3

34 Chapter 1 3D Compositing
Drag and Drop onto the Canvas
Dragging and dropping an object onto the Canvas adds the object to the scene at the
focal plane of the current camera. Dragging an object into the Layers list or clicking the
Apply button in the Preview Area of the File Browser positions the object at 0,0,0.
2D and 3D Group Interaction
The 3D group type adds a new level of flexibility to your projects, but also creates
complex interactions between group types.
Groups can either be 2D or 3D, and it is possible to change a group’s type at any time.
To change a group’s 2D/3D type:
m In the Layers tab or Timeline, select the group you wish to change, then do one of the
following:
 Choose Object > 3D Group (or press Control-D).
 Click the 2D/3D icon in the Status column in the Layers list.
Using Cameras to Set Up Useful Working Views
When building a 3D project, it can be useful to position cameras to examine your
project’s layout from different viewpoints. Rather than repeatedly moving the
Perspective camera, you can add scene cameras to use as “spatial bookmarks.” You
won’t want to use these cameras during export, so be sure to disable them before
rendering.
2D icon
3D icon