Blender Notes
Blender Setup
Project Structure
Scene Structure
Background Image
- Orthographic plan model. -> https://www.the-blueprints.com - Blueprints . Com
- Use graphics program to slice image into orthographic parts.
- Line up ground, front & rear alignments of each orthographic plane.
- Save each image -front, -top, etc.
Ctrl + A- Add -> Image -> Background for each ortho plane.
Blender Tips
- Multiple Select Objects ->
Alt + Param Change- Multi Edit objects. - Quad View -
Ctrl + Alt + Q - Snapping Toggle -
Shift + Tab - Wireframe / Solid -
Z - Kinfe Subdivide -
K-> Create Edge -Enter
Blender Hotkeys
Common
Properties
- Copy the (single) value of the button. -
Ctr + C - Paste the (single) value of the button. -
Ctrl + V - Copy the entire vector or color of the field. -
Ctrl + Alt + C - Paste the entire vector or color of the field. -
Ctrl + Alt + V - Open the context menu. -
RMB - Clear the value (sets to zero or clears a text field). -
Backspace - Negate number values (multiply by -1.0). -
- - Change the value incremental steps. -
Ctrl - Wheel - Activates menus or toggles the value. -
Return - Hold while editing values to apply the change to all selected items (objects, bones, sequence-strips). -
Alt
Animation
- Insert a keyframe. -
I - Clear the keyframe. -
Alt + I - Clear all keyframes (removing all F-curves). -
Shift + Alt + D - Assign a driver. -
Ctrl + D - Clear the driver. -
Ctrl + Alt + D - Add a Keying Set. -
K - Clear the Keying Set. -
Alt + K
Python Scripting
- Over any Operator Buttons copies their Python command into the clipboard. -
Ctrl + C - Over property buttons copies their data path for this property (also available from the context menu). -
Shift + Ctrl + C - Over property buttons copies their full data path for the data-block and property. -
Shift + Ctrl + Alt + C
Dragging
- While dragging, snap to discrete steps. -
Ctrl - Gives precision control over the value. -
Shift - Precise snap will move the object with high precision along with the snapping constraint. -
Shift + Ctrl
Text Editing
- Go to the start of the line. -
Home - Go to the end of the line. -
End - Move the cursor a single character. -
Ctrl + Left,Ctrl + Right - Delete characters. -
Backspace,Delete - Delete words. -
Ctrl + Backspace,Ctrl + Delete - Select while holding the key and moving the cursor. -
Shift - Select all text. -
Ctrl - A - Copy the selected text. -
Ctrl + C - Cut the selected text. -
Ctrl + X - Paste text at the cursor position. -
Ctrl + V
Confirm & Cancel
- Cancel. -
Esc - Confirm. -
Enter
Global Keys
- Open file. -
Ctrl + O - Save file. -
Ctrl + S - New file. -
Ctrl + N - Undo. -
Ctrl + Z - Redo. -
Shift + Ctrl + Z - Quit. -
Ctrl + Q - Help. -
Help (context sensitive). - Rename active item. -
F1 - Rename active item. -
F2 - Menu Search. -
F3 - File context menu. -
F4 - Reserved for user actions. -
F5-F8 - Adjust last operation. -
F9 - Reserved for user actions. -
F10 - Show render window. -
F11 - Render the current frame. -
F12 - Quick access (favorites). -
Q - Toggle Maximize Area. -
Ctrl + Spacebar - Toggle Fullscreen Area -
Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar - Next/previous Workspace. -
Ctrl + PageUp-Ctrl + PageDown - User configurable. -
SpacebarPlay- Toggle animation playback.Tools- Tool switching with hotkeys (Shift + Spacebarfor play).Search- Search for actions (Shift + Spacebarfor play).
- Playback animation (reverse). -
Shift + Ctrl + Spacebar
Common Editor Keys
- Select all. -
A - Select none. -
Alt + A - Invert selection. -
Ctrl + I - Hide selection. -
H - Reveal hidden items. -
Alt + H - Toggle Toolbar. -
T - Toggle Sidebar. -
N
3D Viewport Keys
- Edit-mode toggle. -
Tab - Mode switching pie menu (toggles Pose Mode for armatures). -
Ctrl + Tab - Edit mesh vertex/edge/face toggle (
Shiftextends,Ctrlexpands). -1 - 3 - 3D Viewport navigation pie menu. - “ (AccentGrave)`
- Toggle gizmos. -
Ctrl + AccentGrave - Walk/Fly Navigation. -
Shift + AccentGrave
Preferences
- Select with Mouse Button -
LMB
Middle Mouse Action
Orbit: Rotates the view around a pivot point,Shift + MMBis used for panning the view. - “Pan: Shifts the view towards the mouse,Shift + MMBis used for orbiting the view.
