Understanding the process of 3D Animation

 3D animation is basically the idea of creating moving objects in a 3 dimensional digital environment, as opposed to regular animation we are used to, which is largely 2 dimensional. The images are supposed to have 3 dimensions, and move within a three dimensional space, or at least appear to do so, because similar to 2D animation, 3D animation process also involves a series of consecutive images that appear to move since they are shown in a very fast sequence.

There are three main steps to a 3D animation process, without getting into complex details:

·         Modeling

In this phase, the objects and characters are constructed. This basic phase of 3D animation process uses mathematical representation for all the elements. A shape is taken and molded into a completed 3D mesh. A simple object or a “primitive” is taken and is extended and grown into a shape that can be refined and detailed. A geometric surface representation of any object can be achieved in specialized 3D software such as Maya or 3Ds Max. The 3D models are then given details like color and texture. This is followed by a process known as rigging, which sets up a skeleton for the animation character that will allow it to move.

·         Layout and Animation

After the previous work is complete, one can move on to the actual animation, which is the next step in 3D animation process. Here, the 3D object created can be moved around freely. There's keyframe animation, in which the animator manipulates the objects frame by frame, much like traditional hand-drawn cartoons. Other ways of animation include arranging items on splines and configuring them to follow the path of the curve, or importing motion capture data and applying it to a character rig. Another option to animate is to leverage the physics engines integrated into your 3D application, such as when your scene requires objects to fall.

·         Rendering

Once the animator is satisfied with the animation as well as the light and camera work, they can move on to rendering. Similar to video, rendering in 3D animation is what completes the process, depicting the final output of the process. When dealing with a 3D animation, every scene is separated and rendered into multiple layers including objects, colors, background, foreground, shadows, highlights, et cetera. The layers are going to be united again in the post-production stage. This is essentially rendering or compositing, which is the final step in 3Danimation process.