The Visual Blender Cheatsheet

The Visual Blender Cheatsheet

Cheatsheets are always helpful. In case of Blender it helps to see what a shortcut does.

Setup

Get Blender from https://www.blender.org.

Once you start Blender you will be greeted with a dialog that looks as follows:

Description	Preview
My personal setup is to set Shortcuts to `Blender` (default) and set `Select With` to `Left` (default) and set `Spacebar` to `Search`

Whenever you forget the short to an operation, hit Space and search for it. The results show the short cuts.

Viewport

Keys	Description	Preview
🖱-M	Rotate view port
`Alt`+🖱-M or `Num 1`,`Num 3`, `Num 7`	Rotate to X/Y/Z-View
`Shift`+🖱-M	Pan view port
`Ctrl`+🖱-M or 🖱-Scroll	Zoom in/out

Modes

Keys	Description	Preview
`Tab`	Toggle Object/Edit/… mode
`Z` + `2` or `4` or `6` or `8`	Switch Wireframe/Solid/Material/… mode

Selection (Object Mode)

Keys	Description	Preview
🖱-L	Select Object
`Shift`+ 🖱-L	Select multiple Objects
`A`	Select all
`A`+`A` or `Alt`+ `A`	Select none
`Ctrl` + `I`	Invert selection
🖱-L-drag	Box select
`C` then🖱-L-drag	Circle select (🖱-Scroll to resize)

Selection (Edit Mode)

Keys	Description	Preview
`1`,`2`,`3`	Switch between Vertice/Edge/Face selection Hint: Use `Shift` to combine multiple:
`Shift` + 🖱-L	Select multiple Vertices/Edges/Faces
`Ctrl` + 🖱-L	Select multiple Vertices/Edges/Faces alone (one) shortest path
`Alt` + 🖱-L	Select Edge Loop Hint: Hold `Shift` to select multiple loops

Manipulation (Edit Mode)

Keys	Description	Preview
`G` + 🖱	Grab Vertice/Edge/Face and move it in the visual plane. Hint: `Esc` to cancel, `Enter` to confirm.
`G` then `X` or `Y` or `Z`	Grab Vertice/Edge/Face and move it along the axis
`G` then `X` or `Y` or `Z` then a number e.g. `1.5`	Grab Vertice/Edge/Face and move it along the axis for a given amount Hint: use minus to change direction
then `G` then `X` or `Y` or `Z`	Grab Vertice/Edge/Face and move it along the normal axis Hint: default is global
`S` + 🖱	Resize selected
`S` + 🖱 then `X` or `Y` or `Z`	Resize constrained to axis
`S` + 🖱 then `Shift` + `X` or `Y` or `Z`	Resize constrained to inverted axis
`S` then a number e.g. `5.5`	Resize by given amount Hint: can be constrained to axis like above
`X` +	Delete/Dissolve Vertice(s)/Edge(s)/Face(s)/…
`E`	Extrude
`Shift` + `A`	Add mesh/object/… Hint: the object will appear with it’s origin at the 3D Cursor
`Ctrl +` R`	Loop Cut Hint: use 🖱-Scroll for multiple cuts or enter the number of cuts
(`Shift` + )`Ctrl` + `R`	Bevel edges (or vertices) Hint: 🖱-Scroll to change roundness

Modifiers

The modifiers are found in the object properties (usually on the right hand side in the default view). These are great ways to clone/automate apply modifications to an object without having to do these manually.

Keys	Description	Preview
	Mirror modifier
	Solidify modifier Hint: Offset sets the location of solidification: -1/1 for inner/outer; 0 for middled. Even Thickness ensures 90 degree angles
	Bevel modifier Hint: Set Limit Method to Weight and edit the edge Bevel Weights in the Item properties
	Subdivision modifier Hint: Use the Crease item properties to adjust the level of rounding AND: don’t go above 7 subdivision ;)
	Boolean modifier You can use this modifier to subtract/add/cut objects from each other. Ideal for screw holes! Hint: press `H` to hide an object.