A First-Time Animator's Guide to Building a Basic 3D Shape for a Movie

If you are totally clueless on the technical aspect of 3D modeling and animation, this will serve as a guide for you to better understand how the process works. Before you start using any 3D program, it is best to first have a full grasp of the basic elements and steps involved in making 3D shapes, objects, and characters. This guide provides an idea of the basic concept and the non-technical procedure used in building a 3D shape via a 3D animation or modeling program.

Building a 3D shape is an initial step for you to making your own animated movie. It requires using a 3D animation or modeling program like Maya, 3ds Max, or Blender. Both personal and industry users widely use Maya and 3ds Max. These two are used in a number of films, video games, architectural models, and even medical and scientific research materials. Blender is another popular choice because of its great functionality amidst being a free software program. Thus, it is a very practical choice for those who want to explore animation and computer-generated imagery (CGI) works without buying very expensive software.

1. Visualize the exact shape you want to generate using your 3D modeling or animation program. Whether you are using the shape as a basic part of a more complicated image the said shape will work as your final 3D element, make sure you consider not only its actual shape but also its size and perspective.

2. Lay out the "avars," or hinges of your intended shape. These are dots that help form the 3D shape's skeletal system. The connections on these dots create various geometric entities including lines, polygons, triangles and flat and curved surfaces.

Unlike a basic 2D shape, a 3D shape uses a number of planes to provide three-dimensional perspective to the image. Aside from providing the required lines and planes for your intended 3D shape, creating avars is also essential for the 3D animation process. Some of its dots work as bones and joints. These play vital roles when moving the 3D image during the animation process.

3. Form the 3D shape one plane at a time until you are able to incorporate the various points, lines, curves and edges that connect the different areas of the shape. If needed, combine different shapes together to finalize a more intricate 3D shape.

4. Put color, shading and texture to the 3D shape. Incorporate various physical attributes the shape needs, if necessary. For instance, the final shape may require placing hair or skin on its surface. Also, consider the lighting effect you want when providing highlights and shadows to the image.

5. Render and export your final 3D shape. The rendering process generates the final image you made based on the specific attributes and functions you used when building your 3D shape. The exporting process creates a specific image or video file that contains your 3D shape.

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