3D Models
3D Print Models
3D Scans
Animation & MoCap
Textures
Materials
Skin Textures
2D Game Assets
Sound Effects
Brushes & Tools
Reference Photos
Stock Images
HDR Images
3ds Max
Maya
Blender
Unreal Engine
Unity
ZBrush
Cinema 4D
LightWave
Marmoset
SketchUp
FBX
DAE
DXF
GLB3D Fantasy Worlds: How 3D Connects Us to Our Heritage through Stories and Art
1Article by Aimee Gilmore
"Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it." (Bertold Brecht)
How have storytelling and art shaped our world?
Storytelling and art are a natural part of our history and self-expression. Throughout millennia, they have provided us with a means to connect with others and understand the world around us. Through storytelling, both oral and written civilisations have recorded and passed down their beliefs, history, and culture to future generations. Art has also been used as a means to establish emotional connections to the world around us and unite people.
Reference: Tron (1982)
What is the evolution of 3D in storytelling and art?
3D technology has revolutionized the way we tell stories and view art. The earliest form of 3D was primarily used in the 1950s and 1960s for artistic purposes. It wasn't until a Computer Animated Hand by Ed Catmull in 1972 that animation was born.
3D computer-generated graphics were first combined with live action in 1982 in Tron. In 1984, the creation of Pixar intertwined storytelling with 3D technology, pioneering a new form of art.
In 1999, the use of CGI and live-action in The Matrix solidified the integration of 3D with visual storytelling.
In 2004, The Incredibles introduced more complex 3D character design, complemented by emotive storytelling.
Oculus Rift introduced immersive interactive 3D storytelling experiences in 2013.
By 2020, The Mandalorian used Stagecraft, a virtual production technology that incorporated real-time 3D rendering in a physical set environment.
Reference: Mandalorian
How 3D Transforms Art and Storytelling, Bridging Our Heritage and Fantasy?
3D technology has transformed the way we engage with our heritage through art and storytelling. It empowers artists and storytellers to reinterpret narratives in innovative, previously unimaginable ways, bringing history to life through immersive and interactive 3D experiences. This technology deepens our connection to the past, our cultural identity, and sense of heritage in the following ways.
Reviving Cultural Heritage through 3D, Art, and Storytelling
Digital Historical Preservation
3D technology has played a crucial role in preserving artifacts and records from diverse civilizations and cultures worldwide, enabling us to gather generational narratives and gain deeper insight into our history and its connection to the modern world. Through 3D printing and modeling, accurate replicas of these artifacts can be created and studied, helping us piece together the lives, stories, and intricate details of the people behind them.
Virtual Heritage Sites
3D modeling allows us to digitally recreate lost sites and artifacts from ancient civilizations, helping to reconstruct their cultures, beliefs, and stories. By virtually rebuilding these ancient spaces, we can blend historical fragments with imaginative elements to craft immersive narratives that honor and revive long-forgotten cultures and moments in history.
Employing Interactive 3D Technologies to Tell New Narratives
3D technology has revolutionized storytelling across various mediums like video games, films, animation, and immersive technologies such as VR and AR, transforming audiences from passive observers to active participants.
Storytelling Through Films
3D technology expands the emotional impact and creative scope of film and animation. By utilizing CGI and motion capture, characters can express more nuanced emotions, as exemplified by the lifelike portrayals in The Lion King (2019). It also allows for richly imagined or hyper-realistic settings, as seen in Avatar (2009), which deepens the storytelling experience.
Storytelling Through Video Games
In video games, players shape the narrative through their decisions and interactions, creating a personal connection to the story, as demonstrated in titles like The Last of Us (2013) and Mass Effect (2007). In film and animation, 3D visuals significantly enhance emotional impact, as seen in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), which offers richly immersive worlds. Virtual and augmented reality take this immersion even further, empowering users to participate in and co-create the storytelling experience actively.
Reference: Avatar (2009)
Using 3D to Combine Traditional and Digital Art Forms
Reimagining Culture in Animation
Cultural storytelling can be embedded into animation to teach other people around the world about their history and the importance of community. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild incorporated Japanese cultural elements into its design, creating a world that felt both grounded in real-world inspiration and entirely fantastical.
Painting on 3D Models
Artists can digitally wrap a traditional painting or drawing around a 3D model, reinventing it into a new form in the digital space. Similarly, artists can manipulate digital versions of their sculptures to reform them into shapes that are not possible in real life, such as the contemporary artist James Jean or the NFT artist Beeple (Mike Winkelmann).
3D Virtual Fashion
3D modelling pushes the frontiers of fashion, allowing designers to reimagine garments and create virtual fashion shows featuring digital trends and influencers, such as Louis Vuitton's collaboration with League of Legends (2019) and Balenciaga's virtual Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow (2021) show.
Reference: Riot Games
How will 3D technology, through storytelling and art, evolve in the future to celebrate our heritage?
Real-Time Interactive Experiences
Real-time interactive experiences are revolutionizing the way we engage with art. Narrative-driven art installations, in particular, offer a dynamic and immersive experience by allowing users to interact directly with the artwork in real time.
As users explore the narrative, they become active contributors to the artwork, blurring the lines between observer and creator. This fusion of storytelling, interactivity, and art creates a powerful space for personal connection and expression while pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms.
Decentralization-based Community Collaborations
Decentralization-based community collaborations represent a groundbreaking shift in organizing and executing creative and social projects.
By utilizing decentralized technologies like blockchain, communities are empowered to hold an equal stake in decision-making, thereby eliminating the need for centralized authority.
Decentralization fosters a more inclusive environment where diverse voices can contribute to the project's narrative and development. It creates opportunities for communities to build, grow, and evolve together, promoting greater democracy and equality.
Reference: Andrii Yalanskyi at iStockphoto
In conclusion, 3D technology is a powerful bridge between the past and the present, offering a dynamic and immersive means of connecting history with the modern world. It goes beyond simply recreating the past; it transforms how we interact with it, providing a fresh perspective on how we preserve, experience, and interpret our heritage. This cutting-edge technology not only reshapes how we create and tell stories, but it also challenges the traditional boundaries of art, opening new possibilities for creativity and expression. By merging our ancestors' rich, historical narratives with the advanced capabilities of 3D, we unlock new and imaginative ways to experience cultural landmarks, ancient artifacts, and long-forgotten traditions. Through this blend of innovation and history, 3D technology breathes new life into the past, offering us a deeper, more interactive connection to the world that came before us while inspiring new generations to engage with and appreciate the legacy of human civilization.
Follow us and visit our projects.
Project link: https://www.renderhub.com/abbasi-designer/modeling-and-rendering-test-of-a-villa
