3D MODELING
A PREAMBLE ON CINEMA 4D
3D Modeling is the process of developing a mathematical coordinate-based representation of any surface of an object (inanimate or living) in three dimensions via specialized software by manipulating edges, vertices, and polygons in a simulated 3D space.
Three-dimensional (3D) models represent a physical body using a collection of points in 3D space, connected by various geometric entities such as triangles, lines, curved surfaces, etc. Being a collection of data (points and other information), 3D models can be created manually, algorithmically (procedural modeling), or by scanning. Their surfaces may be further defined with texture mapping. The product is called a 3D model. Someone who works with 3D models may be referred to as a 3D artist or a 3D modeler.
Today, 3D modeling is used in various industries like film, animation, gaming, interior design, and architecture They are also used in the medical industry to create interactive representations of anatomy.
The medical industry uses detailed models of organs. The movie industry uses them as characters and objects for animated and real-life motion pictures. The video game industry uses them as assets for computer and video games
The science sector uses them as highly detailed models of chemical compounds. The architecture industry uses them to demonstrate proposed buildings and landscapes instead of traditional, physical architectural models.
I have been practicing 3D Modelling for a long time and I can tell you it is as fun as it is lucrative. It offers one a medium of expression and also a very good source of income. During my time as a 3D modeler, I have come across different 3D Modelling software. Some of which are
BLENDER
Blender is a free and open-source 3D computer graphics software toolset used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, 3D printed models, motion graphics, interactive 3D applications, virtual reality, and computer games.
Blender’s features include 3D modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, raster graphics editing, rigging and skinning, fluid and smoke simulation, particle simulation, soft body simulation, sculpting, animating, match moving, rendering, motion graphics, video editing, and compositing.
AUTODESK MAYA
Autodesk Maya, commonly shortened to just Maya is a 3D computer graphics application that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, originally developed by Alias and currently owned and developed by Autodesk. It is used to create assets for interactive 3D applications (including video games), animated films, TV series, and visual effects.
CINEMA 4D
While the above-mentioned 3D Modeling software is amazing, Cinema 4D has caught my attention due to the number of features and advantages this innovation has over the rest of the software I have seen and used so far.
There are a whole lot of fun areas and different features to touch on and I will be sure to emphasize every one of them in this article. Some mind-blowing and impressive features Cinema 4D offers are;
POLYGONAL MODELING
Polygons are the building blocks of 3D, stitched together to create the objects of your imagination. With Cinema 4D’s complete polygonal modeling toolset, it’s easy to craft everything from cars to creatures.
BODYPAINT 3D
Maxon’s BodyPaint 3D is the ultimate tool for creating high-end textures and unique sculptures. Wave goodbye to UV seams, inaccurate texturing, and constant back-and-forth switching to your 2D image editor.
Say hello to hassle-free texturing that lets you quickly paint highly detailed textures directly on your 3D objects. BodyPaint 3D also offers a comprehensive set of sculpting tools that let you turn a simple object into a detailed work of art.
Get Vicko’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
AFTER EFFECTS INTEGRATION
Cinema 4D’s ‘Live 3D Pipeline with Adobe After Effects is unmatched. With Adobe After Effects CC you can import, modify and render Cinema 4D projects natively within After Effects’ interface via Cineware — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can also export After Effects project files directly from Cinema 4D complete with layered multi-pass and animated 3D solids.
These futuristic components contained in Cinema 4D are what make it my personal favorite 3D Modeling software. Asides from that, it offers users a seamless experience and is very easy to use.
Using Maxon Cinema 4D R21, which is the version I have on my computer, I will walk you through the process of modeling a paper coffee cup. Before I start, it is important to note that there is no specific way to model any object using Cinema 4D. Different shapes can be manipulated into different things. However, in this article, I will do my best to make the creation process as simple as it can be.
This is the finished model of the paper coffee cup in my Cinema 4D workspace. I used just one cylinder to create this model and it took about 10 minutes. This is a beginner-level process and after completing this article, you can try it too.
Once you open a new document and layout, the first thing to do is to select a cylinder. On my version of Cinema 4D, the 3D shapes are found at the top of the screen. Immediately you click and hold the cube icon visible at the top of the screen, a group of other shapes appears and that is where you find the cylinder.
Moving forward, the next thing is to give your object its measurements. Every object has its default properties, however, to be on the same page, I suggest you set the radius at 145cm, the height at 450cm, and the height segment can stay at 1. Now, make the object editable. This is achieved using the shortcut “C”
The shape and scale tool will be used a lot from here. I will be scaling the top and bottom edges to give it the desired shape. So, select edge mood on the left side of the layout, use the rectangle selection tool to select the bottom edges, scale them inside a little. Do the same thing to the top edges. After that, select the entire top polygon and delete it. If you don’t understand, the picture below should give you an idea of how it should look after doing all of this
The first stage is complete. Now, we will start using deformers in Cinema 4D. There are a lot of deformers but we will only be using a Subdivision Surface. This tool is specifically for smoothening an object. At the top of the workspace, the 3rd icon is the subdivision surface. After clicking on it, select the cylinder we created earlier and place it under the subdivision surface.
After doing that, it is expected that the cylinder looks this way. Now, we will use the shortcut K+L to enable the loop cut. This tool is used to give your object segments and it makes it look better after placing it under the subdivision surface. We will use the loop cut at the bottom of the cylinder and underneath it. This is the outcome;
To continue, we have to turn off our Subdivision surface. To do this, click on the green icon beside it. Now, switch to edge mood and click on the edges at the top. We will be using the scale tool to scale them out a little. After scaling, you should have a loop. Select the loop and split. The shortcut for split is U+P. This creates a separate object from the initial cylinder.
Name the first cylinder cup and the second cover. From this point, we will be using our move and scale tool to create compartments of the cover to make it look more realistic.
The creation and perfection of the cover were achieved using the move and scale tool. I also used the loop cut to create segments in different parts of the cover. This picture shows the segments on the cover.
The final touch left to add is the drinking hole in the cover of the cup. The process of adding this is straightforward. First, you select the two polygons in the middle and use the shortcut E to extrude them. After that, you use the loop cut to add the segments and there you have it. So easy!
FINAL OUTPUT
So there you have it, a well-detailed process of how I created the paper coffee cup. Although I was not able to cover all the technicalities involved in Cinema 4D as it is very broad, I am sure with this article one can learn basic features of the software and how to move around the workspace. I hope this short walkthrough serves you well.
Reach me on:
Twitter: @CFCvicko
Instagram: @_vicko.o
