3D Modelling

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3D Modelling

• Week 2
• Software and 3D Modelling

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Aims of today

• Revisit the fundamentals of 3D parametric
  modelling
• Software
• Hardware
• Modelling concepts
• 3D parametric modelling
• Primitives
• 2D to 3D
• Transformations
• Aligning
• Cloning
• Modifying primitives
• Boolean

3
Last week

• Introduced the module
• Presentation, discuss next week
• Portfolio
• Introduced parametric modelling
• VRML or X3D
• 3D space
• Coordinates
• Axes
• Transformations
• 3D primitives

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3D space

• Rectangular coordinate system
• Known as Cartesian coordinates
• World or global coordinate system
• Each object can have its own local coordinate
  system
• Axes

5
Primitive parametric modelling

• Numerical description of the object
• What are the parameters of
• Box (or cuboid)?
• Size, 3 dimensions
• Cylinder?
• Height and radius
• Sphere?
• Radius

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Transformations

• Geometric transformation
• Mathematical operation
• What are the three possible methods of
  transformation in VRML/X3D?
• Position
• Rotate
• Scale

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Perspective transformations

• Perspective projection
• Happens automatically in virtually all 3D
  software
• A perspective view is created by projecting each
  point of the object onto a picture plane
• Parallel lines converge in the distance
• Creates a 2D image on the monitor/paper
• Axonometric projection

8
Navigation transformations

• Motions or transformations that place the
  viewpoint or camera in different parts of the
  scene
• Position
• Point of interest
• Camera lens

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Display in a webpage

• A web browser
• A free plug-ins
• Cosmo VRML
• http//ovrt.nist.gov/cosmo/
• Cortona VRML
• http//www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/
  
• Flux VRML and X3D
• http//www.mediamachines.com/flux/
• BS Contact VRML and X3D
• http//www.bitmanagement.de/

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3d modelling software

• Ranges from the free to the very expensive
• Why might it be so expensive?
• What might you expect your 3d software to do?

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Typical scenario

• Your client asked you to make a 3D rendering of
  the steps involved in the self-assembly of a
  piece of furniture
• What are your software options?
• What are the cost implications of the various
  pieces of software?
• What file type would be generated?
• What are the hardware implications?

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Activity

• In pairs
• Find 2 examples of free 3d software
• Find 3 examples of professional 3d software
• http//dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Business
  _to_Business/Computers/Software/Graphics/3D/
• http//www.google.co.uk/

13
Activity

• Of the professional software options
• What is the cost of one licence?
• Can you to make an interactive web model?
• What is the recommended hardware for this
  software?

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Modeller concepts

• Four types of modelling systems
• Parametric
• Polygon
• Spline
• Patch
• Many piece of software combine two or more of
  these basic techniques

Giambruno M, (2002)
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Parametric modellers

• Retain their base geometric information
• Default shape
• Current size
• Segments
• This information can be accessed and altered
• Can be spline or polygon based
• Deformations can be applied

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Polygon modellers

• Objects constructed with polygons
• Made up of tiny, flat surfaces
• More polygons mean
• More detail
• Bigger file sizes
• Low polygon
• Used in real-time games
• Small file sizes
• Quick to render

3ds max v7
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Spline modellers

• A line defined as points, usually curved
• Resolution independent
• No faces
• Useful for creating organic shapes
• Different types
• B-spline
• Bezier
• NURBS
• Non-uniform rational b-splines

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Spline types

• B-spline
• Bezier
• NURBS
• Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines
• More information at http//www.doc.ic.ac.uk/dfg/A
  ndysSplineTutorial

3D Graphics and animation
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Patch modellers

• Use a network of control points
• Lattice of splines or polygons
• Stretch or tug on the shape
• Useful for organic forms

3ds max v7
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Working in the 3D world

• Most programs have a common features
• Viewports
• Mouse-selected features
• Use right click for context sensitive menus
• Type-in commands and parameters

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3ds max v7
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Wireframe modelling

• Wireframe modelling requires less computing power
  than any form of rendering
• Default
• 3 viewports wireframe
• 1 viewport rendered
• Will use either OpenGL or DirectX
• But not proper rendering with lighting and
  shadows
• Takes even more processing power

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3ds max v7
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Different viewports

• 3ds max allows lots of different viewport
  arrangements

3ds max v7
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Viewports

• Customisable viewports
• Top
• Left or right
• Perspective
• Camera

• Pan
• Slide around
• Zoom in or out
• Zoom all

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Common 3D primitives

• Can you name them?
• Cone
• Sphere
• GeoSphere
• Teapot
• Box
• Tube
• Cylinder
• Taurus

3ds max v7
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Activity

• Start up 3ds max
• Draw a primitive shape
• Experiment with panning, zooming
• Change the viewpoints
• Experiment with right clicking

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Units and scale

• English
• Feet an inches
• Metric
• Meters and centimetres
• Generic
• Decimal numbers

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Activity

• Using 3ds max help
• HelpgtUser reference
• Find out how to alter the units system
• Make sure that the software is set to Metres

30
Self assessment

• What are the four types of modelling concepts
  used by modelling software?
• What is the most useful for gaming?
• Why is this used for gaming?
• Why does it not work well for
• Rendered views?
• Organic shapes?
• Discuss the four methods of converting 2D shapes
  to 3D
• Give an example of each for constructing everyday
  objects

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File formats for modelling

• Portable or universal file format
• DXF .dxf
• Drawing Interchange Format
• Widely used in CAD (Computer Aided Design)
• OBJ .obj
• Computer animation an visual effects
• 3ds .3ds
• Mesh
• Native
• May be converted
• 3ds max .max

