In this tutorial, we will create a bubble material from scratch using Blender 3D's Cycles renderer, primarily focusing on how to use procedural textures for effects like the outer surface, reflections, and inner glow of the bubble. We'll make the material adjustable for easy tweaking.

Step 1: Set Up Blender Scene

Open Blender and create a new project.

Delete the default cube: Select the cube, and press X to delete.

Add a sphere to represent the bubble:

Press Shift + A to bring up the Add menu, and choose Mesh > UV Sphere.

Using CTRL + 2, add a Subdivision Surface Modifier with 2 Levels. Then Right-click and choose ‘Shade Auto Smooth’.

Make sure you are using the Cycles Render Engine and you are in Material Preview mode.

If you wish to do so, you can add an HRDI for the lighting.

Also, make sure you have the Node Wrangler add-on activated.

Step 2: Set Up Material for the Bubble

Split your Viewport and change one of the panels to the Shader Editor.

Select the Sphere and create a new material.

Name the material Bubble.

Step 3: Create the Outer Surface (Reflection & Refraction)

Principled BSDF Node:

Start with the Principled BSDF shader as the base for our bubble material.

Set the Base Color to white for a more realistic bubble color..

Set Transmission to 1.0 to make the material fully transparent (this will simulate the glass-like transparency of a bubble).

Set the Roughness to 0.00 to give the bubble a slightly shiny surface.

Set IOR (Index of Refraction) to 1.33, which is the approximate value for soap bubbles.

Add Transparency:

To simulate the transparent nature of bubbles, add a Transparent BSDF node. This node will adjust the amount of transparency.

Add a Mix Shader and connect the Transparent BSDF into the top input and the Principled BSDF into the bottom input.

Add a Layer Weight node to help simulate more transparent areas as opposed to other areas of the bubble.

Using CTRL + SHIFT + LMB you can view the Layer Weight node by itself. We need the Facing output so use CTRL + SHIFT + LMB a second time to switch outputs.

This will be used to control the Transparency. To do this, connect the Layer Weight node to the Factor of the Mix Shader.

Using CTRL + SHIFT + LMB on the Mix Shader, you can now see the effect of the Layer Weight. You can increase the Blend for the Layer Weight to affect the transparency.

To further control the Transparency, add a Color Ramp between the Layer Weight and the Mix Shader. If you change the Black value to a midtone gray, the interior of the UV Sphere will not be as transparent.

Select these three Nodes and use CTRL + J to join these Nodes into a Frame. Right-click on the Frame and choose ‘Rename’ to title the Frame as ‘Transparency’.

Step 4: Adding Iridescence

If you look at bubbles in the real world, you will notice there are multiple swirled colors that are reflections of the surrounding environment. So, let’s add those color to our material.

Add a Noise Texture and use CTRL + SHIFT + LMB twice to preview the color.

Add a Texture Coordinate Node. This Node will help you to further refine the Noise Texture according to the Object Coordinate.

Use the Object Coordinate output to connect to the Noise Texture Vector input.

To make the Noise Texture larger, you can decrease the Scale. If you want a more detailed Noise Texture, Increase the Detail option.

To add distortion to the Noise Texture, increase the Distortion value.

Connect the Noise Texture to the Principled BSDF. To preview the colors, use CTRL + SHIFT + LMB and click on the Mix Shader.

If you want to further refine the colors, you will need to make some change to the Saturation.

Add a Hue/Saturation/Value Node between the Noise Texture and the Principled BSDF.

By turning up the Saturation value, you can more easily see the colors of the bubble material.

Select these three Nodes and use CTRL + J to join these Nodes into a Frame. Right-click on the Frame and choose ‘Rename’ to title the Frame as ‘Colors’.

By following these steps, you can create a customizable, procedural bubble material in Blender! Play with the parameters and experiment with textures and shaders to get a unique bubble effect.

