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Your First Project

Setting up Blender to our needs and showing what it does

Exercise 1: Basic Object Manipulation​

Objective​

Practice the fundamental transformation operations.

Steps​

  1. Start fresh: Delete the default cube (X → confirm)
  2. Add a sphere: Shift + A → Mesh → UV Sphere
  3. Move it: Press G, then Z, then type 2 → Enter (moves 2 units up)
  4. Rotate it: Press R, then X, then type 45 → Enter (rotates 45° around X)
  5. Scale it: Press S, then type 1.5 → Enter (scales to 150%)

Exercise 2: Creating a Simple Scene​

Objective​

Build a basic scene with multiple objects.

Steps​

  1. Add a plane: Shift + A → Mesh → Plane
  2. Scale it: S → 10 → Enter (makes it larger)
  3. Add a cube: Shift + A → Mesh → Cube
  4. Move cube up: G → Z → 1 → Enter
  5. Add a light: Shift + A → Light → Point
  6. Move light: G → Z → 5 → Enter

Exercise 3: Camera Setup​

Objective​

Learn to position and align the camera.

Steps​

  1. Select the camera (click on it in 3D view or Outliner)
  2. Press Numpad 0 to view through the camera
  3. Position camera: G then move as needed
  4. Point at center: Select camera → Add Constraint → Track To → Target: (select your main object)

Exercise 4: Measurement Practice​

Objective​

Work with accurate measurements for forensic work.

Steps​

  1. Enable measurements: Edit → Preferences → Interface → Display → Edge Length
  2. Tab into Edit Mode
  3. Select edges and observe dimensions in the top-left
  4. Practice creating objects with specific dimensions

Tips for Forensic Work​

  • Always work with real-world units (meters, centimeters)
  • Use scene scale settings: Properties → Scene → Units
  • Enable measurement overlays
  • Document your camera settings
  • Save incremental versions of your work

Common Beginner Mistakes​

  • Forgetting to save regularly
  • Working without reference dimensions
  • Not organizing objects in the Outliner
  • Ignoring the active object vs selected objects
  • Applying transformations in Object Mode vs Edit Mode

Next Steps​

Practice these exercises until they become second nature. Speed and precision come with repetition.