blender-foundations
Purpose
Make the project navigable, correctly scaled, budgeted, and blocked out before anyone spends time on detail. Weak fundamentals make every later domain 10× slower. Scale errors are the most expensive error class.
Scope
D13 Fundamentals [REQ], D14 3D Planning [REQ], D15 Scene Organization [REQ], D16 Blockout [REQ]. Not modeling detail, not rendering settings (beyond committing engine/fps/resolution).
Activation Conditions
- User is new to Blender, or asks about units, scale, collections, naming, linking, blockout, budgets, hotkeys
- Orchestrator fires planning/blockout
Use blender-foundations
Non-Activation Conditions
- Topology/modeling techniques (→ modeling)
- Render sample counts (→ render-comp)
- Final folder archive (→ production-finishing) — but this skill starts the tree
Instructions
- Fundamentals: data model (objects reference data-blocks; linked duplicates share meshes). Object vs Edit vs Pose vs Sculpt. Origins matter. Apply transforms (Ctrl-A) after modeling. GPU in Preferences.
- Units: Metric, 1 unit = 1 m unless jewelry/world-scale split. Real-world sizes. Character ~1.7–1.8 m. Keep a SCALE MASTER (1 m cube + reference character) in every scene.
- Large worlds: hero scene small; distant stuff in linked files/separate scenes.
- Write budgets: poly (film hero 20k–200k; realtime 10k–100k), textures 2k/4k/8k per class, render time/frame, memory.
- Shot/asset breakdown from animatic → build order.
- Milestones with lock dates.
- Collections by function: Assets/Characters, Assets/Props, Sets, Fx, Lights, Cameras, Rigs, Scratch. Naming:
CHR_HeroKnight_01, SET_CityMain_Street_02, PRP_Lantern_Wall_01, LT_Key_01, CAM_Shot03A.
- Scenes & view layers. Linked assets + library overrides. Clean unused data-blocks.
- Blockout: every asset exists as low-detail proxy at final scale. Gate: blockout approved → modeling. Stand-in → proxy → final (never skip stand-in).
- Commit fps, resolution, aspect, engine (with decision 5.2 if unset).
Procedures
Fundamentals → Data model → Object → Mesh → Component
Object → data block → mesh → verts/edges/faces → loops → selection → edit transform → normals → UVs → vertex groups → shape keys.
Object transform → location/rotation/scale → origin → parenting → local space → constraints (D53).
Blockout → Stand-in → Proxy → Final
Approve composition, scale, and proportion in 3D before investing in detail.
Solo studio layout (5.9 / D123)
project/
00_docs/ 01_reference/ 02_concept/ 03_storyboard/
04_assets/<type>/<asset>/ (blend, textures/, caches/)
05_shots/<shot>.blend 06_render/<shot>/ 07_comp/ 08_edit/
09_deliver/ cache/ backup/
Decision Logic
- Physics/sim weird? Check scale first.
- Mixing cm characters in meter worlds → rebuild early.
- One naming convention, one engine, one fps — commit now.
Inputs
- Animatic / shot list / asset list (from preproduction)
- Style, medium, target engine
- Hardware limits
Outputs
- Unit/scale policy + scale master
- Budgets document
- Naming legend + collection scheme
- Project tree
- Blockout scene(s)
- Committed fps/resolution/engine
- Shared state:
project.*, budgets, locks.blockout
Tools
Blender 4.x, Outliner, Asset Browser, hotkeys (knowledge/system/hotkeys.md). Depth supplements S-06, S-07, S-08.
Constraints
Do not detail during blockout. Do not leave origins random. Do not skip applying scale. Do not put 500 objects in one unsorted collection.
Edge Cases
- Jewelry/macro: centimeters, but keep a documented conversion to the master meter world.
- Planetary scale: do not put the planet and the character in one sim space.
Failure Modes & Fixes
| FAIL |
DIAG |
FIX |
| Cloth/fluid explode |
Unit scale wrong |
Standardize meters; rebuild |
| Rigs misalign |
Origin/scale unapplied |
Apply transforms; set origins deliberately |
| Unworkable scene |
No collections |
Rebuild collection tree |
| Infinite polish |
No lock dates |
Write milestones |
Dependencies
- Consumes preproduction shot/asset list
- Required by every production skill
- Hands project tree conventions to
production-finishing
Related Skills
preproduction, modeling, environment, production-finishing, rigging
Delegation Rules
- Modeling the final mesh →
modeling
- Folder/version/QC policy depth →
production-finishing
- Engine choice →
decision-engine 5.2
Examples
- New short: metric meters, 24 fps, 1920×1080, Cycles, naming legend in 00_docs, blockout of all shots in one layout file, scale master always visible.
