UV mapping is the process of applying a 2D image to a 3D
object or mesh. Where X, Y and Z apply to the axes of a 3D shape, U and V refer
to the 2D axes. Essentially, a UV map is what the image or texture is applied
to, to be able to wrap onto the 3D shape.
Textures and shaders are what makes the object not only
visible, but appear three dimensional. They are what determines the visual
appearance of your object, regardless of its shape. A shader is “…a set of
instructions applied to a 3D model that lets the computer know how it should be
displayed”, and textures “…are two-dimensional image files that can be mapped
onto the model's 3D surface through
a process known as texture mapping” (About Tech, 2016).
Rigging is used in the animation process to give movement to
a character. It is the application of a ‘skeleton’ to the 3D mesh which has its
own bones and joints, all which can be used to manipulate movement in the
object. Rigging a character for a full feature animation can take days, even
weeks.
Animation is “…the process of displaying still images in a
rapid sequence to create the illusion of movement” (Wise Geek, n.d.). The three
main types of animation are traditional, stop motion, and computer generated. A
traditional animation is a very time consuming process. Each frame is drawn by
hand, scanned, and then edited digitally. In stop motion, a physical object is
photographed one movement at a time, after which the photographs are digitally
pieced together to make a full motion. Computer generated animation involves
the creation (and rigging) of a digital 3D character, which is modelled
according to the required movements, and once again, pieced together to form
the full motion.
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References
About Tech (August, 2016). 3D model components - vertices, edges, polygons & more. Retrieved from
http://3d.about.com/od/3d-101-The-Basics/a/Anatomy-Of-A-3d-Model.htm
Wise Geek (n.d.). What is animation? Retrieved from
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-animation.htm