In this tutorial, we'll cover how to create a worn, aged pottery material with cracks, chips, and dirt build-up that will give the impression of being used over time. We’ll break the process down step by step.

1. Setup Your Project in Substance Painter

Open Substance Painter and create a new project.

Import the pottery model you wish to texture. Choose a PBR Metal Rough template (as this is the most common for materials).

Under the Texture Setting tab, make sure to bake your Texture Maps.

2. Base Material: Pottery Surface

Start with a basic pottery material:

Create a Fill layer. This layer will serve as the base of your pottery material.

Name it Base.

In the Properties panel, under the Base Color section, turn off all the maps except Color and Roughness.

Choose a neutral earthy color like a light brown or beige (this will be the typical color of the pottery). [c77633]

Pottery often has a slightly rough, matte surface, so set the Roughness value to something around 0.6 to 0.75 (depending on your desired finish).

This will make the material look more natural and non-reflective.

Pottery often has a slightly textured surface.

Duplicate the Base layer and rename it. Right-click and add a Black Mask to the Base Color. Then add a Fill to the Black Mask.

Activate the Height Map and add a Texture to the Fill of the Black Mask. Adjust the Height Properties.

Change the Color to a slightly darker tint.

This will make the material look like it has a texture.

3. Adding Wear and Aging Effects

Pottery doesn’t stay pristine for long, so adding wear is crucial. Let’s add cracks, chips, and dirt to make it look aged.

Duplicate the Base layer and rename it. In the Properties panel, turn on the Height Texture map. This layer will be used to simulate the slight surface imperfections that pottery might have.

Change the Color of this layer to a darker version of the Base Color.

Add a Black Mask to the new layer and add a new Fill to the Black Mask.

Search for a Texture to use for this layer to add some imperfections to the clay pot. You can adjust the Properties of the Texture.

Select the Color for the new layer and turn on the Height Map. Adjusting the Height Map will allow you to add imperfections to the clay pot.

To show the original Base Color, change the Blend Mode of the new layer to ‘Screen’.

Create a New Layer for Cracks:

Duplicate the Base layer. In the Properties panel, turn on the Height Texture map.

Name this layer Cracks. This layer will be used to simulate cracks on the clay pot.

In the Base Color property, use a grunge map or a crack map to create cracks on the surface.

To apply, drag your grunge/crack texture into the Base Color slot Height Map and adjust Properties.

Duplicate the Cracks layer and rename it.

Use a different Texture for the Height Map and change the Properties to add chips.

Create a New Layer for Dirt:

Duplicate the Base layer and rename it to ‘Dirt’. Add a Black Mask with a Fill.

Use a Dirt Texture:

For the new layer Black Mask Fill, use a dirt or grime texture. This texture should be darker and have a bit of a rough, speckled appearance to simulate dirt and dust buildup.

Adjust the dirt layer’s Properties. You can also change the Blend Mode to something like ‘Overlay’.

Add a Curvature Map for Subtle Dirt Accumulation:

Duplicate the Base layer and change the color to a lighter tint.

Add a Black Mask and add a Curve Generator.

Change the ‘Use Texture’ for the Curvature to ‘True’. Add a Grunge map to the dirt layer. You can adjust the Properties as needed.

4. Saving the Smart Material

Saving the material:

Add a new folder and name it appropriately.

Move all the layers into the new folder.

Right-click on the folder and choose ‘Create Smart Material’.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you'll be able to create a realistic old pottery material in Substance Painter. Whether you’re aiming for a heavily worn vase or a cracked, weathered mug, the key is to focus on the subtle imperfections and variations that make pottery feel authentic.

In this tutorial, we'll walk through the process of texturing a 3D mesh in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) using a master material and material instances. Using material instances is ideal because it enables you to create variations without duplicating the entire material setup.

