Copying and pasting keyframes in Blender is a fundamental animation task, allowing you to easily duplicate animation states at different points in your timeline.
To copy and paste a keyframe, you primarily use standard keyboard shortcuts within an animation editor window like the Dope Sheet or Graph Editor.
Here’s how to do it, based on common Blender workflows:
- Select the Keyframe: Navigate to the Dope Sheet or Graph Editor. Select the specific keyframe(s) you wish to copy. You can select a single keyframe by right-clicking (or left-clicking depending on your settings) or multiple keyframes by using box select (
B) or circle select (C). - Copy the Keyframe: With the keyframe(s) selected, Press Ctrl + C to copy the keyframe.
- Choose Paste Location: Move the current frame indicator (the green vertical line in the timeline or editor) to the frame where you want the keyframe(s) to be pasted. For example, Move the current frame indicator to frame 14.
- Paste the Keyframe: Press Ctrl + V to paste the keyframe at the location of the current frame indicator. If you copied multiple keyframes, they will be pasted starting from this frame, maintaining their original relative spacing.
Practical Tips for Copying and Pasting
- Editor Context: Copying and pasting keyframes is most effectively done within the Dope Sheet or Graph Editor, as these windows clearly display your animation keys.
- Paste Location: The current frame indicator is crucial. Ensure it is exactly on the frame where you intend to paste.
- Multiple Keys: When pasting multiple copied keyframes, the first copied keyframe will align with the current frame indicator, and the others will follow based on their original spacing.
By following these simple steps, you can efficiently duplicate animation poses and timing across your project.
