The Blender Interface

At the time of this writing the current version of blender is Blender 2.49. Blender 2.5, which includes
several improvements to Blenders interface is expected to be released late October 2009. Many of the
techniques, buttons, and functions described here will transition to the 2.5 branch, however their
appearance may appear differently. Figures 1 and 2 show a preview between 2.49 and 2.5s default
setup.
Figure 1

Using the Blender Interface

Blenders interface and workflow was designed to work around one important element: speed. Unlike
traditional 3d modeling software, which locks a user with 4 window views, Blender allows a free range
of view with the stroke of a key. Blenders interface has the ability to split its main window into several
to ease the work flow of separate tasks. Figure 3 shows a Blender window which has been split to an
Outliner, UV Image Editor, an
Figure 2
Action Editor, a Timeline, Material
Editor, and a 3d View Window.
This section aims to show how to
use the Blender Interface to

Split multiple windows

Mover around in 3d
Objects in 3d Space

The Diagram below breaks down the default setup of the Blender Interface
Figure 3

Menu Bar

3d Window
3d Window Menu
Bar

Buttons Window

Since Blender is a 3d Suite as opposed to simply 3d modeling software it has applications in it that could
function as their own programs separately. To access one of these applications, such as the Video
Sequence Editor, locate and click on the Window Type Box normally located on the menu bar of any
window split.
After the window type button has
been selected a list of options
appears. Each of these windows will
be explained as it comes time to use
them (the best way to learn Blender is
by using it).

Split Multiple Windows

To split your default layout in to multiple views navigate your mouse to where a window is already split
and right click. The mouse cursor will change two arrows normally to indicate you are at a window split.
Figure 4: Right click at window edge

This will bring up a small window with 3 options: (1) Split Area; (2)
Join Areas, (3) No Header. Select Split area to proceed in splitting
Blender windows. A straight silver line will now follow your mouse till
you left click in the window you wish to split. The resulting split
window will be the same type

Figure 5: The silver line selecting the top window to split.

Figure 6: The split window

The line dividing the windows can be moved placing the mouse cursor over the dividing line unit it
changes to a doubled arrow cursor and left clicking and dragging to the desired location. Blender is not
limited to the number of times a window can be split, so the same method can be repeated to help
shape the interface toward what the user needs.
To re-join split windows right click on a split edge and from the familiar window that appear select Join
Areas. This will darken one window an arrow will be visible, allowing you to select which window you
want to merge with, left click to confirm.
Figure 7

Any split window can be maximized (or made to take up the entire screen) by moving the mouse cursor
to the desire window and hit Ctrl + Up key on the keyboard. To return the maximized window to its
normal size hit Ctrl + Up again.

Moving Around in 3d

As mentioned earlier Blender was built for speed, when this comes to moving around in 3d, Blender
allows the user to navigate their way not only with a mouse, but a keyboard as well. As mentioned
earlier, some elements of Blenders interface have been a deterrent, this is one of them; however,
people have overcome this new concept tend find this method amazingly useful. If you are using a
Notebook, or a Mac ( ) invest in a mouse with the 3rd scroll button.
Before we begin common expressions used to define keystrokes and mouse clicks in this manual:
Left Mouse Button/ Left Click = LMB
Middle Mouse Button/ Middle Click = MMB
Right Mouse Button/ Right Click = RMB
Keypad # = # is the number on the keypad
When moving round in 3d you are generally rotating your point of view around a point in 3d space.
Think of it in terms of planets. There is a point, an object, that the Earth rotates around, and that is the
sun.
Figure 8

Earth

Sun

This point of rotation is normally referred to as a pivot point. There are many ways that changing the
pivot point, or having multiple pivot point can be useful. The default pivot point for Blenders 3d
window is the center of the window, or more correctly where all the axis of the graph in Blender meet.
For more detailed information on graphs and axis see Graphs & Geometry.
To move around (or rotate around the views pivot point) click and hold the Middle Mouse Button
(MMB) and simply drag the mouse. If you are working on a notebook or simply do not have a 3 button
mouse you can hold the ALT button on your key board and click with your mouse Left Mouse Button
(ALT + LMB) to simulate a scrolling mouse button.

Figure 9: Moving around in 3d.

