Reply To: Learning through different versions of Blender?

[Kent Trammell]

@Borgelin I hope you don’t mind me challenging your logic a bit more. Please understand it’s not for the sake of arguing, but because what I’m trying to convey has huge consequences to your learning journey.

Your two points for why you commit to the latest version are sound! Those same reasons are why I too opt for the latest version of Blender **so long as it doesn’t cause issues with my projects/workflow**. Because, at the end of the day, I’m really only interested in created cool stuff regardless of the tools that I use. This is where we differ and where I believe you (and most Blender learners) choose to make your learning journey more difficult than it needs to be. This is what I’m trying to change for you and the broader community.

The critical point to remember – the point that governs all of this logic – is that Blender only exists to make stuff within computer graphics. A properly prioritized list of a Blender learning journey looks like this:

1. The artform: Computer Graphics
2. The understanding: Learning Computer Graphics
3. The tool: Blender (or any other 3D app)

Deciding to use the latest version of Blender regardless of the version taught in a tutorial/course introduces software inconsistencies that are distracting, usually frustrating, and can motivate you to abandon the course. This perspective puts Blender at the top of your priority list at the expense of the other two. If you abandon the course due to Blender version in consistency, you’re sacrificing learning and execution of skills in favor of the software version.

This is backwards and the cost is significant. Think about how many courses and tutorials you cannot learn from if you’re committed to only using the latest version. Then think about how few courses/tutorials are available for the latest version. The latter of which is repeatedly true with each new release.

Is it really worth the (over)commitment and ignoring all prior blender version education?

This is when learners are keen to call for course updates, which is totally understandable. However course updates are difficult and costly and instructors rarely do it as a result. But aside from that, more importantly, the learner has no control over if and when course updates occur. If you wait around for an update, again you’re sacrificing the ability to learn relevant skills *now*. Using the version of Blender that matches an existing course means you have control to learn now.

“But if I learn how to do something in 2.8, won’t I have to relearn how to do it with 4.1 eventually?” Yes and it’s way easier than you think! This is why it’s important to realize how little CG has evolved over the decades and especially how little really changes with each new Blender version. Besides, EVERYONE has to get familiar with every new Blender release; we’re all in the same boat in this way. So there’s literally no avoiding the [minor] issue of learning to do stuff in a new version. Learning the real skills – the skills that transcend 3D software / version – that’s the actual difficult part. So since it can’t be avoided, embrace it and level up as a Blender user. Or more importantly, as a CG artist.