Spline - The Art and Science of 3D Design

[Faheemkhatri4]

Matt’s Pick – Spline is an online 3D design tool that runs in virtual reality and offers features like text prompts, physics, collaboration, models, scenes & more. It also provides scene export options & materials and shading.

3D modeling experts use spline curves to model deformations in digital objects. With splines, you can click and drag points and lines to incrementally reshape a complex curved shape.
Basics

3D design is a huge field with a lot of different things to know. There are tons of resources, training, and courses available on the subject. Many colleges offer degree programs specifically in 3D design and there are also a ton of free online tutorials and resources for beginners.

There are a few basic concepts that everyone should understand before diving into 3D design. The first is that there are different types of 3D models, including solids, wireframes, and meshes. Each has its own uses and purposes. Solids are 3D models that are built from polygons, while wireframes are 3D models that are built from lines and vertices. Meshes are 3D models that are built from a combination of meshes, lines and vertices.

To make a solid, you must have a sketch of the object that you want to build and then use a tool to create it in 3D space. The most common tools are extrude, sculpt, and rotate. The computer front panel in the image above was made using a variety of extrusions and sculpting features, and the car wheel rim was created with revolve, hole, and chamfer features.

In Spline, you can change the shape of an object by either selecting and picking vertices in the 3D view or by changing the property values in the right panel. For example, to change the color of the spheres in this sample scene, click the property value for Material and then select the color you would like.

Spline is a full-fledged 3D tool that many consider the Figma of 3D, and it works in the browser which makes it compatible on Mac, Windows and tablets. It even has interactions and code export directly to CodeSandbox, making it easy to implement your designs into a React project.
Objects

In Spline, there are a few different types of objects you can use to create your 3D scenes. Some, such as a cube, are simple shapes, and they come with controls to adjust properties such as size or positioning. Others are more complex shapes, such as a triangular-based pyramid or cylinder. Each of these shapes have their own set of controls that can be found in the right panel of the screen when an object is selected. Interactive 3D Web Animations

For example, when you select a cube, the panel shows you the vertices of that cube and provides arrows to indicate how the cube can be moved in space. You can also click on the shape controls in this panel to adjust various other properties, such as rounding off corners or expanding the edges of a cube into a rectangular prism. You’ll notice this type of panel in the screen of every object you create or edit, and it provides an easy way to quickly change property values for the 3D objects in your scenes.

When you’re working with a more complex 3D shape, the right panel on the screen also displays the geometry for that object and can be used to modify the geometry by picking vertices or entering mathematical expressions. The panel can also be used to control surface properties such as radius for fillet surfaces, chamfer angle for rounded corners, or taper angle for extruded surfaces.

One of the coolest features in Spline is that you can edit your 3D assets right from within your browser without having to wait for a high-resolution, pixel perfect render. This is a huge time saver and makes working on team projects much more convenient, especially when you’re trying to get quick feedback from colleagues. It’s just another way that Spline is democratizing the world of 3D design, making it accessible for everyone on an internet-enabled device.
Materials

Spline comes with a library of standard shapes, which can be edited and resized with ease. You can also create your own custom shapes using the tools available in the right panel or by clicking the "+" button and selecting a shape from the list.

Objects are made up of various properties, including the material that they’re made from and the color that they have. Creating your own materials is also easy and can be done by clicking on the + button in the right panel and selecting a material from the list. Once you’ve created a material, you can edit it by selecting the object and then changing the color or adding a texture.

The lighting of your composition is important, as it can change the look and feel of an object. You can adjust the light source by changing the location and direction of the light in your scene or you can add a directional light to your composition by going to your Top Bar and selecting a directional light.

Another important aspect of any 3D design is the way that your objects interact with each other. You can easily make any object in your composition interact with each other by dragging them onto each other or by using the arrows at the bottom of the screen to move them around. You can even give your object a specific mouse event or click and drag to start and stop interactions.

One of the most impressive aspects of Spline is that it’s a web-based tool and works in your browser. This is a huge step towards the democratization of 3D because it makes it much easier for designers to create interactive experiences without needing a souped-up computer and extensive knowledge of how to use complicated software.
Animations

In animation, moving objects add life to the scene and help convey a story. The simplest way to do this is to simply drag the object with your mouse, but more complex animations are often created with a set of key frames. In the case of 3D animation, a set of key frames are used to create a walk, fly or zoom sequence.

The most common use of 3D animation software is in the film and video industry. 3D film animation uses computer-generated three-dimensional images to create an environment that appears realistic and can be viewed from any angle. This is the most popular form of 3D animation and is what we associate with films such as Star Wars, Bambi and old-school Disney animated movies.

Another popular use of 3D animation software is in the architecture and design industries. For example, architects often use these programs to show their clients a virtual walkthrough of an upcoming construction project. This allows them to see what the building will look like from different angles and also helps them spot any potential problems in the design.

As the popularity of 3D animation grows, more businesses are using it in their marketing campaigns as well. For example, many companies will create a 3D animation of their logo to put in their ads or videos. This gives the impression that the company is more established than it actually is and also creates a memorable experience for customers.

A great tool to use for creating 3D assets is Spline. This is a full-fledged 3D design program that can be used on both desktop and mobile devices. It has a simple interface and allows teams to work in real time. It also features interactions and can export code to HTML, Webflow or React. In the following tutorial, we will learn how to use Spline to recreate our UI from Figma into a 3D asset and then import it into React.
Interactions

Spline is a browser-based 3D design tool geared for anyone to use regardless of their experience. Its interface is simpler to learn than full-featured 3D software programs and it allows designers to create stunning graphics without having to build nodes like in Blender. The graphics created by this program can then be used in a variety of ways including being embedded into websites, presentations and online productivity tools.

The first step is to familiarize yourself with the tools and layout of Spline. Start by browsing their homepage to get a feel for what is possible. This will help you get a sense of what can be made in this free program and will inspire your creativity.

When designing 3D interaction, it is important to consider how users will interact with the objects and environments that you are creating. This includes the physical manipulation of objects as well as the use of virtual interfaces such as 3D mouse-based user interfaces.

Traditionally, 3D manipulations have been accomplished using graphical software on desktop computers. The majority of these programs rely on a keyboard and mouse to allow for manipulations in two degrees of freedom (2 DOF). However, with the advent of multi-touch enabled smartphones and tablets, many 3D interaction mappings are being updated to support multi-touch interactions which offer more than 2 DOF manipulations.

One of the most popular uses of 3D interaction is the ability to animate or morph objects into different states. For example, you can create a simple effect where a mouse hover will make the object spin or bounce. This can be done by selecting an object and then going to State in the panel on the right side of the screen.