When it comes to 3D printing, the sky is the limit. There’s nowhere that the technology can’t go, and no field it can’t improve. It has already made its presence felt in the fields of engineering and design, but there are some more obscure fields where it is also making its mark. Let’s look at some of them.

3D Printing in the Fashion Industry

It might come as a surprise when you first hear that 3D printing has its uses in the fashion industry, but the more you think about it, the more it starts to make sense.

Due to its very nature, three-dimensional printing allows for more personalization in the fashion industry. Whether this is by printing directly onto fabric or adding printed items to already designed pieces; the possibilities are endless.

It also allows for more customized pieces of clothing such as shoe soles fitted to a particular wearer’s feet. As this technology improves, its use in the fashion industry will continue to increase.

Prosthetics

The medical field is one area that is sure to benefit from the widespread use of 3D printing. However, if we narrow that entire field down, we find one area that is in dire need of some improvement –prosthetics.

Currently, prosthetics are expensive, take a long time to manufacture, and don’t always fit the user. However, 3D printing will change all this because it involves custom design. Prosthetic limb makers can simply measure a patient and print a limb that is suited for their needs.

Architecture and Construction

3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the fields of architecture and construction. Let’s take a look at how this technology can affect each field.

· Architecture

The model design process can greatly benefit from the use of 3D printing. Currently, models are painstakingly designed by hand and changes are difficult to incorporate. Printing out models saves time and money, and allows easy incorporation of changes.

· Construction

As far as construction goes, there is already major advancement in the use of 3D printing to create houses. With Dubai recently unveiling their entirely printed office space, the sky is the limit for the use of this technology in the construction field.

Conclusion

As we can see, 3D printing looks set to take a lot of industries by storm. Fashion, prosthetics, architecture and construction, and hundreds of other industries can significantly improve through the use of 3D printing. The future of 3D printing is certainly looking bright and exciting. Only time will reveal all this technology has in store for us!

360 animation is a great way to create a high level of immersion for viewers. Currently, 14% of video marketers say they use it, and 74% of those say that it’s been successful for them. This is because it places the viewer in the center of the action and allows them to experience what’s going on from a first-person perspective.

For the success of such a video, it’s crucial that that immersion is not broken. Discussed below are some mistakes to avoid if you want to keep the viewer’s immersion level at an all-time high.

1. No Directional Cues in Your 360 Animation

While it is important to keep the viewer in control while they’re watching your 360 animation video, you also don’t want them missing out on important moments. As such, it is necessary for you to put small, subtle visual cues in your animation.

These cues could be as simple as “look left” or “look right” if the viewer is not looking in the right direction and is about to miss something crucial to the experience.

Not including directional cues also means missing out on ways to add to the viewer experience. For example, if you want to scare or shock the user, you could include a flashing “turn around” cue to prompt them into turning around and experiencing what’s behind them.

2. Quick and Unnecessary Camera Movement

Unnecessary and janky camera movement makes for uncomfortable viewing. This is true regardless of the medium you’re watching it on. In a 360 animation, it can completely ruin the experience and make your viewer feel sick. A good tip is to keep the camera movement slow and smooth.

If you have to include quick camera movements, make it make sense in the context of the scene. For example, fast camera movement could be used when moving in a car or traveling from one point to another.

3. Not Keeping the Viewer in Control

A good tip for making immersive 360 animation videos is to avoid anything that can take the viewer out of the experience. For the most part, it’s pretty easy to do this. However, there are some things that directors do unknowingly that can ruin a viewer’s experience by taking control away from them. They are as follows.

1. Panning and tilting the camera – The camera should only pan and tilt when the user moves their head.
2. Horizon lines that aren’t level – A level shot is crucial to maintaining a proper viewing experience. Viewers don’t watch videos with their heads tilted to one side, so your video shouldn’t be tilted either. Any tilts and unevenness should be fixed post-production.

Conclusion

360 animation is a great way to tell stories and improve the viewer experience but it is also very easy to make mistakes when producing them. By keeping these common mistakes in mind and avoiding them in your animation, you will go a long way towards creating some great 360 animation videos.

A 360 panorama tour is a great way of giving a viewer an immersive view of a travel location, a hotel lobby, or even hotel rooms that they might want to book. It’s a way for them to experience what they’re paying for before they actually commit to paying for it.

If you’re planning on making a 360 panorama tour, there are some things you need to keep in mind.

1. Make Your 360 Panorama Tour Feel Natural

The immersion in a 360 tour is everything. If the immersion is broken, the user experience suffers. Due to this, it is crucial to make sure there are no broken points in your tour.

