Navigating in 3D space is challenging especially if you have lots and lots of objects then zooming and panning and orbiting won't do it for you as you will have a lot of clipping and zooming won't have the control needed.
this is where focusing on objects or components becomes essential to get around the areas you would like to work on. In this article, I will show you how to focus on objects and components as well.
Let's jump right in!
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Why Focus on Objects in Blender?
Orbiting around an object or component while not focusing on it, is very hard as the orbit will rotate on the basis of the whole scene and this would be very hard to work with if you want to focus on a certain area of your model.
This is when the need to focus on a specific area comes in very handy and in Blender we can focus on both objects and components let's start with objects.
Focus on Objects
Focusing on objects as a whole means we have to be in "Object Mode" Then we can focus using 3 ways:
- Using Shortcuts: To focus on objects press "." on the Numpad.
- Using the Menu: In case you don't have a keyboard with a Numpad you can click on the "View Menu" then "Frame Selected".
- Using the Pie Menu: Press the backtick on the keyboard "`" and then choose "View Selected".
Focus on a Vertex
Let's jump in focusing on components, First What we need to do is switch from "Object Mode" to "Edit Mode" by pressing Tab on the keyboard switching to Edit Mode, and then pressing 1 for vertex mode.
- Using Shortcuts: To focus on vertices, select one vertex and press "." on the Numpad.
- Using the Menu: In case you don't have a keyboard with a Numpad you can select a vertex and then click on the "View Menu" then "Frame Selected".
Below is what we get if we frame one vertex.
Focus on an Edge
The same thing goes with edges First we switch from "Object Mode" to "Edit Mode" by pressing Tab on the keyboard switching to Edit Mode, and then pressing 2 for Edge mode.
- Using Shortcuts: To focus on edges, select one edge and press "." on the Numpad.
- Using the Menu: In case you don't have a keyboard with a Numpad you can select an edge and then click on the "View Menu" then "Frame Selected".
Below is what we get if we frame on one edge.
Focus on a Face
Lastly, is focus on faces, First we switch from "Object Mode" to "Edit Mode" by pressing Tab on the keyboard switching to Edit Mode, and then pressing 3 for face mode.
- Using Shortcuts: To focus on faces, select one face and press "." on the Numpad.
- Using the Menu: In case you don't have a keyboard with a Numpad you can select a face and then click on the "View Menu" then "Frame Selected".
Below is what we get if we frame on one face
Conclusion
Focusing on objects or components is essential in any 3D package as working in 3D space with a lot of objects can be very hard if you want to focus on a certain section or a small object.
In Blender, focusing is quite easy either use the shortcut "." on the Numpad, or in case you don't have a keyboard with a Numpad you can use the menu, View -> Frame Selected.
Master using the 3D Cursor in Blender in this article.