Animation is the illusion of movement created by a rapid display of a sequence of images. Scientifically, this occurs due to the persistence of vision experienced by the eye. The most common and everyday example of animation is a video program.

3D animation came into existence with advancements in computing software and technology. 3D animation creates graphics using a 3D representation of 2D geometric data stored in a computer.

Examples of 3D graphics or animation would be cartoon films and 3D models used in engineering and architecture.

How Does Animation Work

The basic principle of animation is the same for all media – displaying a rapid sequence of images which are slightly different than each other creating the illusion of movement before the eye.

However, this is how regular, 2D animation is created (or rather, was created until a few years ago). Nowadays, for both creating 2D as well as 3D animation, computer software from several vendors such as Adobe, Xara, Strata and Corel are available.

The Thaumatrope was one of the earliest devices designed to understand the persistence of vision (Source: http://www.aranpa.com)

Thaumatrope

The various steps involved in generating 3D animation are described next.

Concepts and Storyboarding

Storyboarding is the process of creating a visual representation of the actual screenplay of the animation’s story. It basically consists of a series of illustrations or images presented in a sequence for pre-visualizing an animation. It is usually an intricate and tedious process as it is supposed to visually convey the actual story of the animation.

Modeling

3D modeling is usually done using specialized computer software and involves developing a mathematical model of any surface of a three dimensional object. This is actually done using 2D images of the object using a process called 3D rendering. Models may be created automatically or manually; the latter is usually done by an artist and is similar to sculpting. An example of a computerized 3D model of a human head is shown next. (Source: http://pabs.us/graphictutorials/wp-content)

3D model of a human head

Layout

To render objects on the media being used, they must first be placed within a scene, a process known as layout. In this process, the physical and spatial interrelations between the objects contained in a scene are first decided. Next, several techniques such as motion capturing and keyframing are used to capture their movement and deformation over time.

Just as in modeling, layout may also involve physical movement of the objects in the scene, similar to sculpting. An example of the use of layout is shown below in a promotional poster for the film ‘Shrek’.

Layout

Positioning the Cameras and Lighting

For the scene to provide a realistic feel to the viewer, the lights and cameras must be positioned correctly. This ensures that minor details, such as shadows, also appear authentic in the final results. As an example, the following image shows the results of correctly positioning the cameras and lights in the making of a promotional poster for the Ford Focus car. (Source: http://www.leblogauto.com/images/focus_cc2.jpg)

Positioning the Cameras and Lighting

Rendering

This is usually the last step in creating the illusion of motion between the objects in the scene. This step also involves complex interaction of different light sources of varying intensities and positioned at different places to get the desired effects in the scene.

This step is most commonly performed using 3D computer software. A technique known as 3D projection, which allows a 3D image or object to be viewed in 2 dimensions is also used in the process of rendering.

Visual Effects (VFX)

Visual effects are the combination of various processes in which live action footage is combined with computer generated static imagery. It is used to create realistic looking environments which may be costly or dangerous to create artificially and then capture on film.

Visual effects are most commonly part of a film’s post-production, and have now become accessible to amateur filmmakers with affordable animation software.

An example of visual effects is the use of Computer Generated Imagery or CGI, which consists of developing scenes, first shot with real actors and then processed using computer software to render a computerized 3D equivalent of that scene, as shown in the image below from the movie ‘Avatar’ (Source: http://images2.fanpop.com)

Computer Generated Imagery

In summary, we have seen in this blog that 3D animation involves several steps, starting from the concept right up to post-production with each of these steps involving technical as well as creative expertise in equal measures. Thankfully, advances in technology have made this field simpler and more productive for the professionals, and within reach for the amateurs.

Amit Sheth – Senior Technical Writer