Understanding 3DMany graphics programs, including After Effects, display images in two dimensions, or 2D, which means that these images exist in and can only be moved to locations along the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) axes. ![]() A conventional After Effects 2D image (left) and an image with 3D properties (right). Programs that work in 3D add distance, or depth, as another dimension in which an element of the image, or object, can be placed. Depth is expressed as an additional coordinate, called "Z." As with X and Y coordinates, the Z coordinate defines the position of an object along the depth axis, called the Z axis. 3D coordinates are expressed as the variable (x, y, z). A positive Z coordinate indicates that an image is located farther from the viewer; a negative Z coordinate indicates that an image is nearer to the viewer. Adding depth allows objects to display more realistic depictions of how they reflect light, cast shadows, and move through space. In most 3D programs, lights of varying intensities and positions are combined with images and views. All of them can be animated in 3D space. Colors and surfaces change realistically as the objects move through the lights, often creating dramatic and complex animations that can effectively simulate actual motion and perspective. |