3D animation is a modern graphic technique that allows you to represent perspective and depth in an animation.

Thanks to the realistic, three-dimensional image that can be created with this technique, it has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. For example, it is very popular with marketing companies because you can use these animations to show a product before it is even realized. You can also zoom in on small details and show corners that you wouldn't be able to show with 2D animations. Are you considering 3D animation? In this article, we discuss what is involved in this process.

The storyboard
If you want to make a successful 3D animation, it is important that you have a clear idea of exactly what you want to tell. Think carefully about what story you want to convey and what you hope to achieve with the film. Then the storyboard can be drawn up. A storyboard consists of a collection of sketches that together roughly represent how the movie will turn out. At this stage, a lot of adjustments can still be made, so it is important for the client to give clear feedback. This phase also determines how the camera will move through the various scenes. It is therefore important to be clear about this beforehand: Do you want the camera to zoom in or out at specific moments? Do you want the camera to move through space or around a product?

Het modelleren
Als het storyboard eenmaal af (en goedgekeurd) is, dan zal het modelleren kunnen beginnen. Gedurende deze fase vindt het 'echte werk' plaats: de plaatjes worden tot leven gebracht zodat er driedimensionale beelden van de geschetste tekeningen ontstaan. Dit is een arbeidsintensief proces, dat van alle onderdelen waarschijnlijk het meeste tijd in beslag zal nemen. Zodra het modelleren gelukt is, zul je al een ruwe versie van het uiteindelijke resultaat kunnen bekijken.

Texturing
Texturing the animations is also an important part of the process. If you would like a successful 3D animation, it is important that the image looks realistic and has the right atmosphere. This can be done by texturing. For example, this stage involves making sure that the different materials in the movie have a realistic texture so that they look lifelike.

Rendering
One of the final steps is rendering. This is a term from the graphics industry, indicating that the various images are put together in sequence. After rendering, the 3D animation is as good as finished. However, at this stage you can often choose to add music or sound effects.