Also, a viewer should be able to see items and locations as if they’re actually standing in the scene itself. The movement from area to area should feel natural. For example, if a viewer is standing in a hotel lobby and they wish to move from the reception desk to the entrance, they should already be able to see the entrance from their spot at the reception desk.

2. Make Sure Everything Is to Scale

Nothing breaks a viewer’s immersion quite like out of scale rooms and furniture. Here are some ways to ensure that everything in your 360 panorama tour is to scale.

• Firstly, use the same units of measurement for everything in the scene.
• Secondly, use the average eye height (usually 5’3 feet or 1.6m) for the viewer’s point of view. This is to ensure that the viewer doesn’t feel too tall or too short.

3. Pay Attention to Detail

Keeping in line with making your 360 panorama tour feel natural – it’s important to make sure that a scene is completely detailed. Because of this, 360 panorama photographs are the best. This is because they capture a scene quite accurately. However, even if you have to design something from scratch, you should try to make it as detailed as possible.

While making your 360 panorama tour, keep the lighting consistent and furnish your setting adequately. All these are crucial to maintaining the viewer’s immersion.

4. Keep Your Viewer in Mind

Finally, remember that your viewer is human, and motion sickness is a thing! Keep your 360 panorama tour sharp and crisp. Special effects like blurring, vignettes, and incorrect depth of field can give your viewer severe headaches and stomach aches. Therefore, keeping these to a minimum is extremely important.

Conclusion

If you’re going to make a 360 panorama to market your services, you need to be aware of things that can ruin your viewer’s experience. If you keep the points mentioned above in mind, you’ll be well on your way to creating the best 360 panorama tours imaginable.

Should I use 2D or 3D animation?

It’s a question that gets asked quite frequently as people who are looking to get the animation done often struggle with the choice between 2D and 3D. So what are some of the factors you need to consider before making the all-important decision? Let’s take a look.

The Price of Rendering the Animation

2D:

As compared to its 3D counterpart, 2D animation is relatively cheap and easy to do. This is because 2D doesn’t have to deal with things like camera angles, the field of depth, and other similar factors that affect the viewability of a 3D animation.

3D:

3D animation is expensive due to the amount of expertise involved in making such animations. Animators also need complete knowledge of all the software necessary for such an undertaking.

Visual Appeal

2D:

Think of your early days watching cartoons on TV. They didn’t need to be complex or realistic. The 2D art style suited them perfectly and allowed them to get their message across properly.

However, with the advancement of 3D animation and when compared to the more complex CGI in movies, 2D animation looks somewhat dull and boring.

3D:

These days, animating is all about realism. One just has to look at all the “live action remakes” being made of old, 2D animated cartoons. It’s basically just taking the 2D animations and turning them into 3D ones. Why is this done?

Well, simply put, 3D is just more attractive than 2D. All the things mentioned before, such as camera angles and field of view, add to the immersion that a viewer feels. And as technology gets better and this field continues to grow, the animations will only get more realistic.

Complexity

2D:

There’s only so much you can do with 2D animation. In a way, that’s the beauty of it. Because it’s so straightforward, it’s relatively easy to create.

3D:

On the other hand, 3D animation takes skill, time, and money. A mistake at any point in the process can be incredibly costly, so animators need to do their best work right from the get-go.

Which One Is Best for You?

Choosing between 2D and 3D ultimately depends on what you want to produce. If you want something realistic, then go with 3D. However, you should be willing to pay the required costs and deal with the time it will take to produce such an end product.

On the other hand, if your end goal is something simple – say, an instructional video – then you should go 2D. It’ll save you time, money, and it is a better representation of your end goal.

Architectural rendering is a way for architects to produce real, stunning 3D images to show off their design ideas to prospective clients. However, architectural rendering is just a tool, and tools can be misused.

Even the best renderer can make mistakes. Therefore, before you get into the architectural rendering game, it’s best to know some common mistakes that can happen.

1. Using Architectural Rendering Where It’s Not Needed

The first question that every architect needs to ask themselves is “do I really need architectural rendering for this project?”

Indeed, there are some cases where a render is unnecessary and the design can be conveyed through a simple sketch or blueprint. While beautiful looking renders might catch the eye, an architect must never forget the main purpose of a design – to tell a story. If a sketch or a simple blueprint can communicate the idea behind a design, then there’s no need for 3D architectural rendering.

