Blender Tutorial - How to Make a 360 Turntable Animation

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a 360-degree turntable animation in Blender 2.92. This technique is useful for showcasing 3D models in an engaging way, allowing viewers to see all angles of your creation. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to enhance your animation skills, this guide will provide clear and actionable steps to achieve a professional-looking animation.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Blender Project

• Open Blender and create a new project.
• Delete the default cube by right-clicking it and selecting "Delete."
• Import or create the 3D model you want to animate.
  • To import, go to File > Import and choose the appropriate file format (e.g., .obj, .fbx).

Step 2: Preparing the Scene

• Position your model at the center of the scene.
• Adjust the camera:
  • Select the camera in the scene.
  • Press N to open the properties panel and ensure the camera is facing your model.
  • Set the camera’s position to get a clear view of the model.

Step 3: Adding a Turntable Animation

• Select your model and go to the Object Properties tab.

• Find the Transform section and set the rotation axis:

  • For a horizontal turntable, use the Z-axis.

• Insert a keyframe for the starting position:

  • Press I and select Rotation to record the model's current rotation.

• Move to the last frame of your desired animation length (e.g., frame 250).

• Rotate your model 360 degrees:

  • Enter 360 in the Z-axis rotation field.

• Insert another keyframe by pressing I and selecting Rotation.

Step 4: Adjusting Animation Settings

• Open the Timeline window at the bottom of the screen.
• Set the end frame to match the last keyframe (e.g., frame 250).
• Adjust the playback speed:
  • Go to the Output Properties tab and choose your preferred frame rate (e.g., 24 or 30 FPS).

Step 5: Lighting and Rendering

• Add lights to your scene:

  • Go to Add > Light and choose a light type (e.g., Point, Sun).
  • Position the light to highlight your model effectively.

• Set up rendering settings:

  • Go to the Output Properties tab.
  • Choose the output resolution and file format (e.g., PNG or JPEG).

• Render the animation:

  • Go to Render > Render Animation or press Ctrl + F12.

Conclusion

You have successfully created a 360-degree turntable animation in Blender! This technique is great for presenting your 3D models in a visually appealing way. Experiment with different lighting setups and camera angles to enhance your animations further. For more tutorials on Blender, consider exploring additional resources and community forums for inspiration and support. Happy animating!