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I try to study Blender, especially in connection with the collaboration of Blender and After Effects. My question, as it can be seemed for you, is to simple or obvious, but I can't find answer.

So, I have some lowpoly mesh (consist of few faces). Then I split this mesh on separated faces - each face is a separated object. I need to restore right orientation of norma axis for each face - with the normal axis coinciding with Z-axiz (perpendicular to the surface of a face).

When I create a new mesh/plane and turn on "Transform orientation" - "Normal" - Z-axis is perpendicular to the surface of this plane and X,Y-axis lie in a plane.

When I separate some lowpoly mesh on faces - I can restore a center of mass for each faces ("Origin to Geometry" once for all faces), but I can not restore a normal-axis for all separated faces - when I go to the Edit mode I see the so necessary for me right normal-axis (perpendicular to the surface), when I return to the Object mode - normal-axis has a different orientation.

How can I restore the right normal-axis once for all faces? (may be, some script needed).

Thanks.

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  • $\begingroup$ If I understand your question correctly you want to be able to transform an object in object mode using the normal orientation of one or more faces of the object? $\endgroup$
    – coCoKNIght
    Commented Mar 30, 2016 at 15:35

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This is only sort of possible. The normal of an object is kept when you separate it. However, even if you have a one-faced object, blender will not allow you to move the object based on its normals, because most objects have more than one face, which means the direction of motion would be conflicting.

You can move faces by their normal in edit mode though.

Simply change the transform orientation to "normal", go in edit mode Tab and you can transform by the normals.

In the image below, I started with a sphere, and separated out a face. I then went into edit mode on that face, and changed the transform orientation to that normal. Now I can move according to that normal.

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ you can actually move an object in object mode based on a normal: 1. in edit mode, make a selection of what you want to use as the normal direction. 2. press ctrl alt space. 3. exit edit mode. $\endgroup$
    – coCoKNIght
    Commented Mar 30, 2016 at 19:14
  • $\begingroup$ That's awesome! I was looking for this a little bit (because it was brought up in this question, and is an interesting topic I'd never thought of). Do you know how to select a face, and "apply" the rotation of the object to the normal of that face? That would answer his question (and be a cool fact to know). If you come up with anything, let me know. Thanks. $\endgroup$
    – Uncle Snail
    Commented Mar 31, 2016 at 13:47
  • $\begingroup$ Ask separate questions as separate questions, please, and not in a comment thread on an answer. $\endgroup$
    – dr. Sybren
    Commented Dec 25, 2017 at 9:05

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