Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Putting Hat on Person
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This tutorial uses the simple person model and hat from a previous tutorial. If you didn't do it, go back and do it now---or find it pre-made just for you here.
Once you have created the hat, and are satisfied with the 'form' of it, now it's time to change the rotation, location, and size of the whole object in 3D space. Switch to Object mode and select the hat.
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[edit] Rotation
First, change the rotation of the object. To change the rotation of the hat, press RKEY. Now you can move your mouse around to change its rotation. It will rotate on a different axis depending on what viewpoint you are rotating it from. The rotation axis will always be perpendicular to your viewpoint, so it looks like you're rotating a 2 dimensional image. Press the RMB, or ESC, to bring you back to the original rotation.
When you press the RKEY, you are actually entering a rotation mode that can be altered by further key strokes. For instance, pressing the YKEY after the RKEY will rotate the hat about the Y-axis. Pressing the ZKEY will rotate it about the Z-axis, and the same goes for the XKEY.
If you press the ZKEY, YKEY, or XKEY just once, you will rotate the object around the global X, Y, or Z axis of the scene. If you press the same key a second time, it will rotate around its local axis instead. This will only make a difference if the object has been rotated before, because initially its local axis will be the same as the global one. So rotate an object a few times to see the difference between local and global rotation. This effect is most dramatic if you select multiple rotated objects and try to rotate them around their individual local axis together.
User contributed edit:
With Blender 2.49b (and possibly other versions?) repeatedly pressing an axis constraint key as described above will in fact toggle through 3 modes of constraint. RKEY will start rotate mode around the view axis. The first press of a constraint key places rotation in global mode and the second press places rotation in local mode. A third press returns you back to view axis rotation.
Also keep in mind that you can select which pivot point to rotate around. If you did the previous exercises it is probably set to the 3D cursor. If so, set it back to Median Point.
Important to note is that the shape will rotate around its origin, or center point, indicated by a small, pink dot that was created when you created the shape. It should be in the center of your vertices, but if it isn't, there are a couple of ways to get it back. One is to go into edit mode, select all vertices, and move them around the center point. Another is use the LMB to put the cursor where you would like the center point, go into object mode and press the "center cursor" button in editing panel (F9). Or you could hit SHIFT+SKEY, select Selection → Center. The final method is to click on the Editing button (F9) and click either the Center or Center New button in the Mesh panel. The Center button will automatically move the object's vertices to the dot, and the Center New button will move the dot to the center of your vertices.
Hit the NUM1 on the numberpad to get the front view. Hit the RKEY, followed by the ZKEY and move your mouse. This will rotate the hat perfectly around the Z-axis. Hold down the CTRL button so it only rotates in 5 degree increments and click the LMB when you come to the correct position. (Do this with the X- and Y-axis if needed).
Alternatively, you can click and drag the LMB in a circular motion around the object, to "draw" an arc. This is called a mouse gesture and has the same effect as pressing the RKEY.
[edit] Location
After you have the hat in proper rotation, you will want to move it to the proper position. You do this the same way you move an individual point. Press the GKEY (for "grab") and move the mouse. Pressing the X, Y, or Z key will have a similar effect as it did with rotation, restricting the movement to the X, Y, or Z axis. Pressing the MMB while moving will also restrict the movement. Pressing the RMB will reset the object to its original position, without making any changes.
Alternatively, you can click and drag the LMB in a straight line to activate moving the object. This is another mouse gesture and the same as pressing the GKEY.
[edit] Size
You may notice that the hat is a little big for the person we created. No problem, we'll just change the size. You do this by pressing the SKEY, for "scale". You can scale the object just along its X, Y, or Z axis, making it thinner, shorter, fatter, or wider.
Alternatively, you can click and drag the LMB back and forth from the object to scale it. Start at the object, move your mouse a little away from it, then drag back to the object to draw a line and go back over it. This is, you've guessed it, a mouse gesture as well and the same as pressing the SKEY.
So, just remember:
- SKEY is for Scale
- RKEY is for Rotation
- GKEY is for Grab (Move)
[edit] Putting it on
Once you have the hat in position, you will want to "put it on". To do this, we make the man the 'parent' of the hat. What this means is that, when we move the hat, we just move the hat. However, when we move the man, we move the man AND the hat.
Make sure that you are in object mode and the hat is selected. Hold down shift and select the man by pressing the RMB. Both the man and the hat should now be selected. Hold down CTRL and press PKEY and select "make parent" in the confirmation box to make the man a parent to the hat. Now when you move the hat you will see a line from the hat to the man, indicating that the man is the hat's parent. If you move the man, the hat will move along with him. Otherwise, if you only move the hat, the man will stay at its place. Don't forget to pay attention to the order of your selection. The first selected object becomes the child of the second one.
