# Getting Prepared

This will only work in versions of **Blender from 2.8+**. The add-on we're going to use, **Abnormal**, doesn't support 2.79. If you're still hanging on to Blender 2.79, give Blender 3.0 a try! It's greatly improved and the learning curve shouldn't be any steeper than before.

[github.com/bnpr/Abnormal](https://github.com/bnpr/Abnormal "Abnormal")

[![addon ui.png](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-02/scaled-1680-/addon-ui.png)](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-02/addon-ui.png)

This is the official normal-editing Blender add-on of the Blender NPR (non-photorealistic rendering) community. It has a slightly unusual interface, but we'll only need a few buttons. Download a .zip file from the releases page. ***Note that as of the time I wrote this tutorial, I was using Abnormal 1.1. The interface has completely changed since then. I don't yet have time to update this tutorial for the new interface.***

[github.com/bnpr/Abnormal/releases](https://github.com/bnpr/Abnormal/releases "Releases")

Navigate to **Edit -> Preferences**, then to the **Add-ons** tab.

[![preferences.png](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/scaled-1680-/preferences.png)](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/preferences.png)

Click the Install button, then navigate to the .zip file you downloaded and select it. Install the add-on and it should appear automatically. Check the box for **Abnormal**.

[![install.png](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/scaled-1680-/install.png)](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/install.png)

[![enable abnormal.png](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/scaled-1680-/enable-abnormal.png)](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/enable-abnormal.png)

If Abnormal is correctly installed, it will appear in the right-side panel (open with the arrow or by pressing N).

[![access abnormal.png](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/scaled-1680-/access-abnormal.png)](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/access-abnormal.png)

Now you just need a model to work with. If you're lucky, the model you're using may come with a .blend file that is easy to open. If you're using a Booth model or other model that isn't in .blend format, import it! It'll usually be in .fbx format, and Blender can import those just fine.

[![import.png](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/scaled-1680-/import.png)](https://vrclibrary.com/wiki/uploads/images/gallery/2022-01/import.png)