Packaging Design Part 3

3D Visualisation Key Terminology

Knowing a little about the world of 3D computer design is going to be very helpful to move on to the next stage of 3D visualization.

With that in mind, here’s an overview of some key terminology that it’s important for you to be familiar with to deepen your understanding of the tools available in Adobe Dimension.

Environment Light & Sunlight

Environment light is arguably the simplest type of light available in Adobe Dimension. It’s the ambient light which highlights the objects in a scene, and can be created using an image-based lighting file from the assets panel. You can then adjust the intensity and position of the light to more accurately match your background image.

Sunlight refers to a directional point of light that represents the sun, and casts a shadow accordingly. 3D visualizations that are set outside usually contain a source of sunlight to create a realistic external shot. As with environment light, there are settings available in Adobe Dimension to adjust the position, rotation, and intensity of the sunlight within your scene for maximum effect.

Ground Plane & Horizon

In your Dimension composition you can either set your objects floating in empty space or place them on a ground plane. This virtual flat ‘surface’ is represented by a 2D grid in the 3D environment, and includes shadows and reflections created by the objects within it.

For maximum realism, the ground plane should ideally match up with a surface in your background. Using the horizon as a reference will allow you to correctly align your object to the background image.

Field of View & Camera Bookmarks

Field of view refers to the observable area within your environment. You can also use the dolly tool to adjust the position of the camera and zoom level to alter your field of view.

Adobe Dimension can also remember different camera positions by creating camera bookmarks. These can be used to quickly snap to different angles to see your product from several different viewpoints.

Now that you’re familiar with some of the more advanced principles of 3D design, let’s review this week’s lecture from your tutor Tom MacIldowie: