Blender Notes

Objects

Scenes are made up of geometric objects, control objects, lamp objects and camera objects.

Geometric Objects

Are usually Mesh object that can be transformed by using manipulators. They include cube, plane, cylinder, cone, etc

Control Objects

Objects that affect a geometric objects motion and shape. Examples are Empties and Armatures.

Lamp Objects

Are used to define from where light is being cast. The type of lamp object determines the type of light cast.

Camera Objects

Scenes can be viewed and animated through camera objects.

Transform 

What you can do to a object after it has been created.

Types of Transformations

Move, Rotate and change its size (usually called scaling)

Manipulators

The tools you use to move, rotate and scale a object.

Snapping

Moving things to a specific predefined location.

Coordinates

In 3D animation Coordinates are used to place objects in a space using a X,Y, and Z system. Numbers in this system can be both positive and negative.

Constraint

Forcing the computer to limit a transformation. Usually to one of the following axis X,Y and Z.

Animation

Is a change over time of some aspect in your scene. The change can be a simple color shift or complex like many characters dancing in time to music while the camera whirls around them.

Keyframes or Keys

The term used for tracking changes in animation. A key is a marker in time of some state, value or setting.

Interpolate

Once keyframes are set in a timeline animation software fills in the spaces/time between keys ( Interpolates )with small changes in state, value, or setting. The finished effect is a smooth animation.

Interpolation styles

Include the following Bezier, Linear, and constant.