Introduction

In many cases, common molecular modeling and visualization software can efficiently provide necessary results. Here's a list of my favorite applications:

• PyMol
• UCSF Chimera
• VMD
• OneAngstrom

However, I've encountered instances where using PyMol (or any other molecular visualization software) alongside Blender gave more advantageous. For example:

• When greater flexibility in materials and lighting is required.
• When specific protein cuts are necessary to illustrate internal features like binding pockets or ligands.
• When combining proteins with non-molecular objects such as text, cells, or atmospheric effects.
• When creating animations that simulate real-world physical phenomena like gravity or water movement.

The combination of these tools offers distinct advantages. Blender benefits from a vast community and abundant supporting materials, enabling the implementation of a wide range of visualization ideas.

Goal

While there are numerous fantastic tutorials available for Blender (I began my journey with the blender - donut tutorial), PyMol, VMD, etc., there's a scarcity of information regarding combination Blender + PyMol. Therefore, I aim to share tips and insights with the community to facilitate the creation of visualizations for proteins and molecules using Blender.

Structure

The repository comprises two collections of examples:

1. A few basic examples offering guidance for working with protein structures and molecules.
2. Reproductions of images from publications to demonstrate how similar visualizations can be achieved using Blender.

Each example includes a Blender project file along with instructions covering workflow, hints, and links to community resources.

Content

• Intro
• Import Structures into Blender
• Lighting and Filming