Gallery Hopping 2

3 Dimensional

Gallery Description:  "This section is entirely dedicated to 3-Dimensional Digital Art, therefore submissions here utilize the Cartesian coordinates (X,Y,Z) on a 2-Dimensional digital canvas. Such items include 3-Dimensional renders from a 3D program, or art where 3-Dimensional depictions account for the majority of the artwork."


To begin with, not everyone might  be familiar with Cartesian coordinates, so I'll start there.  Cartesian coordinates are a way of defining any point in space using three axis directions.  First off, imagine you are looking straight forward.  The "Y" axis would be the line that runs both left and right.  If you were to hold your arms out at your sides, parallel with the ground, your arms would be the Y axis.  The "Z" axis is up and down.  Your body would be this axis.  If you were to walk forward or backwards, you'd be travelling on the  "X" axis.  Using these three lines of directions, everything in the universe can be plotted in relation to another point.

All this relates to digital art because 3 Dimensional art uses this plotting system to build the image so that it has more depth.  In contrast, drawings use only width and height, making them 2D art.  The 3D artist uses a variety of special programs such as 3ds, Maya, Lightwave, Poser, Terragen, and other modeling programs, to build the image by manipulating aspects of texture, shape, and lighting over the three dimensions.  The easiest way to imagine this process is to think of the software as a virtual environment where the artist constructs their art by adding 3 Dimensional elements to it.

To get this piece of art from the 3D world into the real world, the image must be rendered.  Rendering is the process of taking all the aspects of the image and calculating them so they can be converted into a file format such as BMP, PNG, or JPEG.  Rendering times vary from image to image and take three main things into consideration; image complexity, software efficiency, and computer power.

Image complexity varies the most.  If you create a ball, it takes only a certain amount of work to calculate all its features.  If you make the ball to have a mirrored surface, it not only calculates the ball, but every reflection on it.  This takes more time.

3D software has what is referred to as a "render engine."  This is a set of code that makes these calculations.  Each one is different but they all basically do the same thing, create a file that can be used by the artist.

Of course, computers are the greatest variable.  The more powerful the processor and the more memory available will reduce render time considerably.  Because of this, some people find 3D work out of their reach because their computer will not render the image in a reasonable time.  40 hours or more are not unheard but can be excessive.

Keeping all that in mind, it takes a special program to create a 3D image.  Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, and similar programs are not considered 3D packages.  They may be used to enhance a 3D image though.  The descretion is left to the artist to determine if their work is more 3D or 2D in nature before posting to this section.

Below are just a small sample from each of the 3D sub-galleries.  In future editions each of these areas will be explored further.


Characters




Objects




Scenes

:thumb44605654:


Vehicles

:thumb45024548: :thumb45261817:


Abstract




Unsorted

:thumb45444859: :thumb44864491:


As you can see, the 3D galleries have a lot of variety, even though they all use the three cartesian directions.  The result is a deeper, more realistic looking piece of art.


Gallery Hopping - Digital Art:  news.deviantart.com/article/24…