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Exporting/importing files

• File conversion
• 3D Studio (3DS)
• Adobe Illustrator (AI)
• ASC Scene Export (ASE)
• AutoCAD (DWG)
• AutoCAD (DXF)
• Shockwave 3D
• FiLMBOX (FBX)
• Initial Graphics Exchange Standard (IGES)
• Lightscape Material (ATR)
• Lightscape Blocks (BLK)
• Lightscape Parameter (DF)
• Lightscape Layers (LAY)
• Lightscape View (VW)
• Lightscape Preparation File (LP)
• Stereolithography (STL)
• VRML97 (WRL)

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Activity

• Import your VRML model from Portfolio 1

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Transforms using software

• Move
• Numerical
• Using your mouse
• Rotate
• Revolve around a selected axis
• Pivot point

• Scale
• In one direction?
• Mirror
• Reverses an object
• Or
• Copies a reversed version of it along a selected
  axis
• Useful for what?

35
Transform tips

• Work in plan and side view
• Use gizmos
• Viewport icons that let you quickly choose one or
  two axes when transforming a selection with the
  mouse.

3ds max v7
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Align

• Bring object surfaces flush with each other
• Center
• Left
• Right
• Face
• Edge
• Vertex

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Copying and instancing

• Copy
• Creates a completely separate clone from the
  original. Modifying one has no effect on the
  other
• Instance
• Creates a completely interchangeable clone of the
  original. Modifying an instanced object is the
  same as modifying the original
• Reference method
• Creates a clone dependent on the original up to
  the point when the object is cloned. Changing
  parameters for modifiers that were applied to the
  object before the object was referenced, will
  change both objects. However, a new modifier can
  be applied to one of the reference objects, and
  it will affect only the object to which it is
  applied.

3ds max v7
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• Array
• Series of clones
• Linear
• Select object
• Define axis
• Define distance
• Define number
• Radial
• Select axis
• Specify number

3ds max v7
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Activity

• Today build a table with objects on top
• Give every object a name
• Experiment with
• Align
• Scale
• Mirror
• Copy

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Deforms or modifiers

• Modifiers provide a way for you to sculpt and
  edit objects
• change the geometry of an object
• An unlimited number of modifiers can be applied
  to an object
• Modifiers can be deleted
• Modifiers can be copied to other objects
• The order or sequence in which you add modifiers
  is important.
• Each modifier affects those that come after it.

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Selection of modifiers

• Bend
• Bevel
• Lathe
• Edit mesh
• Patch deformer
• Surface modifier
• Optimize
• Edit spline
• Taper

• Smooth
• Twist
• Skin modifier
• Mirror
• Extrude
• Refer to 3ds max 7 help

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Bend modifier

• Parameters
• Angle
• Direction
• Axis
• Limits

3ds max v7
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Taper modifier

• Parameters
• Amount
• Curve
• Axis
• Limits

3ds max v7
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Twist modifier

• Parameters
• Angle
• Bias
• Axis
• Limits

3ds max v7
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Squash modifier

• Parameters
• Axial bulge
• Amount
• Curve
• Radial squeeze
• Amount
• Curve
• Limits
• Effect balance

3ds max v7
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Object data flow

• The software evaluates changes affecting the
  object for display
• The object data flow is the order in which they
  are evaluated

3ds max v7
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The Modifier Stack

• Using the Modifier Stack
• Find a particular modifier and adjust its
  parameters
• View and manipulate the sequence of modifiers
• Copy, cut, and paste modifiers between objects,
  or sets of objects
• Deactivate the effect of a modifier in the stack,
  the viewport display, or both
• Select a modifiers components, such as gizmo or
  centre
• Delete modifiers.
• 3ds max 7 help

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Activity

• Add a teapot, a cylinder, a sphere to your table
• Bend them
• Taper
• Twist them
• Squash them

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3D Booleans

• Powerful sculpting tools
• Multiple objects
• Usually destructive

3ds max v7
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Union Boolean

• Union or addition
• The intersecting or overlapping portion of the
  geometry is removed.

3ds max v7
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Intersection Boolean

• Intersection
• Where they overlap

3ds max v7
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Subtraction

• Subtraction (or difference)
• The Boolean object contains the volume of one
  original object with the intersection volume
  subtracted from it

a - b
b - a
3ds max v7
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Activity

• Make a fruit bowl on your table using Boolean
• Make a fruit bowl using lath
• Are there any more ways?

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Organising yourself

• Save frequently
• Organise your work
• How?
• Save different versions of your work with new
  file names
• Folders for tutorial work
• Folders for portfolio work

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Covered today

• Software
• Hardware
• Modelling concepts
• 3D parametric modelling
• Primitives
• 2D to 3D
• Transformation s
• Aligning
• Cloning
• Modifying primitives
• Boolean

56
Self assessment

• In building a model to display furniture
• Compare the use of different types of cloning of
  shapes in the modelling of a furniture display
• Give two instances of how array might be used in
  a furniture display and how the parameters would
  be set
• Describe the how 3D primitives could be
  added/subtracted together to model a piece of
  furniture

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Next week

• Get to know the software
• Work on 3ds max tutorials
• Next portfolio
• Directed reading
• By now you should have read chapters 1- 5 of 3D
  Graphics Animation
• For next week read chapters 7 8
• Next week we will discuss your presentation
• YOU need to think about it and ask are you
  approaching it in the correct way

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References

• Giambruno M, (2002) 3D Graphics Animation, 2nd
  Edition, New Riders, ISBN 0-7357-1243-3
• Kerlow I. V., (2003) The Art of 3-D Computer
  Animation and Effects , 3rd Edition, John Wiley
  Sons Inc ISBN 0471430366
• 3ds max 7 User Reference and Tutorials