Basic 3D Animation using Blender

SKANI102x

Key frame animation – Part I

Dr. Sameer Sahasrabudhe
Nitin Ayer and Sneha Sanglikar

IIT Bombay
Outline
 Timeline window
• Properties
• Components
 Animation planning
• Initial state and final state (key frames)
• Add/delete key frames
• Animation using transformations
 Location
 Rotation
 Scaling
• Alternate method to add/delete key frames
SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 2
Timeline window – properties
 Properties:
• Display current time frame (in frames / seconds), start, end frame and Location of
key frames
• Time cursor (green line) – to set and display the current time frame
• Offers player controls, to play, pause, rewind, forward and stop animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 3

Timeline window – components
Information part

1 2 3 4
Information area
1. Visual representation of the total duration of the animation. Displays key frames
Control area
1. Start frame of the animation
2. End frame of the animation
3. Current frame of the animation
4. Player

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 4

Current frame
 To change the current frame
• Use left arrow and right arrow keys on keyboard
• Or you can drag the time cursor using left click of the mouse
• Or you can left click on the current frame box and enter the value using keyboard

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 5

Animation planning

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 6

Initial state and final state
Is a motion or change between initial and final state of the object over
Animation period of time

Initial state State of the object at the start of the animation

Final state State of the object at the end of the animation

It’s a marker which stores the property data such as location,

Key frame rotation and scaling of the object

Key frames are used to lock the initial and final state of the object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 7

Add/delete key frames
Steps to add and delete key frames

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 8

Steps to add key frame
1. Set current frame
2. Apply transformation (Grab, rotate, scale)
3. Add key frame to lock transformation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 9

1. Set current frame
 Set current frame on
timeline window
 Use left arrow and right
arrow button on keyboard
 Drag the time cursor using
left click of the mouse
 Left click on the current
frame box and enter the
value using keyboard

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 10

2. Apply transformation
 Select object (right click)
 Set initial state of the
object, use basic
transformation (S, R and G)

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 11

3. Add key frame to lock transformation
 Enable key frame pop-up (I)
• Pop-up ‘Insert key frame
menu’ will appear

Adding key frame means

locking the state of the
object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 12

Key frame

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 13

Key frame
It’s a marker which stores the property data such as location,
rotation and scaling of the object

Key frame
SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 14
Deleting key frames
 Set the current frame to
the frame which has the
key frame added
 Enable Delete key frame
pop-up (Alt + I)
• Pop-up ‘Delete
keyframe’ will appear
 Select ‘OK’ option to
delete the key frame for
object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 15

Animation using transformation
Location

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 16

1. Set current frame (Initial state)
Animation will start
from frame 1
 Set current frame as
frame 1 (Enter 1 in
current frame box)

Setting current frame

means defining the
starting frame of the
animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 17

2. Apply transformation (Initial state)
 Select object (right click)
 Set initial state of the
object, use basic
transformation (S, R and G)

Setting initial state of the

object means setting
object state at the start
of animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 18

3. Add key frame (Initial state)
 Enable key frame pop-up (I)
• Pop-up ‘Insert key frame
menu’ will appear
 Select ‘Location’ option to
add key frame for object’s
location

Adding key frame means

locking the state of the
object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 19

Set Final state
Initial state of the object is defined, now set final state of the object
by repeating the same three steps

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 20

1. Set current frame (Final state)
 Set current frame to 50
(Enter 50 in current
frame box)

Changing the current

frame means deciding
the time of the animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 21

2. Apply transformation (Final state)
 Move object in any
direction (G + mouse
movement)

Applying transformation
decides the action
performed by object
during the animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 22

3. Add key frame (Final state)
 Enable key frame pop-up (I)
• Pop-up ‘Insert key frame
menu’ will appear
 Select ‘Location’ option
to add key frame for
object’s location

Adding key frame means

locking the final state of
object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 23

Animation using transformation
Rotation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 24

1. Set current frame (Initial state)
Animation will start from
frame 1
 Set current frame as
frame 1 (Enter 1 in
current frame box)

Setting current frame

means defining the
starting frame of the
animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 25

