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Master growing virtual trees by learning the inner workings of their real world counterparts. When using presets, growing 3D trees has never been easier and you’ll have results within minutes. If you’re ready to dive in deeper, this is the place to start reading. Trees have evolved to fascinating organisms that have some neat tricks up their sleeves.
Get the latest release of Blender at https://www.blender.org/download/ and install it. Download The Grove’s package and unzip it. Inside you will find TheGroveAddon.zip – keep this second zip file zipped to correctly…
The Grove is a 3D tree growing software that makes growing 3D trees easy and fast. After installing the Addon in Blender, head to the 3D view and open up the side…
If you run into something, the Frequently Asked Questions may well keep you growing. It’s a work-in-progress that is constantly updated.
Although trees are all around us, there are quite some misconceptions on how trees grow. Studying the way in which a real tree grows reveals surprising mechanisms that together evolve these complex plants.
Without a doubt, the most popular mystery in art and nature is the golden section. This “divine” proportion seems to pop up in everything from sea shells to roman architecture. Trees are…
There’s nothing like the mesmerizing view of branches dancing in the wind. Wind brings a tree to life. The wind system uses shape keys, which are fast and compatible with most 3D software. Calculating wind shapes and playing the animation in your viewport are both surprisingly fast, especially when stored in an Alembic file.
Witness branches compete for light. Drop them when too little is available. Evolve your trees into airy branching structures… If a tree would hold on to every branch it grew, it would…
Let nature take its course and watch trees develop into beautiful shapes. Mimic any tree’s character with intuitive parameters taken straight from the woods. Terminology To learn how to grow your own…
Pull out all stops on detail and build a realistic 3D tree model from your simulation. Twigs complete your tree to a lightweight model full of intricate berries and flowers. While growing,…
Regulate their own growth by controlling the flow of sugars and hormones. Favor current or sub branches, with a bias to the base or crown. Control the flow Trees regulate growth with…
Watch heavy branches bend under the weight they carry. The continuous interplay of growth and gravity is what creates some of the most beautiful tree shapes.
So far, the shape of your 3D tree was based on genetics. Now it’s time to add a second influence: the environment it grows in. With React you can set up an environment to attract, deflect or stop new growth. Avoid buildings, simulate a dominant wind direction and grow inside a shape.
The Grove is available in several languages. This is a documentation of how this was made possible, as a reference to fellow addon developers who want to translate their own addons.