Manipulating Objects in 3D

There are 3 different ways to manipulate an object in the 3d Panel: move, rotate, and scale. Each way of manipulation has a “gizmo” associated with it. The gizmo is a tri-colored object that won’t be seen by the camera when you create a movie or print out scenes. It is used only to manipulate the object.

The colors of each gizmo represent a different axis.

Red = X
Green = Y
Blue = Z

Move or Translate Mode

Open

Open

To get into this mode, click on the Translate Button (Hotkey - w)

This gizmo allows the user to move the object around in 3d space.

The user has multiple ways to move an object with this gizmo. By left clicking and dragging on the object, you can move the object in any direction.

• Left Clicking and dragging on any arrow allows the user to move only in that axis.

  • Green - up/down

  • Red - left/right

  • Blue - back/forth

• Left Clicking and dragging on the small squares allows the user to move the object relative to the plane.

  • Green square - in x/z plane

  • Blue square - in x/y plane

  • Red square - in y/z plane.

• Left Clicking and dragging directly on the object allows the user to move in any axis.

There are two modes gizmo can behave:

Local Mode - if this is toggled on, the object can move in an access relative to it’s main axis. (Hotkey - CTL+g)

Global Mode - if this is toggled on, the object can move in the global axes.(Hotkey - CTL+L)

Rotate Mode

To get into this mode, click on the Rotate Button (Hotkey - e)

This gizmo allows the user to rotate around a single axis or multiple axes

The user has multiple ways to rotate an object with this gizmo.

• Left Clicking and dragging on any circle allows the user to rotate only around that axis.

  • Green - vertical rotation (Y Axis)

  • Red - horizontal rotation (X Axis)

  • Blue - horizontal rotation (Z Axis)

There are two modes gizmo can behave:

Local Mode - if this is toggled on, the object can rotate in an access relative to it’s main axis. (Hotkey - CTL+g)

Global Mode - if this is toggled on, the object can rotate in the global axes. (Hotkey - CTL+L)

Scale Mode

To get into this mode, click on the Scale Button (Hotkey - r)

This gizmo allows the user to scale the object along single axis or multiple axes

The user has multiple ways to scale an object with this gizmo.

• Left Clicking and dragging on any line allows the user to scale only along that axis.

  • Green - vertical scale (Y Axis)

  • Red - horizontal scale (X Axis)

  • Blue - horizontal scale (Z Axis)

• Left Clicking and dragging directly in the middle of the gizmo allows the user to scale in all axes.