Alt Middle Mouse Drag Action
Relative: Set the view axis where each mouse direction maps to an axis relative to the current orientation.Absolute: Set the view axis where each mouse direction always maps to the same axis.
Tab for Pie Menu
- Causes Tab to open a pie menu (swaps
TabandCtrl + Tab).
Pie Menu on Drag
This allows keys to have a secondary drag action.
Tab
tap: Toggles Edit Mode.drag: Object Mode pie menu.
Z
tap: Toggles wireframe view.drag: Display mode pie menu.
AccentGrave
tap: First person Fly/walk Navigation.drag: View axis pie menu.
Extra Shading Pie Menu Items
- Show additional items in the shading menu (
Zkey).
Modeling Shortcuts
Render Region
Ctrl+B- Render Region (in Camer view)Ctrl+Alt+B- Cancel Render RegionShift+B- Zoom Region
Main
Menu- Call-UpN- Object properties sidebarT- Toggle toolbarQ- Quick Favorites menuF3- Function searchCtrl + Tab- Mode Pie menu~- Viewport Pie menu.- Pivot Point Pie menu,- Axis Orientation Pie menuShift + S- Snap Pie menu
Viewport
Home- Show all objectsH- Hide objectAlt + H- Unhide all objectsShift + H- Hide all unselected objectsAlt + Z- Toggle X-rayZ- Viewport Shading Options Pie menu/- Isolate selected objectNumpad 0- Camera viewNumpad 1- Front viewNumpad 2- Downward-facing viewNumpad 3- Side viewNumpad 4- Leftward-facing viewNumpad 6- Rightward-facing viewNumpad 7- Top-down viewNumpad 8- Upward-facing viewNumpad 9- Opposite of current viewNumpad 5- Toggle perspective/orthographic view
Viewport Navigation
Middle click + drag- Orbit viewShift + Middle click + drag- Pan viewScroll wheel; Ctrl + Middle click + drag- Zoom viewShift + ~ + move mouse- Click in Viewport to deactivate, Free pan by cursor
Object Mode
Tab- Toggle between Object mode and Edit modeShift + A- Add new objectShift + Tab- Toggle snappingCtrl + A- Apply transformationsAlt + G- Clear positionAlt + R- Clear rotationAlt + R- Clear scaleCtrl + J- Join selected objectsCtrl + 1, 2, 3, 4, etc- Add subdivision setShift + C- Reset 3D cursor to center
Object Manipulation
G- Move object or geometryS- Scale object or geometryR- Rotate object or geometryRR- Rotate with trackballG,S, orR+X,Y, orZ- Action along axisG,S, orR+XX,YY, orZZ- Action along local axisHold Shift while transforming- Fine tune controlHold Ctrl while transforming- Adjust value by incrementShift + D- Duplicate objectAlt + D- Duplicate linked objectsM- Add active object to new collection
Edit Mode
Alt + Shift + S- Scale spherize vertices1- Vertex mode2- Edge mode3- Face modeP- Create separate object out of selectionM- Merge selectionGG- Vertex and edge slideE- Extrude geometryF- Fill faceCtrl + R- Loop cut- Scroll wheel after
Ctrl + R; - Move mouse to choose orientation
- Add loop cut divisions
- Left click Lock in loop cut
- Scroll wheel after
I- Add inset faces to selectionCtrl + B- Add bevel to selectionCtrl + Shift + B- Add vertex bevel to selectionK- KnifeEnter- Lock in knife
Shift + W- BendY- Split geometryV- Rip geometryAlt + V- Fill ripCtrl + L- Select connected geometryAlt + Left click- Select edge loopO- Toggle proportional editingShift + O- Toggle through proportional editing falloff profilesShift + N- Recalculate normalsCtrl + Shift + N- Invert normalsEsc- Cancel transform in progress
Sculpt Mode
Shift + Spacebar- Select brush hotkeyE- Select stroke protocolF- Brush sizeShift + F- Brush strengthCtrl + F- Brush angleShift + Left click- Toggle brush positive or negative
UVs and UV Unwrapping
Ctrl + E- Mark seamU- Unwrap mesh
UV Editor
Ctrl + L-Lto select object under cursor select islandP- PinAlt + P- UnpinShift + P- Select pinnedV- StitchShift + W- WeldShift + A- Create new nodeCtrl + Right click + Drag- Sever connectionF- Con nect selectedM- Mute selectedCtrl + G- Group selectededCtrl + Alt + G- Ungroup selected
Blender Python API
The current Blender API is located at https://docs.blender.org/api/current/.