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Blender Tricks:

Nearly all this help comes from (shakesoda) or (ZaCkOX1000) Some of this information was originally written with Blender 2.79; most still applies to 2.80.

User Interface (2.80)

  • Bottom of the window, status bar, shows what LMB, MMB and RMB does at seemingly any time, with a glance.
  • "Header Menu" is usually positioned at the top, if loading from 2.79 it may be located on the bottom.
    • You can change in Edit > Preferences > Interface > Editors > Header Position (Top or Bottom), default is by file.

Techniques

Playing with Texture Coordinates (UV Unwrapping)

  • Select on edge in uv editor, and use W menu to set align (auto/x/y) to get straight lines.
  • In vertex mode (of UV editor) use W menu to Weld (or W, W) to lock two vertices together.

Sliding along an Edge

  • Purpose: Slide an edge along the edges it is connected to, or a vertex along the connect edges.
  • Hotkey: G, G
  • Holding ALT will allow movement beyond the initial edge in the same edge direction it is locked to.

Modifiers

Using Mirror Modifier on Cylinder (with ngon caps)

  1. Use z to see transparently.
  2. Lock view to axis with numpad buttons.
  3. Select and delete half of the shape.
  4. Click on the end cap, press y to split the polygon then w menu to use symmetrize.
  5. Delete half of the shape.
  6. Remove doubles with a to select, w menu to use remove doubles
  7. Repeat for other cap and mirror modify the shape.

Make selection fall on a plane

  1. Set orientation to 'Normal' mode, (as opposed to Global)
  2. Select the faces that should remain planar.
  3. Press s to scale.
  4. Press z then z to scale along z-normal axis.
  5. Press 0 to set that scale to zero.

Note this can't fix the issue of quads turning in multiple axis, (like a racetrack turning while changing elevation pitch.).

Make something symmetric (without mirror modifier)

  1. Make selection.
  2. w menu symmetrize
  3. Use the tool menu to specify direction/threshold

Edit Mode Tool and Usage Tips

Modes

  • 2.79 Hotkey: CTRL+TAB with v for vertices, e for edges and f for faces.

  • 2.80 Pressing 1, 2 or 3 will change to vertices, edges or faces respectively.

    • Holding SHIFT while pressing 1, 2, or 3 will multiselct modes.

  • Purpose: Change between what gets selected or modified during edit mode manipulators like grab, scale, rotate etc.

  • NOTE: Edit in multiple modes, at the same time by shift-select the modes (vertices, edges, faces) on the bottom panel.

Selecting Things

No setup notes yet, but I believe the default is not left click select, which is used in the following section.

  • Left click to select an individual (vertex, edge or face).
  • ALT+LMB to loop select (when built properly)
  • CTRL+NUMPAD+ or CTRL+NUMPAD- to extend/decrease loop selections.
  • Press L to select the entire linked area under the mouse, or CTRL+L to select entire linked area to current selection.
  • Use SHIFT+G to perform all sorts of neat selection tricks related to something already selected. This tool has options (bottom-left) to modify.

Hiding / Unhiding (showing) Things

  • Press NUMPAD+/ to hide everything except the selections.
  • Press H to hide current selection.
  • Press ALT+H to unhide, everything?
  • Hold CTRL while clicking the eye-ball icon in the Outliner / scene list to hide children objects as well.

Helpful Workflows

Creating Tubed Pipes / Track Surfaces

  • Create a curve, SHIFT+A Curve > Bezier Curve
  • In the Curve Properties tab, above Materials, adjust Bevel Depth/Resolution
    • Resolution of 0 is 4 sided, 1 is 6, 2 is 8 ...
  • Manipulate the curve as desired, remember you can change the type of a specic handle with V
  • Note: Blender may choose Z as the "normal" axis for deformation which is the reason why tilt 90 may be required to get a track surface to remain flat. As to why Y vs -Y acts differently with tilt, just mess around with it I guess.

