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I'm quite new to blender, but I'm trying to make models for fun.

I have an object that I'm trying to cover with grass blades. The object is highlighted in first picture. The grass blade is the object to the right. picture_1

When I make a hair particle system, I see that the hairs stick out perpendicular to the face/mesh.picture_2

When changed to object, the grass blades all follow the same direction.picture_3

Is there a way to get the blades of grass to stand perpendicular to the faces rather than having to follow the global/object xyz axis? Hopefully my question makes sense. I'm hoping to have the effect as the draft (4th picture). Thanks anybody that can help!

picture_4

Edit: Thanks for the quick reply! I was messing with the particle object as well as the phase settings in the particle menu. Do you know of any other ways to get all the particle objects to face the same way? They seem to form a circle around a certain point.

enter image description here

I guess the best way for me to explain what I'm trying to do now: They're finally pointing perpendicular to the faces, but the inner part of the grass blade (the curved part) on all the particle objects faces towards a predetermined center. I've tried adjusting the main grass blade in edit mode as well as fiddle around with the phase settings as well as the other particle settings.

enter image description here

Hoping this photo will help with showing the curved part of the blade that I was talking about. Thanks!

Edit2:

Your answer looks exactly like what I'm aiming for. I never really experimented with particles and particle editing before, and I've been searching and looking for what I'm doing wrong. But even though I combed the hair, it hasn't affected the hair object.

enter image description here enter image description here

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The basic way to orientate hair is to enable the Advanced option, then enable Rotation and tweak the parameters like Orientation Axis (if you want your particles to be perpendicular to the faces, choose Normal). You may also need to rotate the particle object in Edit mode so that it is correctly oriented.

enter image description here

But it looks like you want your hair to point towards some custom directions. You can switch to Particle Edit (CtrlTab) and comb the hair:

enter image description here

enter image description here

You could also do as explained here by Overkill:

Give your emitter object (the animal) a hair particle system, don't enable the Advanced option, choose Render As > None. Select the hair object, give it the ParticleInstance modifier, in the modifier choose the object that has the particle system as Object, enable the Create Along Paths option. Select the animal object, in the particle system, choose the right Number and the right Hair Length, switch to Particle Edit, comb the hairs, it will comb the hair object instances as well. Then join the hair object to the animal object

enter image description here

You could also try Force Field objects, even though it will be harder to control, here I've used a Force and a Turbulence:

enter image description here

You can even comb your hair then use a Force Field like Turbulence in order to perturbate the hair orientation a bit.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for the quick reply! I've been messing around with both the particle object in edit mode as well as the phase settings in the particle menu. The particle object is now facing out, but do you know of any other ways to get the particle object to all face the y axis? They all circle around a spot. I'm not sure if I can attach a photo to comments. $\endgroup$
    – newbeemodeler
    Commented Aug 20, 2021 at 20:16
  • $\begingroup$ you should be able to edit your original question, no? $\endgroup$
    – moonboots
    Commented Aug 20, 2021 at 20:24
  • $\begingroup$ haha whoops. I added another answer as that was the best solution i came up with at the time. $\endgroup$
    – newbeemodeler
    Commented Aug 20, 2021 at 20:25
  • $\begingroup$ so if I understand correctly, what you want is to comb your hair object? I've found an answer on this topic so I'll edit my answer $\endgroup$
    – moonboots
    Commented Aug 20, 2021 at 20:57
  • $\begingroup$ That looks like what I was going for. Thanks! I'll have to try that out now $\endgroup$
    – newbeemodeler
    Commented Aug 20, 2021 at 21:47

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