Time for action – making a simple animation with keyframes
In animation, keyframes are the beginning and end of a transition. This transition could be a movement, rotation, or scaling of an object. It can also be a change in the color of an object, the brightness of the light, or almost anything that you can set in Blender. The animation is a sequence of keyframes. So let's start by making a simple animation:
If the cube is not selected, select it with the RMB.
With the cursor over the left-hand side of the 3D View window, press the I key, (I for Insert), to insert a keyframe. A menu will appear, as shown in the next screenshot.
Select Location and press the LMB.
In the Timeline window below the 3D View window, drag the green current frame indicator right until it is over 20. As you do that, the current frame text fields in the lower left of the 3D Views will change, as will the current frame button in the Timeline window.
Grab the green 3D manipulator in the left-hand 3D View with the LMB and...