Beginner Blender 4.0 Tutorial - Part 7: Geometry Nodes (Long Sprinkles)

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will learn how to create long sprinkles using Blender's geometry nodes. This process will not only enhance your modeling skills but also familiarize you with various Blender techniques. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a set of long sprinkles ready to be scattered across your 3D objects.

Chapter 1: Understanding the 3D Cursor

• The 3D cursor is crucial for adding objects in Blender. It determines where new objects will be placed.
• To move the 3D cursor, hold Shift and right-click where you want it to go.
• You can also use the cursor tool if you don’t have a mouse.

Chapter 2: Adding the Cylinder

• Press Shift + A to add a new object and select Mesh > Cylinder.
• Adjust the cylinder's properties:
  • Set Radius and Depth to the lowest values.
  • Change Vertices from 32 to 12 for smoother appearance.
• Move the cylinder up along the Z-axis so it sits above the plane.

Chapter 3: Adjusting Viewport Clipping

• If your objects disappear when zooming in, it's likely due to viewport clipping.
• Press N to open the properties panel, go to the View tab, and change the Clip Start value from 1 cm to 1 mm.

Chapter 4: Modelling the Sprinkle

• Enter Edit Mode by pressing Tab.
• Use S to scale the cylinder along the Z-axis to elongate it.
• Choose a visually appealing length based on reference images of sprinkles.

Chapter 5: Adding a Bevel

• Switch to Face Select Mode and select the top and bottom faces of the cylinder.
• Press Ctrl + B to bevel the edges. Adjust the bevel amount to create a rounded shape.
• Avoid excessive poly count as these will be scattered later.

Chapter 6: Creating Sprinkle Variants

1. Duplicate the sprinkle for different styles using Shift + D.
2. Move each duplicate along the X-axis.
3. Edit each one:
   • For medium sprinkles, scale the top part.
   • Create long sprinkles by elongating them further.
   • For bent sprinkles, add loop cuts using Ctrl + R to increase geometry for curving.

Chapter 7: Creating a Bent Sprinkle

• Use the Simple Deform Modifier to bend the sprinkle:
  • Set it to Bend and adjust the angle as desired.
• Reset the origin point by selecting all objects and using Right Click > Set Origin > Origin to Geometry.

Chapter 8: Organizing with Collections

• Create collections to manage your sprinkles:
  • In the Outliner, create a new collection for sprinkles.
  • Add sub-collections for round and long sprinkles.
  • Move your sprinkle objects into their respective collections.

Chapter 9: Unpinning Geometry Nodes

• Select the object you want to edit in Geometry Nodes.
• Ensure the correct object is pinned to avoid editing the wrong setup.

Chapter 10: Scattering an Entire Collection

• Instead of using an object info node, use a collection info node to scatter multiple objects.
• Check the boxes for Separate Children and Reset Children to ensure correct placement.
• Click Pick Instance to select one of the scattered objects.

Chapter 11: Changing the Sprinkle Rotation

• Connect the rotation output from the distribute points on faces node to the rotation input of instances.
• Rotate the sprinkles along the X-axis by 90 degrees and apply the rotation with Ctrl + A.

Chapter 12: Randomizing Rotation

• Use a Rotate Euler node to control the rotation.
• Change from Object to Local for more natural rotations.
• Add a Random Value node to randomize the rotation around the Z-axis.

Chapter 13: Distance and Sizing

• Adjust the minimum distance for the scattered sprinkles to avoid overlap.
• Set the scale of the sprinkles to achieve the desired size.
• Finalize the distance and scale settings for a visually appealing arrangement.

Conclusion

You've successfully created long sprinkles using Blender's geometry nodes! This tutorial covered everything from modeling and organizing to scattering and randomizing rotations. In the next part, we will focus on adding color to our sprinkles to enhance their appearance. Keep practicing these techniques to improve your 3D modeling skills.