3D Animation by Roger LeBouthillier

3D animation is a very popular technique used in cartoons, movies and visual arts. In a simple definition, 3D animation is the technique used to create moving objects or pictures in an environment that is three dimensional. Through the use of 3D software, pictures can be exported in sequences which give the illusion that it is actually moving. In this animation, the motion is simulated making it look like the movement actually happened when in fact it is just a collection of images that moved very fast. This is also true for 2D or stop animation.

Before 3D animation, 2D animation was popular. In 2D animation, the pictures are just hand drawn. A series of pictures is drawn with varying changes. This creates the illusion that the picture is actually in motion. In stop motion animation, real life models are used by filming them in different sequential positions. The pictures, when flipped rapidly, create the illusion of movement. In 3D animation, the computer is used for everything ranging from the graphics to the actual animation.

The process of creating 3D animation can be divided in three phases: modeling, layout and animation, and rendering. In modelling, it is the process of creating the 3D objects in a scene. In layout and animation, the objects are then positioned where animations are added in a scene. Last, in rendering, the final output is completed with the help of computer graphics. The combination of animation and computer graphics completes the process of a 3D animation production. Nowadays, there are different software that are available in the market in order to create 3D animation. There is a free 3D software called Blender which can help you to familiarize with what 3D animation is all about.