Blender 2.8 Weight Paint



Welcome to the first Blender 2.8 tutorial. In this tutorial we will be exploring the Blender 2.8 Beta interface.

So I found a few questions like this already, but none of them solves the problem in the 2.8 version of blender. How can I weight paint through a mesh in front view for example? In the image below I tried using the show x-Ray option and the front face only option, but none of them works. While in Weight Paint Mode, you can select bones with RIGHTCLICK. Blender 2.8 - Demo: Blender 2.8 - While in Object Mode, select the Armature Object first, and the Mesh Object last. Then switch to Weight Paint Mode. While in Weight Paint Mode, you can select individual bones with CTRL+LEFTCLICK, or select multiple bones with SHIFT+LEFTCLICK.

Blender 2.8 Download – https://www.blender.org/2-8/

Blender 2.8 Release Notes –https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference/Release_Notes/2.80

Blender 2.8 Shortcut Keys – https://developer.blender.org/T55194

HELP FUND BLENDER! – https://fund.blender.org/

Download

In order to download Blender 2.8 (Beta) go to blender.org and click on “Download the daily build and share your feedback!” button.

On the next page click on “Download Blender 2.8 Beta.”

On the next page choose your operating system and download the zip-file.

Since 2.8 is still in Beta you will need to unzip the file and then look for the executable file (.exe).

Click on the executable file and you will open Blender 2.8.

Since 2.8 is still in Beta you will not get the desktop icon and will need to open it via the executable file each time.

Splash Screen

As of the time of this recording, the splash screen offers a quick setup.

For the shortcuts you can use the 2.8 shortcuts or the 2.7x shortcuts.

You can choose to select with the left or right mouse button.

Blender 2.8 Weight Paint Bones

Blender 2.8 Weight Paint

You can choose what you want to use the Spacebar for – Play, Tools, or Search.

You are also able to choose your theme.

You can still choose to load the 2.79 settings as well.

If you make any changes to the settings, you can save these settings from the splash screen.

Once you have those settings applied you are presented with a new splash screen with various links and the ability to choose your working space.

Modes

When you start up a new project (General) you will be in Object Mode and Perspective View. Numpad 5 is the shortcut to change to Orthographic View and the Tab key will allow you to switch between Object Mode and Edit Mode.

In the dropdown menu you can also change to Sculpt Mode, Vertex Mode, Weight Paint Mode, and Texture Paint Mode.

A few important changes have been made between Blender 2.7 and Blender 2.8 **CTRL + TAB will bring up the Pie Menus.
**The A key selects the entire mesh
**Clicking anywhere off the mesh deselects the mesh
**The Manipulator from 2.7 can be accessed by choosing the Move Tool in the Tool Bar

Blender

At the top of the interface we still have the File, Render, Window, and Help menus. In addition, Blender 2.8 now has an Edit menu. Under this new menu you will find Undo, Redo, Undo History, Repeat Last, Repeat History, Adjust Last Operation, Operator Search, Lock Object Modes, and Preferences.

Next to these menus are tabs (called workspaces) – similar to the tabs along the side of the Tools Shelf in 2.7 and the menu at the bottom of the 3D viewport in 2.7.

The Layout Workspace is the default workspace. Here you will see the 3D Viewport in Object Mode and User Perspective just like you see in the default screen for 2.7. You also have access to the Timeline.

The Modeling Workspace is the default workspace for modeling. Here you will see the 3D Viewport in Edit Mode and User Perspective.

The Sculpting Workspace is the default workspace for sculpting. Here you will see the Sculpting Viewport in Sculpt Mode with a Matcap already applied to the model.

The UV Editing Workspace is the default workspace for UV editing. Here you will see a split Viewport with the UV Image Editor on the left and the model on the right. Notice that if you have a simple geometric mesh Blender 2.8 will automatically unwrap the UV.

The Texture Paint Workspace is the default workspace for texture painting. Here you will see a split Viewport with the UV Image Editor on the left and the model on the right. Notice that if you have a simple geometric mesh Blender 2.8 will automatically unwrap the UV.

The Shading Workspace is the default workspace for texturing. Here you see a split Viewport with a file browser, Viewport, UV Image Editor, and Node Editor. Notice that you now have an automatic HDRI to show how light will affect the model.

Blender 2.8 Weight Painting Auto Normalize

The Animation Workspace is the default workspace for animation. Here you see a split Viewport with a Rendered view, Viewport, and Dope Sheet.

The Rendering Workspace is the default workspace for rendering. Here you see a split Viewport with a Camera view and Timeline.

The Compositing Workspace is the default workspace for compositing. Here you see a split Viewport with a Node Editor and Dope Sheet.

The Scripting Workspace is the default workspace for scripting in Python. Here you see a split Viewport with a 3D Viewport, History, and Scripting area.

Blender 2.8 Weight Paint Subtract

You can set up and save your own Workspaces by clicking on the plus sign.

Areas

Blender 2.8 Weight Painting Tips

The 3D viewport has a new Toolbar on the left. The new tools in the Toolbar, once activated, stay active until changing to another tool. Their settings are displayed in a bar at the top of the Window.

The Status Bar is displayed along the bottom of each Workspace. The Status Bar shows information about what different mouse buttons and keys do in each Workspace, Mode, and Tool. It also provides scene statistics and messages and progress indicators for tools and jobs.

The Outliner is still present in 2.8 but it now contains not only Scenes but Collections. These Collections replace the Layers in Blender 2.7. In order to add an object to a Collection or to add a new Collection you use the “M” key to bring up the “Move to Collection” menu.

The Properties Editor was reorganized to have buttons mainly a single column layout. Panels can also have subpanels now, which more advanced and less commonly used settings collapsed by default.

The Properties Region can be accessed using the “N” key just like Blender 2.7. In the Properties Region Panel, the panels directly related to mesh editing is the Transform panel, where numeric values can be entered for location, rotation, scale, and dimensions. We also have access to the properties for the View (such as focal length), camera lock, 3D cursor, and annotations.

Areas can still be split and joined just like Blender 2.7. You will no longer see the hash marks in the corners of the areas. Instead, when you are on the corner of an area you will see a crosshair which indicates you can then hold down your left mouse button and split the area. To join an area, simply go to a corner and when you see the crosshair hold down the left mouse button and drag onto another window.

This was just a quick introduction to the Blender 2.8 interface. I will be offering more 2.8 tutorials in the near future.