Blender

Blender is a three-dimensional computer modeling and animation program. It began in 1995 as a rewrite of the animation software used by the Dutch animation studio NeoGeo. In 1998, NeoGeo's co-founder, Ton Roosendaal, founded the company Not a Number (NaN) to develop and promote Blender. The company expanded rapidly due in part to positive reaction to the software at the 1999 Siggraph convention. However, it overextended itself in its expansion and eventually shut down completely. Roosendaal founded the non-profit Blender Foundation in 2002 to continue development. Blender was distributed as Open-Source software and is continuing its development and distribution through the input of a community of volunteers.

Blender combines a three-dimensional modeling program with an animation tool. Like most computer modeling software, it makes use of polygon meshes to represent shapes; the more polygons used, the more accurate the representation of curved surfaces will be. More polygons also means more time required to render (capture) an image. Animation is created by creating keyframes. Blender automatically fills in gaps between keyframes, allowing a user to create smooth motion without creating hundreds of individual frames.

Blender is an excellent platform for independent animator to experiment with largely because it is open source. Users can program their own modifications to the software, allowing them to tailor it to their needs and preferences. The program is also accessible to anyone with internet access.