The Evolution of Blender: From In-House Tool to Open-Source Powerhouse

Blender was created by Ton Roosendaal, a Dutch animation expert, in 1994. Initially developed as an in-house tool for NeoGeo, a Dutch animation studio, it became an open-source project in 2002, revolutionizing 3D creation.

Transitioning to open-source software was pivotal for Blender. It allowed a community of artists, developers, and enthusiasts to contribute to its development, leading to rapid innovation and widespread adoption in the industry.

Blender stands out with its integrated workflow, supporting modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, and motion tracking, all within one application. This convergent approach is rare even among high-end software.

The Blender Foundation, established in 2002, manages Blender’s development. It also supports open movies and games to validate Blender's capabilities, such as 'Elephants Dream' and 'Sintel', which have been critical to Blender's improvement.

Blender disrupts traditional software funding. Instead of licensing fees, it relies on donations, the Blender Cloud platform, and the Blender Development Fund which allows corporations to support its ongoing development.

While Blender is free, it's used professionally. Studios like Ubisoft and Epic Games have integrated it into their pipelines, validating its professional capabilities and challenging industry giants like Autodesk Maya.

Blender is not just for creating; it's a teaching tool. Its accessibility allows students and hobbyists to learn 3D modeling and animation without financial barriers, democratizing education in digital art and animation.