Create a Nature Environment using Geometry Nodes | Blender Beginner Tutorial
Summary
TLDRIn this video tutorial, the creator guides viewers through the process of crafting a detailed nature scene in Blender using Geometry Nodes. The tutorial begins with scattering grass across a plane, introducing the use of a 'Distribute Points on Faces' node and an 'Instance on Points' node to place grass assets. The creator shares a free asset pack from Max 3 and demonstrates how to randomize grass rotation and scale to avoid repetition and clipping. The scene is then enhanced with additional assets like the Ethereum logo and Dead Leaves, and the creator discusses two methods for creating a more realistic grass distribution: weight painting and manual editing. The tutorial also covers texturing with Principled BSDF, adding volumetrics for depth, and creating a forest illusion with an image plane. Finally, the creator adds an astronaut character and foliage for a complete scene, concluding with a final render and a call to action for viewers to like and subscribe.
Takeaways
- 🌿 **Scatter Grass**: The tutorial begins by using Geometry Nodes to scatter grass across a plane in Blender.
- 📏 **Scale and Positioning**: A plane is scaled up and a camera is set to view the scene easily for further adjustments.
- 🔗 **Join Geometry Nodes**: The Geometry Nodes workflow involves joining nodes to reintroduce the plane after scattering points.
- 🌱 **Grass Asset Scattering**: Grass assets from a free pack are added and scattered across the plane using an 'Instance on Points' node.
- 🔄 **Randomization**: A 'Random Value' node is introduced to add variety to the rotation of the grass assets.
- 🔍 **Scale Adjustment**: The scale of the grass is adjusted to avoid extremely small, barely visible grass while maintaining geometry information.
- 🚫 **Clipping Prevention**: The tutorial discusses methods to reduce clipping by adjusting the 'Distance Minimum' and using a 'Poisson Disk' distribution.
- 🎨 **Texturing and Material Properties**: The principled shader is used for texturing, and the material's surface is changed to 'Displacement' and 'Bump' for more realism.
- 🌳 **Adding Foliage and Trees**: Foliage and trees from the Max 3 pack are scattered to enhance the nature scene.
- 🖼️ **Background Image**: An image of a forest is used as a background plane to create an illusion of a dense forest.
- 🌟 **Volumetrics**: A cube is used with a volume shader to add depth and atmosphere to the scene, adjusting density and color for the best effect.
- 🖥️ **Weight Painting and Sculpting**: As an alternative method, weight painting and sculpting are used to create paths and details in the grass.
- 🧑🚀 **Adding a Character**: The scene is further enhanced by adding an astronaut character for a focal point.
Q & A
What is the first step in creating the scene in Blender using geometry nodes?
-The first step is to scatter grass using geometry nodes. This is done by sacrificing the default Cube, adding a plane, scaling it up, and setting up the camera for easy viewing.
How do you add a new geometry node in Blender?
-You can add a new geometry node by going to the Geometry Nodes tab, pressing Shift+A, and selecting the desired node type from the search results.
What is a 'Distribute Points on Faces' node used for in this context?
-A 'Distribute Points on Faces' node is used to generate points across the surface of a mesh, which in this case, is used to prepare for scattering grass assets.
How can you add assets to scatter in the scene?
-Assets can be added by importing them from external packs, such as the Max 3 pack mentioned in the script, which is free. The assets are then copied and pasted into the project file.
What is the purpose of the 'Instance on Points' node?
-The 'Instance on Points' node is used to scatter the grass assets across the plane based on the points generated by the 'Distribute Points on Faces' node.
How can you randomize the rotation of the scattered assets?
-To randomize the rotation, a 'Random Value' node is added and connected to the rotation input of the 'Instance on Points' node. The X and Y axis values are set to 0 to avoid rotation in those planes, and the Z axis is set to a full 360-degree rotation using radians.
What is the minimum scale value for the grass in the scene?
-The minimum scale value for the grass should be set to a number other than zero to prevent the grass from appearing extremely small and barely visible.
How can you adjust the density of the scattered assets?
-The density can be adjusted by changing the 'Density Factor' value in the geometry nodes. Additionally, you can plug the 'Density' node into the 'Group Input' to change the density from the modifier menu.
What are the two methods mentioned for creating a nature scene in Blender?
-The two methods mentioned are weight painting and manual editing. Weight painting involves creating a vertex group and painting weights to control grass density, while manual editing involves selecting and manipulating vertices to create desired effects.
How do you add texturing to the scene?
-Texturing is added by using the Shader Editor to apply a principled BSDF shader to the objects in the scene. A texture is selected, and material properties are adjusted to include displacement and bump for a more realistic look.
What is the final step in creating the scene?
-The final step is to add volumetrics to the scene. This is done by adding a cube, scaling it to cover the whole scene, changing its viewport visibility to 'Wired', and then using the Shader Editor to add a principled volume or volume scatter shader for a more realistic atmospheric effect.
What is the recommended way to duplicate high-quality assets in Blender to avoid viewport lag?
-Instead of using Shift+D, which can cause lag due to the high quality of the assets, the script recommends using Alt+D to duplicate the assets.