Step 1: Importing Your 3D Model

1. Import the 3D Object:
   • Open Unreal Engine 5 and create a new project or open an existing one.
   • In the Content Browser, drag-and-drop your mesh into your folder. You can leave everything at default
   • I have multiple separated objects but if you have one mesh but need multiple textures, I do have a tutorial showing you how to use multiple textures on one mesh. The link is in the description.

Step 2: Creating the Master Material

1. Create a Master Material:
   • If your mesh has a Material, you can use it as your Master Material. Otherwise, right-click in the Content Browser and choose Material.
   • Name this material something like M_MasterMaterial.
   • Open the material by double-clicking it.
2. In the material editor, you’ll set up the basic input nodes for your material:
   • If you have a material, you should have a Constant 3 Vector which can be plugged into the Base Color. If you do not have this node, you can right-click and search for it in the menu.
   • You can change the default material color in the Details Panel.
   • In order to change this color in the Material Instance, you need to right-click and ‘Convert to Parameter’. Name the node ‘Color’ so you know what the Parameter is referring to in the Material Instance.
   • For the Metallic Map, right-click and add a Scalar Parameter. Rename it to ‘Metallic’ so you know what the Parameter is referring to in the Material Instance.
   • For the Roughness Map, duplicate the Scalar Parameter. Rename it to ‘Roughness’ so you know what the Parameter is referring to.
   • For the Emissive Map, duplicate the Color Parameter and rename it so you know what the Parameter is referring to in the Material Instance.
   • Next, duplicate the Scalar Parameter and Rename it to ‘Emissive Strength’.
   • To mix these two parameters and use them for the Material, right-click and search for a Multiply node. Connect the Emissive Color into the A input and the Emissive Strength into the B input. Then, connect the Multiply node to the Emissive Color of the Master Material.
3. After setting up all the parameters, save your master material by clicking the Apply and Save buttons.

Step 3: Creating Material Instances

Now, we’ll create material instances based on the master material. This allows us to tweak individual parameters for different objects or situations without duplicating the entire material setup.

1. Create a Material Instance:
   • In the Content Browser, right-click on the M_MasterMaterial you created and select Create Material Instance.
   • Name the instance something like MI_Slate.
2. Adjust Material Instance Parameters:
   • Double-click on the material instance (MI_Slate) to open it.
   • In the instance editor, you'll see the parameters you defined.
   • You can assign different textures to each parameter here. For example, assign a different BaseColor texture, or adjust the Roughness parameter to create a glossy or matte look.
   • Save the Material Instance.
3. Apply the Material Instance:
   • Go back to your 3D model in the scene.
   • In the Details panel, locate the Materials section.
   • Replace the default material with your new material instance (MI_Slate).
4. Create More Instances (Optional):
   • If you want to create variations for different models or different sections of your model, you can create more material instances based on the same master material.
   • For example, you might create MI_Metal and tweak the BaseColor or Metallic to give it a unique look while still using the same core master material.

Step 4: Testing and Fine-Tuning

1. Adjusting Material Instances:
   • After applying the material instance to your object, you can easily go back and make adjustments to any of the parameters. For example, changing the BaseColor texture to a different one or tweaking the Roughness for different visual effects.
   • Use the Viewport in Unreal to see the material applied in real-time.
2. Optimizing for Performance:
   • Since you're using material instances, performance will be optimized because UE5 only needs to load the master material once. You can create different instances with unique parameters, which is more efficient than creating multiple materials for each variation.
   • Avoid using overly complex shaders in the master material if your target platform is lower-end hardware (e.g., mobile or VR).

Conclusion

By using a master material and multiple material instances in Unreal Engine 5, you can efficiently create a variety of looks for your models without overwhelming the system with redundant materials. This setup gives you flexibility and performance optimization, which is essential for both development and runtime in Unreal Engine.

Welcome to this tutorial on how to model Gothic arches in Blender 3D! Gothic arches are known for their elegant, pointed designs, commonly seen in cathedrals and other grand architectural structures.

