6:10 is not a bug. Instancing is designed to take that one mesh and re-use it on multiple objects. While this may be slightly redundant here, it can seriously affect performance with large numbers of objects (especially complex objects). The down side is that these objects are linked, so editing one object affects the shape of the others. If you want to keep these as separate objects, you can also use Object > Relations > Make Single User.
I've watched like 3 dozens array/curve/instancing videos last 3 weeks, and yours is the most comprehensive, complete with Blender-specific best practice tips. Wish I saw this video earlier, would've saved me days of research and hair-tearing dupliface vs dupliverts vs Bezier vs Poly vs Automatic vs Vector experiments. Now let me go test my crazy stairs with Free Handle bit.
Really good video. Gets straight to the point and doesn't waste any time. I've watched a bunch of these Blender instructional videos the past few weeks (the official documentation leaves a lot to be desired) and this was by far the most informative and in depth. I was starting to get tired of so many videos assuming this was your first time using Blender, so thanks for skipping all the redundant stuff and making this very useful insight into the vast creative potential of this incredible tool. I think this is the first Blender channel I've actually subscribed to, I'm definitely going to check out some of your other videos. Thanks!
Awesome video. You explain, demonstrate, show problems, repeat the demonstration slightly differently, reactivating all the same neurons again to reinforce the learning, and extend the concept a little further. Really excellent teaching style. And the use of multiple modifiers, array + curve, and solving weird deform problems with instancing, that's a really valuable, reusable pattern there. I admit, I paused and absorbed it in two sessions! :) Keep up the great work!
I think you're the best blender tutorial I've ever seen on the internet. Offering it for free really doubles the value of what you're doing. You definitely deserve to be subscribed and get more likes. Your emphasis, your way of expression and the design awareness you give are incredibly beautiful. Thank you very much!!
I applied scale for the cone and it worked. The thing is that, Jonathan scaled the cone in edit mode only, whilst you probably (as me) scaled it firstly in object mode than in edit.
I noticed you've done everything here based on world centre: 0.0.0. I am so tired of Blenders weird jank when it comes to curve arrays. They're so important and yet if I'm not at world centre to create the curve+array then to hell with me. Nothing conforms correctly and it's all such a nightmare to deal with. I don't suppose you have a solution to this do you? It's quite important to be able to not be limited to world origin like this because I need to create distinct and unique arrays based on curves that use real-world measurements and nothing seems to be identical. Arches keep varying in width despite them looking like exact duplicates.
Actually any smart 3D software should know what users need, all those problems will never meet it in 3DsMax, till now I don't know why blender still complicated where needs many steps to do what other software's can do in one step.
Hello, you are really nice to explain all of this !! I am currently doing a model of a printable 1930 car that will be 36 cm in length! and I used this technique to do the upholstery of the doors as well as nthe engine exhaust made in bézier curves.... and it's amazing the precision that Blender gives to my 3D printer !!!!!!!!!!! ((ps, I put some videos on the progress of my project)
will the curve modifier part work on trains? As what i understand, trains are make from cubes and animating the trains to follow the curves seems to be of the trail.
This is a really good tutorial. I have tried a few of the things in this video, and you point out many of the quirks of Blender. Matching origin points!! Good job! I am considering if a better story can be a good thing. Now your story is to teach about arrays. But what if the story is to build a city. Just prepare a simple villa and instance that. Or a bathroom mat. And put some colour on your mesh. Lightens things up. Or not. You deserve a bigger audience.
its so funny how every tutorial for blener starts with deleting the cube... and then adding a cube... deleting the camera and then adding the camera... I have no idea why this is happening and at this point I just don't care anymore.
Excellent tutorial series, and especially this one. I skimmed the earlier ones quickly based on prior Blender experience, but this in-depth blending (pun intended! ) of these topics is a leap forward in knowledge for me. Knowing how to use each modifier is one thing, but you've shown ways to synergize them that I had not previously encountered. Subscribed.
thats a good question? is that all you can do with arrays? without going into Crazy Combos Terrory? - Like Combine Array + Curve + Simple Deform - then you attach a Empty to the Simple Deform to Change the Origin so you can go ham. its either Really Interesting or really Buggy and Relly Unprises XD
Hey Jonathan, was wondering if it's possible to use this curve method for multiple types of objects for example different types of bricks or tiles along the same path.
Hei thanks a lot, you can also do some cool surface explosion effect just by bending the plane wher's the cubes derive from. Or make everythings collapse into a blackhole if you wont to. so damn cool.