Required Knowledge / Context
knowledge/domains/ch02-foundations.mdknowledge/system/02d-depth-supplements.md (S-06 S-07 S-08)knowledge/system/hotkeys.md
References to Shared Resources
context/production-economy.mdworkflows/34-stage-journey.md
1---2name: blender-foundations3description: Blender 4.x fundamentals, 3D planning (units, budgets, breakdowns), scene organization, and blockout — the load-bearing walls of every project.4---56# blender-foundations78## Purpose910Make the project navigable, correctly scaled, budgeted, and blocked out before anyone spends time on detail. Weak fundamentals make every later domain 10× slower. Scale errors are the most expensive error class.1112## Scope1314D13 Fundamentals [REQ], D14 3D Planning [REQ], D15 Scene Organization [REQ], D16 Blockout [REQ]. Not modeling detail, not rendering settings (beyond committing engine/fps/resolution).1516## Activation Conditions1718- User is new to Blender, or asks about units, scale, collections, naming, linking, blockout, budgets, hotkeys19- Orchestrator fires planning/blockout20- `Use blender-foundations`2122## Non-Activation Conditions2324- Topology/modeling techniques (→ modeling)25- Render sample counts (→ render-comp)26- Final folder archive (→ production-finishing) — but this skill *starts* the tree2728## Instructions29301. Fundamentals: data model (objects reference data-blocks; linked duplicates share meshes). Object vs Edit vs Pose vs Sculpt. Origins matter. Apply transforms (Ctrl-A) after modeling. GPU in Preferences.312. Units: Metric, 1 unit = 1 m unless jewelry/world-scale split. Real-world sizes. Character ~1.7–1.8 m. Keep a SCALE MASTER (1 m cube + reference character) in every scene.323. Large worlds: hero scene small; distant stuff in linked files/separate scenes.334. Write budgets: poly (film hero 20k–200k; realtime 10k–100k), textures 2k/4k/8k per class, render time/frame, memory.345. Shot/asset breakdown from animatic → build order.356. Milestones with lock dates.367. Collections by function: Assets/Characters, Assets/Props, Sets, Fx, Lights, Cameras, Rigs, Scratch. Naming: `CHR_HeroKnight_01`, `SET_CityMain_Street_02`, `PRP_Lantern_Wall_01`, `LT_Key_01`, `CAM_Shot03A`.378. Scenes & view layers. Linked assets + library overrides. Clean unused data-blocks.389. Blockout: every asset exists as low-detail proxy at final scale. Gate: blockout approved → modeling. Stand-in → proxy → final (never skip stand-in).3910. Commit fps, resolution, aspect, engine (with decision 5.2 if unset).4041## Procedures4243### Fundamentals → Data model → Object → Mesh → Component44Object → data block → mesh → verts/edges/faces → loops → selection → edit transform → normals → UVs → vertex groups → shape keys.45Object transform → location/rotation/scale → origin → parenting → local space → constraints (D53).4647### Blockout → Stand-in → Proxy → Final48Approve composition, scale, and proportion in 3D before investing in detail.4950### Solo studio layout (5.9 / D123)51```52project/53 00_docs/ 01_reference/ 02_concept/ 03_storyboard/54 04_assets/<type>/<asset>/ (blend, textures/, caches/)55 05_shots/<shot>.blend 06_render/<shot>/ 07_comp/ 08_edit/56 09_deliver/ cache/ backup/57```5859## Decision Logic6061- Physics/sim weird? Check scale first.62- Mixing cm characters in meter worlds → rebuild early.63- One naming convention, one engine, one fps — commit now.6465## Inputs6667- Animatic / shot list / asset list (from preproduction)68- Style, medium, target engine69- Hardware limits7071## Outputs7273- Unit/scale policy + scale master74- Budgets document75- Naming legend + collection scheme76- Project tree77- Blockout scene(s)78- Committed fps/resolution/engine79- Shared state: `project.*`, `budgets`, `locks.blockout`8081## Tools8283Blender 4.x, Outliner, Asset Browser, hotkeys (`knowledge/system/hotkeys.md`). Depth supplements S-06, S-07, S-08.8485## Constraints8687Do not detail during blockout. Do not leave origins random. Do not skip applying scale. Do not put 500 objects in one unsorted collection.8889## Edge Cases9091- Jewelry/macro: centimeters, but keep a documented conversion to the master meter world.92- Planetary scale: do not put the planet and the character in one sim space.9394## Failure Modes & Fixes9596| FAIL | DIAG | FIX |97|---|---|---|98| Cloth/fluid explode | Unit scale wrong | Standardize meters; rebuild |99| Rigs misalign | Origin/scale unapplied | Apply transforms; set origins deliberately |100| Unworkable scene | No collections | Rebuild collection tree |101| Infinite polish | No lock dates | Write milestones |102103## Dependencies104105- Consumes preproduction shot/asset list106- Required by every production skill107- Hands project tree conventions to `production-finishing`108109## Related Skills110111preproduction, modeling, environment, production-finishing, rigging112113## Delegation Rules114115- Modeling the final mesh → `modeling`116- Folder/version/QC policy depth → `production-finishing`117- Engine choice → `decision-engine` 5.2118119## Examples120121- New short: metric meters, 24 fps, 1920×1080, Cycles, naming legend in 00_docs, blockout of all shots in one layout file, scale master always visible.122123## Required Knowledge / Context124125- `knowledge/domains/ch02-foundations.md`126- `knowledge/system/02d-depth-supplements.md` (S-06 S-07 S-08)127- `knowledge/system/hotkeys.md`128129## References to Shared Resources130131- `context/production-economy.md`132- `workflows/34-stage-journey.md`
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