The Evolution of Computer Generated 3D People

Realism has been a goal in animation for several decades. As soon as Walt Disney released the first fully animated feature film, animators have been working to find ways to make animation seem more realistic within the limits of pen and paper. Computers have provided a giant leap forward in the creation of 3D people who seem real.

Early 3D Graphics

The first computer generated 3D people didn't exactly exude realism. They were boxy and pixilated. The people were the right general shape and they moved properly, but any edge that needed to be soft or gradual was broken into jagged pixilated lines. Computer video games were the testing ground for most of the early computer generated 3D people, which provided animators a great deal of flexibility and demand for realistic motion. Computer generated people eventually graduated from their earlier pixilated forms as curves became more gradual and realistic.

Modern Animation Breakthroughs

The first name in computer generated 3D people in today's world is Pixar. This animation powerhouse has created a breakthrough in 3D technology that provides a realistic sense of depth and dimension to animated characters that had never been seen before. Pixar's computer generated 3D people even have soft hair and realistic facial expressions. Newer and more powerful animation programs are being developed every day to create more authentic three dimensional characters and backgrounds. They are used for video games, television programs, and feature length films.

How Computer Generated 3D People Have Changed Films

The biggest impact that computer generated 3D people have had on popular culture is the way they have transformed animation for feature films. Audiences expect three dimensional backdrops and scenery now, as well as realistic characters. Computer graphics have made it possible to revisit films that needed special effects that could not be accomplished in the real world but can be convincingly achieved through the use of computer graphics. Films can create entire new worlds that don't exist on Earth by using computer generated 3D graphic software. The people who inhabit those worlds can also be created entirely through a computer graphics program. Feature films have merely begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities that computer generated 3D people could provide.

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