askvity

How Do You Change the Rotation Center in Blender?

Published in Blender Modeling 3 mins read

To change the rotation center (pivot point) in Blender, you can modify the pivot point setting. Here's how:

  1. Select your object(s) in the 3D Viewport.

  2. Locate the Pivot Point menu: This is usually in the center of the 3D Viewport's header, at the top of the screen. It might display an icon representing the current pivot point setting.

  3. Click the Pivot Point menu: A dropdown menu will appear with different pivot point options.

  4. Choose a Pivot Point Option:

    • Bounding Box Center: Rotates around the center of the object's bounding box.
    • Median Point: Rotates around the average location of all selected object origins.
    • Individual Origins: Rotates each selected object around its own origin. This is useful when rotating multiple objects independently.
    • Active Element: Rotates around the origin of the last selected object (the "active" object).
    • 3D Cursor: Rotates around the location of the 3D Cursor.

Using the 3D Cursor as a Pivot Point:

The 3D Cursor option is particularly useful when you want to rotate around a specific point in space. Here's how to use it:

  1. Position the 3D Cursor: Shift + Right Click in the 3D Viewport to place the 3D Cursor where you want the rotation center to be.
  2. Select your object(s).
  3. Set the Pivot Point to 3D Cursor: Choose "3D Cursor" from the Pivot Point menu.
  4. Rotate: Now when you rotate the object (R key), it will rotate around the 3D Cursor.

Changing the Origin of an Object:

Sometimes, you might want to permanently change the object's origin point, rather than just temporarily using a different pivot point for rotation. This can be done using the following steps:

  1. Enter Edit Mode: Select the object and press Tab to enter Edit Mode.
  2. Select Geometry: Select the vertex, edge, or face that you want to use as the new origin location.
  3. Snap Cursor to Selected: Press Shift+S and select "Cursor to Selected". This will move the 3D Cursor to the selected geometry.
  4. Exit Edit Mode: Press Tab to return to Object Mode.
  5. Set Origin to 3D Cursor: In Object Mode, go to Object > Set Origin > Origin to 3D Cursor.

Now, the object's origin point has been permanently changed to the location of the 3D Cursor, and rotations will be centered around this new origin.

Related Articles