How to Create a 3D Environment for Your Website

One of the most important aspects of creating a website is making sure that it will be visually interesting enough to capture the attention of visitors. This is especially true if the site gets revenue from page hits. The graphics content of your site can make or break it. There are several approaches to creating a layout and theme for a site, but one that stands out is adding 3D content and a background. If you would like to create this kind of content for your site, three good programs you could use are Photoshop CS3 Extended (or higher), Daz Studio (which is freeware) or Vue Infinite.

Things You'll Need

• 3D program

Instructions

3D in Photoshop

1. Go to a site like Renderosity and sign up for a free account. You can then go to the free section and download 3D models in a variety of formats.

2. Open Photoshop. Create a document that is the same size as your web page.

3. Open the models in the scene you are creating. CS3 has a number of features to help you work with 3D models. There is a set of 3D tools that let you rotate, scale and position each model on the canvas. You can also select the texture of each model and paint directly on it with the tools in Photoshop. Work with the software until you get the effect you desire.

4. Save your work when you are done, and you will have a 3D image you can use as the background for your site.

Daz 3D

1. Download the free Daz Studio application from the Daz 3D site, as well as any free models you would like to use in it. Install both the program and the content to your computer.

2. Open Daz Studio. Under the “Render Settings” tab, set the size of the page to match your web page size.

3. Drag the models you loaded from the folders into the scene, arranging them as you like.

4. Go back to the “Render” section and render out your image as a JPEG that you can apply to the background of your site.

3D in Vue Infinite

1. Open Vue Infinite. Click on the “Terrain” icon on the left to create a natural 3D environment. Use the “Edit Terrain” function under “Object” to edit the shape of the terrain to suit your needs.

2. Click on “Edit Material” and add an ecosystem material. You can now edit this material and activate that ecosystem, which populates the scene with trees and grasses.

3. Click on the render settings, set the page size you need and render out your image for use as a 3D background.

References

• DAZ Studio: 3D Rendering Tips
• Photoshop Cafe: Photoshop CS4 and 3D
• Vue Render Settings