We've all got dreams. If you're into animation, you might want to become a masterful 3D artist, create exotic worlds, and meet all of the weird characters rolling around in your brain. These may seem like lofty ambitions, but they're completely possible with the right attitude, a few snacks, and a lot of practice.

Many 3D artists got their start in Blender, a program that many consider as the best 3D animation software available. As with any other open-source software, Blender empowers its community by inviting artists from all skill levels and walks of life to hop into the fray. If you're new to the software, each Blender animation tutorial mentioned here will help you get the hang of things.

1. Surfaced Studio's Blender for Absolute Beginners Series

Are you starting from the very beginning? Surfaced Studio's Blender for Absolute Beginners series walks you through downloading the program and cracking in for the first time.

If you're looking for a completely comprehensive rundown on how to get set up the right way, we encourage you to sit through the above hour-long video. Nothing goes unexplained—few Blender tutorials feel this dedicated to showing ordinary users how to emulate a professional experience without having to invest in new hardware.

After spending about 30 seconds watching this tutorial, one thing becomes apparent immediately: Surfaced Studio knows Blender inside and out. We learned a lot, even about some of the most basic parts of the program. If there is anything about Blender that confuses you, we urge you to watch all of the videos in this series.

Related: A Beginner's Guide to 3D Modeling

2. 2D Animation in Blender by CG Geek

One of the many claims to fame that Blender enjoys is its suitability for traditional, 2D animation. If you want to learn how to 2D animate in Blender, this tutorial by CG Geek will definitely be something worth checking out.

In Blender, you can draw 2D characters and scenes with the Grease Pencil tool; you can even use the program's onion skins to track your 2D character over several frames, emulating the feeling of animating in a more traditional 2D animation program. CG Geek shows us how to draw keyframe poses and in-betweens on the Blender timeline, how to animate a basic run cycle using Blender's tools, and goes over various modes.

Overall, the tutorial showcases how Blender's unique functionalities can be applied to 2D animation, as well as highlights the versatility of the system.

3. Sebastian Lague on Character Creation and Rigging in Blender

Rigging characters for action is the process of giving a 3D animation model "bones"—a simplified set of controls that allow you to move the arm or the leg on a jointed connection. Sebastian Lague's straightforward and fearless approach is perfect for a beginner who already has a character in front of them.

He does much more than build a simple skeleton for his character. Everything from weight painting, adding constraints, and creating control bones, is demonstrated clearly. The nuance with which he explains each part of the process goes above and beyond, making this Blender rigging tutorial extraordinarily valuable for beginners.

We can't tell if it's his level of expertise or the dulcet sound of his voice—these Blender tutorials fly right by, and they're incredibly useful.

Related: Blender Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet for Windows

4. Blender Fundamentals

This collection of Blender tutorials for beginners comes straight from the source itself. If you want to start your journey doing things the official, Blender-approved way, this series is the one for you. It covers everything from how to make animations in Blender, as well as how to render animations in Blender, front to back.

It's worth mentioning that this series was made using Blender 2.8. Luckily, in your recommendations sidebar, you'll probably find this quick explainer on everything that's changed with Blender version 2.93. These versions are different in many subtle ways—if you can learn Blender 2.8, you'll be able to figure out Blender 2.93 just fine.

Sure, you could just crack into the Blender documentation and learn many of the same lessons. There's just something about listening to an expert that makes everything so much easier, though.

5. The Donut Tutorial by Blender Guru

Blender Guru's original viral Blender animation tutorial was made specifically for artists who have never used 3D animation software before. This classic donut tutorial has since been updated for Blender 2.8. Again, it's not the latest version, but it's similar enough to show you the way.

Chances are, you've seen the donut thumbnail before—Blender Guru has single-handedly made it his mission to teach the world how to animate in Blender. In fact, there's even a r/BlenderDoughnuts subreddit that's dedicated to those who have successfully created their own donut in Blender.

6. Real-Time Blender Animation by Polyfjord

Polyfjord wastes no time in this Blender tutorial. He doesn't even tell you what he's going to teach you at first. Instead, he promises to make a "magical connection" between your brain and your character. A tall order, but one that he does manage to deliver on.

His true intention becomes clear soon after. This Blender animation tutorial is an attempt to help you logically link the different functionalities of the program. He shows us how we can use these features to "puppet" a block, an adorable turret, and the wings of a bird. But he demonstrates this in a way that makes the tools and processes behind the gimmick so much more interesting than simply animating in real-time.

Polyfjord is clearly very knowledgeable, and presents his skills transparently and with so much enthusiasm. He demystifies the program without losing us for a single moment, making it all look easy.

7. Blender Lighting Tutorial by Gleb Alexandrov

In this Blender tutorial, Gleb Alexandrov walks us through different styles of lighting in Blender. He assigns each light source different attributes, showing us the effect that things like color temperature, distance, image texture, softness, and intensity have on the appearance of your final product.

A word of warning: Mr. Alexandrov does delve into some of the more advanced topics in Blender, so this is definitely one for somebody who has already found their sea legs. He has a really great way of explaining the techniques that are difficult to understand, however. Once you graduate from noob to bonafide beginner, this should be your next step.

If you really want to bring your designs to life, this simple Blender tutorial shows just how much of an impact a single light can make in animation.

Related: Getting Started With Blender: An Introduction to Physics

How to Animate in Blender: The First Step Is to Try

Learning how to make an animation in Blender may take some time, but it will be a labor of love if you're serious about improving yourself. While you're still trying to level up your skills, half of the challenge is finding something to do within the program. Following along with any of the exercises outlined above will surely get your gears turning if you feel stuck.

With these incredible artists by your side, there is no limit to what you can accomplish in Blender. Create animation, wow your friends, and make your most ambitious dreams a reality.