[Step 1: Setting Up the Scene]

Let’s start by setting up our scene. Open Blender and delete the default cube by pressing X and choosing Delete. We’ll be working with basic shapes to create the arch, so start with a clean slate.

Now, press Shift and A to bring up the 'Add' menu and choose Mesh > Circle. In the Popover menu, change the Number of Vertices to 64 so we will end up with smooth geometry. We’ll use this circle as a reference for the base of the arch. Use R + X + 90 to rotate the circle around the X-Axis by 90-degrees so it is in the correct position.

[Step 2: Adding the Arch's Base Shape]

Select the circle and hit Tab to enter Edit Mode. Next, we need to create the general shape of the Gothic arch

Let’s start by using B to Box Select the bottom half of vertices. With these vertices selected, use X to delete the selected vertices. Now we can quickly make the initial form of the arch

Now, we’ll select the top center vertex of the circle. Use O to turn on Proportional Editing. Under the Proportional Editing menu, make sure to select the Sharp Falloff option. With the top vertex selected, we can begin forming the pointed shape of the Gothic arch.

[Step 3: Shaping the Arch]

Press G and Z and drag the top center vertex upwards. Use the Mouse Wheel to change the influence of the Proportional Editing. Turn Proportional Editing off so it does not interfere with the rest of the modeling

Use Tab to enter Object Mode. Use CTRL and A to Apply the Transforms to the arch.

[Step 4: Creating the Arch's Profile]

Now, press Shift + A to bring up the 'Add' menu and choose Mesh > Plane. We’ll use this plane as a reference for the base of the arch

Select the plane and hit Tab to enter Edit Mode. Next, we need to create the general shape of the Gothic arch profile. Let’s start by beveling the vertices

Switch to Vertex Select Mode by pressing 1. Use CTRL + SHIFT + B to bevel each of the vertices. Use the Middle Mouse Button to add more vertices

Switch to Edge Select Mode by pressing 2. Now, we’ll select the four flat edges and use E + S to scale up the edges.

Switch to Face Select Mode by pressing 3. Select the Faces of the arch profile and delete only the Faces. Scale the arch profile to the appropriate size

Use Tab to enter Object Mode. Use CTRL + A and apply all the Transforms. We now need to convert this mesh to a Curve. This can be done by Right-clicking on the mesh and choosing Convert to > Curve.

[Step 5: Adding Details]

At this stage, we have our basic shape for the arch. However, to apply the profile, we need to convert the circle to a curve. To do this, Right-click on the circle and choose Convert To > Curve.

We are now set to apply the profile we made using the plane. Under the Object Data Properties panel, open the Bevel options. Change the Bevel Geometry option to Object. For the Object field, choose the Plane.

And there you have it! You’ve now modeled a simple Gothic arch in Blender. By adjusting the number of subdivisions, adding additional details, or experimenting with different materials, you can create more complex arches to suit your project’s needs.

Welcome to this tutorial on creating an ORM texture map in Affinity Photo! ORM maps are used in physically-based rendering (PBR) workflows to control a material’s ambient occlusion, roughness, and metalness. 

[Step 1: Setting Up the Project]

First, open Affinity Photo and create a new document. The size of your texture map will depend on your needs—typically, something like 2048 x 2048 or 4096 x 4096 pixels works well for most game projects.

"Make sure your background is transparent, so we have a clean slate to start working with.

[Step 2: Importing the Base Textures]

Now, let's import the base textures we'll use to create our ORM map. You should have three separate textures: an Ambient Occlusion (AO) map, a Roughness map, and a Metalness map. 

Let's start by importing the Ambient Occlusion map. AO simulates how much ambient light a surface receives, and it’s usually represented by a grayscale image where white represents the raised surfaces and black represents the shadows.

Next, let's import the Roughness map. This controls how smooth or rough a surface appears, affecting how light interacts with the material. Roughness is also typically represented as a grayscale map, where white represents a rough surface and black represents a smooth one.

