How to Use Blender: Best Tips to Become a Pro

Are you a fan of video games or animated films? Do you find yourself marveling at the intricacy and realism of 3D models and animations? Do you wish that you, too, could create something that seems to come alive on the computer screen?

Believe it or not, getting started with 3D animation is more accessible than ever, and you can begin your journey in the next five minutes by downloading Blender. It’s a popular 3D modeling software and it’s completely free to use, so there’s no financial barrier or risk to getting started.  All you need is time and a willingness to get through the learning curve. 

What Is Blender? 

Blender is a powerful modeling program you can use to build 3D assets for any kind of creative project. It’s often used in designing animations, visual effects, video games, virtual reality applications, 3D printed models, interior design renders and much more. 

Blender supports the creation of 3D assets at every step in the process, from modeling to motion tracking. It even has a built-in video editor, so you can fine-tune animation sequences without needing dedicated editing software. 

Other Reasons To Try Blender

• It’s free and open-source; if you’re well-versed in Python, you can use Blender’s API to customize it to your specific needs.
• It’s cross-platform and available for Windows, Mac and Linux computers. 
• It has a thriving community—there are always people working to make improvements, share tips and offer support.
• It’s a popular choice among beginners and there are countless online resources to help you get started with Blender at your own pace.

3 Steps for Installing Blender

Follow the steps below to download Blender and start your own 3D animation journey. Before you begin, check that your computer meets the following requirements:

• Operating system
  • Windows 8.1, 10 or 11
  • macOS 10.15 Intel or 11.0 Apple Silicon
  • Linux distributions using glibc 2.28 or newer
• Windows 8.1, 10 or 11
• macOS 10.15 Intel or 11.0 Apple Silicon
• Linux distributions using glibc 2.28 or newer
• 64-bit quad core CPU with SSE4.2 support (64-bit eight core CPU recommended)
• 8 GB RAM (32 GB recommended)
• 1920×1080 Full HD display (2560×1440 recommended)
• 2 GB VRAM Graphics Card that supports OpenGL 4.3 (8 GB VRAM recommended)
• Less than 10 year old
• Mouse, trackpad or pen+tablet 
• Windows 8.1, 10 or 11
• macOS 10.15 Intel or 11.0 Apple Silicon
• Linux distributions using glibc 2.28 or newer

Step 1

Head to www.blender.org/download. 

Step 2

To download the Windows installer, click the “Download Blender” button.

To download the Windows store app, portable file, macOS, Linux and other versions, open up the drop-down menu underneath and make your selection. 

Step 3: 

On a Windows computer:

• Find the installer file in your Downloads folder and double-click it. 
• Follow the prompts provided in the Setup Wizard.
• Click Finish to complete the installation. 
• Blender will now be ready to open from the Desktop or the Start menu. 

On a macOS computer:

• Find the installer in your Downloads folder and double-click it. 
• Drag the Blender icon into the Applications icon to initiate installation.
• Once installation is complete, Blender will be ready to open from the Applications folder or the Launchpad. 

How To Use Blender: The Basics 

Before you start sculpting your first 3D model in Blender, spend some time familiarizing yourself with its basic features and how to use them. 

Note that Blender is easiest to navigate with a 3-button mouse, so the instructions below include the middle button/scroll wheel. There are ways to use Blender without it, but if you’re planning to spend lots of time in the program, getting one will make things much easier and more enjoyable. 

1. Navigating the Viewport

When you first open Blender, you’ll see a 3D cube in the middle of the viewport. Try using the following commands to navigate your way around it:

• Hold down the middle mouse button and move your mouse to see the cube from different angles.
• Hold down SHIFT + middle mouse button and move the mouse to explore the viewport without rotating in the 3D space.
• Use the scroll wheel to move closer or further away from the cube. For a smoother zoom motion, hold down CTRL + middle mouse button and move your mouse up and down.
  

2. Transforming Objects

Transforming an object in Blender means moving, rotating or scaling it. Left-click to select the cube and try each of the following:

• Moving: Press G, followed by X, Y or Z to move the cube along that specific axis. If you don’t indicate an axis, you’ll be able to move the cube freely in two dimensions, based on how your screen is currently oriented.
• Rotating: Press R, followed by X, Y or Z. Once again, if you don’t indicate an axis, you’ll be able to rotate the cube based on how you’re currently looking at it. 
• Scaling: Press S, followed by the axis you’d like to adhere to. If you don’t select an axis, the cube will be scaled uniformly along all three. 

When moving, rotating or scaling, you can left-click to confirm the transformation or right-click to return back to the original position/size. 

3. Adding New Objects

To add a new object, press SHIFT + A. This brings up the Add menu. Under Mesh, select the type of object you’d like to add. 

To delete an object, left-click to select it and hit the Delete button on your keyboard. 

4. Editing Objects 

So far, you’ve been playing around in Object Mode—this is where you can add, move, rotate and scale objects. 

Now, hit TAB on your keyboard to switch over to Edit Mode. The interface will change a bit, and you’ll see new tools added on the left side of the screen. 

On the left side of the screen, select the Move tool (it looks like four arrows pointing in different directions). 

• Hit 1 on your keyboard to enter Vertex editing mode. Each of the black dots in the corner of the cube are vertices—click one to select it and then drag it to change the shape of the cube. 
• Hit 2 to enter Edge editing mode. Edges are made up of two vertices and are depicted with black lines. You can move, rotate or scale edges to change the shape of your object. 
• Hit 3 to enter Face editing mode. Faces are made up of three or more edges. For example, a cube has six faces that look like squares. Like edges, you can move, rotate or scale the faces of your object. 

You can hold down SHIFT to select and manipulate multiple vertices, edges or faces. 

You can also press F to fill two vertices with a new edge or fill two or more edges with a new face. 

5. Other Common Tools

To create more complex shapes, you’ll need to master a few other tools. Try the following: 

• In Face editing mode, select a face and press E on your keyboard to extrude it (extend it or push it inward). Drag it in your desired direction and left-click to confirm. 
• In Face editing mode, select a face and press I to enable the Inset tool. You can use it to create a new, smaller face inside, that you can then extrude. This is great for creating a hollow space or an indent inside a shape. 
• In Edge editing mode, select an edge and press CTRL + B to enable the Bevel tool—you can use it to make rounded edges. Drag your mouse to change the size of the beveled edge and use the scroll wheel to change how round it is. 

Become a Blender Expert

You now know how to create simple 3D models in Blender, but this is truly just the tip of the iceberg. There is still so much to learn and so many tools to master. 

Blender can be overwhelming at first, but don’t feel pressured to learn it all at once. Find a beginner’s class on Blender and take it at your own pace. As you get comfortable with the basics, you can start to discover more advanced features and try them out in your projects. 

With patience and lots of practice, you’ll be a Blender expert in no time!

Written By

Sayana Lam

Sayana is a musician, writer and graphic designer based in Toronto, Canada.

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