2. Not Rendering People

So you’ve made your beautiful 3D render. You’re looking at it, and it seems empty. Why could that be? It’s simple – you haven’t rendered people in your design.

Adding a diverse group of people to a 3D render of a building adds a sense of realism to the design. Not only that, but it also gives the building a sense of scale. This is especially true when it comes to interior designing. People appreciate the placement of furniture but seeing a human being interacting with said furniture makes it more relatable.

3. Being Too Sci-Fi in Your Approach

Staying on the topic of realism, this is something that is becoming increasingly common in the architectural rendering space. While a “Sci-Fi” look to your designs might make them more impactful, going overboard with it can easily make people lose interest in it.

People know that what they’re looking at is only a design. When that happens, the render loses its story-telling power. And as we noted earlier, the main point of making these renders in the first place is to communicate the architect’s vision to the people. Keeping things real and relatable is the way to go.

4. A Lot of Detail but No Focus

This is something that affects all artists, not just those involved in architectural rendering. Giving your render a lot of detail is great, but the design shouldn’t lose its core focus. The detail shouldn’t take away from the main aspect of the render.

Conclusion

Architectural rendering, like a lot of art, needs to be done with tact and grace. Giving too much or too little can often take away from the impact of the final product. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you don’t make any of these common mistakes when it comes to the architectural rendering process.

Architectural visualization can often lead to stunning 3D representations of an architect’s ideas. However, the results depend on the smoothness of the process. Here, we will discuss three things to remember in order to ensure that your architectural visualization process proceeds smoothly.

An Architectural Visualization Animation Is a Movie – Not a Walkthrough

Visualization, more often than not, results in a movie or a 3D render. Hence, it is important to remember that camera angles, specific scenes, and moments are all effective tools that can be used to keep the viewers engaged.

Architects sometimes forget this aspect of architectural visualization and treat it as just another walkthrough of their design. If you set up your animation or movie properly, the viewers will want to watch it. This will help them better understand what you have to offer them.

Get Your Designer, Architect, and Developer on the Same Page

One of the biggest reasons why this process doesn’t produce results is because the architect/designer and the developer are not on the same page. Due to the nature of their work, developers need to consider the technical limitations of making an animation. They also need to consider the costs involved. This is in stark contrast to architects and designers. They only have to think about making the design as visually appealing as possible.

Before working on a project, the best thing to do is to have a meeting with the designer/architect and the developer. This can help to get everybody on the same page. Get everyone to agree on what the final product will look like and what the audience should see and understand.

Allocate Appropriate Time and Money to the Project

Visualization usually culminates in an animation or a 3D rendering to show to prospective clients. Animation and 3D rendering are cost and time-consuming tasks. As such, developers and animators need the right amount of time and funding to produce the best possible results.

If an animator or a renderer gets an adequate amount of time and money to finish their task, the end product will show it. As a result, fewer revisions will be necessary, and the process will not incur any delays.

Conclusion

Visualization is the best way for a designer or an architect to communicate their ideas to prospective clients. However, the process is long and complicated and things can easily go wrong. The points mentioned above can go some way to ensure that the architectural visualization process runs smooth as silk.

Immersive architecture has the potential to break new ground in the field of architecture. The key is in its name – “Immersive.” That, by its very nature, means that clients and architects can get a better feel of what the other is trying to say. But how will this immersive nature improve communication and what are some of the obstacles it can tear down? Let’s have a look.

Immersive Architecture as a Barrier Breaker

The gap in technical know-how has long been one of the most significant problem areas in the field of architecture. Architects and designers expect their clients to be able to follow along every step of the way. Clients, on the other hand, don’t have the expertise or the technical know-how to keep up with the architects.

The introduction of VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) into architecture through immersive architecture looks to bridge the knowledge gap between the two parties.

Since clients are effectively in a simulation, they are better equipped to give feedback with regards to the designs. Virtual reality offers clients a sense of scale. This can significantly improve the type of feedback they provide and actually allows the architects to make changes in real time. Because of this, the process no longer needs to be long and drawn out.

Declining Costs Leads to Innovation

There’s no doubt that immersive architecture in VR and AR can lead to a massive improvement in communication between clients and architects. However, both technologies are still costly and getting the best out of them requires skilled developers and designers.

There’s no need to fear, though. The technology is getting cheaper as time passes and immersive architecture is well on its way to becoming the mainstream.

Conclusion

Immersive architecture has the potential to revolutionize communication between the client and the architect. With the ability to completely immerse (hence the name) the client within an architect’s design, it will help clients better understand the said designs and give feedback accordingly.

