The Cog Project

independent films by Colin Litster produced using BLENDER

This is the website of an independent 3D animator, and film producer, whose main project is called 'COG'. Over the coming months I will post images, movies, explanations and tutorials about all Cogfilms productions.
My ageing hero's will take you to the beginning of creation, the 4th dimension, and through to love and retirement. ...... and hopefully make you laugh.
The projects are being produced in Blender, the OPEN SOURCE & FREE 3D creation suite, developed by Ton Roosendaal et al.

• Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec 2010 I am pleased to announce that my book 'Blender 2.5 Materials and Textures Cookbook', published by PACKT Publications, will be published January 2011. If you can't wait that long you can take part in the PACKT RAW scheme and start reading the chapters online and contribute to the final printed version. This will save you 40% of the purchase price and you still get the finished book when it is published in January.
  Just click on the image to the left, or the link below,and you will be taken to the PACKT website were you can read more details and pre-order the printed version or start reading the chapters now on-line.
  
  Blender 2.5 Materials and Textures Cookbook
  
  
  The image, used as the book cover, was both modelled and textured in Blender 2.5. It is based on a Hoverfly, or Flower Fly, found in most continents of the world apart from Antarctica. This wonderful non-aggressive hovering fly became a favourite 3D candidate when I first considered it for a production abandoned over 40 years ago because of the limited or non-existence of 3D suites like Blender. I wanted to imitate a jet aircraft in the style of a plastic construction-kit popular in my youth. At that time I was going to animate it in a little story about how we misrepresent some insects as bad when in actual fact they provide enormous benefit to the human species. Perhaps now that I have created the model and textured it I will find some time to rig it and create that little story. If you click on the image you will be taken to a series of renders of the model.
• August 2010 Following a busy year, adjusting to my new location, I have increased my Blender output four fold over the last few months. PacKT publishing have asked me to write a new book about material and texture use in Blender 2.5/6. The book, in their Cookbook series, will teach the many complexities of the new user interface as it applies to texturing your models and animations. Through a series of recipes you will learn how to achieve the impossible with this great new look 3D suite.
  I have developed a whole series of interesting, challenging, yet easy to accomplish recipes, that you can employ in your own Blender productions. I will be covering all the Blender Material and Texture methods, including Node materials and textures. You will learn how to not only improve your texturing but also how to bring your objects and characters to life. Included here are a few renders, and associated animations, that the publishers have allowed me to show you before the publication date. PackT have also introduced a really good idea called PacktRAW, where you can actually read draft chapters as they are being developed, and contribute to their design and content. Not only that but you get a first edition of the published book as soon as its officially published. Details will soon be available from the Packt website at:- http://www.packtpub.com/
  
  
• March-July 2010 You know it is a complete joy to work with a 3D suite that has developed so spectacularly over the last few years.
  The new Blender UI, enabling multi-monitor use, better windows management, as well as all the wonderful new features like smoke and cloth simulation, can help produce some wonderful renders. One almost feels like a child in a sweet shop. Hang on my better half just confirmed that I am.
  The animation here shows how environment map reflection can be used to produce very realistic metals with little render time overhead. It also demonstrates how the new animation facilities in Blender 2.5 allow one to animate any variable setting producing fantastic results.
  
  
  

The film is dedicated to my great friend Roger Finch who tragically died in 2003. Roger was an inspiration to many non-professional film makers encouraging them to dream, persevere, and achieve the impossible.