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. -
Spacebar
Play
- Toggle animation playback.Tools
- Tool switching with hotkeys (Shift + Spacebar
for play).Search
- Search for actions (Shift + Spacebar
for 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 (
Shift
extends,Ctrl
expands). -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 + MMB
is used for panning the view. - “Pan
: Shifts the view towards the mouse,Shift + MMB
is 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
Tab
andCtrl + 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 (
Z
key).
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
-L
to 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/.