Blender 2.8.x-4.5.x Easy Manual: Getting started

Name: Blender 2.8.x-4.5.x Easy Manual: Getting started
Rating: 4.6 (16 reviews)

A quick, step-by-step guide to learning Blender’s features and commands (versions 2.8.x to 4.5.x)

Created byEmanuele Mulas

Last updated 10/2025

English

EnglishSpanish

What you'll learn

Understand the Blender 2.8 and later versions windows system
Learn how to use the Blender 2.8 and later versions default interface
Customize the preset workspace
Create your personal workspace

Course content

7 sections • 48 lectures • 58m total length

Introduction to the course2:40
Master the fundamentals of Blender 2.8x with beginner-friendly lessons on navigating 3d space, visualizing models, setting views, and customizing the window system and workspace.
How to use this course1:42
This course is structured in a way that will help you fast memorize Blender 2.8 commands and learn 3d computer graphics, without involving you in any particular project.
I suggest you watch the course in full at least once.
In any case, in order to optimize your time and avoid you to re-listen to the entire course if you don’t remember just a part of my lectures. I’ve included also short “How to” clips, that will go straight to the point and explain step by step to you, how to execute certain tasks.
If you are already familiar with Blender but not an expert you can use this course to refresh your skills, and most likely discover those hidden simple features of the program that sometimes are overseen in other courses.
On the other hand, if this is your first experience with Blender, I’ve developed this course using clear and simple language that will make you feel confident enough to get started with any project that you will take on.
After every “How to” clip it is important that you execute the command on your computer.
You should pause the video and practice on your own.
At the end of each lesson after a quick test to prove your ability, you will find downloadable material, such as 3d models, or summary sheets of the lesson, with hotkeys, drawings and conceptual maps.
The Blender version 2.8x1:20
Explore Blender 2.8x, a renovated, powerful open-source 3D graphics toolset with a user-friendly interface and streamlined workflows, distributed for free by the Blender Foundation across operating systems.
Downloading and installing Blender for your OS1:28

As soon as you open Blender 2.8 - The splash screen1:41
Identify the startup splash screen and its version, such as 2.80, and learn to close it by clicking outside or pressing Esc, then reopen from the top bar.
The startup scene1:27
Explore Blender interface and default layout, learning how the 3d viewport shows the scene with a cube, light, and camera, and how topbar, statusbar, and areas organize the workspace.
Areas, editors and workspaces overview1:20
Explore how areas in Blender reserve space for editors like the 3D Viewport, and learn to create, switch, resize, split, and join workspaces.
How to resize an area0:34
Resize areas by dragging their borders with the left mouse button, and when the cursor becomes a double-headed arrow, click and drag; repeat for the other border.
How to split an area1:04
How to join an area1:31
Drag from a corner outward to join two areas; select which area to close with the cursor, then release the left mouse button, or press esc or right-click to abort.
How to display an area in full screen0:29
How to change an editor type in an area0:47
Learn how to switch editor types in a Blender area by using the editor type selector button, choose a different editor, and see the icon reflect your choice.
Let's test your memory!

Default layout overview and regions1:42
How to resize or hide a region0:50
Resize or hide a region by dragging its borders with the left mouse button, using the double-headed arrow sign to adjust, and hide by resizing to nothing.
Toolbar arrangement1:16
Explore the toolbar on the right side of the screen, learn how tool options change with editor mode, and resize the region to display icons, text, or both.
How to switch tab1:16
Learn how to switch tabs in a user interface, where only one tab is visible, with vertical and horizontal tabs using left-click, Ctrl+wheel with Ctrl, and Ctrl-Tab or Shift-Ctrl-Tab cycling.
Panels0:33
Identify panels as the smallest organizational unit in the Blender user interface, recognizable by the grip widget in the panel header, which stays visible and shows the panel title.
How to collapse or expand a panel2:00
Collapse and expand a panel in Blender 2.8x–3.5x using the panel header with down-arrow and right-arrow indicators; use LMB, the A key, or Ctrl-LMB and drag across headers.
How to change the position of a panel0:27
How to pin a panel0:53
Pin a panel to keep it visible across tabs by clicking the pin icon. If a panel lacks a pin icon, right-click its header and choose pin.
How to zoom content inside a panel0:47
Let's test your memory!

The 3D Viewport2:58
Explore the 3d viewport as a smartphone screen into a Blender scene, understanding x, y, z axes and how to navigate by pan, zoom, roll, and orbit.
Basic 3d viewport navigation0:38
Master basic Blender 3d viewport navigation by learning three common methods: 3d gizmo, mouse and hotkeys, and menus, tailored to your work and peripherals.
How to emulate the numpad box0:56
Discover how to emulate the Blender numpad by enabling emulate numpad in preferences. Use the top number keys to execute numpad commands.
How to navigate the 3d viewport using the 3d Gizmo1:41
Learn to navigate the 3d viewport with the 3d gizmo to pan, zoom, and orbit, and hide or show the gizmo.
How to navigate the 3d viewport with the mouse and the keyboard1:54
Navigate the Blender 3d viewport with mouse and keyboard, pan with shift middle mouse, zoom with ctrl middle mouse or wheel, orbit with numpad keys 4,6,8,2.
How to navigate the 3d viewport using the view and search menus1:20
Master 3d viewport navigation in Blender by using the view menu to access pan, zoom, roll, and orbit, and quickly locate commands with hotkeys or the search menu (F3).
Bonus Lecture - How to visualize the Z axis0:35
Activate the z axis in Blender by clicking the axis icon and selecting z, then observe the blue z axis appear in the viewport.
Let's test your memory!