3D rendering is a process that not only saves time and effort but also results in an end product that dazzles customers and viewers. However, if you’re new to the rendering game, then there are some mistakes you should know to avoid in order to get the best possible result from your renderer.

1. Not Providing Enough Details Before the Rendering Process Begins

Regardless of the skill level of your 3D renderer, the entire rendering process and the final result depend solely on how much information and detail you provide.

You need to provide the renderer with all the information they need to give you the best possible result. You can even include sketches, rough designs, and photographs as visual aids.

The benefits of providing a lot of detail are:

1. You and your renderer end up on the same page.
2. It helps avoid any unnecessary delays.
3. You stay on your budget as the renderer will not have to put in any extra effort or use techniques that might add to the cost of the final product.

2. Not Giving Detailed and Thorough Feedback

After you receive the first draft, be sure to go through it thoroughly, and mark out areas that need improvement or need to be changed altogether. Remember that 3D rendering is a process where the first draft is not always indicative of the final product.

Often, it takes 3 or 4 attempts to get things right. So when you have the chance to provide feedback, make it as detailed as possible. Let your renderer know what needs to be changed by redline marking or highlighting those areas.

3. Thinking Your Renderers Are Also Your Designers

The hammer doesn’t know what the final product is going to be. It is simply a means to an end. Similarly, your renderer can only work with what you give them. Rendering experts can offer their advice but, at the end of the day, only you know what you want.

It’s a very common practice to give a renderer a vague idea and then expect them to do all the work. But more often than not, the final product ends up being unsatisfactory.

Conclusion

3D rendering is a process that is incredibly useful and beneficial for designers in any field. However, if you’re trying to get the best possible results, you need to make sure that you avoid any of the mistakes mentioned above.

VR animation is very much the new kid on the block. As such, it faces an uphill battle on its road to becoming part of the mainstream. What are the issues that VR animation is currently facing? Let’s take a look at some.

1. Not Enough Ambition in VR Animation

Virtual reality is a technology that is growing at an alarming rate. Companies are releasing new headsets, controllers, cameras, etc. all the time. So why is it that VR animation is progressing at a snail’s pace?

Simply put, VR animation is new, complicated, and a lot of companies and content creators don’t want to take the risk with it.

It’s understandable that new is scary. However, adopting this new technology offers more rewards than problems. Firstly, VR is already entering the mainstream and VR specific content is being produced every day. Then take into account that all the big media companies (Facebook, HBO, Disney, etc.) are getting into the VR game. The future of VR animation sure looks bright!

2. Making VR Content Without a Defined Strategy

360 Marketing is one area where VR animation can really shine. However, most 360 marketing these days consists of static images that require a user to spin around like a top in order to view. Not only does this break the immersion for a viewer, but it may also put them off from wanting to consume VR content in the future.

3. Poor Distribution of VR Content

Currently, the term VR covers a wide range of content. Therein lies the problem. Watching a view on your VR headset, playing a VR game with your controllers, and swiping your phone to watch a “VR” animation are all very different experiences.

The real shame is that companies aren’t realizing this and don’t tailor content for specific devices. VR animation gives the best viewing experience when viewed via a VR headset. If companies and brands show more care towards the distribution of their VR content, they can really reap the rewards it brings.

Conclusion

VR animation is currently in its infancy but is growing quite fast. It won’t be long before it truly establishes itself in the mainstream entertainment sphere. However, it can only do that when companies find ways to deal with the problems mentioned in this article.

What more can one say about a technology that has done so much and brought so much change? 3D rendering has come a long way since its inception in the 1960s. It is a technology that has reshaped our concept of the “end product.”

It is a technology that has changed and improved with every passing year. The best part? It’s nowhere close to its final form! There are still so many areas where it can make progress. What are some of these areas? Let’s have a look.

3D Rendering in Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that is still in its infancy, but one that has greatly benefitted from the use of 3D rendering. For those unfamiliar with the concept, augmented reality is a bit like virtual reality. However, what makes it different is that the person viewing it does not need any sort of headset or viewing device.

AR has the potential to revolutionize many fields and areas of research. These include medicine, engineering, architecture, and even fields of entertainment like gaming and DJing. By harnessing the power of 3D rendering, people will be able to view 2D objects in a three-dimensional space and interact with them in real time.

A Future in Gaming

While we’re on the topic of gaming, let’s discuss it’s future with 3D rendering. We’ve come a long way from the 2D graphics of early game titles like Pong and Space Invaders. It’s all about 3D graphics now, and 3D rendering is just what’s going to take these graphics to the next level.

