Blender Tips & Hot Keys

  • Sat, May 11, 2024
  • 3-minute read

Things to take note of when using Blender

Tips

  1. Always enable backface culling.

    Backface Culling Option

  2. Enable Absolute Grid Snapping

  3. Character must be facing Postivie Y Axis so that they face the correct direction in game engine.

  4. Add Ons to enable (Edit -> Preferences -> Add Ons)

    • Mesh: Auto Mirror
    • Mesh: LoopTool

Shortcuts

Navigate the scene using the mouse

  • Middle Mouse = pivot
  • Shift + Middle Mouse = pan
  • Ctrl + Middle Mouse or Scroll = zoom

Use Numpad or Ctrl+Numpad to change scene angle

Manipulating 3D Object

Basic Keys include G - Grab / Move, S - Scale, R - Rotate

Additionally, after pressing the above keys, you can use do the following:

  • press x, y, z to move on particular axis
  • press shift + x/y/z to exclude the particular axis

To move precise units, press G followed by axis x/y/z and key in the number (eg. 1) then press Enter

Object/Edit Mode

Use Tab –> toggle between edit/object mode

In Edit Mode

  • 1, 2, 3 –> change select mode between vertex, edge and face

Editing Geometry

In Edit Mode

  • 1, 2, 3 –> change select mode between vertex, edge and face
  • Shift + A –> Add Geometry Menu
  • e –> extrude
  • ctrl + r –> add loop cut
    • left click to confirm
    • right click to be added in the center
    • scroll to add more loop cut before confirming
  • a –> select all the vertices
  • Alt + A / aa –> Deselect
  • Alt + Select –> select a loop
  • ctrl + numpad+ or ctrl + numpad- to increase selection

In Object Mode

  • x –> delete object
  • Shift + d to duplicate object

Tips

  1. Connecting 2 Edges

    • In Edit Mode, Use Edge Select 2
    • Alt + Click to select first edge
    • Alt + Shift + Click to select second edge
    • Right Click -> Bridge Edge Loops to create faces to connect the edges

  2. Wireframe mode

    • In Edit Mode, Use Vertex Select 1
    • Press z and select wireframe
    • Now, click and drag to select multiple vertices

  3. Navigate Scene Focus

    • Click on a Vertex in Edit Mode
    • Click on del in numpad to set the focus on that

  4. Linking Materials

    • In Object Mode
    • Create Material on an object
    • Shift Select all objects followed by the object with the material (last)
    • Ctrl + L (links menu) -> Materials

  5. Setting Camera

    • In Object Mode
    • Click on Ctrl + Alt + 0 to shift the camera to where you are looking at
    • Click on the camera grid, G + Middle Mouse Click to zoom in and out the camera

  6. Sculpting Objects

    • In Sculting Mode, go to properties bar, under Active Tools & Workspace Settings -> DynoTopo
    • Set Detailing to Constant Detail and Resolution to 0.75 for low poly
    • Click on f to change brush size
    • Click on Shift + f to change intensity of brush
    • Click on Ctrl + left click to invert (create dent)
    • Click on Shift + left click to flatten

  7. Vertex Paint Mode (Painting Parts of Object)

    • In Edit Mode, use Face Select + c to select an area
    • In Vertex Paint Mode, use Face Paint to show the area
    • Note that this will only create color attribute, to view the color in object mode
      • set viewport shading to Material Preview (top right)
      • create a new material
      • open a new tab, shader editor, add a Color Attribute and connect the base color

  8. Create Faces on Vertices/Edges

    • In Edit Mode, use Vertex/Edge Select and shift select your vertices/edges
    • Click on f to create a face to fill the space

  9. Smoothing out the model (Edge Slide)

    • In Edit Mode, use Edge Select and Alt + Select to slide an edge
    • Click on gg to smooth out the model

Modifiers

  • Mirror Modifier
  • Array Modifier - duplicates object and make sure changing one, change all when its duplicated
tips