Now, let’s import the Metalness map. This map controls how metallic a surface is. In most PBR workflows, white represents a fully metallic surface, and black represents a non-metallic surface.

[Step 3: Combining the Maps into an ORM Map]

Now, we’re ready to combine all three maps into one ORM texture. The most common format for this is to use the Red, Green, and Blue channels for different properties:

• Red channel: Ambient Occlusion
• Green channel: Roughness
• Blue channel: Metalness

We’ll copy each map into the corresponding channels. To do this, select the AO map layer, and use CTRL + A to select the AO map layer, then Ctrl + C to copy the AO map.

Now, go to the Channels panel, and paste the AO map into the Red channel by selecting it, and pressing Ctrl + V." Using CTRL + D deselects the map.

Repeat this process for the Roughness and Metalness maps. Copy the Roughness map into the Green channel, and the Metalness map into the Blue channel.

[Step 4: Exporting the ORM Texture Map]

Once your ORM map is ready, it’s time to save it! Go to File > Export, and choose PNG or TGA as your file format. 

Give your texture map a meaningful name, like ORM_Map, and save it in the desired location for use in your game engine.

[Step 5: Using the ORM Map in a Game Engine]

Now, you can import your ORM Texture Map into your game engine! In Unreal Engine, import your Texture Maps. Open the ORM Texture Map and deactivate the ‘sRGB parameter’.

Make a new Material and drag in your Texture Maps. Connect the Base Color and Normal maps to their respective inputs. Connect the Red Channel to the AO Shader Node input. Connect the Green Channel to the Roughness Shader Node input. Connect the Blue Channel to the Metallic Shader Node input.

"By using this ORM texture map, you can create more realistic materials that respond correctly to lighting and the environment in your game.

And that’s it! You’ve successfully created an ORM texture map in Affinity Photo. Now, you can use it to enhance your materials and bring them to life in your 3D projects.

Anchor points allow you to add normal detail from one layer to another, enabling complex and realistic texture work. In this tutorial, we will go step-by-step on how to use anchor points to add normal detail to your textures.

Step 1: Setup Your Project

Open Substance Painter and load your 3D model and texture maps.

Make sure you have a normal map already baked into your project or generated. 

If you do not have a Curvature map, make sure to bake one for this tutorial.

Go to the Texture Set Settings to ensure you have all the necessary channels enabled (including the Normal map). Make sure you place your already baked Texture Maps into their proper channel fields.

Step 2: Create a New Layer for Detail

In the Layers panel, click on the New Fill Layer button to create a new layer.

• This new layer will act as the base for the normal detail you want to add.

Apply a material to the fill layer if you want to base your detail off of an existing material or texture (e.g., a rough metal or rock texture).

Step 3: Add Anchor Points for Normal Detail

Now, we’re going to add the normal detail using anchor points.

Create or Import Normal Detail:

• To add normal detail, you need a separate normal map that contains the fine detail you want to incorporate into your current layer. This could be a normal map from a high-poly model or a simple normal map texture.

Create a New Layer for Detail:

• Click on the New Layer button in the Layers panel.
• Name it something like "Normal Detail" to keep track of your layers.
• Make sure under the Brush Outline Cursor option, you have the “Full Preview Cursor” option selected. This will allow you to see the Preview of your Brush in the Viewport.

Apply the Normal Detail to the Layer:

• In the new layer, you can apply a normal map texture or use brushes to paint normal details.
• In the Properties Panel, deselect all of the materials maps except Normal since this is the only map we need for this layer.
• In the Textures Panel, locate a Normal Texture Map and drag it onto the Normal field in the Properties Panel.
• You can use the Normal Brush to paint the detail onto the model in real time.
• Using ALT and SHIFT allows you to view the 3D model in Orthographic mode which will allow you to more easily apply the Normal Texture Map.
• To increase or decrease the size of the Brush, you can use CTRL and the RMB and move the mouse horizontally.
• To soften or harden the Brush, use CTRL and the RMB and move the mouse vertically.
• To change the opacity of the Brush, use CTRL and the LMB and move the mouse horizontally.
• To rotate the Brush, use CTRL and the LMB and move the mouse vertically.
• Once you have the Brush Properties set correctly, use the LMB and click once to place the Normal Texture Map on your 3D model.

