Automated Shape Generation and Animation with Blender Scripting
In this project, I developed an automated system for generating and animating 3D shapes using Blender scripting. The goal was to create a dataset that would allow us to analyze shapes under controlled conditions, such as different angles, movements, and later, colors or textures. By using Blender’s Python API, we can easily scale this system to produce more complex scenes or animations as needed.
Motivation Behind the Project
The motivation for this project stemmed from the need for a customizable, scalable dataset of 3D shapes for analysis. Initially, I was the sole person capable of creating datasets using Blender, meaning that others had to request new shape datasets from me whenever they wanted to explore or recognize different shapes. This was not only time-consuming but also a bottleneck for project scalability and experimentation.
To overcome this issue, I created a scripting solution with an accompanying API that empowers others to generate their own datasets independently. By utilizing Blender scripting, anyone can now easily produce datasets tailored to their specific needs, without relying on my direct involvement. This automation provides flexibility for further expansion, such as incorporating color variations, textures, or more complex 3D models, and enables the quick generation of thousands of videos featuring different shapes, movements, and conditions.
Our initial focus was on simple shape generation and motion capture, but the system can easily be adapted for more advanced tasks. By designing an API around this process, we made shape creation, manipulation, and animation more efficient, enabling us to explore and experiment with 3D models effortlessly.
What Is Blender Scripting?
Blender scripting is the process of using Blender’s integrated Python API to automate tasks such as modeling, animation, rendering, and more. By leveraging scripting, users can:
- Create shapes, objects, and scenes programmatically.
- Define complex animations and object behaviors without manual intervention.
- Streamline the process of generating multiple outputs, which is especially useful in scenarios that require large datasets, like this project.
Blender’s Python API provides access to all core Blender functionalities, allowing fine control over the creation and manipulation of 3D models, animations, and camera movements.
Key Features of the Project
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Smooth Animations: The system animates the generated shapes, simulating movement for controlled experiments. By moving the objects and cameras programmatically, we can ensure that the shape's behavior is consistent across all outputs.
transformations = [ (60, ("rotate", (0, 360))), (10, ("translate", (0, 0, 2))), (10, ("translate", (0, 2, -2))), (10, ("rotate_translate", (0, -60, 0, 0, -2))), (10, ("translate", (0, 2, 2))), (10, ("rotate_translate", (0, -60, 0, 0, -2))), (10, ("translate", (0, 0, -2))), (60, ("rotate", (0, -360))), ]init = [ (0, ("resize", 0.25)), (0, ("rotate", (0, 45))), (0, ("translate", (0, 3 * (0.5 - (i // 4) / 2), 3 * (0.5 - (i % 4) / 3)))), ] rotation = [ (NR * i, ("identity", ())), (NR, ("rotate", (0, 360))), (NR * (NO - 1 - i), ("identity", ())), ] stable = [(8, ("identity", ()))] circle_dance = [ ( 1, ( "rotate_move", ( 0, 360 / NC, 0, 2 * math.cos((k + i * NC / NO) * 2 * math.pi / NC), 2 * math.sin((k + i * NC / NO) * 2 * math.pi / NC), ), ), ) for k in range(NC) ] transformations = init + rotation + stable + circle_dance -
Scalable Design: The underlying code is designed to be easily expanded. New shapes, textures, and animations can be added without reworking the entire pipeline.
Under the Hood: Technical Overview
The project consists of several modules that work together to automate the entire process, from shape creation to rendering:
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Action System (
action.py): Set of core transformations and manipulations for objects, such as translating, rotating, resizing, and mirroring. It allows for the combination of these basic actions, like “rotate and translate” or “rotate and move,” to create more dynamic interactions.def rotate(object, axis, angle): object.rotation_euler[axis] += math.radians(angle) def translate(object, tx, ty, tz): object.location += Vector((tx, ty, tz)) def move(object, x, y, z): object.location += Vector((x, y, z)) - object.location -
Animation Control (
animation.py): Animation process by applying a series of transformations to objects over a defined number of frames. Each animation is structured as a sequence of transformations (e.g., rotate, translate) that are executed in steps. The script inserts keyframes for each transformation, enabling smooth transitions between movements, resizing, or camera motions. -
Shape Generation and animation (e.g.
single_object.py): Entire process of generating and animating 3D objects. It applies a series of transformations to models and creates animations by inserting keyframes at each step. After configuring the scene, it renders the animations into video files, making it the core of the system that produces and exports the final animated output efficiently.
Why This Matters
By automating shape generation and animation, this project provides a foundation for easily creating 3D datasets under controlled conditions. These datasets can be used in numerous applications, from computer vision research to machine learning projects. The modular design ensures that the system is scalable, allowing for quick adaptation as the requirements evolve.
This project highlights the power of Blender scripting to automate repetitive tasks, offering a streamlined solution for generating and analyzing complex 3D shapes. By simplifying shape and animation generation, it opens up opportunities for further exploration into areas like texture application, lighting variations, or even physics-based simulations.