These video tutorials are designed to help beginners learn both Blender and Bonsai, starting from the basics--all the way to more advanced uses. It's geared toward AEC professionals.
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019000_20250219_1711 - Adding Text and Images on Planes Adding Text and Images on Planes 2025-02-19 17:28:48 -06:00
020000_20250220_0924 - Adding Lights Adding Lights 2025-02-20 09:40:21 -06:00
021000_20250220_1221 - Adding Cameras Adding Cameras 2025-02-20 14:02:54 -06:00
022000_20250220_1310 - Adding Empties Adding Cameras 2025-02-20 14:02:54 -06:00
023000_20250220_1356 - relinking missing assets relinking missing assets 2025-02-20 14:03:18 -06:00
024000_20250220_1526 - Prep work before adding Materials Prep work before adding Materials 2025-02-20 15:40:50 -06:00
025000_20250220_1549 - Overview of a Material Overview of a Material 2025-02-20 16:06:25 -06:00
026000_20250220_1621 - Changing the material values and adding a texture Changing the material values and adding a texture 2025-02-20 16:32:19 -06:00
027000_20250220_1652 - Changing the texture's scale Changing the texture's scale 2025-02-20 17:02:16 -06:00
028000_20250220_1714 - Applying the texture correctly on all faces Applying the texture correctly on all faces 2025-02-20 17:22:24 -06:00
029000_20250220_1826 - Adding other PBR textures to the Material Adding other PBR textures to the Material 2025-02-20 19:03:54 -06:00
030000_20250221_1042 - Changing texture color and contrast Changing texture color and contrast 2025-02-21 10:51:43 -06:00
031000_20250221_1149 - Creating a new material from another Creating a new material from another 2025-02-21 12:01:44 -06:00
032000_20250221_1209 - Applying multiple materials to an object Applying multiple materials to an object 2025-02-21 12:16:41 -06:00
050000_20250221_1325 - Installing Bonsai - Stable Release Installing Bonsai - Stable Release 2025-02-21 13:43:05 -06:00
051000_20250221_1356 - Installing Bonsai - Unstable Release Installing Bonsai - Unstable Release 2025-02-21 14:15:51 -06:00
051500_20250224_1329 - Installing Bonsai - from Releases site Installing Bonsai - from Releases site 2025-02-24 13:46:45 -06:00
052000_20250224_1116 - Starting a demo project Starting a demo project 2025-02-24 11:34:08 -06:00
053000_20250224_1105 - Overview of the UI Overview of the UI 2025-02-24 11:37:50 -06:00
054000_20250224_1149 - Edit mode and changing your startup file Edit mode and changing your startup file 2025-02-24 12:08:30 -06:00
055000_20250224_1227 - Using GIT to see the DIFFs between IFC versions Using GIT to see the DIFFs between IFC versions 2025-02-24 12:38:20 -06:00
056000_20250224_1438 - Changing the class and attributes Changing the class and attributes 2025-02-24 14:52:53 -06:00
057000_20250224_1457 - Spatial containers and psets Spatial containers and psets 2025-02-24 16:08:52 -06:00
058000_20250224_1630 - Introduction to Types Introduction to Types 2025-02-24 16:44:44 -06:00
059000_20250224_1655 - Type psets and Qto's Type psets and Qto's 2025-02-24 17:08:28 -06:00
060000_20250226_1112 - Aggregates and Linked Aggregates Aggregates and Linked Aggregates 2025-02-26 11:19:33 -06:00
061000_20250226_1138 - Introduction to Materials and Styles Introduction to Materials and StyleS 2025-02-26 12:18:11 -06:00
062000_20250226_1218 - Applying multiple styles or materials to one object Applying multiple styles or materials to one object 2025-02-26 12:26:07 -06:00
063000_20250226_1246 - External Styles External Styles 2025-02-26 13:07:38 -06:00
064000_20250226_1329 - Creating a Slab Creating a Slab 2025-02-26 13:59:22 -06:00
065000_20250226_1404 - Modifying the slab Modifying the slab 2025-02-26 14:45:27 -06:00
066000_20250226_1503 - Creating the basement slab Creating the basement slab 2025-02-26 16:24:37 -06:00
067000_20250226_1636 - Basement Walls Basement Walls 2025-02-26 17:01:27 -06:00
068000_20250226_1709 - Pulling a material from another library Pulling a material from another library 2025-02-26 17:49:49 -06:00
069000_20250226_1738 - Adding strip footings Adding strip footings 2025-02-26 17:48:41 -06:00
070000_20250227_0930 - Thickened edge with custom profile Thickened edge with custom profile 2025-02-27 10:05:48 -06:00
071000_20250228_1242 - Adding pipe segments Adding pipe segments 2025-02-28 13:45:54 -06:00
072000_20250228_1356 - Alternate approach to a pipe Alternate approach to a pipe 2025-02-28 14:11:18 -06:00
073000_20250228_1504 - Different way to select things and a little model clean up Different way to select things and a little model clean up 2025-02-28 15:16:53 -06:00
074000_20250228_1616 - Wall Tools Wall Tools 2025-02-28 16:35:52 -06:00
075000_20250303_1407 - An approach to naming wall types An approach to naming wall types 2025-03-03 14:34:11 -06:00
076000_20250303_1451 - Creating new beam type Creating new beam type 2025-03-03 15:09:38 -06:00
076000_20250303_1521 - Creating a recess in a wall Creating a recess in a wall 2025-03-03 15:35:34 -06:00
077000_20250303_1601 - Working with Arrays Working with Arrays 2025-03-03 16:32:03 -06:00
078000_20250304_1217 - Creating Parametric Stair Creating Parametric Stair 2025-03-04 12:41:04 -06:00
079000_20250304_1357 - Creating risers by converting parametric stair to dumb geometry Creating risers by converting parametric stair to dumb geometry 2025-03-04 14:26:44 -06:00
080000_20250304_1723 - pulling in content or assets from other files pulling in content or assets from other files 2025-03-04 17:37:58 -06:00
081000_20250307_1247 - Walls now show their layers test dropbox embeds 2025-03-09 23:21:29 -05:00
082000_20250307_1338 - Pull in a wall type from template file and extending to slab Pull in a wall type from template file and extending to slab 2025-03-07 13:45:56 -06:00
083000_20250307_1451 - Creating linked aggregates for the floor assembly Creating linked aggregates for the floor assembly 2025-03-07 15:11:51 -06:00
084000_20250310_1656 - Creating reference planes with a IfcVirtualElement Creating reference planes with a IfcVirtualElement 2025-03-10 17:10:08 -05:00
085000_20250310_1723 - Introduction to Drawings Introduction to Drawings 2025-03-10 18:06:26 -05:00
086000_20250310_1813 - Continue covering drawings Continue covering drawings 2025-03-10 20:23:26 -05:00
087000_20250311_1227 - Adding section and modifying section & level annotation Adding section and modifying section & level annotation 2025-03-11 12:45:50 -05:00
088000_20250311_1441 - Tweaking drawing styles Tweaking drawing styles 2025-03-11 15:27:01 -05:00
089000_20250311_1540 - Orthographic & Perspective drawings Orthographic & Perspective drawings 2025-03-11 16:37:44 -05:00
090000_20250311_1700 - Creating sheets and placing drawings Creating sheets and placing drawings 2025-03-11 17:14:29 -05:00
091000_20250312_1331 - Adding dimensions Adding dimensions 2025-03-12 13:57:38 -05:00
092000_20250312_1454 - Intelligent tags Intelligent tags 2025-03-12 15:13:22 -05:00
093000_20250312_1635 - Annotation tag types Annotation tag types 2025-03-12 16:58:55 -05:00
094000_20250313_1220 - going through the various asset folders going through the various asset folders 2025-03-13 13:20:01 -05:00
095000_20250313_1301 - Changing the default.css Changing the default 2025-03-13 15:20:55 -05:00
096000_20250313_1420 - Default_css and adding new css classes via Metadata property Default_css and adding new css classes via Metadata property 2025-03-13 16:59:44 -05:00
097000_20250313_1542 - Creating a demolition plan with CSS rules Creating a demolition plan with CSS rules 2025-03-13 16:58:05 -05:00
098000_20250313_1802 - Clean up demolition plan Clean up demolition plan 2025-03-13 18:47:08 -05:00
099000_20250314_1058 - Creating a new tag type Creating a new tag type 2025-03-14 11:28:40 -05:00
100000_20250314_1321 - Importing a CAD file Importing a CAD file 2025-03-14 13:41:04 -05:00
101000_20250314_1409 - Moving CAD import to paper space Moving CAD import to paper space 2025-03-14 14:18:40 -05:00
102000_20250314_1430 - Import background image Import background image 2025-03-14 14:42:18 -05:00
103000_20250317_1052 - Importing & modifying online BIM assets Importing & modifying online BIM assets 2025-03-17 18:07:27 -05:00
104000_20250408_1311 - A workaround with geometry based types A workaround with geometry based types 2025-04-08 13:35:05 -05:00
105000_20250408_1443 - A workaround when duplicating a type with a void A workaround when duplicating a type with a void 2025-04-08 15:20:30 -05:00
106000_20250408_1526 - Modifying the size of a geometry based type Modifying the size of a geometry based type 2025-04-08 15:32:44 -05:00
107000_20250411_1149 - Modeling in 2nd floor structure Modeling in 2nd floor structure 2025-04-11 15:22:35 -05:00
108000_20250414_1207 - Railings - parametric and arrayed Railings - parametric and arrayed 2025-04-14 14:00:01 -05:00
