Blender Basics for IMVU (legacy)
Table of Contents
What’s this about?
An unofficial (not affiliated with IMVU) series of video tutorials (and source files) that takes new IMVU Creators through the steps of creating IMVU products. You’ll learn about the things you need to know as you progress, when they are needed, so you won’t be overwhelmed with information not immediately useful or usable for the task at hand!. Make poses, accessories, clothing, furniture, animations and more for IMVU using Blender.
Important: the tutorials below accompany the (legacy) IMVU Starter Files for Blender. For the latest IMVU tutorials see the “IMVU Studio Toolkit page, the IMVU Studio tag, or more generally the IMVU tag.”
Who is this for?
Primarily Beginners or anyone (IMVU Creators) wanting to use Blender for IMVU content creation.
What’s needed?
– Blender 2.8 or newer (Blender 2.93 LTS recommended).
– Compatible IMVU Starter Files.
– IMVU Creator Status.
Do I need to be a member?
Content is provided free but login may be required to access some features.
What if I need help?
Questions/requests are welcome, post in comments below each video where appropriate (login required).
Can I get 1 to 1 help?
For a specifically tailored learning experience, personal mentorship or other direct 1-to-1 teaching, contact imvubasics@katsbits.com to check availability (premium services may be subject to fees).
#IMVU #IMVUcreator #IMVUdeveloper
Starter Files
For Blender 2.8+ and above only. For more on the Starter Files see here.
- Avatar Starter File (c.8 MB)
- Room Starter File (c.3 MB)
- Furniture Starter File (c.4 MB)
For Blender 2.79 or below see here.
IMVU 101 – Introduction
IMVU Basics for Blender: learning the basics of Blender 3D and the Starter Files.
Description: In this first introductory series of videos (IMVU 101), after download and installation of Blender, budding IMVU Creators are then walked through the software and the basic controls used to navigate around the interface before then opening an number of Starter Files for a quick look familiarisation and preview.
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101 : Download & Install Blender
Description: downloading and installing Blender (Windows PC).
Duration: c. 02:00 mins.
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102 : First Look & Use
Description: an introduction to Blender and the basics needed for use.
Duration: c. 03:00 mins.
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103 : Starter Files
Description: a brief look at the Starter Files used to make IMVU products.
Duration: c. 03:00 mins.
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IMVU 201 – Creating Avatar Products
IMVU Basics for Blender: making Avatar related products using the Starter Files, clothing, poses, accessories and more.
Description: in this second project series of videos (IMVU 201) the budding IMVU Creators can work through a number of avatar-based projects to learn content creation using Blender and IMVU. Projects are loosely organised by difficulty, i.e. simplest to most complicated, based on the amount of additional content the Creator needs to make or work required to complete a project, Poses being the simplest, rooms and animated content being the most difficult. Each project starts from the appropriate Starter File and typically works through the item creation process e.g. an earring, its export, to IMVU import and assembly (and optionally publishing).
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201: Blender 2.8+ Overview Recap
Description: a short recap of the interface and navigation basics for Blender.
Duration: c. 5 mins.
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202: Make a Static (Statue) Pose
Description: using the avatar pose Starter Files to make a pose and import into IMVU.
Duration: c. 20 mins.
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203: Make an Animated Pose
Description: making an animated avatar pose using the Pose starter file.
Duration: c. 30 mins.
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204: Make a Couples Pose
Description: making a couples pose using the Couples Pose starter file.
Duration: c. 25 mins.
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205: Make a Necklace accessory
Description: making a simple necklace accessory using the Accessory Starter File.
Duration: c. 25 mins.
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206: Make a Ring accessory
Description: making a simple ring accessory using the Accessory Starter File.
Duration: c. 40 mins.
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207: Make an Earring accessory
Description: making a simple earring accessory using the Accessory Starter File.
Duration: c. 45 mins.
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208: Make Hair
Description: making articulating hair using the Clothing Starter File.
Duration: c. 2 hrs 20 mins.
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209: Make a Pair of Shoes
Description: make a pair of simple shoes using the Clothing Starter File.
Duration: c. 1 hr 40 mins.
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210: Make a simple Skirt
Description: make a simple knee-length (any) skirt using the Clothing Starter File.
Duration: c. 2 hrs 50 mins.
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211: [coming soon]
Description: [coming soon]
Duration:
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IMVU 301 – Creating Furniture
IMVU Basics for Blender: making Furniture items, Rooms and more.
Description: in this third project series of videos (IMVU 301) the budding IMVU Creators can work through a number of environment-based projects to learn content creation using Blender and IMVU. Projects are loosely organised by difficulty, i.e. simplest to most complicated, based on the amount of additional content the Creator needs to make or work required to complete a project, furniture being the simplest, rooms and animated content being the most difficult. Each project starts from the appropriate Starter File and typically works through the item creation process e.g. a seat, its export, then to IMVU import and assembly (and optionally publishing).
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301: Make a simple Couch
Description: make a simple couch using the Furniture Starter File.
Duration: c. 50:00 mins.
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302: Furniture w/ Custom Pose
Description: make a furniture items using the Furniture Stater File and Pose Starter File.
Duration: c. 30:00 mins.
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303: [coming soon]
Description: [coming soon]
Duration:
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IMVU 401 – Creating Rooms
IMVU Basics for Blender: making Rooms and more.
Description: in this fourth project series of videos (IMVU 401) the budding IMVU Creators can work through a number of room-based projects to learn content creation using Blender and IMVU. Projects are loosely organised by difficulty, i.e. simplest to most complicated, based on the amount of additional content the Creator needs to make, or work required, to complete a project, standard rooms being the simplest, animated content being the most difficult. Each project starts from the appropriate Starter File and typically works through the item creation process e.g. a seat, its export, then to IMVU import and assembly (and optionally publishing) in real time.
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401: Furniture Room
Description: make a custom furniture room using the Room Starter File.
Duration: c. 1:45:00 mins
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402: [coming soon]
Description: [coming soon]
Duration:
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Who is KatsBits/jazzKat? Basically, and not to toot jazz’s horn with too much of a hint of modernity, jazzKat is the founding avatar of the Blender 3D community within IMVU, every Creator who uses Blender to make products for IMVU can trace a lineage to his founding documents, example files, tutorials, individual help, community support, project fixes, back in the olden days of bobble heads, big hands and feet. More recently jazzKat worked with IMVU to help bring FBX to the Creator Tools, and wrote the official Blender tutorials collected together in IMVU’s Official Creator Education Center.