Step 4: Use the Anchor Point

To better show why the Anchor Point is so powerful, add a new material to the top of the Layer Stack. Add a Black Mask to the new Material Layer.

Add a Generator to the Black Mask and choose “Metal Edge Wear”.

Notice that the Generator ignores the normal map details we added.

Now, we'll add the anchor point to apply the normal detail to the current layer.

Select the Layer that Needs the Detail:

• Make sure you are working on the layer that you want to add the normal detail to.

Right-click on the Layer you want to anchor to.

From the context menu, select Add Anchor Point. This will allow you to link the normal detail from the source layer to this layer.

We want to use the Generator as the Reference. To add the Generator as the Reference, select the Generator and in the Properties Panel, scroll down until you see “Micro Normal”.

Select the Micro Normal field and then select the Anchor Points tab. Under this Anchor Points tab, select the Anchor Point you just made.

You also need to change the Reference Channel to the Normal channel since this is the Channel we are using to apply the Normal Texture Maps to.

In the Properties Panel, find the Micro Details section. Twirl the Micro Details section open and change the Micro Normal to “True”.

Welcome to this tutorial on how to use the Camera Rig Crane in Unreal Engine 5! The Camera Rig Crane is a great tool for creating smooth, cinematic camera movements, similar to the kind of shots you'd get with a real-world crane. In this tutorial, I will walk through the process of setting up and using the Camera Rig Crane in Unreal Engine 5.

[Step 1: Setting Up Your Project]

First, open Unreal Engine 5 and create a new project. If you already have a project, you can skip this step, but if not, create a new one with the 'Film, Television, and Live Events' template or any template that fits your project. Now, open any map that you choose.

[Step 2: Adding the Camera Rig Crane to Your Scene]

Once you have your project open, it’s time to add the Camera Rig Crane. To do this, go to the ‘Place Actors’ panel on the left and type 'Camera Rig Crane' in the search bar.

You’ll see the Camera Rig Crane appear in the list. Simply drag and drop it into the viewport to place it in your scene.

[Step 3: Understanding the Camera Rig Crane Components]

The Camera Rig Crane consists of a crane base and a crane arm. The base of the crane is the object you’ll be moving to adjust the crane’s position, and the arm can extend or rotate to change the camera angle.

[Step 4: Adding the Cine Camera]

To add a Cine Camera to the Crane Arm, go to the ‘Place Actors’ panel on the left and type 'Cine Camera.

Use the Transform tools to move and rotate the Cine Camera into place at the end of the Crane Arm.

Next, you need to attach the Cine Camera to the Camera Rig Crane. This can be done by selecting the Cine Camera in the Outliner and dragging it onto the Camera Rig Crane. This will parent the Cine Camera to the Camera Rig Crane and allow both to move and rotate at the same time.

[Step 5: Adjusting the Crane Arm and Camera]

To control the crane arm and camera, you can move the entire rig or adjust individual components. First, try moving the entire rig by selecting the base and using the transform tools to move it around the scene. You can translate, rotate, or scale the base to get your desired position.

[Step 6: Setting Up Controls for Cinematic Movement]

Now, let’s set up some controls so you can animate or manually control the crane during your shot. First, select the Camera Rig Crane and go to the ‘Details’ panel. Here, you’ll find several properties you can modify, like the crane arm length, crane pitch, and crane yaw.

For cinematic shots, you can animate the crane movement using keyframes in the Sequencer. To do this, under the Level Sequence menu, choose ‘Add Level Sequence’ and save the Sequence.

