Select & Transform – Blender 2.80 Fundamentals

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This tutorial is part of the Blender Fundamentals series, produced by Dillon Gu.

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Select and Transform Features #

In Blender, the ability to select and transform objects and components is crucial for 3D modeling, animation, and scene manipulation. This guide will outline the main selection and transformation features available in Blender, along with useful tips to improve your workflow.

1. Selection #

Selection is fundamental for interacting with objects and components in Blender. The available selection tools vary depending on the mode you are in.

1.1 Object Mode #

• Left-click: Select a single object.
• Shift + Left-click: Add/remove an object to/from the current selection.
• Box Select: Press B or click the ‘Box Select’ tool in the Tool Shelf and drag to select multiple objects within a rectangular area.
• Circle Select: Press C or click the ‘Circle Select’ tool in the Tool Shelf and paint over objects to select them.
• Lasso Select: Press Ctrl + Left-click and drag, or click the ‘Lasso Select’ tool in the Tool Shelf to draw a custom selection shape.

1.2 Edit Mode #

• Left-click: Select a single component (vertex, edge, or face) in Edit Mode.
• Shift + Left-click: Add/remove a component to/from the current selection.
• Double Left-click: Select a loop of edges or vertices.
• Alt + Left-click: Select an edge loop or edge ring.
• Ctrl + Alt + Left-click: Select an edge ring.
• Box Select, Circle Select, and Lasso Select work similarly to Object Mode.

2. Transformation #

Transforming objects and components involves moving, rotating, or scaling them within the 3D space.

2.1 Object Mode and Edit Mode #

• Move: Press G or click the ‘Move’ tool in the Tool Shelf to move the selected object or component. To constrain movement to a specific axis, press X, Y, or Z.
• Rotate: Press R or click the ‘Rotate’ tool in the Tool Shelf to rotate the selected object or component. To constrain rotation to a specific axis, press X, Y, or Z.
• Scale: Press S or click the ‘Scale’ tool in the Tool Shelf to scale the selected object or component. To constrain scaling to a specific axis, press X, Y, or Z.

2.2 Proportional Editing #

Proportional editing allows you to smoothly transform multiple components based on their distance from the selected component. To enable proportional editing, press O or click the ‘Proportional Editing’ button in the top toolbar. Scroll the mouse wheel to adjust the falloff radius while transforming.

3. Pivot Points #

Pivot points determine the center of transformations for objects or components. To change the pivot point, use the dropdown menu in the top toolbar:

• Bounding Box Center: Transforms around the center of the bounding box that encloses the selection.
• 3D Cursor: Transforms around the 3D cursor’s location.
• Individual Origins: Transforms each selected component around its own origin.
• Median Point (default): Transforms around the median point of the selection.
• Active Element: Transforms around the last selected object or component.

Tips #

1. To transform along custom orientations, create a custom transform orientation by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar or by using the dropdown menu in the top toolbar.
2. Use the ‘Snap’ feature to align objects and components to grid points, surfaces, or other objects. Press Shift + Tab to toggle snapping or configure it from the top toolbar.
3. Press