Animating 3D models

[Sophie Wardle]

Hello there,

I am new in 3D modelling and I am looking to experiment 3D models and animate them frame by frame for a video.

My question is, which Adobe software should I be experimenting with?

I know with Adobe Felix you can import a model and arrange it but is it only for still images? or can you potentially use it for frame by frame animating?

I know its unlikely but is there anyway you can import a 3D model into After Effects and animate it there?

Thank you for your help guys!

[Mylenium]

There is no native 3D animation program in Adobe's portfolio except the very, very limited Cinema 4D Lite version that comes with After effects. anything beyond that requires shelling out extra money for plug-ins or using native 3D programs.

Mylenium

[rayek.elfin]

Element3d is a plugin for After Effects that imports, animates, and renders 3d models.

VIDEO COPILOT | Element 3D V2 - 3D Object based Particle Plug-in

Trapcode Particular is another plugin for After Effects that allows all sorts of particle effects based on 3d model import.

Buy Red Giant Trapcode Particular | Download the free trial

Alternatively, use Blender at no additional cost to animate 3d models, and import the rendered result into After Effects.

https://www.blender.org/

[stefan_gru]

Shmay: Adobe Fuse could be a starting point for your 3D character creation. As a coworker described it, "Fuse provides creation of 3D humanoid character models that can then be rigged using Mixamo and the 3D model can be put into a CC Library or saved to desktop. Then open the rigged 3D model in Photoshop and use the 3D features and animations for body and face movement. There is a lot to this process. I think there are some videos, but I’d have to track down the links."

I found some links that might be useful:

Create 3D characters with Fuse CC

Adobe Fuse CC (Beta) help topics

Adobe Fuse CC (Beta)​

[Szalam · Accepted solution]

You don't need to animate 3d models frame by frame! Most 3d animation software offers tweening.

Anyway, Cinema 4D Lite the comes free with After Effects CC has some pretty great functionality. Sign up for a free account on Cineversity (from company that makes Cinema 4d]) and you can go through this pretty comprehensive training series from one of my favorite Cinema 4D instructors: Cinema 4D Lite Reference [Video Tutorial Playlist] - Cineversity Training and Tools for Cinema 4D

[Sophie Wardle]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Mylenium​, that's what I was struggling with, the limited features of cinema 4D lite, I'm still starting out, just learning 3D so I can't really afford any other 3D softwares yet. Do you have a user friendly one in mind that I can start with?

rayek.elfin​ I'll give the plugin a check! Thanks

Stefan Gruenwedel​ I already have a 3D model but I couldn't turn it into video? If that makes sense. I wanted to animate the model and have an alpha(transparent) background. I got the 3D model I needed from Fuse too haha, Fuse is fun.

Szalam OMG I learnt something new today. Tweening! I know what keywords to use to Google for now. I will definitely check out Cineversity, this helps a lot. I've been watching YouTube videos but was still struggling with Cinema 4D Lite, maybe Cineversity can tell me what I have been doing wrong.

Thanks again guys!!!

[P.M.B]

Blender is an open source, totally free,  full feature 3d program with a huge online community and tons of training material.  Here's an example of what can be done with blender.       Sintel - Third Open Movie by Blender Foundation - YouTube 

[Sophie Wardle]

Definitely gonna chek it out. Thank you!!!

[Tafhim30257051n29v]

If you're new to 3D modeling and want to experiment with 3D models and frame-by-frame animation for a video, Adobe software offers several options. Adobe Felix (now known as Adobe Dimension) is primarily designed for creating still images and arranging 3D models in a realistic environment. For frame-by-frame animation, Adobe software like Adobe Animate or Adobe Character Animator would be more suitable. As for importing 3D models into After Effects, while After Effects is primarily focused on 2D motion graphics and visual effects, it does offer limited 3D capabilities. We at 7CGI also use different tools for 3D modeling  and rendering work like Maya, 3ds Max Design and etc. You can import 3D models into After Effects using plugins like Video Copilot's Element 3D or by using the Cinema 4D integration available in certain versions of After Effects. However, for more advanced 3D animation, software like Autodesk Maya or Blender would be better choices.

[orbe__3D]

Hi there,

Welcome to the world of 3D modeling! If you're looking to animate 3D models frame by frame, Adobe Felix (now Adobe Dimension) is mainly for still images and doesn’t support animation.

For animation, you might want to explore Adobe After Effects with the Element 3D plugin, which allows you to import and animate 3D models. However, it's limited compared to dedicated 3D software.

If you're serious about 3D animation, Blender, Cinema 4D (which integrates well with After Effects), or Autodesk Maya would be better choices.

You can learn to Create 3D Chair Modeling in Blender.

Hope this helps!

[jeniffer_raji4487]

Hey there! Adobe Dimension (formerly Felix) is purely for static 3D composite renders no timeline or animation features, so it’s not suitable for frame‑by‑frame work. And while After Effects can host 3D assets using plugins like Element 3D, it’s still primarily a compositing environment, not a true 3D animation suite.

If you want to experiment with keyframe or frame-by-frame animation inside a full‑feature 3D tool, Blender is a fantastic start, totally free, great for modeling, animating, sculpting, rendering, and supported by a rich user community. Once you're comfortable, you might level up to Cinema 4D (user‑friendly and procedural) or Maya (industry standard for rigging and animation).

For a deeper dive into what's available, this guide is a solid reference:
:white_heavy_check_mark: Top 10 3D Modeling Software 2024 – ZealousXR

Hope that helps kickstart your 3D animation journey enjoy the learning process!