Blender's user interface
The most common problem for a new user of Blender is Blender's graphical user interface. It is one of a kind! (And I mean this in a good sense).
Some oddities
This is a list of general "oddities" in Blender:
- The file dialogs are different from that what operating system provides. But the dialogs of Blender looks same in every operating system.
- The focus of the window works like it works in Unix-world: the position of the cursor defines the active window. It means that you don't active window by clicking it but moving cursor over it.
- There is no double-click. Instead of double-click you can use middle-mouse button for example selecting files in the file dialog.
- Blender relies heavily on keyboard shortcuts.
There are some more spesific things:
- By default, the selection of 3D-objects is done by right-clicking. (this can be changed)
- You cannot select objects by normal border selection (this means by dragging with left mouse button pressed). Instead, you have to press B first.
- In many operations, the objects get attached to cursor. This means that the operation does not end when mouse button is released. Instead the operation ends when mouse button is clicked again. (for example move operation. Left mouse button ends the operation and right button cancels it).
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The most commom problems
These are usually related the object/geometry distinction which is related to Object/Edit-mode.
- User adds new objects in Edit-mode. That adds new geometry to currently selected object, which is not normally desired.
- Deleting all geometry of object instead of deleting object. Normally
user wants to delete object but if deleting is made in Edit-mode, only
the geometry is deleted and an empty object remains.
- Losing orientation. After wildly rotating objects and view, the user has no idea from where s/he is looking at. The view can be always resetted by selecting View -> Side/Front/Top/Camera.
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Some basic settings used in this tutorial
Let's make some settings that probably makes things easier for a beginner.
By default the selection of the objects is done with right clicking. At least for me, that was something I couldn't learn any more :) Fortunately that can be changed easily.
- You'll find these settings by dragging down the border of (default) 3D-window.
- Choose View & Controls.
- Set following settings:
- Select With: Left Mouse
- Middle Mouse Button: Pan View
- View Rotation: Turntable (turntable is easier, try it yourself)
- Auto Perspective (use perspective in non-ortographical views)
NOTE: All material in this tutorial is based on these settings (selecting is done by left-clicking and 3D-cursor is placed by right-clicking)