To return to the view you originally started out with on the keyboards keypad/number pad (located on
the left of the keyboard NOT THE NUMBERS ON TOP OF THE KEYBOARD) hit the number 7 (keypad 7). If
you are using a laptop that does not have a keypad you can simulate a keypad by turning on your
notebooks Number Lock Key (NumLck). This changes certain letters on a keyboard to keypad numbers.
Other 3d software has the main window split into 4 different 3d views, this can be created in blender
with the splitting window technique, but the beauty of blender is that it doesnt constrain its users that
way. A view can be switched to on the fly with numbers on the key pad.
Figure 10: Key Pad View list/ This

Key Pad 1 is
Front View
Keypad 7 is the default view from
top

Keypad 3 is Side
View
Keypad 5 toggles
Perspective view on/off

Holding the Ctrl key while tapping on one of the keypad views will show you the exact opposite view; for
example, keypad 1 show you a front view where as CTRL + keypad 1 shows you a behind view.
Figure 11

Keypad 1 = Front View

CTRL + Keypad 1 = Behind View

To zoom in or out in Blender, scroll in with your MMB. If you do not have a MMB you can fake zooming
by holding the Ctrl and Alt keys, while clicking and holding the Left Mouse Button (Ctrl + Alt + LMB).
To pan up and down hold the shift key while scrolling with the middle mouse button ( SHIFT + LMB). If
you do not have a mouse button you can fake this by holding SHIFT + ALT + LMB.
To pan left and right hold the Ctrl key while scrolling with the middle mouse button (CTRL + MMB). To
fake this without a MMB, use SHIFT + ALT + LMB.

This table describes the standard Blender hot keys that involve moving around in 3d space.

Keys/Mouse
Keypad 0
Keypad 1
Keypad 3
Keypad 4
Keypad 5
Keypad 6
Keypad 7
Scroll MMB
Ctrl+Alt+LMB
Shift+Alt+LMB
Ctrl + MMB
Shift + MMB
MMB
Alt + LMB

View
Switches viw
Front View
Side view
Rotates View
Perspective View
Rotates View
Top View
Zoom in/out
Zoom In/out
Pan
Pan
Pan
Rotate View
Rotate View

Moving Around in Blender Short Cut List

Description
Changes the 3d view to a 3d front view
Changes the 3d view to a 3d side view
Slightly rotates the current view
Toggles perspective view on/off
Slightly rotates the current view
Changes the 3d view to a 3d Top View
Zooms in and out
Zooms in and out
Pan Left, Right, Up, Down
Pan left & right
Pan up and down
Rotates View around views pivot point
Rotates view around views pivot point

Many other 3d application accomplish moving around in 3d not by primarily using the keyboard, but by
clicking on a menu button to change the way a mouse interact in 3d space. Blenders method is faster,
but is a bit hard if you dont know the buttons since they arent located on menus.

Objects in 3d Space

Before modeling is covered its important to know about Blenders Objects. An Object is any shape,
lamp, curve, or other component that can be selected in Blenders 3d window.
Figure 12

There are several types of objects in Blender (mostly for modeling well be working with Mesh objects).
Unlike traditional software, where using the LMB to select something is common, to select an object in
Blender, click on the object with the RMB. An object will have a white or off color outline around it to
indicate that it is selected (it may also have a display of multi-colored arrows on it indicating which axis
is which, these arrows are apart of the transform manipulator).
Figure 13: Suzanne on the left is not select, where as Suzanne on the right is selected and has a white outline. Also the
arrows of the transform manipulator can be seen.

Moving Object in 3d

To Move an object you can either select with it the RMB and hitting the G key on the keyboard. G
comically is the short cut for the Grab tool, thus G for Grab. Grabbing to move an object can also be
accomplished by holding the initial RMB click that selected the object for nearly a second.
Figure 14

After the object is moved to the desired location click the LMB to confirm the location.
When working in 3d you are actually working in a space that has a 3 dimensional graph: X, Y, Z.
Recollecting to the old days of geometry a simple 2 dimensional graph has only 2 axis: X, Y.
Figure 15

When moving an object in 3d, you can constrain the objects direction along a particular axis by hitting
the either X, Y, Z on your keyboard after you hit the G key to grab. (G + X or Y or Z). Once a grabbed
objects direction is constrained along an axis, a solid visible line (whose color corresponds with the axis
color) appears indicating the direction the objects movement is locked in.
Figure 16