109000_20250415_1325 - Representation contexts as it relates to a door Representation contexts as it relates to a door 2025-04-15 13:40:06 -05:00
110000_20250418_1054 - Refresher on using filters, default.css and using Metadata Refresher on using filters, default.css and using Metadata 2025-04-18 11:19:02 -05:00
111000_20250418_1140 - Quickly flipping btwn drawings and working with doors Quickly flipping btwn drawings and working with doors 2025-04-18 12:22:14 -05:00
112000_20250418_1503 - Working with Git submodules and syncing OD_Texture library Working with Git submodules and syncing OD_Texture library 2025-04-18 16:01:43 -05:00
113000_20250418_1626 - Purging unused materials and styles from the file Purging unused materials and styles from the file 2025-04-18 16:31:33 -05:00
114000_20250418_1640 - Creating a working drawing style Creating a working drawing style 2025-04-18 17:28:38 -05:00
115000_20250507_1048 - Update on changes to model Update on changes to model 2025-05-07 11:44:04 -05:00
116000_20250507_1246 - Creating and editing roofs - 2 ways Creating and editing roofs - 2 ways 2025-05-07 13:46:51 -05:00
117000_20250515_1158 - Intelligent text leaders & turning off drawing references for working drawings Intelligent text leaders & turning off drawing references for working drawings 2025-05-15 12:26:34 -05:00
118000_20250515_1255 - Copying annotation from one drawing to another Copying annotation from one drawing to another 2025-05-15 13:04:27 -05:00
119000_20250515_1651 - Creating IfcSpaces Creating IfcSpaces 2025-05-15 17:19:49 -05:00
120000_20250519_1124 - Using space tags Using space tags 2025-05-19 12:37:03 -05:00
121000_20250519_1627 - Creating schedules Creating schedules 2025-05-19 20:08:38 -05:00
122000_20250520_1011 - Creating a custom property with a property template Creating a custom property with a property template 2025-05-20 11:23:38 -05:00
123000_20250522_1356 - More about schedules More about schedules 2025-05-22 14:59:19 -05:00
124000_20250522_1549 - Intro to Git and creating a floor outline with surrounding walls Intro to Git and creating a floor outline with surrounding walls 2025-05-22 16:31:13 -05:00
125000_20250522_1658 - Modifying title sheets and drawing titles Modifying title sheets and drawing titles 2025-05-22 18:17:52 -05:00
126000_20250523_1122 - Starting the site modeling Starting the site modeling 2025-05-23 14:02:22 -05:00
127000_20250523_1509 - More site modification More site modification 2025-05-23 15:49:48 -05:00
128000_20250529_1545 - Model updates in prep for site layout Model updates in prep for site layout 2025-05-29 16:20:31 -05:00
129000_20250529_1627 - Laying out the site with housing types Laying out the site with housing types 2025-05-29 18:38:06 -05:00
130000_20250530_1436 - Creating the site plan Creating the site plan 2025-05-30 16:52:31 -05:00
131000_20250630_1310 - Style drawings based on the material's category and layer's material name Style drawings based on the material's category and layer's material name 2025-06-30 14:53:05 -05:00
132000_20250701_1108 - Bringing objects to the front in drawings and using a faux intelligent tag Bringing objects to the front in drawings and using a faux intelligent tag 2025-07-01 12:18:40 -05:00
133000_20250701_1241 - Using pre-made SVG patterns from the web Using pre-made SVG patterns from the web 2025-07-01 13:00:06 -05:00
134000_20250701_1353 - Adding external SVG files to sheets Adding external SVG files to sheets 2025-07-01 14:01:17 -05:00
135000_20250701_1440 - Modifying the site's topography Modifying the site's topography 2025-07-01 15:03:03 -05:00
136000_20250711_1223 - Adding Entourage Adding Entourage 2025-07-11 13:02:23 -05:00
_Model partial Revert "removed unused scripts" 2025-07-31 07:25:08 -05:00
_Setup updated readme 2025-07-21 14:44:51 -05:00
.gitattributes setup git-crypt 2025-02-18 12:49:52 -06:00
.gitignore Pull in a wall type from template file and extending to slab 2025-03-07 13:45:56 -06:00
.gitmodules added Entourage submodule 2025-07-11 11:58:23 -05:00
001000_20250218_1337 - moving objects and setting a few preferences.blend 001000_20250218_1337 - moving objects and setting a few preferences 2025-02-18 13:58:38 -06:00
001000_20250218_1337 - moving objects and setting a few preferences.mp4 001000_20250218_1337 - moving objects and setting a few preferences 2025-02-18 13:58:38 -06:00
