1. Basic Orientation for 3D Animation (Y-Up Version)
Image 01. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

2. The Connection to Basic Geometry
In basic geometry, students learn to plot points on a Cartesian plane. This is named for French mathematician René Descartes ( ).
A Cartesian coordinate system specifies each point using an ordered pair of coordinates. The first number indicates the position on the X axis and second indicates the position on the Y axis.
Image 02. Public domain.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

3. Cartesian Plane Used In Basic Geometry
Image 03. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

4. Three Coordinates Per Vertex
In 3D animation software, each point is referenced with three numbers that indicate the position on the X, Y, and Z axes.
The pivot point (registration point) for a 3D object is used to determine the placement in 3D space.
Image 04. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

5. Image 05. Used with permission.
Elements of a 3D Object
In addition to the pivot point, a 3D model can be broken down to vertices, polygons, and faces.
Each vertex (or point) in a 3D model has three coordinates (X, Y, and Z). 3D models often have thousands of vertices.
Several vertices define a polygon (also known as a face).
Several polygons fit together to make the mesh of a 3D object (or model).
The line connecting two adjacent points is called an edge.
Image 05. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

6. Which Way is Up? Y axis or Z axis?
There are several different software applications used in the industry. While there are some major differences, many basic 3D concepts are common to most software.
One of the most important differences between different software is the vertical axis. Some applications name the up and down axis as Y while others name it Z.
Because models in one application are sometimes transferred to a different application, it is important for students to be aware of this difference.
Two versions of this slide show have been given (Y-up and the Z-up). Teachers should use the one that matches the classroom software.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

7. Image 06. Used with permission.
X Axis
The X axis is used to plot the left or right position of an object.
Image 06. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

8. Image 07. Used with permission.
Y Axis
The Y axis is used to plot the position of an object above or below the ground plane.
Image 07. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

9. Image 08. Used with permission.
Z Axis
The Z axis is used to plot the forward or backward position of an object.
Image 08. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

10. Image 09. Used with permission.
X, Y, and Z Axes
Image 09. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

11. The Origin
The point where the axes intersect is called the origin. In 2D geometry, the origin is (0,0) but in 3D software the origin is (0,0,0).
Image 10. Used with permission.
Image 11. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

12. Image 12. Used with permission.
Orthogonal Views
The software window that shows the 3D object is commonly called a viewport.
The user has the option of setting the viewport to an orthogonal (or straight-on) view. An orthogonal view could be a front view, a top view, or a side view.
An orthogonal view is parallel to the X, Y, or Z axis.
Image 12. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

13. Image 13. Used with permission.
Perspective Viewport
In addition to the orthogonal views, a viewport can be set to a perspective view. This type of viewport allows the user to rotate the view in order to see a model from every possible angle.
Image 13. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

14. Customized Viewport Layouts
In most 3D applications, users can customize the arrangement of the viewports.
When animating objects, a single viewport is often used. This single view can easily be changed to an orthogonal view or the perspective view.
When modeling objects, a quad arrangement of the viewports is usually preferred. This allows the user to see the front, top, side, and perspective views simultaneously.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

15. Image 14. Used with permission.
Quad Viewport Layout
Image 14. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

16. Viewport Navigation Zoom (or Magnify)
All viewports have a tool which allows the user to zoom in or zoom out.
Image 15. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

17. Viewport Navigation Pan
All viewports have a tool which allows the user to pan left or right and up or down in the viewport.
Image 16. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

18. Viewport Navigation Orbit (or Rotate)
The perspective viewport has a tool which allows the user to orbit (or rotate) the view.
The ability to orbit is not available in the orthogonal views (front, top, side).
Image 17. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

19. Image 18. Used with permission.
Rendering Style
In each viewport, the user may choose from a variety of rendering styles to view a 3D object.
The most common styles are wireframe (shows the points and edges of each polygon), shaded (shows a solid version of the model), and a shaded with wires (a combination).
Image 18. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

20. Viewport Navigation vs Object Manipulation
When beginning to use 3D software, it is easy to confuse adjustments to a view with actual changes to an object.
Viewports can pan, zoom, and orbit to give the user the best possible view while modeling or animating.
Objects can be transformed (moved), scaled, or rotated.
Viewports
pan
zoom
orbit
Objects
transform (move)
scale
rotate
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

21. Image 19. Used with permission.
Transform (Move)
In the example below, the fish has moved from one position to another.
Image 19. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

22. Image 20. Used with permission.
Scale
Objects can be scaled (sized) on each axis.
If the X, Y, and Z axes are all scaled the same amount, the size of the object will stay in proportion.
If on axis is scaled a different amount than the others, the shape of the object will distort.
Image 20. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

23. Image 21. Used with permission.
Rotate
The object can be rotated on each object. This is measured in degrees with 360°being a complete circle.
All the most applications refer to the axis that serves as the center of rotation, the terms heading, pitch, and bank are sometimes used.
Image 21. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

24. Image 22. Used with permission.
Rotation on the Y Axis
Image 22. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

25. Image 23. Used with permission.
Rotation on the X Axis
Image 23. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

26. Image 24. Used with permission.
Rotation on the Z Axis
Image 24. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

27. Image 25. Used with permission.
Pivot Point
The fish object used throughout this slide show has the pivot point (or registration point) placed in the middle.
You can move the pivot point of a 3D object but you should do so before you begin animating.
Tires and propellers would need the pivot point placed perfectly in the center of the object.
If you were to create a 3D door that would open, you would place the pivot point at the hinge.
The pivot point for a golf club or baseball bat should be placed at the point where the hands would be placed.
Image 25. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education

28. Image Credits
Image 01. Fish model on grid. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 02. Portrait of Rene DesCartes. Created by After Frans Hals, circa This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less.
Image 03. 2D Cartesian plane. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 04. Balls showing 3 coordinates. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 05. Points, edges, and polygons. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 06. X axis. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 07. Y axis. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 08. Z axis. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 09. X, Y, and Z axes. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 10. 2D origin. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 11. 3D origin. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 12. Orthogonal views. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 13. Perspective view. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 14. Quad viewport layout. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 15. Zoom. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 16. Pan. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 17. Orbit. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 18. Rendering styles. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 19. Transform. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 20. Scale. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 21. Rotate. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 22. Rotation on the Y axis. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 23. Rotation on the X axis. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 24. Rotation on the Z axis. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Image 25. Pivot points. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 
Trade & Industrial Education