Blender 2.7 - Hotkeys

- Don't panic if you forget a keyboard shortcut. Just press spacebar key.
- I highly recommend you activate the Dynamic Context Menu addon for more spacebar functionality.

---

Blender 2.8 - Hotkeys

Selection Hotkeys:
LEFTMOUSE = make a selection
  SHIFT-LEFTMOUSE = make multiple selections
CTRL-RIGHTMOUSE = Lasso select
ALT-LEFTMOUSE = Select Object Menu [Demo]

A = Select All
  ALT-A = De-select All
B = Box select
C = Circle select
L = select Linked [Demo] [Bones]

Transform Hotkeys:
G = Grab/Move selection
  ALT-G = Reset Location
R = Rotate selection
  ALT-R = Reset Rotation
S = Scale selection
  ALT-S = Reset Scale
[ Press X,Y, or Z to lock a transformation to an axis ]

X = Delete selection
M = Move selection to a collection
H = Hide selection
  ALT-H = Unhide selection
  SHIFT-H Hide everything except selection

SHIFT-A = Add new Object/Bone/Node
SHIFT-D = Duplicate selection

T = Tool Shelf
N = Properties Shelf

SHIFT-S = Snap Menu
SHIFT-C = Set 3D Cursor location to center [0,0,0]

HOME = view entire scene
NUMPAD_PERIOD = view only selection(s)

TAB = switch to Edit Mode/Object Mode/Sculpt Mode/Texture Paint/Weight Paint/Vertex Paint
~ = activate 3D view pie menu
Z = Viewport Shading Mode
Q = Quick Favorites Menu
F3 = Search for any Blender function or tool

Work in progress..

For more shortcuts, check the links below.
- Keymaps
- Blender Fundamentals 2.80

• 1. Editor Types: https://gfycat.com/MatureAgedAndalusianhorse
• 2. Check for errors: https://gfycat.com/OccasionalLoneHorsefly
• 3. Split and Join Editors/Windows: https://gfycat.com/HomelyTallHoneybee
• 4. Widget Locations: https://i.imgur.com/ZEeH2WH.png
  - Left_Click and drag the corner widget to split the window/editor.
  - Right_Click on the border/edge of the editor to Join or Split.
  - Shift+Left_Click and drag the corner widget to open the editor in a new Blender window.
• 5. Object Types:
  
• 6. Transformation Manipulators:
  
  - Keep both Transformation Manipulators (Rotate and Translate) enabled.
  - They will help you see the pivot point during rotation and other operations.
  Example:
  

IMPORTANT: Blender 2.8 - Pivot and Orientation Points

• XPS Tools [Required]
  - Download (GitHub)
  - Blender 2.8 users can access the XPS Tools menu by pressing the N key and selecting the XPS tab on the right side of the 3D Viewport.
• 3D Viewport Pie Menus
  
  - Shading Pie: Hotkey: 'Z' (Quickly change the rendering of the 3D viewport)
  - Mode Switch Pie: Hotkey: 'Tab' (Quickly change Mode)
  - View Numpad Pie: Hotkey: 'Q' (Quickly change viewport direction and perspective)
  [Blender 2.80 - Pie Menu]

- Blender 2.7 Basic Lighting: https://gfycat.com/DapperDiligentIndianringneckparakeet
- Blender 2.7 Advanced Lighting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTMORaEygRE
- Blender 2.8 Advanced Lighting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFNurQ1AF2I
- Blender 2.8 Setup an HDRI Environment Background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VBkj_I-ONk
----------
Keyboard Shortcuts Used In Basic Demo:
Z = Shading Pie Menu (Addon: Pie Menu: 3D Viewport Pie Menus)
X = Delete selected object(s)

Demonstration:
 
When importing multiple character models, feel free to rename the Armatures to something suitable:
Armature.Catwoman
Armature.Batman
You can do this by double clicking on the Armature name in the Outliner Editor

----------
Keyboard Shortcuts Used:
Numpad_Period = View selected object(s)
- Useful if selected object(s) are far away or off screen

Blender 2.7

Method New: https://gfycat.com/frankmintycockerspaniel
- XPS Tools v1.8.5+ will automatically apply textures+materials with the new Principled Shader

Method Old: https://gfycat.com/FlashyGratefulJellyfish

----------
Keyboard Shortcuts Used:
CTRL-LEFTMOUSE = selects the object and its children (Outliner Editor)
T = opens the Tools Shelf
----------

Blender 2.8 (Optional): Speed up 3D Viewport performance by switching to Solid Shading with visible textures.

