Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
If you're familiar with 2D graphics software, such as Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Flash,
you already know something about vectors. Maya and other 3D graphics tools add the
calculation of depth. Instead of drawing objects on a flat plane, they're defined in three-
dimensional space. This makes the artist's job fairly cerebral and very different than it
is for 2D art; in 3D art, there is more of a dialogue between the left and right sides of the
brain. When working with 3D graphics tools, you get a better sense of manipulating and
working with objects, as opposed to dealing with the lines, shapes, and colors used to cre-
ate 2D images.
A Preview of the 3D Process
The process of creating in 3D requires that you either model or arrange prebuilt objects
in a scene, give them color and light, and render them through a virtual camera to make
an image. In essence, you create a scene that tells the computer what objects are in the
scene, where the objects are located, what the colors and textures of the objects are, what
lighting is available, and which camera to use in the scene. It's a lot like directing a live-
action production, but without any actor tantrums.
A large community on the Web provides free and for-pay models that you can use in your
scenes. Sites such as
www.turbosquid.com
and
www.archive3d.net
can cut out a lot of the
time you might spend creating all the models for a CG scene. This gives you the chance to
skip at least some of the modeling process, if that isn't your thing.
With CG, you work in 3D space—an open area in which you define your objects,
set their colors and textures, and position lights as if you were setting up for a live
photo shoot. CG is remarkably analogous to the art and practice of photography and
filmmaking.
Photographers lay out a scene by placing the subjects into the frame of the photo. They
light the area for a specific mood, account for the film qualities in use, adjust the lens
aperture, and fine-tune for the colors of the scene. They choose the camera, film, and lens
based on their desired result. Then, they snap the pictures and digitally transfer them or
develop them to paper. Through this process, a photo is born.
After you build your scene in 3D using models, lights, and a camera, the computer
renders
the scene, converting it to a 2D image. Through setup and rendering, CGI is
born—and, with a little luck, a CG artist is also born.
Rendering
is the process of calculating lights and shadows, the placement of textures and
colors on models, the movement of animated objects, and so on to produce a sequence
of 2D pictures that effectively “shoot” your virtual scene. Instead of an envelope of 4
×
6
glossy prints, you get a sequence of 2D computer images (or a QuickTime or AVI [Audio
Video Interleave] movie file) that sit on your hard drive waiting to be seen, and invariably
commented on, by your know-it-all friends.
