workspace

Please open up Expression Blend and start a new project (wpf application) named whatever you would like. press f7 so your work space looks like mine.

K so when Expression Blend is first opened it looks very nice and pretty. But when looked at a little closer you will start to see how it can be very confusing and then you will start to notice that you want to cry... But dont give up!!! Simple things first. The tools are on the left!! They are what you will be using the most. If you want details on what each one does please click on help then user guide then the workspace-toolbox.

This is the Artboard(middle giant white square). I have it highlighted in red. This is where you will be drawing and making everything.

This is what you use to zoom in or turn on the grid or snap grid. Play around with it. (I personally like the ctrl spacebar click to zoom..but it does not work in blend) so this is what you will have to get used to.

This is the interaction, results, and objects and timeline panel. as far as I understand so far.. the interaction is used to control stuff like what you want to have happen when a button is clicked (like turn on a timeline)etc. The results is output and error messages(stupid errors!) and then the trusty objects and timeline is the place where it lists what you have on the artboard and in what order. The timeline is used for animation and such things. I will go further into detail later.

This is where you can choose between design(ooo pretty) view or XAML view(yuck ugly code!)

So if you draw a circle in design view then you can look at XAML view and see the code that makes up that circle you just drew.

This is the Projects, Properties and Resources panels. Project shows you your files folders etc. Properties is where you can change the colors and properties of certain objects you make. Resources is where you will have templates you can easily apply to stuff you make so you do not have to remake the look of everything over and over.

This is the menu. (you know.. with file, edit view.. all that fun stuff)

Play around with all of the tools and things so you get somewhat of a feel as to what they do.

See ya tomorrow! :D