3D Spoken here!

[Mark (theKeeper)]

Hi folks,

Beth...
Here a very simple way of conceptualizing what 3D is, and how 3D programs work...

Think of it as if you were working with clay or putty (3D polygonal/mesh/hypernurb models), that you will later paint (texture map), and take a photo of (render) - (to share with friends and family!) [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Sometimes too, it may be necessary (or preferable)to 'touch-up' your photograph (rendered image) with a program like Photoshop.

You work in a studio that has many rooms. Each room you work in presents you with a different "perspective" of how your project looks - i.e. TopView/FrontView/SideView/BackView/3D Perspective View/etc...
If you wish to work in the 'main control' room, you can turn on a set of monitors that allow you simultaneous multiple views of your object/scene.

Simple objects like a sphere, cone, box, etc. (known as primitives), are easy to make, paint, and take practically no time to photograph. Most programs will have 'quick buttons' for primary shapes (primitives).

More complex shapes/scenes, such as a living room with funiture and fixings, will take longer to create, paint, and photograph (because there are more objects in the scene/environment - hence more decisions to be made).
The objects in a scene such as that would be created by combining primitives through a boolean process (also know as 'welding') (like sticking a ball of clay onto a clay box shape and smearing the seams using water; to remove the seams)

If you should choose to take your work over to another studio to paint, either before, during or after your creation process (ala Photoshop, Painter, etc.), then it will add time to your creation's development. But should have little or no bearing on the time taken to photograph (render) your creation.
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And that's how i learned to understand better how 3D programs work. Hope that helps...? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Mark...

[jens g.r. benthien]

Hi Gary and all the others,

thanks for the great intro! I'm excited to see something new in this forum!

Textures: yes, UV is great, but UVW is even better. But as far as I know it's integrated only in Cinema 4D XL.

Using several apps like Rhino and Cinema, you are not only limited to 'renderings', but you can print your 3D models via a 3D printer or stereolithography as well (it's a snap with Rhino models).

Beth,

3D is a world of it's own. Some say too realistic. IMHO, this is only the case if you use it for renderings. But for product development and rendering a product in a 'natural' environment even before a prototype exists is mind boggling.

Anyway, let's rock and roll here - 3D ** IS ** the future.

jens (I hope I'll have the time to be able to watch the XARA X forum and this one as well)

[Earl]

Indeed you are correct Jens. UVW is 'better' than UV texture mapping. I often say "UV" when I'm talking about UVW. Sorry for not being more specific. And most major 3D applications support UVW texturing mapping. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[Mark (theKeeper)]

Yep, that's right Earl. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Bryce uses UVW by default.

But... i'm finding out that even UVW has it's own 'specific' uses. It isn't always the best way to go - and i know you guys weren't being THAT specific, just thought i'd tell you about what *i've* discovered. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Mark...

[Beth]

Thanks for all the wonderful answers. Im glad to see such interest in this forum.

I did not realize you could do such realistic stuff in 3D. I assumed that it also took alot of post production work. I am so impressed. The texture is completely appropriate. And you know Earl, your die is very good too. The amount of transparency is bang on.

I am not sure about the Maya thing. Something about it comes with OS X. So maybe it is indeed a demo. I will look at Apples site when I get a chance.

Thanks for the 3D break down Mark. It certainly helps fill in some of the gaps. I think I will mostly lurk around in this area until I get a chance to mess around in Inspire3D.My nature as an artist is fairly realistic, so I think 3D would be a perfect vehicle for me. Besides I would like to break into the architectural renderings market.

Beth

[Mark (theKeeper)]

I think Beth that the biggest little secret about learning 3D through 3D programs is the fact that, especially if you're just learning to be an artist, or getting into a different area than your norm, you can teach yourself an awful lot about the 3 dimensional world in general.

Most, if not all artists that do not give 3D a try seem to overlook that fact. And as such, i think they're missing out on a great "learning" tool.

You don't have to be a wizard in 3D graphics creation... you just have to be suseptable to paying attention to how a 3D program renders things - light, shadow, reflection, highlight, perspective, etc.etc...

I use my 3D programs a lot just to 'learn' how something will look in 3 dimensions. Then, i try to replicate that in say, Photoshop for instance. I mean really... there's just some types of objects, environments that most people would not normally have at their disposal; right? So... that's what i use the 3D program for. And why not? It's of great help! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]