002000_20250218_1407 - moving, rotating, and scaling.blend moving, rotating, and scaling 2025-02-18 14:51:32 -06:00
002000_20250218_1407 - moving, rotating, and scaling.mp4 moving, rotating, and scaling 2025-02-18 14:51:32 -06:00
003000_20250218_1437 - 3d cursor.blend 3d cursor 2025-02-18 14:52:51 -06:00
003000_20250218_1437 - 3d cursor.mp4 3d cursor 2025-02-18 14:52:51 -06:00
004000_20250218_1505 - duplicating, moving and rotating with base point.blend duplicating, moving and rotating with base point 2025-05-15 11:42:54 -05:00
004000_20250218_1505 - duplicating, moving and rotating with base point.mp4 duplicating, moving and rotating with base point 2025-05-15 11:42:54 -05:00
005000_20250218_1532 - edit mode and modifying vertices.blend edit mode and modifying vertices 2025-02-18 15:47:54 -06:00
005000_20250218_1532 - edit mode and modifying vertices.mp4 edit mode and modifying vertices 2025-02-18 15:47:54 -06:00
006000_20250218_1550 - extruding in edit mode.blend extruding in edit mode 2025-02-18 15:54:43 -06:00
006000_20250218_1550 - extruding in edit mode.mp4 extruding in edit mode 2025-02-18 15:54:43 -06:00
007000_20250218_1700 - various tools in edit mode.blend Various tools in edit mode 2025-02-18 17:04:54 -06:00
007000_20250218_1700 - various tools in edit mode.mp4 Various tools in edit mode 2025-02-18 17:04:54 -06:00
008000_20250218_1714 - quick favorites and redoing a bevel.blend quick favorites and redoing a bevel 2025-02-18 17:19:21 -06:00
008000_20250218_1714 - quick favorites and redoing a bevel.mp4 quick favorites and redoing a bevel 2025-02-18 17:19:21 -06:00
009000_20250218_1735 - dimensioning tools.blend dimensioning tools 2025-02-18 17:40:15 -06:00
009000_20250218_1735 - dimensioning tools.mp4 dimensioning tools 2025-02-18 17:40:15 -06:00
010000_20250218_1749 - changing view orientation.blend changing view orientation 2025-02-19 14:44:14 -06:00
010000_20250218_1749 - changing view orientation.mp4 changing view orientation 2025-02-19 14:44:14 -06:00
011000_20250218_1816 - Duplicate Linked.blend Duplicate Linked 2025-02-18 18:35:48 -06:00
011000_20250218_1816 - Duplicate Linked.mp4 Duplicate Linked 2025-02-18 18:35:48 -06:00
012000_20250218_1829 - Collection Instances.blend Collection Instances 2025-02-18 18:36:24 -06:00
012000_20250218_1829 - Collection Instances.mp4 Collection Instances 2025-02-18 18:36:24 -06:00
013000_20250219_1239 - moving geometry's origin.blend moving geometry's origin 2025-02-19 14:11:14 -06:00
013000_20250219_1239 - moving geometry's origin.mp4 moving geometry's origin 2025-02-19 14:11:14 -06:00
014000_20250219_1302 - Overview of Blender's interface.blend Overview of Blender's interface 2025-02-20 08:03:25 -06:00
014000_20250219_1302 - Overview of Blender's interface.mp4 Overview of Blender's interface 2025-02-20 08:03:25 -06:00
015000_20250219_1331 - resetting scale, rotation and origin location.blend resetting scale, rotation and origin location 2025-02-19 13:37:34 -06:00
015000_20250219_1331 - resetting scale, rotation and origin location.mp4 resetting scale, rotation and origin location 2025-02-19 13:37:34 -06:00
016000_20250219_1425 - Handy quick keys and a few gotchas.blend Handy quick keys and a few gotchas 2025-02-19 14:30:18 -06:00
016000_20250219_1425 - Handy quick keys and a few gotchas.mp4 Handy quick keys and a few gotchas 2025-02-19 14:30:18 -06:00
017000_20250219_1527 - Overview of Modifiers.blend Overview of Modifiers 2025-02-19 15:38:17 -06:00
017000_20250219_1527 - Overview of Modifiers.mp4 Overview of Modifiers 2025-02-19 15:38:17 -06:00
018000_20250219_1559 - Adding new geometry - Meshes and Curves.blend Adding new geometry - Meshes and Curves 2025-02-19 16:09:51 -06:00
018000_20250219_1559 - Adding new geometry - Meshes and Curves.mp4 Adding new geometry - Meshes and Curves 2025-02-19 16:09:51 -06:00
018500_20250220_0824 - Extruding a profile along a path.blend Extruding a profile along a path 2025-02-20 08:31:20 -06:00
018500_20250220_0824 - Extruding a profile along a path.mp4 Extruding a profile along a path 2025-02-20 08:31:20 -06:00
count_mp4_minutes.bat added a list of videos 2025-07-11 20:56:54 -05:00
desktop.ini A workaround with geometry based types 2025-04-08 13:35:05 -05:00
git-crypt.exe setup git-crypt 2025-02-18 12:49:52 -06:00
List of Videos.csv added a list of videos 2025-07-11 20:56:54 -05:00
readme.md small change 2025-07-21 09:21:12 -05:00

