notes on blender — Zack Goulet

[CONTROL + J] - join body parts

center the model set origin [SHIFT + S] Add Armature [SHIFT + A]

little green running guy icon -> viewport display -> in front to show bone through the solid mode.

flip alt + F

select child THEN select parent (hold shift) COMMAND + P

Forward kinematics is when you have to move each bone on a chain of bones starting from the first one, kinda like how you would imagine a whip moves or a snake.

ezgif-72709a8e91bbd4c3.gif

Inverse Kinematics is when you move something at the end of the chain, and it moves bones before it, on the chain.

Screenshot 2025-11-08 at 11.54.40 AM.png

ALT + P remove bone relations from others to make the IK bones

Make Hand child of the wrist IK bone

Screenshot 2025-11-08 at 12.33.31 PM.png

select the IK bone, hold shift, and select the bone up the chain (lower arm)

press CONTROL + SHIFT + C and then do Inverse Kinematics.

Screenshot 2025-11-10 at 1.03.00 PM.png

Then go to bone constraints ( little blue icon with bone and loop) and increase the Chain size to the number of bones before it. That is, Number of bones FROM the IK bone, not the forearm bone that you clicked in order to get to the bone constraints. (confusing) but since its blue being the first inverse kinematics, i guess thats how it makes sense.

ALT + G ALT + R ALT + S

Screenshot 2025-11-10 at 3.31.49 PM.png

Parent the wrist IK bone to the Chest.

CONTROL + R rotates the bone (twists it in its socket)

Make upperleg Child of Hip

Make ankle IK bone child of MAIN bone

Screenshot 2025-11-08 at 11.52.50 AM.png

extrude new bone from Knee, seperate its parent, move it out in front of the guy. go into Pose mode. Click the Constricted Yellow bone with IK. go into Pole Target, and Eydropper the target Leg bone .

note: add target to arm too.

Screenshot 2025-11-10 at 1.04.59 PM.png

DEF_ bones are deformation bones. CON_ bones are control bones.

in object mode- click amerture, hold SHIFT select mesh. then YOU can change MODE to weight Paint mode.

<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eCtSviaHZ6U" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PdTOfJDdzgc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Screenshot 2025-11-10 at 3.34.47 PM.png