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The Graphical User Interface

The Default General Screen Arrangement

1.1 The Graphical User Interface (GUI)

When you run Blender, what you see on the computer Screen is the Graphical User Interface

(GUI) for the program (Figure 1.1 over). This arrangement of panels is the interface which allows

you to communicate with the program by entering commands (data) using the Keyboard and

Mouse attached to your computer. The panels that you see are called Editors.

1.2 Editors

Editors (the panels in the GUI) are so named since the basic philosophy in operating the

program is; you are presented with a set of default data producing a Screen display. You Edit or

modify the default data to create what you want.

Note:In giving instructions, Default means, that which is displayed on the computer

screen before any action is taken.

There are numerous Editor Arrangements for selection depending on the particular feature of

Blender you wish to use. The Editors you see in the default GUI are applicable to 3D Modeling

and Animation. Editor arrangements are called Workspaces.

If you have opened Blender displaying the default GUI and haven't clicked in the Screen with the

Mouse, the Splash Screen with the colored image will be displayed in the 3D Viewport Editor.

The Splash Screen is changed for each Blender version, therefore, providing a reference to the

version of Blender being run. The Splash Screen also contains buttons for selecting functions

such as the option to create a New General file or a New 2D Animation file. The 2D Animation

option opens the 2D Animation Workspace which is the Grease Pencil interface.

For the moment retain the 3D Modeling and Animation interface and click anywhere in the 3D

Viewport Editor to remove the Splash Screen.

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