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How do you add a keyframe in Blender Graph Editor?

Published in Animation Keyframes 3 mins read

There are several ways to add a keyframe in Blender's Graph Editor:

  • Using the 'I' key: This is the most common and versatile method. Select the F-curve(s) you want to keyframe, move the timeline to the desired frame, adjust the property you want to animate, and then press 'I' (for Insert Keyframe). A menu will appear, allowing you to choose which properties to keyframe (e.g., Location, Rotation, Scale, etc.).

  • Using the Graph Editor's Header Menu: You can add keyframes through the Graph Editor's header menu. Select the F-curve(s), go to "Key" in the header, and choose "Insert Keyframe." This will add a keyframe at the current frame for the selected F-curves.

  • Ctrl + Left Mouse Button (LMB): You can directly insert a keyframe to the active F-curve at the mouse cursor's position using Ctrl + LMB. This is a quick way to add keyframes without needing to use the 'I' key or the menu.

Detailed Explanation:

When you add a keyframe, you're essentially telling Blender, "At this specific frame, this property has this specific value." Blender then interpolates between keyframes to create the animation.

Steps for Adding a Keyframe Using the 'I' Key:

  1. Select the object you want to animate.
  2. Open the Graph Editor window.
  3. Adjust the object's property in the 3D viewport (e.g., move it, rotate it, scale it).
  4. In the Graph Editor, select the F-curve(s) representing the property you adjusted. You'll find the F-curves listed in the sidebar if they aren't visible already.
  5. Move the timeline to the frame where you want to add the keyframe.
  6. Press the 'I' key.
  7. Choose the type of keyframe you want to insert (e.g., "Location," "Rotation," "Scale," "LocRotScale," "All Channels," or individual axes like "X Location"). The appropriate option depends on what you've changed.

Example:

Let's say you want to animate a cube moving along the X-axis.

  1. Select the cube in the 3D Viewport.
  2. Open the Graph Editor.
  3. Move the cube along the X-axis in the 3D Viewport to its desired position at frame 1.
  4. In the Graph Editor, select the "X Location" F-curve.
  5. Press 'I' and select "Location." This adds a keyframe for the X Location at frame 1.
  6. Move the timeline to frame 24.
  7. Move the cube to a new position along the X-axis.
  8. In the Graph Editor, with the "X Location" F-curve still selected, press 'I' and select "Location." This adds another keyframe.

Blender will now animate the cube moving along the X-axis between those two positions.

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