A guide to developing 3d graphic art

Exhibitions are an important component in business-to-business selling today, and one way to get your message is across is with 3-D graphics imaging.

In fact, exhibitions account for 17.3 percent of every marketing dollar spent by companies with sales greater than $50 million, according to a benchmark study of 1997 spending commissioned by Business Marketing. That translates to $12.6 billion of the 473 billion businesses spend to market goods and services to other businesses.

“This research highlights the value that business marketers place on face-to-face contact,” says Douglas Ducate, president and CEO for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR). “As we see the rise of more impersonal forms of marketing, exhibitions become more important than ever. The human interaction is what exhibitions deliver.”

3-D graphics imaging can help the process of business-to-business selling because it will help your exhibit stand out. 3-D imaging lends depth to graphics that give it a high-tech feel.

These types of graphics are developed in two steps. A series of photos is taken, usually by a professional photographer. That photographer focuses on one object, imitating the view as seen by a person’s left and right eyes.

Once these photos are taken, the images are separated into precise strips and aligned together. In essence, this results in a single graphic. Once the graphic is covered with small lenses (the material used is often some type of bead), it allows for a complete view that differs between a person’s right and left eyes. Suddenly, a 3-D graphic is produced!

Wendell Deaton of Proteus Show Marketing lists four tips to help designers create an effective and attractive 3-D image.

1. Compose the image using an imaginary “window frame.” – Deaton says that when arranging the subject for a photo, a photographer should focus on the area that corresponds to the view through the camera’s viewfinder. In this way it should be considered a window frame. Elements of the composition should fall in front of the window, behind the window and in the window for the most potent 3-D image. Because of this, a photographer should be hired who understands the “window frame” concept and that stationary objects work best with this concept.

2. Energize the environment – Several different colors should be utilized in the shot to help contrast the light. These colors should be bright and vivid to enhance the overall graphic. Deaton uses the example of placing a blue subject in the window in front of a yellow background with strong lighting.

3. Find the right size – The apparent alignment of objects in the normal field of vision changes as a 3-D graphic is passed. In other words, there are certain viewing angles where the image appears to change viewing angles. This action can attract attention to a business’ tradeshow booth, but the larger the image the more noticeable the jump is for that shot. 3-D images to have size limitations and just because they may work from a distance doesn’t mean it will be an effective graphic up close.

4. Choose the right presentation – 3-D images depend on light for the best effect. Translights and C-print images are available although translights generally provide a better picture. C-prints can be hindered by reflections.

3-D graphics imaging is only one way to liven up your tradeshow booth, and although the costs can be high, the effect may be well worth the money.

Written by Mike Scott