When doing it manually with cylinder mesh / already to-meshed tube

  • Create circle with the desired radius and position of the curve you want.
  • Set the cursor to center of circle.
  • Loop select the cap-edge of the pipe/cylinder.
  • Use the spin tool to spin.
  • Caveat: This might only work well with global axis?

Layout of a track or object

  • Start with empty scene, add a plane, enter edit-mode, A delete (all)
  • Ensure to enter vertex mode, if nothing happens this is a reason why.
  • Using CTRL+RMB add vertices / edges to create the track (or general layout thoughts)
  • Helpful to create curves by selecting vertex and pressing CTRL+SHIFT+B
    • Use scroll wheel to add more segments (smoother curves)
    • Move mouse position to change shape.
  • For a racetrack, when finished with layout:
    • Duplicate the object with SHIFT+D, hide original, select the duplicate.
    • Cleanup unnessary bits/layout thoughts
    • In Object Mode, Object -> Convert To Curve
  • Make several things FLAT respective to eachother
    • Select the Normal transform (usually on global, icon of 3D gimbal)
    • s, z, z, 0

Painted Texturing Process

  • Create, and finalize the shape of the model before anything further. When happy
    • remove any big useless polygons before moving on (or any useless polygons)
  • Apply all modifiers (or primarily the ones that generate geometry: mirror)
  • Join any parts that are separate that should be on the object (house and chimney)
  • Select all in edit mode and press U to choose Smart UV Project then pray.
    • Use the menu the pops up to add margins so the separated parts don't paint over seams.

Texturing Tips in General

  • Enable selection sync is useful... It is the two diagnoal opposite arrows in "view header"
  • To avoid pain when painting use unified colors (header menu in Texture Paint: Brush -> unified colors and such)

Creating a Render

  • To position the render camera move your view camera as desired then select the Camera object and press CTRL+ALT+Numpad0
    • It can help to position using the flying camera which is SHIFT+~ in Blender 2.8
    • If you accidentally set your camera to another object, because that is possible, fix it by
      • Open Scene Properties (a few icons above modifier icon) and choose the camera in Camera slot.
  • If having issues with lights leaking through connected objects try turning on Contact Shadows.
    • Access this by selecting each light and in the light properties there is a Contact Shadows checkbox.

Create a Wireframe Render

  • Use the Wireframe modifier on your mesh.
  • If too busy, make a copy of the object and set an emissive, plain colored material.
  • Use an emissive plain black/colored material for the original mesh.
  • You may want a plane with the same plain colored emissive material for the render.
  • Limitation; this techique does not allow for a transparent render/video.

Intersecting an Edge with a Face

This used to test ray and box intersection stuff. Blender 4.0.2

  • Set snap tool to face, and use CTRL or turn on snap
  • Subdivide or grab an edge with "grab grab" mode to restrict to motion along the ray.
  • Done, profit. If that is broken (it was in the past, use the steps below)

Longer steps in case the above simple solution fails;

  • Select the edge representing the ray.
  • Change Global orientation to a Custom with +"
  • Next to magnet, change snap mode to Face
  • Use one of the end-points, or subdivide the edge and grab the middle...
  • Restrict to Y axis and snap (with CTRL) to land on the face of intersection.
  • Delete Custom edge orientation by selecting it and pressing the X

Unformatted mess:

Mirror as a one off, immediately using menus: `Object > Mirror` which is not a modifier.
alm-m to merge vertices.
'c' to use circle select, to left-click/paint selection (shift to unselect paint area)
ctrl-mouse (RMB) to lasso select

button-to right of face select mode button can be used to select things on the other side. (ghost thingy)
bevel tool: ctrl-b, use scroll wheel for more loops
alt-s to scale along normals (or shrink/fatten in words of (shakesoda)

Use period to put the origin/scale/things with the cursor as the hotspot.
Use comma to put the origin/scale/things to the selection.

Proportional Edit Mode
alt-o to enter/exit proportional edit mode
Check the area of influence (use scroll wheel)

- **Split a mesh into smaller parts**
	In edit mode, select the parts/faces desired in the new part
	then press `p` and use `selection` to break it apart into a new mesh.

