Blender Grease Pencil course

2. Getting started with Grease Pencil

Dive deep into the features and functionalities of Blender's Grease Pencil, and get acquainted with its interface and customization.

1. Starting with Grease Pencil

To begin with Blender's Grease Pencil:

  1. Start a new file.
  2. Choose 2D Animation.

By default, you're greeted with the standard Grease Pencil starter file.

2. The Changed Workspace

Though it may seem a lot has changed upon selecting the Grease Pencil mode, the reality is the essence remains the same. What's different is the workspace. Here's a breakdown:

  • Customization: Blender is renowned for its customization capabilities. You can modify everything, from the placement of tools to the addition of various views.
  • Starter Files: These are simply customized files of the basic Blender interface, tailored to the specific task you've chosen, in this case, 2D Animation.
  • Camera View: Initially, we are placed in the camera view. Zooming out, or using the numpad keys like 1, 3, or panning will reveal it's the same as the default 3D view. The distinction? A white backdrop to facilitate drawing.

> Tip: Pressing 0 will bring you back to the camera view.

3. Setting Up Your Workspace

Upon starting, one might notice the default aspect ratio isn't always suitable. Here's how to adjust it:

  1. Locate the "printer" icon in the properties panel on the right.
  2. Select your preferred aspect ratio and pixel output.

It's essential to adapt the workspace to suit your needs, especially when working on specific projects, such as creating square thumbnails or designs.

4. The Outliner: What's Changed

The outliner gives a list view of the objects in your scene. Let's compare the changes:

  • Previously: It displayed the scene collection with objects such as a camera and light.
  • Now: The outliner highlights 'stroke' and 'camera'.

Here's a brief on them:

  • Camera: Just like in the default 3D view, this captures your scene, akin to filming in real-life.
  • Stroke: This is the new addition, representing a Grease Pencil object.

5. Grease Pencil: The Object Concept

For those coming from a 3D design background, understanding Grease Pencil becomes easier:

  • Grease Pencil operates within the same concept of 'objects' in Blender.
  • Think of the Grease Pencil's 'stroke' as another object, just like the cube in the default 3D starter file.

Conclusion

Grasping the Grease Pencil in Blender is about understanding its object-oriented nature. Much like other functionalities in Blender, once you comprehend its core principles, the world of 2D animation is at your fingertips.