2. Apply transformation (Initial state)
 Select object (right click)
 Set initial state of the
object, use basic
transformation (S, R and G)

Setting initial state of

the object means setting
object state at the start
of animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 26

3. Add key frame (Initial state)
 Enable key frame pop-up (I)
• Pop-up ‘Insert key frame
menu’ will appear
 Select ‘Rotation’ option to
add key frame for object’s
rotation

Adding key frame means

locking the state of the
object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 27

Set Final state
Initial state of the object is defined, now set final state of the object
by repeating the same three steps

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 28

1. Set current frame (Final state)
 Set current frame to 50
(Enter 50 in current
frame box)

Changing the current

frame means deciding
the time of the animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 29

2. Apply transformation (Final state)
 Rotate object in any
direction (R + mouse
movement)

Applying transformation
decides the action
performed by object
during the animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 30

3. Add key frame (Final state)
 Enable key frame pop-up (I)
• Pop-up ‘Insert key frame
menu’ will appear
 Select ‘Rotation’ option
to add key frame for
object’s rotation

Adding key frame means

locking the final state of
object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 31

Animation using transformation
Scaling

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 32

1. Set current frame (Initial state)
Animation will start
from frame 1
 Set current frame as
frame 1 (Enter 1 in
current frame box)

Setting current frame

means defining the
starting frame of the
animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 33

2. Apply transformation (Initial state)
 Select object (right click)
 Set initial state of the
object, use basic
transformation (S, R and G)

Setting initial state of the

object means setting
object state at the start
of animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 34

3. Add key frame (Initial state)
 Enable key frame pop-up (I)
• Pop-up ‘Insert key frame
menu’ will appear
 Select ‘Scaling’ option to
add key frame for object’s
size

Adding key frame means

locking the state of the
object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 35

Set Final state
Initial state of the object is defined, now set final state of the object
by repeating the same three steps

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 36

1. Set current frame (Final state)
 Set current frame to 50
(Enter 50 in current
frame box)

Changing the current

frame means deciding
the time of the animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 37

2. Apply transformation (Final state)
 Scale object in any
direction (S + mouse
movement)

Applying transformation
decides the action
performed by object
during the animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 38

3. Add key frame (Final state)
 Enable key frame pop-up (I)
• Pop-up ‘Insert key frame
menu’ will appear
 Select ‘Scaling’ option to
add key frame for object’s
size

Adding key frame means

locking the final state of
object

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 39

Reviewing animation

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 40

Play animation
Review animation
 Move time cursor back
to the first frame
 Play the animation
(Alt + A OR
Play button in the
Timeline window)

* Keyboard and mouse shortcuts are

written in (blue)
SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 41
Alternate methods
Add and delete key frames

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 42

Transform panel
 Transform panel (N)
Allows you to view and
manually/numerically
control properties of an
object, such as -
• Location
• Rotation
• Scale
• Dimensions

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 43

Basic transformation

Basic transformation (grab, rotate scale), can be also done using transform panel

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 44

Alternate method 1 – Adding key frame
 Select object (right click)
 Hover mouse on location
property in transform
panel
 Add key frame (I)
After adding the key frame
object property colour turns
yellow
Similarly add key frames for
rotation and scaling
properties

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 45

Alternate method 2 – Adding key frame
 Select object (right click)
 Hover mouse on location
property in transform
panel
 Enable pop-up (right click)
• Pop-up will appear
 Select ‘Insert Keyframe’
option to add key frame
for object’s location
Similarly add key frames
for rotation and scaling
properties
SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 46
Alternate method 1 – Deleting key frame
 Select object (right click)
 Hover mouse on location
property in transform
panel
 Delete key frame (Alt + I)

Similarly delete key

frames for rotation and
scaling properties

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 47

Alternate method 2 – Deleting key frame
 Select object (right click)
 Hover mouse on location
property in transform
panel
 Enable pop-up (right click)
• Pop-up will appear
 Select ‘Delete Keyframes’
option to delete key
frame for object’s location
Similarly delete key frames
for rotation and scaling
properties
SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 48
Next session
Key frame animation – Part II

SKANI102x | Key frame animation – Part I 49