How to Add an Armature to a Figure in Blender

Create and pose a 3D armature figure in free open-source software

Last Updated: May 1, 2023

Adding an armature in Blender can be difficult, but soon it can become easy to do. This article assumes the reader knows the basics of the Blender interface and has worked with the program for some time.

Things You Should Know

Use the 1, 3, and 7 keys to adjust the X, Y, and Z axes and establish an armature's Anchor point.
Navigate to "Add" and click "Armature" to add an armature at the anchor point.
You can extend an armature be selecting a point along it and clicking the E key.

Steps

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Using the keypad keys, 1, 3, and 7, you switch between the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis.
Go to the top bar and select "Add > Armature" You will have to fiddle with the top of armature to get it where you want it. Try putting it at to figure's chest, while the armature's original point is at the figure's stomach.

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This will copy the selected point and move it with the mouse until you click.
Once you have made the rest of the "bone" structure, select your figure by right-clicking it. Go down to the bottom bar and add an armature modifier and in the Ob. field, type Armature .
Select your armature structure and switch the bone display option from Octahedron to Envelope. Now select the figure's head armature and press the S key. Pull the mouse away until the yellow ball envelopes the whole head. Continue doing this until the whole rigging is enveloped.'The purple bones are able to be enlarged, too.
Just select an armature point and move it around with the Move tool and the head, arm, or eye stalk should move, too.