Can you dare to consider a 3D character for marketing purposes? Well, if you have not, this guide will explain why you should. Different sectors today are integrating animated characters to bring realism to what they do.
Mainly contemporary digital marketing and gaming industry are the best use cases of such a technology. The purpose of this execution is to resonate with the audience more.
No matter what domain you want 3D characters to use, they go through a definite process. This process is 3D character production. It is important to learn about some of the prominent stages of this process. These bring everything together to produce an impeccable 3D character.
Before diving in, you would want to know about other domains where 3D characters hold a concrete position.
Which domains include 3D animated characters?
It is not wrong to say that Toy Story was the origin of standard 3D characters. Later professionals performed experiments with this technology. The evolution of 3D character production from Toy Story to modern animation is remarkable.
Now, this section will unleash some surprising facts about the sectors where you can explore 3D characters in depth.
● For Games and Movies:
As described in the beginning, Toy Story left an inexorable impression on our minds. Can you tell why? It is because of the extreme amplification of the product. Those characters were real-looking on the screen. It’s just you could not touch them.
Similar to this, animated movies are taking a good turn in this industry. These are suitable attention grabbers if you are an associate of this domain.
Let’s not forget to discuss the games. For instance, Grand Theft Auto (GTA), Minecraft, and almost every other game is entirely animated. The gaming industry has been investing in 3D characters for different styles of games for many years.
It is better that you bear in mind the cost of 3D animation per minute. On average, 3D character production is more high-end than 2D cartoons. Since the application of 3D animation falls under exorbitant domains. The cost ranges from the lowest of $10,000 to the highest of 150,000 and more.
● Educational Purposes:
The mistake of ignoring 3D characters for education is disastrous. You can combine this technology in schools and universities. So that students will relate to this fun education more.
Gone are the days when education was dull and substandard. Educational authorities are devising ways to make this a provocative experience for the students. All of this is due to the captivating influence of 3D characters.
● Metaverse Integration:
Such characters are an important part of metaverses. No matter, what kind of metaverse you are thinking of right now. These work well with every kind. It means these are an undetachable aspect of technology itself.
● Prototyping:
A prototype is the actual blueprint of an engine, robot, or machine. It gives you an idea about the final layout of the apparatus you are working on. Using 3D characters for prototypes makes everything easy.
● Architecture:
If you want to give a unique style to your architectural layouts, you can use 3D characters. Plus, you can combine them with Virtual and augmented realities for realistic architectural designs.
● Medical Explanation:
The 3D character production can prove to be helpful for simplifying medical procedures. A gynecological process can leverage 3D illustrations for a better explanation of a complex concept.
If you notice, there is a large variety of 3D content scattered based on medical procedures. The explainer videos are benefiting the students to a large extent.
What are 3D Character Production Techniques?
Till now, you took a deeper look at some of the important applications of this technology. In this section, let’s take the entire process into consideration.
The process can vary according to your needs and the nature of the project.
Sometimes, 3D animation software also influences production.
We will go step by step in this guide for better understanding.
1. Carving the Body:
The primary step of every 3D character is its appearance. From bones to skin. From face to feet. Everything gets a human-like form right from the beginning. You can also call this step as the pivotal stage of the process.
Professionals use different tools for engraving the body of the character. It includes some regular tools like 3DMax and ZBrush. The step also includes the details of the face. It depends on the gender of the character as well.
2. Give it an Attire:
You need to be careful while picking an outfit for your character. Now, this depends on different factors. What is the surrounding environment of the character? What is its role in the environment? What colors would be a good fit for the character?
You can use another software to come out of this perplexing stage. Marvelous Designer is programmed for this sole purpose. Don’t forget to design weaponry or any property linked with the character at this stage.
3. Get Boolean done:
A skin-less character would look awful in its environment. Don’t forget, that the character you are working on is the center of attraction. The third stage of 3D character production is the boolean process.
It is when you give suitable skin to the character. Bake its mesh as well. So that it covers the skeleton we just provided it earlier. Xnormal and Photoshop are some of the premium tools for baking and adjusting maps.
4. Time for Painter:
Another crucial step of the procedure. It is all about masking and filling the layers. You can also rectify your mistakes at this step. Make sure you dust everything before the wrap-up.
The step includes some of the finest details of your character. It focuses on working on the given skin. You can enhance the skin of your character with ease at this point. Forgot to add freckles to its face? No issue with that! Do it at this point.
5. Render the character:
The last step is to do the rendering. It emphasizes rectifications of the properties and outfits. It gives you a chance to include a fuzz map for a more realistic look for the outfit of the character.
The step permits setting the shader on all counts. You can add brightness to the eyes of the character by giving it a parallax in the software Marmoset. It is a multifaceted tool that allows you to set all the essential lights for the character.
It is more like editing your photo. You can adjust the camera angles, and vignette and also sharpen your final draft before terminating.
Parting Words
The scope of 3D character production is augmenting gradually. Every sector is acquiring an edge over its rivals. Due to a higher degree of resonance of this technology, it is now inevitable for utilization.
This discussion led you through the prime applications of 3D characters. From architecture to medical explanation, 3D characters help you perceive everything quickly. You also learned about the step-by-step guide about the production process as well.
The process predicates different tools as well. Each of these tools has its own nature functionality. Some tools can cover two steps. In some cases, you might need five different tools for 5 steps during the character production.
You can also have a look at BuzzFlick, an animation video agency. They are the experts of 3D characters and quality production in this field. The company has showcased a versatile portfolio of different services in 3D animation and motion graphics services.