Also the bottom left hand

corner of the 3d window will
provide information about
the grabbed object, such as
its current location on
Blenders Grid in the X, Y,
and Z directions.
To summarize, to move an object RMB on the object, hit G ( and X, Y, or Z to constrain its direction) and
LMB to confirm its new location.
You can also move objects along a certain axis by LMB clicking on the Transform Manipulator Arrows.
Figure 17

LMB clicking on the red arrow of the

Transform Manipulator to move it in
the X axis direction

Adding & Removing Objects

There are time you might want to add objects or remove them from the Blender 3d window. In Blender
Version 2.48 and above you can add an object by hitting Shift+A on the keyboard while the mouse
cursor is in the 3d window. This causes a quick menu to appear, to add a mesh object hover the mouse
cursor over Add, then Mesh, and LMB click on the type of Mesh object desired to be added. For this
example I chose to add an Icosphere. or by going to the Add option on the top menu.

If you are following along from the default Blender setup it might seem like nothing has happened yet.
An Icosphere has been added, just its been added in the same place as the cube. You can either move
the cube out of the way by RMB + G to move it, or by RMB to select the Cube and hitting the X key on
the key board to Delete it.
Figure 18
Selecting the cube
with RMB and hitting
X to delete, Left click
on the text that
Default setup, after
appears to confirm
the icosphere has
deletion
been added

Moving the Cube out

of the way

Setup after cube

deletion.

Objects can also be added by using the Add option at the top window.

Sometimes you may want to select, move, and delete multiple objects at once. Just like in a number of
other software holding the Shift key selecting will allow the selection of multiple things. In Blender hold
Shift while RMB clicking to select multiple objects. Its important to note that when multiple objects are
select the Transform Manipulator centers itself perfectly between the multiple objects.
Figure 19

All objects can be selected by hitting the A key on the keyboard. To deselect all or an individual object,
hit the A key again.
Hot KeysRecap
To recap the object moving and selecting keys
Key/Mouse
RMB
SHIFT+RMB
A
G
G+Z
G+X
G+Y

Operation
Selects an object
Allows for the selection of multiple objects
Toggles the selection of all objects or the de-selection objects
Grab/Move the select object in the (LMB to confirm location)
Grab/Move the selected object along the Z axis
Grab/Move the selected object(s) along the X axis
Grab/Move the selected object(s) along the Y axis

Tips to Have before 3d Modeling

Once you have the hang of the interface and moving around objects in blender youre just about ready
to begin modeling in 3d. But before beginning there are some basic things to know that will make the
modeling experience easier in Blender. This section strives to explain some properties about mesh
objects and working with mesh objects that will make the 3d modeling experience more enjoyable. This
section covers: Saving & Opening, tips for adding mesh objects, the buttons window, and information
about an objects center.

Saving & Opening

Saving Blend Files

In order to save a project go to the

top menu and select the File Option.
From the menu that appears select
the Save option.
Figure 20: Blender File Browser

This will have one of the windows in

Blender change to a file browser
window. This file browser is
noticeable different from other file
browser such as the windows default
one.
Figure 21: Windows File Browser for saving

Figure 22

LMB on the Double arrow

drive save to.

Select the File Folder (LMB)

you wish to save to. You can
go back by hitting the P
button.

icon at the top left to select which

Or you can make a new

folder by typing the new
folders name after the
address path

Give your project or blend

file a name, then LMB on the
save button.

You might have noticed that when you went to File->Save that the short cut key for saving is Ctrl + W,
its a useful short cut in Blender, but not in anything else on a Windows machine (Ctrl + W is the
shortcut to close window and programs). Another useful short cut for saving is the Save As button or F2.
Ever run make a project and wanted to save a copy in case you needed to go back? Well several Blender
Users and developers have, so they came up with a faster method and naming solution. When saving a
blend file, either by Ctrl + W or F2, you can quickly increment the name of your save file by hitting the +
key on the keyboard. This concept is leaps and bounds over other 3d software.
Figure 23: Using the + sign to add a 1 at the end of the blend file name

Opening Blend Files

To Open a Blend file either go to File-> Open or use the F1 Key on the keyboard. This brings up the
familiar File Browser. After locating the blend file desired (all blend files will have an orange box next to
them in the File Browser window.
Figure 25

Figure 24: Sample Folder Hierarchy

Animation
Project
Town Set

Protagonist

Antagonist

Reference
Pictures

Refrence
Pictures

Textures

Textures

Concept Art

Reference
Pictures

Concept Art

Textures

Concept Art

Project Folder Tips

When creating a project its a good idea to do many things before beginning that involve thinking and
planning. One such thoughtful and useful act is creating a sort of file hierarchy for your project. For
example see Figure 25.

