Packt

The Ultimate Guide to Blender 3D Rigging and Animation

Packt

The Ultimate Guide to Blender 3D Rigging and Animation

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Learn the essential skills for rigging 3D characters and creating lifelike animations

  • Master advanced techniques for creating realistic environmental animations like falling rocks and swimming fish

  • Apply shape keys, rigging controls, and inverse kinematics to create dynamic and natural movements

  • Develop the ability to manage and animate large complex scenes with intricate elements and actions

Details to know

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Recently updated!

February 2026

Assessments

18 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 17 modules in this course

In this module, we will provide an overview of the course and give you a solid foundation in Blender. We will start by exploring the Blender scene and layout, focusing on how to navigate and manipulate objects. We will also cover basic 3D animations, including transforming objects and creating simple animations, ensuring you understand fundamental concepts. Additionally, we will dive into a soft body simulation for creating realistic effects like a rolling ball.

What's included

5 videos1 reading

In this module, we will focus on rigging a swing in Blender and make it move realistically. You will learn how to build a proper rig, add controls, and set up constraints to simulate natural swinging motion. This module will provide you with the skills necessary to animate the movement of the swing with precision.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will build upon the swing animation to learn about rigging a water wheel. You will create a rig and animate the rotation of the wheel. By adding additional details, we’ll make the animation more realistic, enabling you to create dynamic, life-like movements in Blender.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will teach you how to rig and animate a stylized tree in Blender. You will learn to animate branches and leaves, and apply artistic techniques to make your tree visually appealing. This module will help you master tree animation, combining natural movement with creative design.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will explore how to create dynamic growth animations for vegetation using shape keys in Blender. We will teach you how to manipulate vertices to simulate the gradual growth of plants, achieving realistic animations that reflect the natural process of growth.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will dive into advanced techniques for animating a 3D globe using multiple bones in Blender. We will cover creating bone hierarchies, adjusting rotation, and building smooth loops, enabling you to create continuous animations for global rotations.

What's included

2 videos1 assignment

In this module, we will teach you how to rig and animate a fish swimming in Blender. You will learn to control the fish’s body and fins, making its movements as realistic as possible, allowing for a smooth swimming animation that feels lifelike.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will teach you how to create a morphing animation for a stuffed animal’s body. Using shape keys in Blender, you will learn to transition between different shapes seamlessly, bringing a stuffed animal to life with smooth and dynamic transformations.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will cover the creation and animation of tank tracks in Blender. You will learn how to rig the tracks, set up curvature, and animate their interaction with various terrains, including incline and uneven surfaces, for a more realistic effect.

What's included

2 videos1 assignment

In this module, we will introduce you to the powerful world of material nodes in Blender. You will learn how to create dynamic visual effects, such as stylized flames and light flicker animations, and manipulate nodes to bring your materials to life with realistic animations.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

In this module, we will teach you how to create a moth animation using particles in Blender. You will learn to set up the particle system, define the moths' behavior, and make them move toward a light source, achieving a natural, engaging animation.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will show you how to create stylized cloud animations using metaballs in Blender. You will learn to manipulate the metaball settings to control cloud shape and movement, producing smooth transitions between various cloud formations.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will teach you how to rig complex animations using bone chains and inverse kinematics (IK) in Blender. This module will provide you with the skills to create more efficient and natural-looking animations by controlling multiple bones simultaneously.

What's included

2 videos1 assignment

In this module, we will guide you through the process of character rigging. You will learn how to set up bone hierarchies, name bones for clarity, and create inverse kinematics (IK) controls to manipulate the character’s limbs intuitively.

What's included

5 videos1 assignment

In this module, we will focus on creating realistic walk cycles for characters in Blender. You will learn to refine movements, add details to the animation, and fix issues like animation sliding, achieving a smooth and lifelike walking animation.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

In this module, we will teach you how to create a camera turntable in Blender. You will learn how to animate the camera’s rotation to showcase 3D models or scenes, providing a professional and smooth presentation for your projects.

What's included

1 video1 assignment

In this module, we will guide you through the process of animating large scenes in Blender. You will learn how to break down and organize complex elements, animate dynamic objects like spikes and falling rocks, and apply advanced techniques to bring your scenes to life with realism and fluidity.

What's included

13 videos3 assignments

Instructor

Packt - Course Instructors
Packt
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