001 - Blender Basics

 

Hotkeys

Middle-click  = Rotation
Ctrl + Middle-click = Zoom in/out of selected object (same as mouse scroll)
Shift + Middle-click = Pan around the space

Edit > Preferences > Input > Keyboard > Tick Emulate Numpad = top row numbers emulate the extended keyboard number page so the hotkeys work. 

5 = Swaps between Orthographic and Perspective 

1 = Front view
3 = Right view
7 = Top view 
9 = Reverses the view

4 = Rotate view right
6 = Rotate view left
2 = Rotate view below
8 = Rotate view above

x = Delete  (underlined D = Press D to confirm or can press enter) 
Shift + A = add an object 

t = hides and shows the toolbar on the left

g = Grab / move things around
r = Rotate
s = Scale 

g/r/s + x/y/z = Grab/Rotate/Scale along only the selected axis

Alt + G = Default position
Alt + R = Default rotation 
Alt + S = Default Scale 

Scale + Z + 0 = Flat vertexes 

Shift + C = Returns cursor to center 
Ctrl + R = Add a loop cut 

Tab = Edit mode
p = Separate selection in edit mode (in case adding multiple shapes by mistake)
e = Extrude 
o = Enables soft selection mode

(*Prerequisite = draw what you want to model from the front view and the side view, save as two images)

1. Start modelling in Orthographic mode (5 shortcuts, says in the top left of screen User Orthographic)
2. Press 1 to enter the front view 
3. Add reference (Shift + A > Image > Reference > Select image front view ) 
4. Press 3 to enter the side view 
5. Add reference (Shift + A > Image > Reference > Select image side view ) 
6. Move reference so the feet are along the Y axis (A (to select all) > G (to grab) > Z (to only move along the Z axis) > Move so feet are on the Y axis
   
   
7. Add a cube that will be the head (Shift + A > Mesh > Cube) 
8. Swap to wireframe view (Z > Wireframe) 
9. Move the head into position (G)
10. Enter edit mode (Tab)
11. Double check Toggle X-Ray is on (Z > Toggle X-Ray should be highlight blue)
12. Scale the head box to fit the reference (S) 
    
    
13. Add a cube for the hair accessories * outside of edit so it is it's own shape
14. Position the hair cube as needed 
15. Add a cylinder for the body, make it have 8/10/12 vertices instead of 32 * outside of edit so it is it's own shape
16. Postition body cylinder as needed 
17. Delete the bottom face of the cylinder 
18. Add a loop cut round the center of the body (Ctrl + R) 
19. Scale the top of the cylinder to the neck 
20. Add a loop cut below the neck (half way between middle line and neck line) 
21. Position the new loop cut
22. Add a loop cut below the next (half way between new line and neck line) 
23. Position the new loop cut
24. Scale the bottom of the cylinder to the bottom of the duck
25. Add a loop cut above the base (halfway between middle line and base line) 
26. Position the new loop cut
27. Add a loop cut above the base (hallway between new line and base line) 
28. Position the new loop cut
    
    
29. Add a single vert (Shift A > Mesh > Single Vert > Add single vert) 
30. Swap back  to object mode and position the vert 
31. Swap back to edit mode (with vertex select view) and Extrude the vert along the leg shape (E)
32. Repeat 29-31 for Arm 
33. Repeat 29-31 for Beak
34. Repeat 29-31 for Eye
35. Repeat 29-31 for Eyebrow
36. Repeat 29-31 for Tail
    
37. Now modify the vertex to make it thick (Select the leg > modifier > add skin > modifier >  add sub division)
38. Edit mode~ (Select a vertex and then Ctrl + A to scale the skin modifier) 
    
39. Repeat 37-38 for Arm
40. Repeat 37-3 for Beak 
41. Repeat 37-3 for Eye
42. Repeat 37-3 for Eyebrow
43. Repeat 37-3 for Tail
    
    
44. Right click on body and select "Shade smooth"
45. Select all the thick vertexes and tick "Smooth Shading"
46. Add subdivision to the head 
47. Reedit the head to be a good size 
48. Right click on the head and select "Shade smooth"
    
    
49. Select the wing and mirror it (Select wing > Add modifier > Mirror > Mirror object picker set to body) 
    
50. Select the leg and mirror it (Select wing > Add modifier > Mirror > Mirror object picker set to body) 
51. Select the eye and mirror it (Select wing > Add modifier > Mirror > Mirror object picker set to head) 
52. Select the eyebrow and mirror it (Select wing > Add modifier > Mirror > Mirror object picker set to head) 
    
    
53. Apply all the modifiers >:3 
54. Tweak everything 
    
    
55. Flattern feet + body + neck bottom lines (S + Z + 0 )
    
    
56. Go to the shading tab
57. Turn off toggle overlays (z > Toggle overlays)
58. Assign shaders to everything (in shader tab > plus > change colour)
59. Unwrap from view ( 3 > Tab > U > Project from view
60. Insert image shader into shader node graph (Shift + A > Search for image > select image shader and add reference side image) 
61. Add mix shader (Shift + A > Search for mix > use Mix Shader)
62. Connect the shaders up and mix as needed~
    
    
    

First two attempts prior to one above: