An eye-catching website is a great way to entice and engage a business’s target market. And while great design and seamless functionality work for top-notch user interface (UI) and experience (UX), it’s going to take a bit more to stand out from millions of sites on the web–this is where 3D graphics and animation come in.
Blender and Three.js are two platforms that businesses can use to create complex 3D media and immersive web experiences on multiple devices. Blender is a 3D creation software and modeling suite that lets you animate life-like models, scenes, and characters, while Three.js is a JavaScript library that developers use to build and display 3D outputs on the web. Used together, these two can help businesses produce three-dimensional visuals and interactive scenes available on different browsers that can provide users with an unforgettable impression.
The best way to maximize the powerful tools of both Blender and Three.js, it’s best to hire a Three.js developer from Guru that possesses the expertise and experience of working with both platforms and has the creative and professional capacity to bring your dream website to life. If you’re wondering if this is really needed for your website, it’s helpful to determine if you’ll benefit from using the outputs for your business. See for yourself what websites use Three.js, which includes industries like e-commerce, gaming, and education, and figure out if these models apply to you!
Creating Animation on Blender for Three.js
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create animation on Blender with Three.js in mind:
Create the Model
Make the 3D model or scene, whether it’s an object, character, or sequence. This step starts with drafting your project outside of the software (e.g. on paper), then involves adding meshes, lights, backgrounds, etc. to the model.
Set Keyframes
Keyframes define the beginning and end points of an animation. In Blender, you can set keyframes by selecting a property, manipulating the timeline, and setting values.
Define the Curves
Animation curves determine how properties change over time. You can define these in Blender by visualizing and editing the curves, usually through the Graph Editor.
Preview and Refine
Once you’re done with your animation, preview it to see if everything’s moving and working as you envisioned. If not, refine and revise it accordingly. Be sure to check the limitations of the format to ensure that it imports correctly to Three.js later on.
Render the Animation
When you’re happy with your work, render the animation by toggling the render settings and output options in Blender. You can render it as a single video file or as a series of stills.
Exporting Blender Animation
With your Blender animation ready, it’s time to export it to be ready for Three.js. First up, make sure that you have the latter set up; you’ll also want to have the Three.js Exporter Add-on installed so that you can export your work in the Three.js JSON format.
Export your animation through the settings, then choose which properties to include, set the frame rate and duration, and pick other relevant formats. When it’s out as the JSON file, you can then load it to Three.js.
Importing Blender Animation to Three.js
The THREE.JSONLoader() method is the most common way to import a Blender animation to Three.js as it lets you load the JSON file to the platform and create objects from there. Once you’ve successfully imported your Blender animation to Three.js, you can create a Three.js animation by setting up the necessary components, now using the platform’s animation methods to manipulate properties in the scene.
After animating on Three.js, you can then add your finished output to a webpage by embedding it in an HTML element or using a library like jQuery to load it asynchronously.
Hire Expert Three.js Developers on Guru
Using Blender and Three.js is an efficient way to create impressive 3D graphics and animations to use for web applications and platforms. If you’re in a business that can benefit from a website that uses these models, then it’s time to hire expert Three.js developers on Guru to help you maximize the features of both software.
A Three.js developer who has experience in Blender can be a creative and technical guide who can bring your dream website to life, ensuring that visuals are on point and your platforms continue to perform excellently with the additions. Hire a Three.js developer on Guru today!
