Inside The Basics Of 3D Animation Software

The 3D Animation Software Insider

Being normally right-brained in the way I look at most things, I had tossed around the idea of scraping any posts addressing 3D Animation Software. I had thought it more beneficial to dive into the details of modeling or fundamentals of animation but figured, hey, fresh blood is always dying to be drowned with more information when they start learning something new, why should 3D Animation be any different?!

As for the rest of you out there, stay with me as contrary to your own opinions of what could possibly bore you more, learning a little more about what makes these dream machines tick will only broaden your knowledge in the field of 3D Animation. And we all want that!

To sum up what 3D Animation Software is it’s basically an application that calculates the geometric value of data as it exists in a 3D Environment. The information is manipulated through a process of functions and computations, until it is ready to be rendered. The rendered 2D images are then edited for use in still or animations. Let me explain further.

When 3D Animation slowly stepped out onto the stage, it stood as a culmination of multiple mediums and methods that had been used in animation before. It was the computers’ answer to stop motion animation and did away with the infuriating (yes, I once did stop motion animation too) need to tirelessly animate at what is now considered unnervingly slow speed. 3D Animation also took advantage of vector graphics in the way assets were displayed in the 3D Animation Software’s viewport. And finally, raster graphics were used in order to capture the data as 2D rendered displays.

Then, of course, it was simply a matter of editing the3D rendered images in a compositing program for animations, or 2D editing software if it was for a still.

Now, I know I may have laid it on ya a little thick but if you approach it from the angle that no matter what 3D Animation Software you choose to use, you are always simply dealing with data at the end of the day, allowing distinctions to become clearer (and this is where the know-it-all-geek in all of us rears its pimply head). Remember, although we may view a 3D model in software’s viewport, it is simply a vector graphic representation of the stored data. The catch is, the same 3D model isn’t technically considered a graphic until it is rendered. It’s all data till the fat lady renders it!

Another thing to note is that the method in which 3D Animation packages receive data is not limited to manual entry by a3D Animator. Motion Capture data is one example. Another is 3D Scanning via a 3D Scan capable camera. Also, with advances in textile software programs, you are now able to export your models into applications which can produce 3D prints. Could it be the extinction of Marquette’s, I hear you say?

Well, whatever the case, realizing what the engine looks like under the hood of any 3D Animation Software will only help you in understanding its capabilities and limitations. Thankfully as technology continues to improve, we will undoubtedly see less limitations and a lot more capabilities developed for 3D Animation Software.

Now, as this was a brief lead-in to how 3D Animation Software processes data into the final project, future posts will cover the fields of modeling, texturing, animation, lighting and rendering. If you didn’t fall asleep in this post, then stick around for more info on 3D Animation Basics!

-Morph

3D Animation in a nutshell

The Nit and Grit of 3D Animation

If you have stumbled onto this post, you probably have a general understanding of what 3D Animation already is. It’s hard not to see a movie that hasn’t used 3D Animation in some way or another to create incredible visual effects and immensely engaging characters. You need only look at movies like King Kong and Transformers: The Movie to see how far 3D Animation has come over the years. With that in mind, the purpose of this post is to either reinforce what you already know or have you rethinking what you thought you knew about 3D Animation and its’ ever growing industry.

Obviously, 3D Animation is simply animation within a 3D environment. The extent to which 3D Animation is used within that environment varies based on what is required. As a relative new comer to the 3D Animation industry, I have learnt more than my fair share of home-truths about what I thought I knew about 3D Animation. First off, the term “3D Animation” covers a broad range of fields, the main ones being modeling, texturing, rigging, animation, dynamic simulation, scripting and rendering. Each field in itself is deep and expansive so I will keep this post on the topic of “3D Animation in a Nutshell” and will explain these fields in greater detail in future posts.

Because 3D Animation is so large a box and ever growing as technology makes it easier for artists to realize their work, it’s easy to allow yourself to become overwhelmed in the many smaller boxes within itself. Thankfully, the majority of 3D Animation enthusiasts will lack the ability to master all fields. For example, a person who is competent at modeling and texturing, may be weak at scripting and rigging. Likewise, a person who is strong at animation may be very weak at lighting and rendering. Does this mean 3D Animation is too difficult a field to forge a career out of? The opposite could not be truer regarding 3D Animation. Because it is ever-growing, 3D Animation has the benefit of growing appeal to more and more people ever before. With modelers becoming lighting TD’s and animators excelling in the field of dynamics simulation and rigging, there is a world of opportunities to learn and grow in the 3D Animation industry.

And that, my friends, is the challenge of the 3D Animation industry. With so many roads to walk down and so many places to stop and learn new tools and skill sets, we are given the awesome opportunity to become whatever we want. In reality, this is how MMORPG should be played. A kid spends 40+ hours on his computer playing an online game that allows him to level-up his character a few levels on a bad week, logging off at the end with nothing more to show for it than a few game props and typers cramp. I on the other hand, can spend 40+ hours modeling a character that can put your online avatar to shame. 3D Animation provides the tools and skill sets for me to create a character as realistic as technologically possible. Because of 3D Animation, I might also choose to create props, be they weapons or vehicles which will have you whincing in pain or whining in jealousy. If I so choose, 3D Animation enables me to create an environment for my character that rivals that of the Crysis or Unreal in-game environments. I could also create a short animation for my character within this environment, all credit to the 3D Animation industry.

Now sure, a kid may still be able to enjoy playing a game that contains all of these things and more, but hell, why would I waste my time in a game created by someone else, based on their own rules and controlled by their own standards when I have the power to create my own. Need I say it again..? I hope not but just in case, it is all possible, and so much more because of 3D Animation.

-Till Next Time

The Basics of 3D Animation

Welcome to 3D Animation Basics for Beginners. This site provides information on what 3d Animation is and advice on starting out in the Animation Industry. If you have questions that are not answered in 3D Animation Basics, please contact me at 3daniminfo@gmail.com