Keep in mind, your character model may have extra clothes, hairstyles and body parts overlapping each other (it may look weird).
You can hide those extra parts or move them to a separate layer. 
In Object Mode, select the part(s) you don't need, and then press M key to move them to a different Layer or Collection.
- Example: 

Depending on your model, you may need to do a few tweaks:
  



If you want more cleaning tips, click HERE.

Blender 2.7

[Right click video to change video speed]
- Mirror Gfycat: [Part 1] [Part 2]
You can learn more about the awesome Principled Shader HERE and HERE.

Blender 2.8
- You can quickly switch to the Shading workspace to apply materials and textures for the selected Mesh Object.
 

TIP: Hair & Eyelashes (Alpha Transparency Textures): 
 

NOTE: If your Viewport Shading is set to Texture, the model will only show the active selected Image Texture Node:


BONUS: Shading a Human Skin in Blender:

----------
Keyboard Shortcuts Used:
Q = View Numpad Pie Menu (Addon: Pie Menu: 3D Viewport Pie Menus)
X = Delete selected object(s) or node(s)
Shift+A = Add new object or node

Posing similar to XNALara: 
 
- Press N key to open the 3D Viewport's Properties Shelf

Posing without Inverse Kinematics: 

- To start posing your character, select the character's Armature, then switch to Pose Mode. 
- Select a bone, and use any of the Transform Hotkeys:
G = Grab/Move
R = Rotate (Double Tap R = Trackball Rotation Mode)
S = Scale
Press ENTER or LEFTMOUSE during a Transform to Accept new pose.
Press ESC or RIGHTMOUSE during a Transform to Cancel new pose.
If you prefer to pose characters with Inverse Kinematics, continue reading this guide.

**Some XPS models come with custom .pose files you can apply to your character
	- Select the character's Armature (object mode)
	- Open XPS Tools Menu, then click 'Import: Pose'
	- Select a .pose file, and then click the import button.
Want to try out some pose files? Try these!
	- Save the pose files any where you want.
**Import pose files as animation:

- Blender 2.8 users can access the XPS Tools menu by pressing the N key and selecting the XPS tab on the right side of the 3D Viewport.

You may come across a XPS model that has incorrect bone relations:
 

- Select the character's Armature (object mode)
- Open XPS Tools Menu, then click 'Rename Bones: XPS to Blender'
- Left/Right bones will now have a .L or .R at the end of their bone names.
- Select a bone (Pose Mode), press CTRL-C (copy pose), then CTRL-SHIFT-V (opposite bone is now symmetrical)

Bone Naming Conventions [INFO]
Naming conventions in Blender are not only useful for you in finding the right bone, but also to tell Blender when any two of them are counterparts.
If you have a bone that has a copy on the other side (a pair), like a hand, give it one of the following separators:


 

  
Separators
  
LEFT
  
RIGHT
 
 

  

  
handLeft
  
handRight
 
 

  
underscore _
  
hand_L
  
hand_R
 
 

  
dot .
  
hand.l
  
hand.r
 
 

  
dash -
  
hand-l
  
hand-r
 
 

  
space
  
hand LEFT
  
hand RIGHT
 

If there is a lower or upper case “L”, “R”, “left” or “right”, Blender handles the counterpart correctly. 
Pick one and stick to it as close as possible when rigging; it will pay off.
Note:
- Placing the left/right part before the bone name is also valid.
- The short "L"/"R" code can only be used with a separator (e.g. “handL”/ “handR” will not work!).