Blender + Bonsai Tutorials

These video tutorials are designed to help beginners learn both Blender and Bonsai, starting from the basics--all the way to more advanced uses. It's geared toward AEC professionals.

With over (122) videos and counting, each averaging around 4.5 minutes, youll go from creating a simple cube in Blender all the way through assembling a basic construction drawing set in Bonsai--a pocket neighborhood in Wisconsin.

The videos are tightly edited to avoid repetition and filler. You wont be watching us model the same thing over and over—just the essential steps, clearly explained.

The tutorials series also covers integrating, an always evolving, open source set of libraries and templates for materials, entourage, drawing standards and modeling--so you don't have to reinvent the wheel. I already went through the pain. :)

Best of all, of course: We will contribute 20% of all revenue to the Bonsai / IfcOpenShell development fund, to support ongoing growth of the platform.

About the Creator(s)

  • Ryan Schultz is the founder of OpeningDesign, a radically transparent, open source architecture studio. Hes been practicing architecture for nearly 30 years, is a long-time contributor to the OSArch community, and has been actively using Bonsai, in practice, for over 3 years.

To unlock the encrypted videos, see the following four ways to purchase...


1 2 3 4
Sync the tutorials via the hub.openingdesign.com platform. This method requires a bit more setup but offers the most integrated experience. Go here for setup. Prefer a quick download instead? Get direct access to all the videos with a simple download link via email. Need guidance on your own project? Consult directly with OpeningDesign while modeling in Bonsai. Email ryan@openingdesign.com if you're interested. Is free for students. Connect with me via Linkedin and send me an email (ryan@openingdesign.com) from your school's email account. Go here for setup instructions.
$50.00
$100.00
T.B.D.
Free

We are using OpenCollective to manage payments/contributions.




Want to Contribute?

We're looking to build a collaborative, evolving library of Blender + Bonsai workflows — grounded in a real-world project and shared openly with the AEC community.

If you're interested in contributing your own tutorials (e.g. 4D, MEP, clash detection, prefab workflows) or helping shape a fair revenue-sharing model, join the conversation here: https://community.osarch.org/discussion/3032/blender-bonsai-tutorial-series-launched-looking-for-contributors

Your knowledge can help improve the model, the methods — and in turn, create a valuable feedback loop to support the continued development of Bonsai and openBIM workflows more broadly.


The attached video shows the evolution of the model throughout the tutorial series, as well as the final drawings.

License

All content (except for the encrypted videos) is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license.
That means its free to use, adapt, and share—as long as you credit the source and share your work under the same terms.