Be more precise0:34
Apply precise point-of-view control by using zoom region, viewpoint quadview, perspective and orthographic view, and camera view to refine your Blender navigation.
Zoom Region0:41
Zoom a region in Blender to fit a scene part by drawing a rectangle with Shift-B and the left mouse button. Access via the view menu navigation zoom region.
Viewpoint: Top, bottom, right, left, front and back2:42
Quad view2:05
Learn quad view by splitting 3d viewport into top, front, right orthographic views and perspective view; toggle via Ctrl+Alt+Q or view area quad view, locking windows except top-right.
3D viewport projection types1:39
Study the 3d viewport as a cinema screen to understand perspective and orthographic projections in Blender, including a center of projection, cone-shaped perspective, and parallel projection lines.
View Persp/Ortho0:51
Switch between perspective and orthographic views in Blender using the grid icon or numpad 5. Use F3 to search for persp or ortho and execute the persp-slash-ortho command to finalize.
Camera View0:51
In this lecture you will learn how to use the camera view command.
I've also attached a pdf file that you can download, resuming all the hotkeys command for this section.

A layout for every task0:53
Create customized workspaces using Blender's areas to tailor predefined, default window layouts for tasks, and switch between general, animation, and modeling layouts within the same file.
How to switch workspaces0:29
How to add a new workspace0:58
Learn to add a new workspace in Blender by clicking the plus sign in the topbar to load a predefined layout, or duplicate an existing layout to customize and rename.
How to delete a workspace0:21
Delete a workspace by selecting the tab title of the layout you want to delete, right-clicking (RMB) to open the context menu, and choosing delete.
How to reorder a workspace0:25
How to rename a workspace tab0:37
How to save a customized workspace1:52
Save and reuse customized workspaces by saving the blend file to your drive, using Shift-Ctrl-S or save as, and optionally saving as a copy to preserve the original.
How to save a customized workspace as a part of the defaults0:40
Save a customized workspace as part of the defaults so it appears when blender starts. Use File > Defaults and save the startup file to keep your topbar workspaces.
How to open a file in your custom set of workspaces2:19
Learn to open a blend-file in your workspaces by disabling the Load UI command in Blender preferences, saving a startup file, and reloading your 'My Layout' to visualize a model.
How to merge a workspace from another file into your current file1:01
Learn how to merge a workspace from another Blender file by appending it into your current file, or linking it to keep the original file intact.

Conclusion0:39
Bonus Lecture: How to import a 3d model in Blender 2.81:54
In this video you will learn how to import a STL file in your Blender scene.
I've attached to this lecture a little useful 3d printable model that you can use to try the command. If you have a 3d printer you can print it and use it to play your instrument or as there is a hole on it, to make a necklace.
Credits0:42
Learn how credits are handled in Blender projects to start your Blender workflow, aligning project setup with the Blender getting started guide.

Requirements

A computer or other device where you can install and use Blender is recommended but not necessary to follow this course.
Designed for complete beginners, no prior experience is needed.

Description

In this introductory Blender course, we’ll focus on the fundamental aspects of the program, learning in an intuitive and progressive way how to use its main features.

You’ll gain a solid understanding of how the user interface works and quickly pick up the basic commands—using both the keyboard and menus.

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to navigate in 3D space, visualize 3D models, set views, and switch between different preset workspaces with ease.

To help you better understand what 3D computer graphics is and how it works, I’ve also included simple, practical examples.

This course is perfect for absolute beginners, but also ideal for those who have experience with other 3D modeling programs and want to transition to Blender.

How to use this course

This course is structured in a way that will help you fast memorize Blender commands without involving you in any particular project.

I suggest you watch the course in full at least once.

In any case, in order to optimize your time and avoid you to re-listen to the entire course if you don’t remember just a part of my lectures, I’ve included also short “How to” clips, that will go straight to the point and clearly explain to you, how to execute certain tasks.

If you are already familiar with Blender but not an expert you can use this course to refresh your skills, and most likely discover those hidden simple features of the program that sometimes are overseen in other courses.

Who this course is for:

This is a good course for absolute beginners, but also for people that have used or are already using 3d modelling programs and want to switch to Blender.

Blender 2.8.x-4.5.x Easy Manual: Getting started

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Welcome4 lectures • 7min

The Windows System8 lectures • 9min

How to arrange editors layout9 lectures • 10min

Navigation7 lectures • 10min

Setting the 3D Viewport point of view7 lectures • 9min

Create your own workspace10 lectures • 10min

Final3 lectures • 3min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: