# New Video Series: The Tech Artist's Journey **URL:** \ **Category:** Announcements\ **Created:** [July 19, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485 "2021-07-19T18:56:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/1 "2021-07-19T18:56:36Z")
Hey Everyone, I’m beyond excited to share a new video series with you that I’ve been working on for quite a while. This new series is called “The Tech Artist’s Journey,” and it’s all about taking the poetic “road less traveled.” In this series I’ll take you on a crazy, twisty, curvy adventure into making this dancing morph target demo: > **[Babylon.js Playground](https://playground.babylonjs.com/#387TJA)** > > Babylon.js playground is a live editor for Babylon.js WebGL 3D scenes I like to think of this series similar to a hike through the woods. It’s not about taking the most direct path to get to this demo…it’s the opposite. In this series we’ll take the unexpected path, the goofy path, the beautiful path. I’ll do my best to introduce you to a bunch of new and crazy concepts and use those concepts to create a fun dancing morph target demo. Our journey starts right here at the VERY beginning with Part 1: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BqVThaShJEU/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tech Artist's Journey Pt1: Blender Shape Keys") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqVThaShJEU) I hope you enjoy coming along on this adventure with me! ---
**Author:** ![BoldBigflank](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/boldbigflank/32/4426_2.png) [@BoldBigflank](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/BoldBigflank)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/2 "2021-07-20T21:59:04Z")
I like how this is set up, there’s a lot of things I’d like to learn and that final product looks fun too. I suggest putting chapters into the video so that we can find each lesson easily. ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 11:56pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/3 "2021-08-02T23:56:03Z")
Part 2 is here! In this video, you’ll learn to dive into the incredibly powerful Python API inside of Blender. We’ll leverage it to get around a naming problem and unlock some new superpowers in the process! I hope you enjoy! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mfxvAOVNMaE/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tech Artist's Journey Pt2: Blender's Python API") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfxvAOVNMaE) ---
**Author:** ![JCPalmer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/jcpalmer/32/42_2.png) [@JCPalmer](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/JCPalmer)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/4 "2021-08-03T17:21:01Z")
Very nice. For coding the Blender exporter, I generally do searching (mostly blindly) to find things on the Blender API doc page, [Blender 2.93.2 Release Candidate Python API Documentation — Blender Python API](https://docs.blender.org/api/2.93/). The auto complete / immediate window gives you properties. As you wish to do macro type stuff, you will need to find API methods & then what are the arguments required. There was macro recorder in the past as an Add-on, but not always picked up everything, though. There is one trick to guessing on your searches though. When you hover the mouse over a control, or property, you can see a tool tip of the API. Do not think this is on by default as of 2.80. You can turn it on in preferences. ![interface prefs](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/uploads/babylonjs/original/3X/0/4/0477baaa8117880d97a4114b0b98de0af7b1d71a.jpeg) Looking at the info window (bottom left in scripting layout) after doing the desired operation is yet another way to get an API method. You still need to go to the API doc page to understand the parameters. Info window shows all of them, but most may be the default value. * * * Another thing is it is usually faster to find an operation is to using the right click. From not working at all prior to 2.80, it is very context sensitive. It provides menus which cut down lots of looking of where is that. ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/5 "2021-08-03T17:57:28Z")
Awesome tips and suggestions! Love it! ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/6 "2021-09-07T16:26:23Z")
Part 3 of the Tech Artist’s Journey video series is here! In this video you’ll continue the adventure in Blender and learn all about the incredible fluid simulation system, creating a compelling animation and setting the scene up to render the animation as a heightmap! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/O-H_QsNjQtE/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tech Artist's Journey Pt3: Fluid Simulation!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-H_QsNjQtE) I truly hope you’re having as much fun with this series as I am 🙂 This is the demo that you’ll create through this series: > **[Babylon.js Playground](https://playground.babylonjs.com/#387TJA)** > > Babylon.js playground is a live editor for Babylon.js WebGL 3D scenes ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/7 "2021-09-20T16:52:25Z")
Part 4 is here! If you’ve ever wanted to know how to capture animation as a texture, this video is for you! We’ll dive deep into Blender’s compositing tool to learn how to capture the fluid animation we created in part 3, as a texture! Pretty mind bending idea right!!! Can’t wait to hear what you all think! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Dxs-V8OTpKA/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tech Artist's Journey Pt4: Compositing!!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxs-V8OTpKA) ---
