3D modeling

Solid – These models define the volume of the object they represent (like a rock). Solid models are mostly used for engineering and medical simulations, and are usually built with

constructive solid geometry

Shell or boundary – These models represent the surface, i.e. the boundary of the object, not its volume (like an infinitesimally thin eggshell). Almost all visual models used in games and film are shell models.

– Polygonal modeling is a fundamental and widely-used technique in 3D modelling. It revolves around connecting vertices, edges, and faces to form polygons, allowing artists precise control over geometry. This technique is efficient in producing detailed furniture models with remarkable accuracy, capturing every intricate detail.

Polygonal Modeling

Subdivision Surface Modeling – Subdivision surface modeling is a technique employed to produce smooth and organic shapes from a base mesh. It is particularly valuable when creating furniture pieces such as sofas, cushions, and ergonomic chairs. By subdividing the base mesh and smoothing the surface, high-quality models are created, perfect for marketing or e-commerce purposes.

NURBS Modeling Non-uniform rational basis splines (NURBS) are highly effective in creating smooth and precise surfaces. This technique is ideal for modeling furniture with intricate details and curves. NURBS surfaces maintain their smoothness even when scaled or modified, enabling designers to modify the size or shape of furniture without compromising quality or aesthetics.

Boolean Operations – Boolean 3D modeling, also known as Boolean operations, refers to a technique used in 3D computer graphics to create complex shapes by combining or subtracting multiple objects or volumes. It involves performing operations such as union, intersection, and difference on the geometric primitives or meshes to achieve the desired form. Boolean modeling allows artists and designers to easily create intricate shapes and forms by combining simple objects and manipulating them using Boolean operations. This technique is commonly used in 3D modeling software and is helpful for various applications like architecture, product design, and animation.

Procedural Modeling – Procedural modeling is a technique used in computer graphics and computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create realistic or stylized 3D models. It involves the use of algorithms or rules to generate the geometry, texture, or other properties of a model automatically, rather than manually creating each detail. In procedural modeling, a set of rules or parameters is defined by an artist or programmer to describe the desired characteristics of a model. These rules can be based on mathematics, random variations, or other logical procedures. The model is then generated by applying these rules, often iteratively, to obtain the desired shape, details, and variations. This technique is commonly used in various applications, including generating complex terrains, buildings, vegetation, or even characters. It allows for efficient creation of large-scale environments with detailed and realistic features. Procedural modeling can also be combined with traditional modeling techniques for more flexibility and control over the final result. Some advantages of procedural modeling include the ability to easily modify or recreate models, the potential for realistic variations and randomness, and the ability to create complex and intricate details efficiently. However, it also has limitations, such as the potential for lack of control over specific details or difficulties in achieving specific artistic styles. Overall, procedural modeling is a powerful and versatile technique that enables the creation of complex and realistic 3D models in a more efficient and flexible manner than traditional manual modeling techniques.

– Digital sculpting is a technique used by artists and designers to create 3D models using specialized software. It allows artists to sculpt virtual objects with tools similar to those used in traditional sculpture, such as brushes, clay, and carving tools. The artist manipulates the virtual clay or material to create intricate and detailed models that can be viewed from all angles. Digital sculpting offers more flexibility and control compared to traditional sculpting methods as it allows for easy undo and redo, scaling, and experimenting with different materials and textures. It is commonly used in industries such as film, animation, video games, and product design. There are currently three types of digital sculpting: Displacement, which is the most widely used among applications at this moment, uses a dense model (often generated by subdivision surfaces of a polygon control mesh) and stores new locations for the vertex positions through use of an image map that stores the adjusted locations. Volumetric, loosely based on voxels, has similar capabilities as displacement but does not suffer from polygon stretching when there are not enough polygons in a region to achieve a deformation. Dynamic tessellation, which is similar to voxel, divides the surface using triangulation to maintain a smooth surface and allow finer details. These methods allow for very artistic exploration as the model will have a new topology created over it once the models form and possibly details have been sculpted. The new mesh will usually have the original high resolution mesh information transferred into displacement data or normal map data if for a game engine.

Digital sculpting

Flexibility, ability to change angles or animate images with quicker rendering of the changes;

Ease of rendering, automatic calculation and rendering photorealistic effects rather than mentally visualizing or estimating;

Accurate photorealism, less chance of human error in misplacing, overdoing, or forgetting to include a visual effect.