- **Joining two meshes together, with same surface loops**
	In object mode, select the meshes to be joined.
	Press `ctrl-j` to join them into a single mesh.
	In edit mode, select the edges of the two peices to be combined and bridge
		Bridge via space 'bridge' or `w` menu `e` ... also or ... `ctrl-e` menu `l`

- Snapping to various things
	Bottom right of 3D view has 'closest' next to that is a mode, vertex, edge, increment etc.
	Grab item to move to snapped location, lock in axis if needed,
	Hover thgy

Working with Materials:
	Don't hit [+] New unless a new material is required, use the ball next to it to select a material.
	To delete a material from that list: 

ctrl-x to dissolve an edge loop (or other things) S
shift-k in vertex paint mode to fill
v is a hotkey to go to vertex paint/to object mode

shift-f free move (fps) camera can use LEFT-CLICK to set the view and return to edit.
	in Blender 2.8+ this is now `SHIFT+~`
shift-f1 to open/copy an object/something from one blend file into current.

select, then scale 0 on the Z (or other axis) to create a flat spot)
hit axis key a second time (g, x, x) to move along normal

ctrl numpad +/- to increase/decrease selections
to slice a model- 'a' to select all, then use 'bisect' (select fill, clear inner/outer to taste)
knife tool 'k' to create new 
While in color mode, use s to sample the color under cursor. (perhaps just UV/Image editor?)

m to move an object from one layer to another.


☐ Mesh cleanup, remove doubles with:
	In edit-mode, select all `a` then
	`w` menu `r` for remove doubles

☐ `Copy a mesh`
	Do NOT use ctrl-c/ctrl-v (shakesoda says this litters the file with junk; as in
	it also duplicates the materials and stuff.)
	☐ Use `alt-d` to link and share same object data
	☐ Use `shift-d` to duplicate the mesh without sharing.


☐ Splitting a curve into multiple segments
	Select both nodes that should be split, press `w` then `s` to subdivide.

Select child object first, then parent next and hit `CTRL+P` to link.
	To unparent an object, select the child then press `ALT+P`

☐ `Playing with the 3D Cursor`s
alt-home centers the rotation to 3d cursor

☐ `Extrude along perpendicular`
Select the edge, `e` to extrude, `escape` to cancel movement, `alt-s` to move along normal.

tab to edit mode
grab the bottom edge (or desired rotation point)
`SHIFT+S` cursor to selected
	in 2.8 you can use `SHIFT+S` then `2` to avoid mouse move/click.
period (regular keyboard) to switch 3D cursor pivot   (comma to set back to average)
tab to object mode
rotate etc

`Permanently change center point in object mode to move origin to geometry or cursor`
ctrl-alt-shift-c

EXPORTING LEVEL:
	DO NOT SAVE DURING THIS PROCESS
	box-select all tiles/objects
	relations tab on T menu: make local (all)
	box-select all tiles/objects (again)
	ctrl-shift-a (make duplicates real)
	relations tab on T menu: make single user (check option for "object data")
	Apply transforms
	Export
	DO NOT SAVE
	File > Revert


Color palette:
	https://puu.sh/BcZLm/b148cf14df.png File >preferences >File,
	set textures directory if not already.
	Then go open C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.79\scripts\addons\paint_palette.py 
		insert in to line 110 "searchpaths=[bpy.context.user_preferences.filepaths.texture_directory]"
		save it.
	Back to preferences in blender Add-on tab,
		search paint,
		and enable pallet
	finally migrate you pallet to the other pallet using the eye dropper in the colour picker.
	
Animation:
	Good luck!
	Display the bones on top of the mesh for easier selection by
		- Select the Armature
		- Use the Armature menu (human like skeleton icon where modifiers/materials live)
		- Open Viewport Display and check the box "In Front"
	Jump to start / end of animation with `SHIFT+LEFT` or `SHIFT+RIGHT`