**Author:** ![gryff](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/gryff/32/1855_2.png) [@gryff](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/gryff)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/8 "2021-09-23T16:43:37Z")
@PirateJC : I’ve been watching this series and was almost overwhelmed by your enthusiasm in Part 3. And though I have used Blender for a while, that episode led me to a new place, and Part 4 continues that journey. Looking forward to the coding to come. I did feel a little disappointed when you did not use @JCPalmer 's .babylon exporter. Does it have to be exported that way? Stay Safe, gryff 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/9 "2021-09-23T16:49:28Z")
Hey @gryff > [@gryff](#): > > almost overwhelmed by your enthusiasm in Part 3 LOL…what’s funny is that’s not an act. I honestly absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching this stuff. It brings me genuine sincere joy and excitement, you’re seeing unscripted enthusiasm. LOL > [@gryff](#): > > I did feel a little disappointed when you did not use @JCPalmer 's .babylon exporter. Does it have to be exported that way? No you definitely do NOT need to use the built in exporter. I LOVE @JCPalmer 's awesome exporter. The only reason I didn’t show it off is because we’re covering SOOOOO much ground in this series, I had to cut a few things that we definitely COULD have shown along the way just to ensure we didn’t exhaust people. Keeping with the “hike through the woods” analogy, we COULD stop every 50 feet and see something beautiful and incredible, but if we did that it would take us FOREVER to get to where we’re going. So absolutely no offense at all to @JCPalmer! JC your exporter is simply awesome. I just had to keep the scope of the “hike” manageable for all the ground we want to cover. So glad the series is resonating. We’re JUST getting started on this “hike.” ---
**Author:** ![JCPalmer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/jcpalmer/32/42_2.png) [@JCPalmer](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/JCPalmer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 5:34pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/10 "2021-09-23T17:34:06Z")
I am good with using GLB exporter, especially once exporting animation gets involved. While I am doing a lot animation, I am doing it directly in a scene though IK, morphing, or bone pose compositing (that’s what I call it). I am only getting parts from Blender: - (1st\_knuckle\_bent, bentback, closed, curl, left, & right) bone poses for each finger from which an infinite number of composite poses can derived. - 20 something very simple face shape keys, which I am also compositing at run time for expressive speech. I am barely competent with Blender’s animation. The exporter works, but animation is not one of the places where I am looking to make changes. ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2021, 5:34pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/11 "2021-10-12T17:34:03Z")
Part 5 of this video series is here! Time to leave the world of Blender and dive into Babylon! Hope you enjoy! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gDM6y6twnKs/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tech Artist's Journey Pt5: Setting Up The Scene!!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDM6y6twnKs) ---
**Author:** ![gryff](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/gryff/32/1855_2.png) [@gryff](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/gryff)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/12 "2021-10-20T16:37:53Z")
@PirateJC : Your enthusiasm knows no bounds ! 😃 Actually, I really like watching your videos as you code, as there is always an explanation about why you are doing something - and that helps me understand the “why”. And in Part 5, I learnt a couple of new things - checking for which webGl version for example. It maybe a “_wander through the woods_” , but this poor coder is looking forward to the upcoming episodes. Stay Safe, gryff 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/13 "2021-10-20T16:53:50Z")
Thank you for the incredibly kind words @gryff I’m learning new things every day and love sharing them with the community as I do. With an incredibly engine as rich and deep as Babylon is, there’s really always going to be new things to learn! LOL Next video in the series comes out next week! ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2021, 4:45pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/14 "2021-11-01T16:45:46Z")
Part 6 is here! Dive in to learn how to magically transform texture pixel data into animation data! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vHLpntfX_aM/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tech Artist's Journey Pt6: Building The Animation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHLpntfX_aM) ---
**Author:** ![gryff](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/gryff/32/1855_2.png) [@gryff](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/gryff)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/15 "2021-11-01T17:14:51Z")
@PirateJC : To use a word that you often use “_awesome_” ! You are getting to the nitty-gritty.The point I’ve been waiting for. Stay Safe, gryff 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PirateJC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/piratejc/32/1003_2.png) [@PirateJC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/PirateJC)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 9:11pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/16 "2021-12-15T21:11:39Z")
Part 7 is now live! Let’s add some interaction and animation to our morph targets! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZosFGpEdCHA/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tech Artist's Journey Pt7: Interaction and Animation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZosFGpEdCHA) ---
**Author:** ![bjsuser](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/bjsuser/32/25577_2.png) [@bjsuser](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/bjsuser)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 3:45am UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/new-video-series-the-tech-artists-journey/22485/17 "2022-09-25T03:45:03Z")
Thanks @PirateJC. A fun, engaging, and helpful video series.