Blender is a free and open-source 3D computer graphics software toolset used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, 3D-printed models, motion graphics, interactive 3D applications, and video games. As a versatile and powerful program, Blender's feature set covers the entirety of the 3D production pipeline.
The software is managed and developed by the Blender Foundation, a non-profit organization based in the Netherlands. Its open-source nature means it is developed by a large community of volunteers and full-time employees, making it a perpetually evolving and community-driven project. It is cross-platform and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Blender is known for its extensive and professional-grade feature set, which rivals that of many high-end commercial software packages.
Modeling and Sculpting: It provides a comprehensive suite of modeling tools, including support for polygon meshes, curves, and subdivision surfaces. Its digital sculpting toolset offers various brushes and dynamic topology for creating detailed organic models.
Animation and Rigging: Blender offers a full-featured rigging and animation toolset, including inverse kinematics, a non-linear animation editor, and a dope sheet, making it suitable for complex character animation.
Rendering: The software includes two primary built-in render engines:
Visual Effects (VFX): Blender has a built-in compositor for post-production work and a high-quality motion tracking system for seamlessly integrating 3D elements into live-action footage.
Simulation: It can simulate a variety of physical phenomena, including fluid, smoke, fire, cloth, rigid bodies, and particles.
2D Animation Pipeline: The Grease Pencil tool allows artists to draw directly in a 3D space, combining 2D and 3D workflows for storyboarding, 2D concept art, and full 2D animation.
Video Editing: A basic but functional non-linear Video Sequence Editor (VSE) is included for cutting, splicing, and performing simple post-processing on video files.
Scripting and Customization: With an extensive Python API, nearly every aspect of Blender can be scripted and customized. This has led to a thriving ecosystem of free and commercial add-ons that extend its core functionality.