Hi, Thanks for another great video. Im sorry Im getting a different result which means Im making a mistake. In the cube with Bezier circa 8:58. Lining up the bezier, fine, turn vis, snapping to vertex, tool affect origins. Select cube, alt c g space o is where I get a different result. The g is normal when press space it shows the last action move and returns to normal. The F part to move to face does nothing, presumably because I messed up the previous step. I am still very much a beginner which is why, its me making a mistake. Please would someone give me some pointers. I tried google but do not really know what to search for. Thank you.
I wonder how to create complex array system (maybe using Geometry nodes), where I can make a racing track for example where in certain modular pieces in specific areas. The track for example could have tunnels or a different type of environment pieces. Is it possible to do so currently in blender, with out manually setting everything up? Maybe in a more procedural way? I am having a really hard time finding any info online.
I use arrays and curves, I make an object generate all along a curve. I then go into edit mode and duplicate the vertices of the curve and separate them into two paths but one "object", why doesn't the object also generate along this new path? what do i have to do to make it work?
Great tutorial, man! I was wondering if you could share how to apply instances to specific faces? For example, if I have spikes and I want them to be a specific number and placed only on the faces that I want on an object, how do I do that?
Hello! Very good video, I learned a lot, but I still have a question and maybe you can - or someone else to answer: I want to make a plant, big leaves at the bottom, they are getting smaller and smaller in a spiral towards the top. So far this is going well, but I would like the smaller leaves to turn more and more towards the axis of rotation (z axis) than in the case of cabbage or pine cone. If I take the levels of each leaves separately, I can do it, but I still have to use a new Object per level and manually adjust the rotation angle, and I want it to be continuous. Thanks for your help!
Great tutorial as always. A pity Blender's Designers are too much in the mathematical approach instead of a more intuitive and creative one. The Blender's UI/UX has to improve a lot. Hope this massive upgrade will happen in the near future.
Deep dive in one of the thoughest Blender's annoying problematics, bravo ! I learnt so much with your less than one hour video about a recuring source of headaches : this bloody curved array... To instance the meshes along arrayed vertices, what a trick ! Thank you so much !
Regarding instancing, with the cubes, its not a bug.... even if you made the cube instances real they are still linked. You then need to make them single user.
I'm using Blender 3.0.1. Anyone else notice that when you do instances on face of the plane it scales down the size of the cubes? It doesn't do this on the edges.
I have a curve but want to array the actual curve but it doesnt work i want like 10 of the same curve in a row like a corkscrew but merging two curves doesnt work
The problem with the curve array pro addon is that you lose the features you have with the array, a good example would be reptile scale that are slightly offset on top of each others, since the only way in this addon to transform the object position is progressive meaning that all other scales are going to be affected progressively.
HELP! Can I array an object vertical to a curve. id like to have an array of cylinders create a wave motion whilst staying locked to the Z axis. NOT following perpendicular to a curve? if that makes sense.
curve modifier is so incredibly bugged, idk if you read this, maybe you got a solution for this; when i set everything up like you did, and pick the bezier curve for the box, both origins go back to world center and it looks wrong :f i always apply all transforms to both the bezier and the box
ok, not a single thing works with the curve, the "Deformation Arraying Along A Curve" Example, it's not showing the cubes on the Z Axis with the constant offset. Blender Curves are trash, holy sh..
Want to see instancing used to make a perforated panel. Like a mesh on an old microphone. This would keep the vertex count really low. Also...instancing lights would be really useful. All without using empties.
hi Jonathan first of all, thank you for your awesome content i want to ask you about addon call balnder cam is good for working with cnc Machine github.com/vilemduha/blendercam
This is a brilliant tutorial, it’s a very complex subject and I admire the way you built it up step by step and brought it all together at the end. I’ve been trying to figure out how to model a bicycle style chain which wraps around various cogs and I think this has solved it. One question, I can’t find a way to convert the array of cones into separate objects or even to select them for editing. So I can’t texture one differently or modify them so they aren’t identical. Is there a way around it?
I'm so glad I've been able to help. Well if it's part of an array you will only be able to edit one thing. However if you make the spokes lets say 3 arrays then you will be able to edit 3 arrays. I hope that makes sense. If it does not ask this question in discord and i'm more than happy to help.
Whenever someone looks up blender curves or arrays this video should come up first.
Yep I agree 👍
A round of applause for this tutor. Even better. An array of applause for him.
This was one hell of a tutorial! I learned so much, but I need to revisit it, because it's too much information to take in one sitting. Great job!