Outlines
🌱 Creating a Grassy Scene with Geometry Nodes
In this paragraph, the creator guides viewers through the process of generating a grassy landscape using Blender's geometry nodes. They start by replacing the default cube with a plane, scaling it up, and setting up the camera for easy viewing. The tutorial then dives into the geometry nodes tab, where a new modifier node is created and connected to a 'Distribute Points on Faces' node to scatter points on the plane. An 'Instance on Points' node is added to scatter grass assets, which are sourced from a free pack linked in the description. The creator also addresses potential material issues and demonstrates how to scatter additional assets, randomize their rotation and scale, and adjust the grass density and distribution to prevent clipping. The paragraph concludes with tips on adjusting the density and rotation settings for a more natural look.
🖼️ Scene Enhancement with Weight Painting and Texturing
The second paragraph focuses on enhancing the scene with weight painting and texturing techniques. The process begins with weight painting on the plane to create paths and remove grass from the center. However, the creator finds this method不够理想 (not very ideal) and opts for a different approach using edit mode and sculpting to add details and create a more natural depression in the grass. They then introduce a sunlight source, adjust its strength and color, and move on to texturing with Principled BSDF in the Shader editor, using a texture from Polyhaven. The material properties are tweaked for a more realistic look, and a 3D model of the Ethereum logo with a gold material is added to the scene. The creator also discusses adding dead leaves and foliage using geometry nodes and emphasizes the importance of not placing trees directly in front of the light to maintain focus on the main subject. The paragraph ends with the addition of volumetrics using a cube and shader adjustments for a warmer tone.
🎨 Finalizing the Scene with Foliage and Volumetrics
In the final paragraph, the creator wraps up the scene creation by adding more foliage and trees from the Max 3 pack to enhance the natural environment. They caution against duplicating assets using 'Shift D' due to potential lag from high-quality assets, instead recommending 'Alt D' for a smoother experience. To create a background forest illusion, an image of a forest is added as a plane. The paragraph concludes with the addition of volumetrics to the scene using a cube adjusted for viewport visibility and shader settings to achieve a warmer, less dense effect. The creator presents the final render and encourages viewers to like and subscribe for more content.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Blender
💡Geometry Nodes
💡Scatter
💡Asset
💡Random Value Node
💡Density
💡Clipping
💡Weight Painting
💡Texturing
💡Volumetrics
💡Displacement and Bump
Highlights
Creating a scene in Blender using Geometry Nodes to scatter grass.
Using an undestructive modifier that allows for easy changes.
Distribute Points on Faces node to generate points for grass placement.
Join Geometry node to reintroduce the plane after point distribution.
Instance on Points node for scattering grass assets across the plane.
Adding free grass assets from the Max 3 pack.
Random Value node for adding rotation variation to scattered objects.
Adjusting the rotation axis to achieve a 360-degree rotation on the Z-axis.
Scaling the grass to avoid extremely small, barely visible grass blades.
Using Poisson Disk distribution to increase density and reduce clipping.
Customizing the density and rotation through the Modifier menu.
Weight painting method to selectively remove grass from certain areas.
Using proportional editing and sculpting to add details and create a natural look.
Adding a sunlight source with adjustable strength and color temperature.
Texturing the scene using Principled BSDF and custom texture from Polyhaven.
Adding a 3D model of the Ethereum logo with a gold material.
Scattering Dead Leaves on the second plane using Geometry Nodes.
Integrating an astronaut character into the scene for a focal point.
Adding trees and foliage from the Max 3 pack for a natural environment.
Creating a background forest illusion using an image plane.
Implementing volumetrics with a cube and shader adjustments for a realistic atmosphere.
Final render showcasing the completed nature scene with grass, trees, and an astronaut.
