Datasheet

12n Chapter 1: Blender Basics: Interface and Objects
Hotkey object mode edit mode
Tab Go into Edit mode Go into Object mode
F Make Edge/Face
P Play game Separate mesh selection into new object
L Select linked vertices
M Move object to new layer
U Undo
E Extrude
V Rip mesh
K Loop cut/Knife menu
Ctrl+J Join meshes/curves
Ctrl+A Apply scale and rotation
Alt+R, Alt+G, Alt+S Clear rotation, clear translation,
clear scale
Ctrl+N Reload startup file
Make normals consistent; recalculate
normals outside
Ctrl+E Edges
Alt+S Fatten/shrink
Ctrl+S Shear
You can find information about hotkeys and edit them in the keymap configuration
area of the Input tab in the User Preferences window. For users of laptops or one- or two-
button mouse devices, some further key combinations are also necessary. The instruc-
tions in this book assume you have a three-button mouse and a separate number keypad,
but I will point out how to simulate the key combinations if you don’t. With a little time
following the instructions in this book, the hotkeys will begin to come naturally, and the
speed and ease with which you can work with Blender will greatly increase. If you’ve done
animation in other 3D software, you probably have a good idea which of these keys you’ll
use most often. If you’re new to the field, expect to become very familiar with the R, S,
and G keys for rotating, scaling, and moving things around, as well as with the I key for
keying frames for animation.
Layers
In the header of the 3D viewport there are 20 small square buttons, divided into 4 rows
of 5 buttons. These buttons toggle the visibility of individual layers in a scene.
Layers let you separate objects in your 3D view so that you can see some objects but
not others. The terminology is somewhat arbitrary; layers in Blender are groupings used
to hide or show specific objects and to control which objects interact with certain simula-
tions and lighting effects. They can be useful to organize your work during editing and
also during animation. You can restrict lights to illuminate only objects on the same layer
as the light, which is an indispensable tool in lighting. Also, you can limit forces such as
wind effects, curve guides, and collision effects (discussed later in this book) to affect
only those objects on their own layer.
Table 1.2
Hotkeys specific
to object and
edit modes
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