I have the same opinion. For me it is also very complicated to decode it into my own mother tongue , that is not english :-)
6:10 is not a bug. Instancing is designed to take that one mesh and re-use it on multiple objects. While this may be slightly redundant here, it can seriously affect performance with large numbers of objects (especially complex objects). The down side is that these objects are linked, so editing one object affects the shape of the others.
If you want to keep these as separate objects, you can also use Object > Relations > Make Single User.
I've watched like 3 dozens array/curve/instancing videos last 3 weeks, and yours is the most comprehensive, complete with Blender-specific best practice tips. Wish I saw this video earlier, would've saved me days of research and hair-tearing dupliface vs dupliverts vs Bezier vs Poly vs Automatic vs Vector experiments. Now let me go test my crazy stairs with Free Handle bit.
I'm so happy i've been able to help you out!
Really good video. Gets straight to the point and doesn't waste any time. I've watched a bunch of these Blender instructional videos the past few weeks (the official documentation leaves a lot to be desired) and this was by far the most informative and in depth. I was starting to get tired of so many videos assuming this was your first time using Blender, so thanks for skipping all the redundant stuff and making this very useful insight into the vast creative potential of this incredible tool. I think this is the first Blender channel I've actually subscribed to, I'm definitely going to check out some of your other videos. Thanks!
Found the problem I was having with the normals in the curve. Would have never thought a curve had normals also! Thanks for the great tutorial!
Awesome video. You explain, demonstrate, show problems, repeat the demonstration slightly differently, reactivating all the same neurons again to reinforce the learning, and extend the concept a little further. Really excellent teaching style. And the use of multiple modifiers, array + curve, and solving weird deform problems with instancing, that's a really valuable, reusable pattern there. I admit, I paused and absorbed it in two sessions! :) Keep up the great work!
Nice content, you even explain what could go wrong :). That's something that 90% of the channels don't do
I think you're the best blender tutorial I've ever seen on the internet. Offering it for free really doubles the value of what you're doing. You definitely deserve to be subscribed and get more likes. Your emphasis, your way of expression and the design awareness you give are incredibly beautiful. Thank you very much!!
My fit to Curve is not going along the whole length of the curve. Any idea why it would be doing that? Thank you for your time.
I applied scale for the cone and it worked. The thing is that, Jonathan scaled the cone in edit mode only, whilst you probably (as me) scaled it firstly in object mode than in edit.
I noticed you've done everything here based on world centre: 0.0.0.
I am so tired of Blenders weird jank when it comes to curve arrays. They're so important and yet if I'm not at world centre to create the curve+array then to hell with me. Nothing conforms correctly and it's all such a nightmare to deal with.
I don't suppose you have a solution to this do you? It's quite important to be able to not be limited to world origin like this because I need to create distinct and unique arrays based on curves that use real-world measurements and nothing seems to be identical. Arches keep varying in width despite them looking like exact duplicates.
Actually any smart 3D software should know what users need, all those problems will never meet it in 3DsMax, till now I don't know why blender still complicated where needs many steps to do what other software's can do in one step.
Hello, you are really nice to explain all of this !! I am currently doing a model of a printable 1930 car that will be 36 cm in length! and I used this technique to do the upholstery of the doors as well as nthe engine exhaust made in bézier curves.... and it's amazing the precision that Blender gives to my 3D printer !!!!!!!!!!! ((ps, I put some videos on the progress of my project)
Sounds great!
Thank you so much for this. Love how inspiring Blender Tutorial are. :)
Can anyone help me out? In the Instancing Arrays section, when I get to clicking the Faces button option, the cube doesn't multiply for me.
wait this tutorial is actually INSANE really appreciate it; so much I never knew about curves
Great in-depth tutorial! One thing I can't seam to do is to rotate the curve in Edit Mode. Any help?
will the curve modifier part work on trains? As what i understand, trains are make from cubes and animating the trains to follow the curves seems to be of the trail.
Wow! A masterpiece tutorial. Has anyone seen Jonathan's shortcuts? Neat and Precise true to form! Bless you Jonathan.
I'm so glad you find it useful Maggie!
This is a really good tutorial. I have tried a few of the things in this video, and you point out many of the quirks of Blender. Matching origin points!! Good job! I am considering if a better story can be a good thing. Now your story is to teach about arrays. But what if the story is to build a city. Just prepare a simple villa and instance that. Or a bathroom mat. And put some colour on your mesh. Lightens things up. Or not. You deserve a bigger audience.
6:12 that's not a bug, it is just creating "instances", meaning the objects are just using the same mesh.
What is difference between soft12 and soft20??
