Friday, February 3, 2012

My Notes

Here are my notes on Blender so far. I write them as I go along, I won't dress them up. This is just how I wrote them.



SHORTCUTS

link objects (materials) : CTRL+L
snap camera to viewport : CTRL+ALT+ 
 NUM PAD 0
loop select : CTRL+R-CLICK
repeat action : SHIFT+R
transformation lock plane / axis : SHIFT+XYZ / XYZ

soft select ( proportional editing ) : Edit mode > O > MMB scroll for size
reflect geometry : set 3D cursor to center > pivot point 3D cursor > select object > S > choose axis > -1 >ENTER

align vertices to axis : select vertices > S > choose axis > NUM PAD 0 > ENTER
translate (grab) / rotate / scale : G / R / S
extrude individual: ALT+E

toggle edit / object mode : TAB
center cursor : SHIFT+C
set camera focus to object : Select object > NUM PAD DELETE
bezier curve to mesh : ALT+C
smart fill faces : ALT+F
beautify faces : SHIFT+ALT+F
inverse kinematics (select target then tip) : SHIFT+I
remove triangles : ALT+J
combine : CTRL+J
knife cut : K or SHIFT+K
select linked faces : L
move to layer : M
separate : P
clear bone parent : ALT+P
remove parent-child relationship : ALT+P
parent bone (select child then parent) : CTRL+P
loop cut : CTRL+R (scroll to add subD)
snap menu : SHIFT+S
align vertices to an axis : S > Axis > 0
merge : W
rename bones:  W
propagate to all shape keys: W
select more / less : CTRL+NUM(+/-)
hide / unhide : H / ALT+H
render portion: (camera mode) CTRL+B

NODE EDITOR SHORTCUTS (materials)
expand/ minimize group : TAB
group nodes : CTRL+G
add node: SHIFT+A


:: CULLING OPTION ::
Blender Render mode > N > Display panel > Textured Solid [on]


:: MIRRORING ::

Mirror in Object Mode: Duplicate > Scale -1

:: TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND ::
Render panel
png - rbga
shading - alpha - sky

:: Unwrap UV Map ::
Edit Mode > Create Mesh
Select edges > CTR+E > Mark Seams
A(select all) > U > Unwrap
UV/Image Editor Panel
UVs > Export UV Layout
(go to favorite image editor and create a .PNG with transparent background)
UV/Image Editor Panel > A (select all) > ALT+O ( Image > Open Image )

:: Transparent UV Image Mapping ::
Object Mode
Properties Panel
Object Data option > add new UV Texture
Texture option > add Texture
Preview > select Both
Image > select Image
Image > Premultiply / Premul (makes image edges smooth)
Image Sampling > Alpha > Use
Mapping > Coordinates > UV
Mapping > Choose the created UV Map
Influence > Diffuse > Color
Influence > Blend > Mix

:: Texture on a Transparent Material ::
Object Mode
Properties Panel
Materials > Transparency> Alpha : 0
Texture > Influence > Alpha : 1



:: Mirror Armature ::
Build half of armature
Name all bones to be reflected with .L extention
Parent to mesh and create empty vertex groups
Set Vertex Groups
Object Mode > Select armature
Duplicate > Inverse Scale to Cursor
Select duplicate > Edit Mode
Delete axis bones (ones that don't need mirroring)
W > rename (change .L to .R)
Object Mode
Select both Armatures > CTR+J
Delete original Armature Modifier from mesh
Select Mesh > select Armature
CTR+P > create empty vertex groups
Be sure that Vertex Groups is checked under the Mesh's Mirror Modifier



:: UV Image Black Background Problem ::
Set UV/Image editor to "draw image with RGB colors and alpha transparency"
Edit Mode 
Select a plane
Properties > Object Data > Texture Face > Transparency > Alpha
Select all planes > CTRL+C > Copy Transparency