1. Dominic O'B
3D: The Basics for Computer Arts.
3D software is a growing industry and becoming more and more popular, 3D
software is used within a wide variety of different fields, from games design, film
production too Architecture.
Below you will see 5 fields that use 3D software.
1. Entertainment (i.e. film)
The entertainment field is one of the most common places
you will find the use of 3D modelling, 3D software is
extremely useful within this field as it Is used too create
special effects such as environments or even whole worlds
like seen in 'Avatar'.
Using CGI 3D graphics artists can also remove things from
scenes, for example, removing a palm tree from a shot that
is set in England. Animal Logic relied on Maya to complete
approximately 800 shots for the Academy Award-
winning animated feature film Happy Feet. Maya
was used to form the facility’s complete rendering
and lighting pipeline.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet
2. Gaming. /item?siteID=123112&id=9227157
Another area that relies highly on 3D modelling software is the field of gaming, video
games are becoming more and more realistic, and you can easily see this simply by
comparing Play Station 1 games too that of the Play Station 2 and 3, you can see how
the graphics have changed.
Whether you are driving a car, fighting aliens or playing football, the scenes, props
and even the characters are starting too look more like the real things.
There are now a range of Universities and Colleges offering courses in 3D modelling
for gaming.
PlayStation 1.
PlayStation 2. PlayStation 3
By comparing the 3 images above you can clearly see the increase in graphics as the
3D software has developed more, you can clearly see the difference of 1-2 and 2-3.
Looking at the play station 3 image you can see how much gaming has enhanced and

2. Dominic O'B
how the characters, surroundings and objects are becoming more and more like the
real deal.
3. Architecture.
For years, renderers would 'flesh out' plans and blueprints into
drawings that would look quite realistic, but now, these
rendering can be done using 3D software, the software allows
the creator too add motion too the object so clients can see a
'fly through' that shows all angles of the object (e.g. Birds Eye,
Ground Perspective) this also allows the viewer too see inside
the structure too show what too expect on their new project.
The above image is an artist rendering of
a house through trees, this emphasises
4. Publishing. how far architectural rendering has come
Publishers of books and textbooks are also making use of from drawing out plans too using 3D
3D modelling, this allows them to show pictures that they usually might not be able
to get e.g. copyright issues; these illustrations can help show the artists vision and
create unique items that people have never before seen.
5.Advertising And Marketing.
3D modelling is a useful tool for advertisers and marketers, as this can help them
depict their product in a finished state, this allows companies too render new
products, packaging and prototypes and if the model needs too be changed, this isn't a
big problem, it can be easily done by changing the computer model additionally, once
they have developed the right rendering, they can use that to sell the item before they
have to invest capital in production.
Note – All above information has been
sourced and edited from http://www.steves-
digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/video-
software/6-industries-that-use-3d-modeling-
software.html
What different 3D software is there available, and what is the best?
Below you will find a summery of many popular 3D development software’s.

3. Dominic O'B
3D Studio Max
Source: http://tideart.com/?id=4e26f595
Price: $3,495
3DS MAX is perhaps the most well known 3D modelling software out
there. Made by Autodesk, it's become the standard in the professional
world. Many studios use it, and it has a long history behind it, making
it one of the most full-featured and complete packages you could want.
The modelling features are quite complete, with support for polygon,
NURBS, and surface modelling. It has full animation support, an
extensive texturing editor, a physics engine, scripting called
MAXScript, and more.
Above a screen shot of a face
modelled in 3DS Max.
Maya:
Source: http://tideart.com/?id=4e26f595
Price: $3,495
Maya is very similar too 3D Studio Max, even the price is the same.
Though the interface is slightly different, but otherwise the features are
fairly close. In Maya you can do modelling, animation and texturing e.t.c
While many studios use 3DS MAX for modelling, Maya is more
commonly used for animation.
Blender:
Source: http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/25-free-3d-model-
ling-applications-you-should-not-miss/
Price: Free
Blender is a free and open source 3D modelling and animation ap-
plication which can be used for multiple things from...model-
ling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, water simulations,
skinning, animating, rendering, particle and other simulations.
Lightwave 3D
Price: $ 895
Source: http://www.designtalkboard.com/reviews/3d-design1.php
Lightwave 3D is NewTek's high-end 3D animation and rendering program. Available for both Mac and PC.
Lightwave has been a popular program in its field and is actually two products bundled into one (Modler and
Layout) 'Modeller', is responsible for building the objects and the second, 'Layout', is where the animation
project takes place. This is simpler than it sounds, the user has too simple create a ‘fly through’ of his object
my moving the camera and adding keyframes by hitting ‘enter’ on the keyboard.

4. Dominic O'B
On the other hand, lightwave is also known for its confusing interface, though the finishing result is in very
good detail, not too that of Maya or 3Ds max though.
Cinema 4D:
Price: $959 / $3,695
Cinema 4D comes for both Mac and PC. Its strong-point is certainly its interface, with customised and pre-set layouts,
as well as quick switching between modelling, animation and painting layouts.
Cinema 4D has excellent modelling tools, but some users have complained that its rendering can look shiny and
'artificial' although it is well known for its fast rendering time.
Cinema 4D comes in many bundles which range in price from $959 too $3695.
Google Sketch Up: http://tideart.com/?id=4e26f595
Price: Free / $495
Google sketch up is a fairly simple program too learn and use it’s workflow is different
than the traditional modelling program, this makes it easier too model objects.
The program comes with a free version that allows you too access every feature the pro-
gram has too offer except the ‘export’ function, the pro version adds this option too it.
However Sketch up is much more limited when it comes too modelling it does not have a
‘render’ option, making the program more useful for architecture modelling than anything
else.
Just by comparing this image of
Too some up, all 3D software programs offer the same things but some of- Google Sketchup too that of Maya
fers different things, for example, 3DS Max offers animation whereas Cin- or 3DS Max you can see the
ema 4D does not and Google Sketch up offers a simple interface but does simplicity in Google Sketchup’s
not allow rendering. All the programs may encounter problems however, layout
for example...the amount of polygons within an object can effect the outcome, it can make the file size too
large which can cause problems and it can also alter the rendering times. The amount of points may also af-
fect the object in this way, but this can be easily fixed by 'merging' the points.
Geometric theory:
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonal_modeling#Geometric_theory_and_polygons
The basic object used in mesh modelling is a vertex, a point in three dimensional space. Two
vertices connected by a straight line become an edge. Three vertices, connected to the each other by
three edges, define a triangle, which is the simplest polygon. More complex polygons can be
created out of multiple triangles, or as a single object with more than 3 vertices.
Mesh Construction
Souce: http://www.archiform3d.com/glossary/3d-mesh-wireframe.php
‘Every 3D scene has some kind of structure in it, which is modelled from a plan, design or idea. This struc-
ture is made of a virtual set of lines and faces that can be faceted enough to produce curves and seemingly
organic shapes’
A 3D artist has many tools too aid his model, 3D mesh such as NURBS (A flexable model used in computer

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graphics for generating and representing curves and surfaces (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurbs))
but it all comes back to tiny triangles, and squares, that form the structure of a scene or object in 3D.
What is a wireframe model?
A wireframe model is a visual presentation of a three dimensional or physical object used in 3D computer
graphics. It is created by specifying each edge of the physical object where two mathematically continuous
smooth surfaces meet, or by connecting an object's constituent vertices using straight lines or curves