I had no idea you can stack arrays like 1:30 ,feel so dumb now !
its so funny how every tutorial for blener starts with deleting the cube... and then adding a cube...
deleting the camera and then adding the camera... I have no idea why this is happening and at this point I just don't care anymore.
It's the way it has always been and shall be done.... 🧙♂️ua-cam.com/video/SDeVyxtdSUk/v-deo.html
Amazing tutorial
aside from the useful tutorial, this be a really handsome man.
Excellent tutorial series, and especially this one. I skimmed the earlier ones quickly based on prior Blender experience, but this in-depth blending (pun intended! ) of these topics is a leap forward in knowledge for me. Knowing how to use each modifier is one thing, but you've shown ways to synergize them that I had not previously encountered. Subscribed.
great to hear scott!
Jeez great content but damn can they make it any more complicated
How to adjust radius with instansing, 27:30
thats a good question? is that all you can do with arrays?
without going into Crazy Combos Terrory? - Like Combine Array + Curve + Simple Deform - then you attach a Empty to the Simple Deform to Change the Origin so you can go ham. its either Really Interesting or really Buggy and Relly Unprises XD
thank you I was gonna unistall blender
@6:22 I click [CTRL + J] and I get a dublicate 10x10 instance/mesh of the cubes from the origin of the middle/primary cube. I am stuck.
Thank you so much for this video 🙂
delete the cube for add other cube, very logic xd
excellent exploration of arrays & instancing. great stuff!
Hey Jonathan, was wondering if it's possible to use this curve method for multiple types of objects for example different types of bricks or tiles along the same path.
Been loving the series! It does appear that your link to Perpendicular Curve Addon is broken!
Thanks John-Michael glad you enjoyed the video.
As for the link i've given it a check and it seem to be fine on my end. Is it still broken for you?
Hei thanks a lot, you can also do some cool surface explosion effect just by bending the plane wher's the cubes derive from. Or make everythings collapse into a blackhole if you wont to. so damn cool.
Thank you very much. Instancing with a vertex was exactly what I was looking for. I was this close to just placing my instances by hand!
Thank you.
Your explanatory video was most helpful.
Thank you for the tutorial!
8:45 Transfering the origin point
Hi, Thanks for another great video. Im sorry Im getting a different result which means Im making a mistake. In the cube with Bezier circa 8:58.
Lining up the bezier, fine, turn vis, snapping to vertex, tool affect origins.
Select cube, alt c g space o is where I get a different result. The g is normal when press space it shows the last action move and returns to normal. The F part to move to face does nothing, presumably because I messed up the previous step. I am still very much a beginner which is why, its me making a mistake. Please would someone give me some pointers. I tried google but do not really know what to search for.
Thank you.
I wonder how to create complex array system (maybe using Geometry nodes), where I can make a racing track for example where in certain modular pieces in specific areas. The track for example could have tunnels or a different type of environment pieces. Is it possible to do so currently in blender, with out manually setting everything up? Maybe in a more procedural way? I am having a really hard time finding any info online.
Please 🙏 increase font size
I use arrays and curves, I make an object generate all along a curve. I then go into edit mode and duplicate the vertices of the curve and separate them into two paths but one "object", why doesn't the object also generate along this new path? what do i have to do to make it work?
Extremely helpful tutorial! Many thanks as well as future success wishes!!
Great tutorial, man! I was wondering if you could share how to apply instances to specific faces? For example, if I have spikes and I want them to be a specific number and placed only on the faces that I want on an object, how do I do that?
Hello! Very good video, I learned a lot, but I still have a question and maybe you can - or someone else to answer: I want to make a plant, big leaves at the bottom, they are getting smaller and smaller in a spiral towards the top. So far this is going well, but I would like the smaller leaves to turn more and more towards the axis of rotation (z axis) than in the case of cabbage or pine cone. If I take the levels of each leaves separately, I can do it, but I still have to use a new Object per level and manually adjust the rotation angle, and I want it to be continuous. Thanks for your help!
Amazing! This is exactly what I needed to convert some SVG to 3D but using specific shapes instead of solids
Great tutorial as always. A pity Blender's Designers are too much in the mathematical approach instead of a more intuitive and creative one. The Blender's UI/UX has to improve a lot. Hope this massive upgrade will happen in the near future.
Maaan that add on was exactly what I needed...a week ago. But still, amazing tutorial, I watched a bunch of them an nobody explained it this well
Deep dive in one of the thoughest Blender's annoying problematics, bravo ! I learnt so much with your less than one hour video about a recuring source of headaches : this bloody curved array... To instance the meshes along arrayed vertices, what a trick ! Thank you so much !
