Before you create anything, you need to be able to move around your scene. All navigation revolves around the mouse wheel.

The three essential moves

• Orbit: hold the middle mouse button down and move the mouse to turn around the scene.
• Zoom: roll the wheel to move closer or further away.
• Pan: hold Shift + middle mouse button to slide the view sideways.

The preset views

The numeric keypad gives you precise angles: 1 for the front, 3 for the side, 7 for the top. The 5 key toggles between perspective and orthographic view.

Key takeaway: the mouse wheel is your best friend. Orbit, zoom, pan: these three moves will quickly become second nature.