Taking one look at the current generation of games tells us all we need to know about where the industry is headed. God of War, Uncharted 4 and other similar games show us the raw power of 3D rendering. As technology improves, there’s no doubt that 3D rendering will bring gaming to its final graphical peak – true photorealism.

Architecture Brought to Life

Probably the industry that has the most to gain from improvements to 3D rendering is the architecture industry. A lot has been said about what this technology brings to the industry, and for good reason.

While things like blueprints and hand-drawn designs have their appeal, a good 3D render trumps all! Not only is it cost effective, but it also saves time, effort, and is far more visually appealing than any blueprint. Moreover, since you can change it in real time, you don’t have to deal with the hassle of starting from scratch. As 3D rendering gets bigger and better, the complexity and intricacy of these architectural designs will too.

Conclusion

There are a lot of industries that owe their progress to the advancement of 3D rendering. The technology has truly come a long way since its early days. There’s no telling where it will go from here and how it will improve. The only thing for sure is that 3D rendering will get better. As a result, the final products of this technology will get better, too.

3D rendering is a procedure that can be best explained as “taking a photograph” of a 3D model that’s already designed on a computer.

Designers, architects and other industries then use these renders to show clients what prospective designs will look like.

The use of 3D rendering has taken many industries by storm. It has found usage in architecture, engineering, cinema, and gaming, just to name a few.

Of course, these aren’t all the industries where this technology has made a splash. Some of the more unexpected fields where it is blossoming are as follows:

1. 3D Rendering in Fashion:

The fashion industry uses 3D rendering to help customers find clothes that suit them. They do this by making a 3D render of the item and placing it on a model of the customer’s body. The customer can then see if the clothing item is to their liking or not.

As a result, it’s more likely that customers will be happy with their purchase and will be less likely to return it.

2. Crime Scene Investigation:

Crime scene investigation is another area that greatly benefits from the use of 3D rendering. Experts can use this technique to create a snapshot of the crime scene. They can then examine this snapshot for clues.

3D rendering provides investigators with a photorealistic image of the crime scene. It depicts identical conditions to that of the scene. This allows investigators to carefully examine the scene for clues they may have missed in the initial stages.

3. Manufacturing:

Manufacturers can use 3D rendering to produce like-like models of products which they can then show to clients. Before the use of this technology, clients did not know how the final product was going to look. Instead, they relied on basic sketches and models made by designers.

Using three-dimensional renders, manufacturers can re-design or re-model the product if it doesn’t meet the client’s requirements.

Conclusion:

3D rendering technology has an application in almost all industries. It’s virtually inconceivable to think of a time where it wasn’t such a major part of our lives. With the evolution of technology, it’s only going to get better and more valuable as time goes on.

The ability to render images has had a considerable impact in the fields of architecture and interior design. Before, designers and architects would have to painstakingly draw their designs by hand. Now, they can just render them on a computer and present them to clients.

This saves a lot of time and money. But those aren’t the only benefits it provides. Let’s look at some reasons why architects and designers need to render images.

1. A 3D Render Is Great for Your Portfolio:

Before, if an architect wanted a picture of their work for their portfolio, they would have to wait for a building to be constructed before they could take a picture of it. Nowadays, that wait time is over. A building doesn’t even need approval for an architect to include a 3D render of it on their portfolio.

Everything is online these days, and everyone has a website. The best way to advertise yourself to prospective clients is to make your portfolio digital. Because 3D renders are on computers anyway, they can easily be uploaded to your website or shared with potential clients.

2. Renders Better Represent What a Space Will Look Like:

Pictures and drawings can only get you so far. And more often than not, clients don’t have the imagination to visualize a building in an empty space. That’s where a 3D render can make all the difference.

Because they’re designed to be photorealistic, clients can use 3D renders to get a better idea of how a building will look once construction is complete.

3. It Helps You Stand Out Amongst the Competition:

A 3D render can evoke a powerful response from a potential client. There’s nothing like having an idea in your head and then seeing that idea manifest itself in three dimensions (or at least a 2D representation).

Such feelings and emotions are precisely why 3D renders are essential in architecture and interior design. A render can show off a multitude of things such as an architect’s or a designer’s creativity in their designs and ideas.

Conclusion:

3D renders changed the game in more ways than one. Where once they were a way to supplement an architect’s design, they’re now the primary way that architects and designers attract clients. Not only do they look great on a portfolio, but they also evoke powerful responses from clients.