Curveboard

Created by Aurélien Charrier
Last updated: Sep 30, 2020 by Etienne Beschet


The Curveboard is Akeytsu's F-Curve editor and is fully integrated into the 3D viewport and accessible via the Timebar.


You activate the Curveboard by clicking on  (Shortcut: Spacebar).

By default the curves are in the background but when you select them, they come to the foreground and in front of the character, surrounding it.

To emphasize visibility we designed curves and keyframes the following way:

  • x axis curves are in red color
  • y axis curves are in green color
  • z axis curves are in blue color
  • angle curves (IK and RF) are in orange color
  • Rotation curves are represented by round keys 
  • Move curves are represented by triangular keys 
  • Scale curves are represented by square keys 
  • Pole angle curves are represented by diamond keys 
  • Roll angle curves are represented by splitted diamond keys 
  • Twist angle curves are represented by splitted diamond keys 
  • Bank angle curves are represented by splitted diamond keys 
  • Camera FOV curve are represented by little camera keys 

Selection & Editing

You may select curves and their components (keyframes, tangents) by LMB clicking/rectangle + Shift.

You may add curves or components to your selection by LMB clicking/rectangle + Ctrl.

You may remove curves or components from your selection by LMB clicking/rectangle + Alt. 

When a selection is made, key handles will be displayed.


When you begin editing curves or keyframes values, a vertical values scale appears in 3D Viewport providing actual value feedback.

You may increase curve or keyframe values by LMB click + drag Up + Shift.

You may decrease curve or keyframe values by LMB click + drag Down + Shift.

You may scale up a curve by RMB click + drag Up + Shift.

You may scale down a curve by RMB click + drag Down + Shift. Please notice that the scale result will depend on your mouse cursor position when you start to drag.

Curveboard Panning & Resizing

You may pan the Curveboard vertically by MMB click + drag Up/Down + Shift in empty space. 

You may resize the Curveboard vertically by RMB click + drag Up/Down + Shift in empty space.

Curveboard Rubber Menu

Frame Full Animation: Like the framing option of the Minibar, this feature frames curves in the 3D Viewport depending on highest and smallest values of all the displayed curves, regardless of current selection.

Frame Key Range: Like the framing option of the Minibar, this feature frames curves in the 3D Viewport depending on highest and smallest curve values of the selected keys (keys selected on curves).

Stepped Interpolation: This interpolation mode is direct from a key to another, while preserving their timing. Excellent for snappy animations or the first block-out pass. This mode is helpful to focus on posing and timing of your keyframes

Linear Interpolation: This interpolation mode creates straight segments between neighbor keyframes.

Spline Interpolation: This interpolation mode creates smooth curves. It is usually the default interpolation mode in 3D animation software.

Clamped Interpolation: This interpolation mode flattens the curve between neighbor keyframes when their values are identical.

Auto IK Interpolation: It is the default interpolation mode for IK and Reverse Foot (RF) targets. In this mode, the curve interpolation between two neighboring keys automatically switches between Spline, SplineClamped and Linear depending on the IK/FK combination, and the key values set on those keys. Spline is the default mode. Other modes are activated in the following cases :

  • When two successive keyframes are in different IK/FK mode (one is red and the other is white), the red key is deemed a contact point and all curves behave as in Linear mode.
  • When two successive keyframes are in IK mode (both red), and key values on a curve are identical (or very close), akeytsu assumes this value mustn't vary between the keys, therefore this curve behaves as in Linear mode.

Disable Curveboard : Close the curveboard


Curveboard RMB Menu

You access this menu anywhere on the 3D viewport by RMB clicking + Shift:

  • Break tangents: Break the selected keyframe handle. When you break tangents the handles are displayed as dotted lines. Once broken you can, of course, re-unify them.

  • Isolate and focus on selection: Display and focus on selection only (curves and keyframes).
  • Isolate move channels: Display move channels only.
  • Isolate rotate channels: Display rotate channels only.
  • Isolate scale channels: Display scale channels only.
  • Isolate angle channels: Display angle channels only (meaning Pole angle, Roll, etc.)
  • Show all curves: Display all curves.
  • Select all curves: Select all the visible curves.

  • Select controller: Select (in Picker) the controller depending on the curve.