always been very good quality, user friendly and easy to understand. This 2019 revision includes the latest features that have been added to Windows 10 in 2019. A great book for newbies, and for those looking to brush up on their knowledge. Link to book on Amazon.
2. Configuring Windows Devices. Exam Ref 70-697. Author: Andrew Bettany.
A bit specific I know, but if you’re studying for the Windows 70-697 exam, then you should use this book as your primary training material. This book focuses on the topics that you’ll face in the exam, including setting up and configuring Windows 10 in an enterprise environment, in addition to non-Windows 10 topics, such as implementing Office 365. Link to book on Amazon.
3. Windows 10 in-depth. Author: Brian Knittel and Paul McFedries.
The name says it all. This book presents an intense overview of Windows 10, covering many subjects and features that many other books do not cover. This includes the Command Line Utility, using Hyper-V and details on how to troubleshoot the most common Windows 10 issues. A book for users that wish to learn about the more technical aspects of Windows 10. Link to book on Amazon.
4. Windows 10 for Dummies. Author: Andy Rathbone.
Don’t be fooled by the word ‘Dummies’ in the title. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a book for seasoned engineers by any means, but it still contains lots of helpful knowledge about Windows 10, presented in a very easy-to-understand format. The latest edition has been revised to include the latest operating system changes and features, in addition to things that you’ll hate about Windows, and how you can fix them! Link to book on Amazon.
5. Windows 10: 2019 user manual. Author: Alexa Pham.
The title of this book confidently reads “Everything you need to know about Microsoft Windows 10”. I don’t know if this book tells you everything that you need to know about Windows 10, but anything missing from this book probably isn’t worth knowing because its that good. And at £7.99, this book is fantastic value for money. The book includes new Windows 10 features, tips for working with Microsoft’s Edge browser and all of the new apps included with Windows 10. Link to book on Amazon.
Thanks for reading my article.
I hope that some of the above books will help you to learn more about Windows 10. If any of you have read other Windows 10 books that you’d recommend, then I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below.
