Digital Existence Only! | Vector Festival 2024 Workshop

Digital Existence Only! is a beginner-intermediate Blender software learning workshop that leads a group of creatives through the process of making an abstract scene in Blender. The outcome is to create something so wild that it can only live in the digital world, thus being too fragile to hold. Participants will learn software workflow, object creation, texturing, lighting, composition and rendering. Assets will be provided and created to enjoy the experience of rendering fully!

The 4-hour workshop with breaks will include a Blender template with a camera and rendering preferences set-up.

Participants will receive a refresher on the interface. After getting comfortable, we will start making assets involving curves, sculpting and importing assets to create a composition. Once a composition has been reached, we will texture the object with images and procedural texturing. Then, we will light and render out the scene. The workshop will result in a rendered scene abstract and wild to your liking and conclude with a show and tell of your creations. (not obliged!)

This workshop is presented as part of the Vector Festival 2024.

WORKSHOP PRE-REQUISITES

Participants should have some familiarity with Blender, a basic knowledge of its interface and have played around or attempted to create something. This can be done prior to the workshop. Here are some helpful links to get you started:

• Blender 4.0 Beginner Donut Tutorial

WORKSHOP REQUIREMENTS

• A PC with Windows 10-11 or Mac OS 11.2 or higher that has at least 16 - 32GB of RAM. It should have at least 15-20GB of available space.
• Download the latest version of Blender 4.0 and up. Note: The interface was changed for the 4.0 version, so it will be easier to follow along in the workshop.
• 3-button mouse (one with a wheel button)
• USB or hard drive

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Marcella Driver-Moliner is a Toronto-based bilingual new media artist who hails from the Eastern Townships of Quebec. They create 3D experimental animations and fabricated projects to re-interpret nature into personified emotions.

Following foundational training in Graphic Design at Dawson College in Montreal, they pursued an undergraduate degree in IMXA (Integrated Media: Expanded Animation) at OCAD University. Since graduating, their projects have been featured at Denver Digerati, the Aga Khan Light up the Dark, and other US, UK, and Toronto festivals. Currently, they facilitate learning and digitally fabricated projects at the Design and Technology Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University.

ABOUT VECTOR FESTIVAL
Vector Festival is an experimental media arts festival dedicated to showcasing digital games and creative media practices. Presenting works across a dynamic range of exhibitions, screenings, performances, lectures, and workshops, Vector acts as a critical bridge between emergent digital platforms and new media art practice. The festival is proud to be a participatory and community-oriented initiative organized by InterAccess in Toronto, Ontario.

Images courtesy of the artist.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

MEMBER PRICING
InterAccess Studio Members receive a 35% discount on all workshops. To activate Studio Member pricing, click "Do you have an access code?" at checkout and enter your Member discount code.

EQUITY ACCESS PRICING
To reduce financial barriers, a pay-what-you-can (PWYC) discount is available for any community members that self-identify as part of an equity-seeking group, which includes (but is not limited to) disabled, Black, Indigenous, students, and newcomers. To request an Equity Access code to use for workshop registration, please email education@interaccess.org. To activate Equity Access pricing, click "Do you have an access code?" at checkout and enter the Equity Access code.

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION
We regret that at this time InterAccess does not have barrier-free access; we are currently working to improve the accessibility of all facilities. There are five steps up to our main entrance, with automatic doors. Once inside all facilities are on the same level, and there is an accessible single-user washroom inside the unit.

CANCELLATION AND RESCHEDULING POLICY
Please email education@interaccess.org to request a refund. We are unable to accommodate attendee cancellations or refunds less than 1 week prior to a workshop or event. InterAccess reserves the right to cancel or reschedule this workshop if necessary.

COVID-19 INFORMATION
For indoor events, InterAccess strongly encourages all attendees to wear masks/face-coverings to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and to ensure the continued health and safety of staff, facilitators, and fellow attendees. We ask that staff and participants screen themselves for COVID-19 symptoms before visiting our space.