Setup Workspaces
Instructions for setting up various workspaces to speed up work flow.
Introduction
Blender has tabs at the top of the interface that can be used to quickly change the workspace. Right-clicking on a tab offers options of deleting or duplicating a workspace. Double left-clicking on the tab will allow renaming it. More tabs can be added by using the Duplicate from the right-click menu or by selecting the plus symbol at the far right of the tabs.
The Storyboard add-on is designed to work in the Front view with the panels in the XZ plane which is the same view as the 2D Animation workspace.
Tips
Use Ctrl + Spacebar to maximize a viewport. It is a toggle function so you can go back to the previous view by using the same key shortcut. Use this function to work on a single panel at its largest size.
Use Ctrl + Page Down to cycle through the different workspaces. Ctrl + Page Up will cycle through the workspaces in the opposite direction.
Workspaces
The following types of workspaces offer different ways to work with the Storyboard add-on.
Standard Layout
This default workspace in Blender is a great place to build a workspace. It starts in a user perspective view and includes the Timeline at the bottom. To work with a storyboard, the view needs to be a front view. With the mouse pointer in the viewport, press 1 on the numeric keypad. The alternate way to change to the front view is from the View menu, Viewpoint, Front.
The storyboard starts with panel 1 at the origin, so the view of the origin should be moved to the upper left of the screen. The panels are similar to the size of the default cube.
Dual Timelines
Using two Timelines at once is great for working with Grease Pencil keyframes and Dope Sheet keyframes at the same time. To create two Timelines, put the cursor at either top corner of the Timeline. The pointer will change to a plus symbol. Click and drag up. If you see an arrow covering the viewport, do not release the mouse button because the Timeline will fill the entire window. When dragging up, the mouse pointer should change to two horizontal parallel lines.
Once the two Timelines are created, go to the View menu for each and turn on "Sync Visible Range". This will make both Timelines move and scale the same.
Horizontal Strip
The horizontal strip is good for viewing next and previous frames at the same time.
Build instructions coming soon...
Vertical Strip
The vertical strip workspace is also good for viewing next and previous frames at the same time.
Build instructions coming soon...
Video
Instructional video coming soon...
Last updated