• New Method: Due to a new XPS Tools update (v1.8.0+), there is now an easier and quicker method:
  
  --- Pose your character
  --- Switch to Object Mode
  --- CTRL-LEFTMOUSE the Armature in the Outliner (this will select the Armature and all of its children)
  --- Open the XPS Tools Menu, and click New Rest Pose.
• Old Method: https://gfycat.com/UnequaledGracefulBull

[Right click video to change video speed]
-- A. - https://gfycat.com/WhirlwindSmallHyena
-- B. - https://gfycat.com/MeagerOldfashionedGalapagoshawk
-- C. Work In Progress... - https://gfycat.com/PleasantGoodnaturedBernesemountaindog
Explanation of IK Setup and Posing (Very Easy)
- https://youtube.com/watch?v=DZ_ocmY8xEI

Click HERE for more Rigging tips.

If you are familiar with Python programming and want to come up with a faster way to give XPS or SFM models the Rigify treatment, please let me know HERE.
Video: Rigifying a SFM Model 
- In the future, I will try to demo a faster alternative method.

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7qGL3LIvcc
[Work in Progress...]

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25N775uHb_4
[Work in Progress...]

Dec 27th 2019
Updated: Step 2. Import XPS Model
- Blender 2.8 Demo: https://gfycat.com/remoteshrillamericanratsnake
Updated: Step 3. Apply Materials and Textures (using XPS Tools)
- Blender 2.8 Demo: https://gfycat.com/embellishedslipperybrahmancow

Dec 23rd 2019
Updated: Step 5. Posing and Importing Poses/Animations (.pose)
- Added info about Bone Relations
- https://i.imgur.com/8KR898R.jpg
- https://gfycat.com/tallbaggyirishterrier

Dec 13th 2019
Updated: Step 6. Setup Bones for Easy Mirror Posing/Symmetrical Posing
- Added info about Bone Naming Conventions
- https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/animation/armatures/bones/editing/naming.html

Nov 29th 2019
Updated: Basic Light Setup
- Added - Blender 2.8 Setup an HDRI Environment Background
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VBkj_I-ONk

Nov 18th 2019
Added - Alternative Link to view tutorial: https://smutba.se/tutorials/view/18/

Oct 13th 2019
Minor Update: Blender 2.8 - Pivot and Orientation Points
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ECvX6DdNE

Sep 11th 2019
Update:
Added demonstrations for fixing see-through meshes/missing faces, fixing transparency, and using black meshes as cartoon outlines.
- https://gfycat.com/mintylatehen
- https://gfycat.com/waterloggedbriskjenny
- https://gfycat.com/piercingdeliciouskitfox

Jul 18th 2019
Minor Update:
- Added gfycat link showing how to enable Pie Menus in Blender 2.80.
- Blender 2.8 users can access the XPS Tools menu by pressing the N key and selecting the XPS tab on the right side of the 3D Viewport.

Apr 7th 2019
Minor Update:
- Changed some image urls from JPG/PNG to WEBP, to speed up page loading.
- Make sure you are using an updated web browser that supports the new WebP image format.
- Let me know if images aren't loading.

Nov 29th 2018
Update:
- Added "Import pose files as Animation" [Demonstration Included]

Oct 22nd 2018
Update:
- XPS Tools v1.8.5+ will automatically apply textures+materials with the new Principled Shader (Blender Cycles) when importing XPS models.

Jul 6th 2018
Updated User Interface Tips 
- Added tip about Transformation Manipulators.

Jun 2018
Updated Blender Random Tips 
- Added troubleshooting tip for Scaling and Rotating.
Updated Blender User Interface Tips 
- Added info about different Editor types.

May 2018
Updated Step 3: 
- Added demo example of moving objects to a different layer.
Updated Step 4: 
- Added tip for applying transparency to hair/eyelashes/etc.
- Added explanation of why people were have difficulty seeing textures when Viewport Shading is set to Texture mode.
Updated Step 5 
- Added a tip for posing characters in a similar way to XNALara.
- Added visual demonstration of posing characters without Inverse Kinematics.
- Posing characters with Forward Kinematics, for those who don't want to use IK rigs for posing.
Reuploaded gfycat link that was dead. Added some clarification to Steps 3 and 4.