Tips for Adding Objects

Previously it was explained how to add Mesh objects. One of the predicaments the example I used
addressed was adding an object in the exact same place as another object. Instead of moving or deleting
objects to solve the little predicament, I could have added the object in an entirely different location.
The 3d Cursor (see figure 26) decides where an object is added. The 3d Cursor can be moved to any
location in any view by simply LMB clicking to the new location in the 3d window.
Figure 26: the 3d Cursor

Every object has a name and a data-block associated with it. A mesh objects data-block holds important
information about the object such as the number of vertices, edges and faces used to make up that
object. Multiple objects can share the same data-block name, which can be useful if you have a scene
with the exact same door repeating over and over; however, if there are multiple different doors all
named: door, door.001, door.002it can get confusing fairly quick. When and object is added, Blender
assigns the object and its data-block a name, to help clarify things its best to rename objects after they
are added, for example; big_scary_door, nice_friendly_door, zombie_door. To rename an object in
Blender, first select it.
In the Editing Panel there is a Links
and Materials Sub - Panel. The two
option sat the top are the names of
the object and the Data-block.
Then On the Buttons Window, make sure
that you are in the Editing Panel (F9)

Object name

Data-block name

The name can be change

by LMB clicking into the
fields, typing, and hitting
the Enter key to exit the
fields

The Buttons Window

As just introduced the Buttons Window is where series of paneled menus and tools. On some screens
this panel might seem fairly small, but not to worry. The same moving around in 3d methods used in the
3d window apply to the buttons panel with the exception that its a 2 dimensional window. Thus
scrolling with the MMB zooms you in and out. Shift + Alt pans through the separate sub panels. One of
the great things about Blender is that the same button used to move around and grab objects in 3d are
used in nearly every aspect of Blender, but more on that later.
Figure 27

The Panels in the Button Window are broken down to 6 Categories: Logic, Script, Shading, Object,
Editing, and Rendering. Some Panels such as the Shadings Panel can have sub categories
Figure 28: Shading Sube Categories

Depending on which category and sub-category is selected certain sub-panels are visible for example the
editing panels differ from the shading panels.
Figure 29: Editing Panels vs. Shading Panels

Depending on what exactly is being worked on at the time, certain panels could be, well, annoyingly in
the way. Blender offers a viable method forgetting panels not being used out of the way. Click on the
white arrow at the top of each panel, will compact the pan.
Figure 30: Shading's Categories Panels Shrunk

The buttons window can be opened up in a side window as opposed to a bottom window split (this can
be accomplished using the window splitting technique). Initially the panels will be floating left right. This
can be changed by right clicking in the panels area and from the menu that appears, selecting Vertical.
This will rearrange the panels vertically to better suite the view.

This allows for a customized tool

arrangement depending on the
users need.

One More Thing About Objects and Themes For Modeling

Each object in Blender has a center point represented by a thick gray dot. While an object is in Object
Mode (the default state objects are in) they rotate around their center.
While modeling a Mesh Object in Blender it can be useful to change the location of an objects center.
There are several ways to alter the location of the objects center.
Figure 31: A cube with the brigh gray dot as its center

One way to change an Objects center is by placing your 3d cursor (see figure 26) and using the Mesh
Panel under the Editing Category in the Button Window. In the Mesh Panel there is a button called
Center Cursor, this button changes the selected objects center to wherever the 3d cursor is.

To have Blender automatically calculate a Center for a selected object use the Center New button on
the Mesh Panel. To center an object or send it towards its center (itll make sense when you have to do
it I swear) use the Center button the Mesh Panel
Finally before modeling, many Blender Heads (er..Blender users) have certain layout and color themes
for Blender. These modeling sessions will be using the default layout but not the default theme. To
follow along precisely you can change Blenders theme real quick by:

1. Place the mouse cursor on

the split line at the top of the 3d
window till the cursor change to
split arrows.

2. LMB click, hold, and drag till

the appearing window over the
3d window is about half way.

3. In the dragged down window

(or more appropriately the User
Preferences window) select the
Themes Button.

Click on the drop down box, select

the Rounded Option. This will change
the theme to what it is used through
out the rest of these pages.