Blender Tutorial

Blurry Objects - Vector Blur

There are two ways to accomplish blur in Blender: Vector Blur and Motion Blur.

• Motion Blur. More accurate because every scene is rendered up to 16 times (depending on the oversampling (OSA) value) and then merged into a final image.
• Vector Blur. Much faster because only the objects in motion are rendered for the scene. However, it takes more steps to set up.

Vector Blur for a static image follows these broad steps:

1. Setup. Render one frame of a scene (or image).
2. Objects in Motion.
   1. Move the object(s) that should be blurred.
   2. Repeat the previous steps until the range of motion for the blur has been covered.
3. Blender Blurring. Calculate object blur between the first and last scenes.
4. Render Frames. Merge the individually rendered frames into a final picture.

Setup

1. Press CTRL-x then Enter for a new scene.
2. Press Del then Enter to delete the 3D cube.
3. Press SPACE.
4. Add » Mesh » UVsphere.
5. Click OK then click the second OK.
6. Press Tab for Object mode.
7. Press SPACE.
8. Add » Curve » Bezier Circle.
9. Press Tab for Object mode.

Objects in Motion

1. Press z to reveal wire frames.
2. Click RMB to select the UVsphere.
3. Press g then x then 2 then Enter to move the UVsphere away from the Bezier Curve.

   Otherwise the UVsphere would simply rotate about its axis, rather than "following" a path.

4. Click SHIFT-RMB to reselect the Bezier Curve.
5. Press CTRL-p.
6. Click Follow Path to make the Bezier Circle the parent path of the UVsphere.

   The Bezier Curve becomes the path around which the sphere will follow.

7. Click SR:2–Model and change it to 1–Animation.

   

8. Press F10 for the Scene buttons.
9. Click the Render Layers tab.
10. Click Vec.

    

    Render Layers Tab Settings

11. Click Do Composite in the Anim tab.
12. Click RMB to select only the Bezier Circle.

    

    Animation View

13. Press F9.
14. Change PathLen: from 100 to 10.

    The path is a Bezier Circle. This controls the number of frames assigned to the selected path. For a circular path, a higher number means that the object encircling it will take smaller steps. A lower number means the object will take larger steps. To get some serious blur, pick a lower number. For more subtle blur, pick a higher number.

Blimy! Blissful Blender Blurring

1. Change Window Type from Buttons Window to Node Editor.

   

   Window Type

2. Click Composite Nodes icon:
3. Click Use Nodes.
4. Add » Filter » Vector Blur.
5. Scroll the Node Editor window so that all items are visible.

   

   Node Editor

6. Position the Vector Blur panel between Render Layer and Composite.

   

   Repositioned Nodes

7. Connect Image to Image, Z to Z and Speed to Speed.
8. Connect Image to Image (from Vector Blur to Composite)

   

   Connected Nodes

9. Click the play icon; press ESC when finished watching the UVsphere vibrate.

Render

Press F12 to render.

Vector Blur is an excellent substitute for Motion Blur when animating. This is because any single animated frame that contains blur is shown for a fraction of a second. Enough to fool the eye.

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