Chapter 1

Our daily life happens in 3D

 Our daily life happens in three-dimensional
objects and characters.
 If we want to model three-dimensional
scenes with a computer program, we must
know how to use computer tools.
 Many of basic conventions used in three-
dimensional modelling software are based
on traditional conventions used in various
discipline.
 Masons and architects have developed
convention to measure spaces, building
objects, and arranging them in structures.
 Workspace and scene in three-dimensional
environment is like a cube.
 The main point of reference in three-
dimensional world is called the world origin.
 All three-dimensional spaces have three basic dimensions:
width, height, and depth.

 A common method for representing three dimensions in

three-dimensional space is by using axes.
 The rectangular coordinate system can be
used to define specific locations and
accurately position the points of objects in
three-dimensional space.
 The coordinate system devised by René
Descartes referred to as Cartesian.
 There are many ways of representing the
direction of an axis.
 In right-handed coordinate system, the
values on the X axis become larger to the
right of the origin, the values of Y axis
increase as they move above the origin, and
the values of Z axis grow as they close to us.
 In left-handed coordinate system, the values
on the Z axis decrease as they get closer to
us.
 The three axis in the rectangular coordinate
system can be paired with each other in
three different ways so that each pairs axes
defines a plane or view.
 The XY axes define the front plane, the ZX
axes define the top plane, and the YZ axes
define the side plane.
 The spherical or azimuthal coordinate
system is also widely used because it
provide simple way for placing objects in a
three-dimensional world.
 Any world or global coordinate system is
useful for placing or moving objects in the
world or in relation to each other.
 Each object in the world can have its own
object or local coordinate system.
 There are a sophisticated vocabulary for
describing the shape of three-dimensional
objects.
 Precise and unequivocal descriptions of
shape and their location in space is using
numbers.
 The method of direct numerical description
can be quite tedious and time-consuming.
Vertex Defined by its XYZ location
Edge Defined by two adjacent
surface.
Face Defined by the position of its
bounding lines.
Geometric Functions used for
transformation modifying the shape of
objects.
Mathematical Modify the numerical
operations information that
describes the objects.
Global Applied to the object
transformation using environment's
axis.
Local Applied to a single
transformation object.
 Used to move an object or group in a linear
way.
 Control geometric transformation.
 Occur along one axis or several axis.
 Used to move an element or group around a
specific center and axis.
 Can be global or local.
 Present different side of an object to the
camera.
 Used to change the size and /the proportion
of an element or a group of elements.
 Representation of three-dimensional
environments on the computer’s monitor.
 Happen automatically in virtual
environment.
 Motions that place the camera in different part of the scene.
 Used the spherical or azimuthally coordinate system.
 Using four-view windows.
Spherical or azimuth coordinate system
 The basic characteristics of virtual camera in
three-dimensional space are defined by the
camera position.
 The motion of computer animation are
based on the traditional cinematography.
 File formats

Portable Native

OBJ MA

DXF LWO

X3D 3DS