3D animation is actually the same object created by means of 3D graphics; only it becomes alive, moving. 3D that is 3 Dimensions now work for the creative virtual world designed by the artist.

3D animation seems to have unlimited creative abilities: virtual movies, exhibition presentations, show-windows, the facades, shining 3D logos etc. In the world created by 3D graphics it is possible to set up any kind of light you want - real or unreal, even fantastic, to use a virtual video camera and to wander over the place with it, to shoot a video film, to make move any subject.

3D animations are not like common video as they are developed on the computer alone with 3D graphics software. 3D drawing and animation help the artist to show either thing which is impossible or too expensive to capture in any other way.

It is necessary to consider the fact that developing a good 3D animation is a time consuming process. The more difficult and detailed scenes have to be created, the more time it will take to calculate it on the computer. Sometimes it takes hours or days, and sometimes weeks and even months. That's why before the work with 3D animation starts it is always necessary to confirm the scenario, a storyboard and some other preproduction details, in order not to go back for changes all the time.

3D animation technology reminds that of the puppet: you have to create object frames, to define fitting materials, to group everything in a united scene, to set up the light and the cameras, and then, to set the number of shots in the movie and the objects movement. Objects movement in 3D space is set according to the trajectories, main shots and the formulas which connect the movement of parts all together. After setting the light and the fitting materials the artist starts the visualization process. For some time the computer calculates all the necessary shots and the animation is done. A certain disadvantage is excessive smoothness of forms and surfaces and kind of mechanical movements.

To create realistic 3D animations the artists chose various techniques. For "rough" objects, for example, like hair movement or smoke, the technology of multiple particles object formation is used. The inverse kinematics and other animation techniques also serve the same purpose. There are new methods of video recording combination and animation effects which allow creating more realistic scenes and movements.

Besides, the open systems technology allows working with several programs at the same time. It is possible to create a model in one software package, to decorate it in the next one, to animate in the third one, and to video record in the fourth. And, moreover, nowadays many professional software packages have a nice option of expanding by means of the additional applications developed specially for the basic program package.