Regarding instancing, with the cubes, its not a bug.... even if you made the cube instances real they are still linked. You then need to make them single user.
Hi. I'm trying to wrap a model I have to make it seem like it's made out of a pattern of knit thread. Can I use this techinque to make that work?
Awesome!
Is there a way to uniformly scale an item that is instanced on an array along a curve at different parts of the curve though?
I'm using Blender 3.0.1. Anyone else notice that when you do instances on face of the plane it scales down the size of the cubes? It doesn't do this on the edges.
Wish I watched this video a few months ago, would have saved me a lot of head-ache on one of my projects!
Omg thank-you so much
you are help use to avoid a lot of pain
I have a curve but want to array the actual curve but it doesnt work i want like 10 of the same curve in a row like a corkscrew but merging two curves doesnt work
that tilt thing is so intresting
Super informative! Thank you very much 👍🏻
The problem with the curve array pro addon is that you lose the features you have with the array, a good example would be reptile scale that are slightly offset on top of each others, since the only way in this addon to transform the object position is progressive meaning that all other scales are going to be affected progressively.
now this is too much power
Does the Shape/resolution 3d print that smooth or is it just for rendering?
Thanks
u 're talented great teacher
hmmm i don't see much with instance array. other than Cool Effects.
hmmmm let me think
Well if you can Array a Object to a Vertex. it will auto Attach great for Decal. or maybe some form Strand hmmm.
😊😊Many Thanks, my Good Brother!!
at about 100 hours into blender, this is incomprehensible
Every tutorial is best than previous one. Congratulations!!!
Glad you think so!
you can go on file > defaults > save start up file
so you don't need to delete everithing again
thanku Sir..
i cant array a normal cube, what is going wrong, the cube gets larger per every array
This is exactly what I needed, Thank you!
Thanks man...
Gracias!
This is great. Thanks.
Thanks for providing this excellent series of Blender.
HELP!
Can I array an object vertical to a curve. id like to have an array of cylinders create a wave motion whilst staying locked to the Z axis. NOT following perpendicular to a curve? if that makes sense.
Be sure you watch the video all the way through that is called instancing
Legend
dang!
VERY helpful, thank you! I've been looking for how to make irregularly patterned arrays for a while, instancing does the trick great!
this is amazing tutorial thank you for sharing this video 👍
=o
curve modifier is so incredibly bugged, idk if you read this, maybe you got a solution for this; when i set everything up like you did, and pick the bezier curve for the box, both origins go back to world center and it looks wrong :f i always apply all transforms to both the bezier and the box
ok, not a single thing works with the curve, the "Deformation Arraying Along A Curve" Example, it's not showing the cubes on the Z Axis with the constant offset. Blender Curves are trash, holy sh..
Want to see instancing used to make a perforated panel. Like a mesh on an old microphone. This would keep the vertex count really low. Also...instancing lights would be really useful. All without using empties.
I'll keep that in mind. Instancing is awesome. You can even instance collections of objects
Thank you for the array along vertices trick, this is exactly what I was looking for!
Learnt so much in this tutorial, 43 mins of my life made better.
I went crazy finding answers about curve normals , thank you so much for this video, it is exactly what I was looking for!
G8
Wow very nice tutorial, thank you.
Underrated video! I'm so glad I found this tutorial
Man this is so great 👌 cleared up many confusions
You're the best dude. Thanks!
hi Jonathan
first of all, thank you for your awesome content
i want to ask you about addon call balnder cam
is good for working with cnc Machine
github.com/vilemduha/blendercam
Thank you Alpha Wheel Saudi,
OOOOO very interesting!
I'll 100% take a deeper look at this soon.
As always great tutorial Jonathan, thanks for sharing
My pleasure!
Do you have any relation with thunderfoot by chance. You look and sound very similar.
HA! I wish! That man in a legend!
This is a brilliant tutorial, it’s a very complex subject and I admire the way you built it up step by step and brought it all together at the end.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to model a bicycle style chain which wraps around various cogs and I think this has solved it.
One question, I can’t find a way to convert the array of cones into separate objects or even to select them for editing. So I can’t texture one differently or modify them so they aren’t identical. Is there a way around it?
I'm so glad I've been able to help. Well if it's part of an array you will only be able to edit one thing. However if you make the spokes lets say 3 arrays then you will be able to edit 3 arrays. I hope that makes sense. If it does not ask this question in discord and i'm more than happy to help.