3D Modeling and Animation as Artistic and Technical Practices

This paper examines 3D modelling and animation as hybrid practices that combine artistic intention with technical procedure. It explores foundational principles—geometry, materials, lighting, motion—and situates them within contemporary production pipelines used for videogames, virtual reality (VR) and cinematic animation. Through a cross-disciplinary perspective, the study compares offline (photoreal/film) and real-time (games/VR) workflows, highlights the role of game engines as both display and authoring environments, and discusses how aesthetic decisions are constrained and enabled by computational limits. Practical techniques such as polygonal modelling, sculpting, PBR texturing, rigging, and both keyframe and procedural animation are presented alongside recommended workflows, optimization strategies, and evaluation criteria for artistic quality. The paper also proposes a modular, repeatable pipeline for creating 3D content intended for interactive and non-interactive media, and it closes by identifying emerging trends—including AI-assisted generation, proceduralism, photogrammetry, and real-time cinematic rendering—that will shape the field.