In the Outliner, select the Cine Camera and drag it into the Sequencer. You can now animate the base’s position, the arm’s rotation, and the camera's focal length to create a smooth crane movement.

[Step 7: Animating the Camera]

Now, let’s animate the camera and add some Keyframes. To do this, make sure you are on frame 0. Select the Camera Rig Crane in the Outliner. Activate the diamond shape Keyframes in the Properties Panel to add a keyframe to the Sequencer.

Move the Playhead to the last Frame. Now, you can use the Camera Rig Crane properties to change the Properties of the Camera Rig Crane. Add new Keyframes to this end frame.

[Step 8: Finalizing and exporting the Shot]

Once you’ve set up your animation, preview it by pressing the play button in the Sequencer. You’ll see the camera move smoothly along the crane’s path, capturing the perfect shot.

If you’re happy with the result, you can finalize your shot by rendering it out in Unreal. To do this, go to the Window menu and select 'Movie Render Queue'.

In order to add your Sequence to the Movie Render Queue, click on the Render tab and choose your Level Sequence. Under the Settings property, select ‘Unsaved Config’. Here you can choose your Output Directory, File Name Format, and Output Resolution. If you wish to change any of the Export, Rendering, or Settings properties, you can do so by Selecting the Setting options.

Once you have the Settings options set up, select ‘Accept’. On the Movie Render Queue window, select ‘Render (Local)’ to render the Sequence.

And there you have it! You’ve successfully set up and used the Camera Rig Crane in Unreal Engine 5 to create smooth, cinematic shots. Whether you’re working on an animation, film, or game, this rig can help you achieve professional-quality camera movements.

Line Art Modifier

The Line Art Modifier allows you to add 2D lines to 3D objects

Just remember that this modifier works only from the view of the camera so make sure your camera is set up before using the modifier

I add a new Grease Pencil Stroke object

I can move the stroke out of view but still selected

Under the Modifiers tab, I add the Line Art modifier

I will use the Source Type of Collection – this makes my collection the geometry source for the modifier

I then select my Collection

For Layer, I choose Color – this is the layer I want to use

For material, I will choose a line color (in this case, blue)

I can also change the Thickness and Opacity

There are many more options so if you want a full tutorial, leave a comment below

Did you know you can lock the knife tool to an axis

You can access the knife tool by either selecting the tool from the tool shelf or by using the K-key

If you want to lock the knife cut to the X-Axis, simply click on the beginning edge and then use the X-key to lock the knife to the X-Axis

It works the same on the Z-Axis and the Y-Axis

Creating the SVG

I will be using Affinity Designer but the same thing can be done in any software that can export SVG file formats

I make a blank document that is 2000px x 2000px with a transparent background

I make a circle with a border for the outer edge of the magic circle

I duplicate this circle, scale it down, and change the border

I continue to add various shapes and sizes on different layers

When I have everything complete, I export the graphics as an SVG

Importing the SVG into Blender

Importing SVG files into Blender is an easy process and they are treated as curve objects

I scale and center the graphics in the Viewport

I then convert each curve to a mesh and use the E- and S-keys to scale certain meshes to add more definition

I add a material to each of the meshes

I make sure each mesh has the same material

Compositing the bloom

I make sure to increase the Emission

I open the Compositing tab and activate “Use Nodes”

I add a Glare node between the Layers node and the Composite node – this is where Bloom has been relocated in newer versions of Blender

I render the image and add a Viewer node

I change the Glare Type to Bloom and change the options to get the look that I want

Animating the SVG in Blender

I open the Timeline and under the Keying menu, for the Keying Set, I select Rotation – this means any keys I add will only affect the rotation

I make sure each graphic’s origin is set to the 3D cursor

I select each graphic separately and add keyframes on frame 1, rotate the graphic on the end frame and add another keyframe

When I am done, I select all the keyframes and use the T-key to access the Interpolation menu

I will use the Linear option so the animations does not have a slow start and slow stop