Changes between Version 16 and Version 17 of content/tools/BlenderKnowledgeBase

Timestamp:

Mar 1, 2008, 1:05:10 PM (17 years ago)

Author:

FelixSchulthess

Comment:

—

content/tools/BlenderKnowledgeBase

@@ -1 +1 @@
 = Blender Knowledge Base =
 
-== Handouts ==
- * [http://svn.orxonox.net/webdev/pps/ws0607/l02/workshop1/blender_modeling_hotkeys.pdf Modeling Hotkeys]
- * [http://svn.orxonox.net/webdev/pps/ws0607/l03/workshop2/blender_texturing_tutorial.pdf Texturing Tutorial]
-== Blender Tips ==
- * Use reference images or sketches (Front, Top, Side) as background images. ("View" -> "Backgroud Image...")
- * Use symmetries - mirror your mesh
- * Add details very conservative (observe the total number of faces)
- * Don't smooth edges with acute angles - subdivide if you want it more round
- * Merge useless points at the end
- * Mesh -> Scripts -> Clean Meshes 
- * Mesh -> Scripts -> Poly Reducer
- * Optimize your edge directions (needs illustration)
+This page is a collection of various problems and strategies in Blender. Feel free to add items!
 
-== Check your mesh for... ==
- * Holes
- * Inverted face normals
- * Doubled edges and faces
- * Faces and pionts inside your mesh
- * Overlapping faces in your mesh
+== Useful Tips For Modeling ==
+ * Use reference images or sketches as background images. To do this, try "View" -> "Backgroud Image..."
+ * Use symmetries. If your model will be symmetrical or almost symmetrical, then you don't have to model both sides. Use the Mirror modifier instead and add small details after that.
+ * When adding details to your object, try to save faces. Keep an eye on the face count in the info bar at the top.
+ * Don't smooth edges with acute angles. Subdivide instead, if you want it more round.
+ * Optimize your model in the end
+  * Merge useless points at the end to reduce the face count.
+  * Mesh -> Scripts -> Clean Meshes 
+  * Mesh -> Scripts -> Poly Reducer
+  * Optimize your edge directions (needs illustration)
 
-== Blender FAQ ==
-=== 1. How can I manipulate numeric? ===
-Activate your modificator (e.g. E for extrude) then just input a numeric value. ENTER finalizes, ESC exits.
+== Things Not to Do ==
+ * Leave holes in your mesh. Use Shift + F instead to fill them.
+ * Make sure, all normals point outside. Select all faces in Edit mode and hit Ctrl + N
+ * Avoid:
+  * Double edges and faces
+  * Vertices in plain air
+  * Faces, edges and vertices inside your mesh
+  * Overlapping faces
 
-Alternative: Press N in edit mode to activate the "Transform Properties" menu and then apply your modification (e.g. E for extrude).
+== Frequently Asked Questions ==
 
-=== 2. How can I set back or bottom view? ===
-Holding the mouse over your 3D Viewport and pressing the NUM7, NUM1, and NUM3 buttons will bring you back to perfectly aligned top, front, and side views respectively. Pressing CTRL+NUM7, CTRL+NUM1, and CTRL+NUM3 will result in displaying the bottom, back, and other side views, respectively.
+=== How can I manipulate numeric? ===
+Activate your modificator (e.g. E to extrude, G to move, ...) then just input a numeric value. In the header of the 3D-View, you will get numerical feedback. Hit Enter to confirm or ESC to abort the modification.
 
-=== 3. How can I manipulate my pivot of my mesh? ===
-Put the 3D cursor where you want the pivot (origin) to be. Then press F9. Then press "Centre cursor" button in the mesh panel (in the menu).
+Alternatively, press N to bring up the "Transform Properties" window. It gives you numerical info location, dimension and rotation of your object and you can also enter numerical values there.
 
-=== 4. How can I render my 3d view (instead of the camera)? ===
+=== How can I set back or bottom view? ===
+Holding the mouse over your 3D Viewport and pressing the NUM7, NUM1 or NUM3 buttons will bring you back to perfectly aligned top, front, and side views. Pressing CTRL+NUM7, CTRL+NUM1, and CTRL+NUM3 will result in displaying the bottom, back, and other side views, respectively.
+
+=== How can I manipulate my pivot of my mesh? ===
+You can choose the pivot point for rotating, spinning and similar functions by selection an option from the drop-down menu in the header of the 3D-View. The default is "Median Point" but you can also pick other options like "3D-Cursor" to place the pivot point freely with the 3D-Cursor.
+
+=== How can I render my 3d view instead of the camera view? ===
  * Switch to Object mode
- * Open Render Preview ("View" -> "Render Preview") or (Shift+P)
- * move/resize the window to you likings,
- * right-click the window
- * enjoy
+ * Open Render Preview: "View" -> "Render Preview"
+ * Move/Resize the window to your likings,
+ * Right-click the window to render a preview. Note that it often doesn't have the quality of a normal render, but it is useful to get an idea of what the render will look like.
 
-=== 5. How can I change the grid distance for the "Snap-to-Grid" function? ===
-?
+=== How can I change the grid distance for the "Snap-to-Grid" function? ===
 
-=== 6. Help! 50% of my normals are inverted, it'll take forever to find and change them all!!! ===
+Tell us if you know!
 
- * Select all faces,
- * 'Mesh' -> 'Normals' -> 'Recalculate Outside'
- * Also works with 'Ctrl n'
- * Relax
+=== How can I check my normals? ===
 
-Btw. If you don't know wether your normals are inverted,
- * Edit Mode -> 'F9'
- * Under 'Mesh Tools 1', click on 'Draw Normals'
- * Those blue lines pointing into your model are bad!
- * Those blue lines pointing out of your model are good!
- * 'w'-> 'Flip Normals' lets you change them all individually.
- * If you don't feel like it, see above.
+ * Edit Mode -> F9
+ * Under "Mesh Tools 1", click on "Draw Normals". The blue lines that appear are your face normals. You want them to point outside of the mesh.
+ * Selecting a face and choosing W -> "Flip Normals" lets you change them all individually.
+ * You can also select all your faces and hit Ctrl + N to make them all point outside.