Welcome to Blender! Crash Course for the Absolute Beginner

INTRODUCTION TO 3D A quick introduction to Blender and how the 3D Environment works

How does 3D Modelling even work? Anything you model in Blender starts from primitive shapes (e.g. cubes, cylinders, spheres, torus etc…) 3D Models are called meshes. Let’s see what primitive shapes Blender offers… Press SHIFT + A (insert mesh) –This launches the menu of preset meshes In this course, we will be manipulating primitive shapes to form complex structures like foliage(trees and nature), infrastructure(buildings) and human beings.

The Blender Interface: Controlling the Viewport Excuse me, what is a viewport?

The Blender Interface: Controlling the Viewport Basically, this is the viewport in Blender

The Blender Interface: Controlling the Viewport You can control your viewport with the NumPad. Moves viewpoint rightwards Moves viewpoint leftwards Top View Front View Right View Moves viewpoint downwards Moves viewpoint upwards

The Blender Interface: Controlling the Viewport Switch between Orthographic and Perspective Mode Orthographic Mode: Portrays objects with no regard to point–of-view. Perspective Mode: Takes angle of viewpoint into account; reflects how objects look like in the final render

The Blender Interface: Controlling the Viewport The top left-hand corner of the viewport tells you what view you are in.

The Blender Interface: Controlling the Viewport Lastly, you can move your viewport around by pressing SHIFT + RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON and dragging.

MESH MANIPULATION How to deform your objects!

4 Most Commonly Used Keys G rab – You press this to pull/drag the mesh S cale – You press this to resize the mesh R otate – You press this to turn the mesh E xtrude – You press this to extend the mesh *you don’t have to keep pressing the keys just press once, let go and just move your mouse

The Blender Interface: Controlling the Viewport In the bottom left-hand corner, you can see the x, y, and z axis. You can constraint mesh manipulation to any axis by pressing any of the four keys followed by x, y or z. In the bottom left-hand corner, you can see the x, y, and z axis. You can constraint mesh manipulation to any axis by pressing any of the four keys followed by x, y or z.

SELECTION Clicking parts of the object to work with!

Selection Tools – Do you know your ABCs? A ll – You press this select/deselect everything on the active mesh B order – You use this tool to box up the area you wish to select C ircle – Transforms your cursor into something like a Photoshop brush where you can highlight areas you wish to select !! Take Note: Each new selection does not override the previous selection. A To select a new area, press A to deselect everything first.

Selection Mode - Mouse To select ONE thing on your mesh, right-c lick. To select multiple parts of the object at a time, hold down SHIFT while right-clicking. OR + +

Selection Mode - Mouse Notice how your mouse can only select corners of the object? What you can select by right-clicking depends on the selection mode you are in. There are 3 selection modes in Blender: –Vertex Selection Mode –Edge Selection Mode –Face Selection Mode To toggle between selection modes, press CTRL + TAB

Some concepts illustrated by the CUBE! Vertex Edge Face

SUMMARY OF HOT-KEYS Magic buttons that make life easier!

Hot Keys! Selection A – Select/Deselect All B – Border(Box) Select C – Circle Select Mesh Manipulation E – Extrude G – Grab R – Rotate S – Scale Viewport Numpad 1 – Front View Numpad 2 – Pan Upwards Numpad 3 – Right View Numpad 4 – Pan Left Numpad 5 – Ortho/Persp Numpad 6 – Pan Right Numpad 7 – Top View Numpad 8 – Pan Downwards

That’s all Folks! You are now officially a novice in Blender Modelling!