Transcripts
today we are going to create this scene
in blender using geometry nodes and as
always the blender file is in the
description below so without any further
Ado let's get started
so first we are going to scatter grass
using geometry nodes so I will sacrifice
the default Cube and then press shift a
and add a plane then press S10 on the
keyboard to scale it up then set up your
camera and press n and select the slow
camera to view option to change the
camera positions easily then I will go
to this geometry nodes Tab and join
these two screens because we don't need
that one
and click on new
and you can see it's a modifier and it's
completely undestructive you can also
change the name if you want so right now
we have two nodes so I will press shift
a and search for distribute points on
faces node
and you can see these points have
appeared on screen but our plane is gone
so again press shift a and search for
join geometry node
place it on the line and also connect
group input to join geometry and our
plane is back so then add an instance on
points node and this node will scatter
our grass asset on the plane but right
now it's not scattering anything because
we don't have any assets so I will add
some gas assets from this Max 3 pack
which is completely free and I'll put a
link to it in the description below and
if you want to see the full guide you
can watch this video of mine
so I will double click open any of these
files press Ctrl C to copy this asset
and then paste it into your project file
[Music]
and I have seen some people had an issue
with the materials but as you can see I
don't seem to have any of these
so just like this I have added three
more assets from this Max 3 pack which I
am going to scatter
and I've also placed them in a
collection so go back to the geometry
notes tab grab this collection and place
it here
connect instance to instance and now you
can see the glass has been scattered
like this solve this just click on
separate children and reset children and
also check Peak instance
and now it's fine
you may have noticed that if you click
on any other object the jio nodes
disappear but if you click on the spin
icon it won't disappear now
so now you can see some repetition going
on so for this add a random value node
and before connecting change it to
vector and then connect it to rotation
and it's looking crazy right now so
under Max section change the X and Y
axis value to 0 because we don't wanna
rotate in those axes
and also we want a 360 degree rotation
on Z axis but this dot only accepts
values in radians and 1 degree is
57.295 radians and yes there is
mathematics in blender you should have
taken your classes more seriously so
instead of writing 360 I will write Tau
in here which is equal to 6.283 which is
equal to 360 degrees of course you won't
see this Randomness in case of grass but
if it were other objects like stone or
rock you will see some randomization
going on
so the grass is incredibly small right
now so I will add another random value
node and this time don't change it over
to Vector keep it on float and connect
it to scale
and since the minimum scale value is 0
we are seeing this extremely small grass
which is barely visible but still taking
all the geometry information and we
don't want that
so change the minimum scale value to
anything except zero and also change the
maximum scale value play around with
these values and see what works best for
you
you can also increase the density and
you will see some clipping obviously
it's good in case of grass but anyways
if you want to prevent clipping just
change it from random to poisson disk I
hope I go there right anyways now we
have two more options which are distance
minimum and density Factor
you can change the density from density
Factor
and by increasing distance minimum you
reduce clipping but you will also see a
decrease in density which means you will
have to compromise on density in order
to reduce clipping and also there is no
clipping proof value there is always
going to be some clipping so I will
change it back to zero
and if you take this density node and
plug it into group input you can see now
you can change the density from modifier
menu
and you can also put the rotation and
scale node or any other node that you
want
and we have two Max values here which
can be a bit confusing so press n to get
this menu and go to the group section
click on this Max and change its name to
rotation Max
and this one to scale Max
and there you go
so in order to make this kind of scene
there are two ways that you can follow
the first one is the weight painting
so for that go to edit mode by pressing
Tab and then right click and select
subdivide and from this drop down menu
add 50 or 100 cuts
then go to Weight pen mode
and if you append on the plane you can
see that a new vertex group has been
created you can also change its name
then paint on both sides and leave a
path in the center
drop the weight of the brush to zero to
erase the paint
once you are done go back to Geometry
nodes section and instead of density Max
plug in density Factor
and then click on the spreadsheet icon
and choose your vertex group that you
just created
and you can see it has removed the grass
from the center but not completely there
are still some patches in the center
and even if you tweak some settings it's
not very ideal
so I will use the second method which is
by going to edit mode
and selecting the middle vertices
turning on the proportional editing and
move this area down on Z axis
then go to the sculpting mode and add
some details using clay brush
and once you are done add another pane
on top and scale it up like this
then I will add a sunlight
and increase its strength to 30 and also
choose a warmer color and now comes the
texturing part so go to the Shader
editor click on principle bstf and press
Ctrl shift t
and select your texture I will use this
texture from polyhaven but you can use
any texture that you want
then go to the material properties and
scroll down until you find settings and
under surface change it to displacement
and bump
and it's looking crazy right now so
decrease the displacement height
something like 0.02
I will also change the scale value to 7
on X and Y axis in mapping node
now just like this add a different
Shader to this plane
[Music]
then I have a 3D model of ethereum logo
and I have added a gold material to it
then I have these Dead Leaves which I
will scatter on the second plane using
Geo nodes it's pretty simple just click
on the plane add a geometry node
modifier to it
I'll select the node system that we just
created
click on this button to make a copy of
it and uncheck pin and under collection
choose your asset
click on plane and press Ctrl a to apply
the scale transform
and then you can play it on with the
settings as usual and with the grass it
looks something like this obviously we
will add some more assets because right
now it's looking Miserable as my life
so then I will add a connector to the
scene if you want this astronaut
character you can watch this video of
mine which has the full guide for
downloading texturing and rigging this
character
right now the scene is kinda empty so I
will scatter some foliage again from Max
3 pack
there isn't a nature scene without any
trees so I will add a 3D and duplicate
it a few times
make sure to press alt D instead of
shift d for duplicating because these
are high quality assets and they can
make your viewport a bit laggy
so press alt D for duplicating and
rotate them to create some randomization
I haven't placed any tree directly in
front of the light because I want the
light to focus on our connector
just like this
to create an illusion of a forest in the
background I will add an image as a
plane of a forest
and now the only thing remaining is
volumetrics so for that add a cube scale
it up so it covers the whole scene
then change its viewport visibility to
wired
and then go to Shader editor click on
new delete the principal bstf and add a
principal volume or volume scatter it
doesn't matter decrease the density and
also choose a warmer color
down with the density value and see what
works best for you
and we are done
and here is our final render
if you found this video helpful make
sure to give it a like subscribe to my
channel and then I'll see you guys in
the next video
[Music]
thank you
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