Since the introduction and adoption of 3D rendering in the furniture industry, many things have changed. Designing and prototyping are easier and more efficient than ever before. New pieces of furniture and collections can go from concept to full production in less time. Even the presentation of furniture has changed. Sales and marketing have greater potential when these new tools are utilized as well.
Photography served as the primary means of illustrating furniture for many years. It certainly got the job done, but 3D furniture rendering services can accomplish the same task with less time, less expense, more creative options, and the potential for an even more impressive final result.
Let’s begin by covering exactly what 3D animation involves for furniture design. After that, you’ll learn about some of its many benefits when it comes to boosting furniture sales, as well as some of the ways that it can be applied for excellent results.
What Are 3D Furniture Animations?
The concept of 3D animation is simple. This is a form of 3D rendering; therefore, each object that is depicted in the animation must be created and defined by the designer. On the one hand, that means a 3D animation can be full of as many objects as you want, so it can be as realistic or impressive as desired. On the other hand, the more objects that are going to be included, the more work will be involved.
However, there’s another point to consider. Once an object has been defined by the designer, then it can be used in as many renderings and animations as you want. Essentially, work that goes into rendering and 3D animation is more cumulative than repetitive.
Sometimes it’s better to walk through an example. Let’s say you have a new collection of furniture and you want a lifestyle-type 3D animation to start promoting. First of all, you need to decide which pieces from the collection you want to include in the animation. It could be just a few of them or the entire collection; it’s up to you.
After you have decided on which pieces to include in the animation, then you should have an idea of how you want to present them. This is a lifestyle-type 3D animation, so let’s say you want to show the collection in a stylish new home during the evening.
At this point, the designer has created 3D models for each piece of furniture. They will also have created a model of a room to stage the rendering and animation in. Then the designer will start putting everything together for the scene. Now it will come down to getting the effects right, like lighting and textures, as well as deciding on an exact perspective for the animation.
Once all the later decisions have been made, then the final 3D animation can be completed. Now you have an impressive 3D animation showcasing your new furniture collection to use in any way you wish. You can also use it to create more animations quickly in the future.
Benefits of 3D Animation for Furniture
There is quite a list of benefits that come with 3D animation. 3D renderings and 3D animations have quickly become the primary means of depicting products for many in the furniture industry. It has effectively replaced photography for creating product images. Let’s look at exactly what qualities 3D animation has that lead to such widespread use.
Cost
Whether you’re in the furniture business, the auto industry, or making a fortune in innovative novel products, business is business. Money comes first. This is one of the most significant advantages that 3D animation services has over photography.
Professional photography is often priced by the hour or by the project, although sometimes per day pricing may be found as well. Some 3D animation professionals use per project pricing, but hourly pricing tends to be a bit more common.
However, whether you’re comparing project rates or hourly rates, 3D animation usually has a strong advantage. It tends to be much more affordable than photography while having a result that is equal to or greater than a professional photo.
Time
It’s no secret that art takes time. While both photography and 3D animation are forms of art, when they’re used for business, time is often a critical factor.
This is another area where 3D animation has a very significant advantage over photography. Traditional photoshoots take time because of the physical work involved. The logistics, the physical labor of moving and staging, setting and changing lighting, the list goes on. If photos of a new line or collection are being taken, then the project could take weeks or even longer from start to finish.
Compare this to the time it takes to create a top-notch 3D animation and CAD services. Something like this may be completed in a few days or less. When compared to waiting weeks for professional photos, you could actually have quite several 3D animations completed in the same amount of time.
Versatility
3D animations and 3D rendering services, in general, offer a level of versatility that photography simply can’t match even with the best of circumstances. As mentioned earlier, work that is put into 3D rendering is cumulative more than repetitive. In other words, the work that has already been completed can be reused and repurposed easily without much further work involved.
This is because once an object has been created and defined, it can be saved and used in any number of future projects. It isn’t something that’s only good for a single-use.
Now, the same cannot be said for photography. Once the photo has been taken, it’s going to be the same general image regardless of photo editing. When working with a 3D modeling company, the 3D model can be viewed from any perspective and placed in an infinite number of different animations once it has been created. This staggering difference in versatility is an enormous advantage of 3D rendering and 3D animation.
Creative Flexibility
The creative flexibility of photography is limited by a number of factors. In the case of 3D animation, you are only limited by your imagination and the skill of the 3D CAD design.
For example, let’s say you want to show your new furniture collection in a really unusual setting, like inside a space station or on the beach of a tropical island. With photography, the best you can do is place the furniture in front of a backdrop or green screen for the shoot and then edit the photo.
You can’t actually place the furniture in the exact location you want to depict it in. 3D animation allows us to get around this issue entirely. The object looks like it’s really in the environment because it was actually defined there in the rendering process. This allows for a much higher degree of creative freedom.
How 3D Animation Is Used In the Furniture Industry
Since 3D animations have such a wide variety of options, they’ve been adopted for several specific purposes in the furniture industry. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these that are specifically used to boost sales.
Demo Clips
3D furniture animations that show special functions or how things work are generally called demo clips or something similar. This type of 3D animation is an excellent tool for presenting furniture that has one or more functions. Even if it’s just a basic recliner, it’s still better to show it in action than to only have still images.
The more functions and moving parts that your furniture has, the more valuable this type of animation is. While there are many products on the market with a number of functions and features, many potential customers make a decision without knowing about all of them simply because some features or functions are not well depicted. Don’t let your furniture’s functions go overlooked; everything that is included in the design is there for a reason.
Showing Quality
Since 3D animations can show such an incredible level of detail and accuracy, this makes them an excellent tool for showing overall product quality. Sometimes the difference is in the details.
With a 3D animation, the “camera” can take any path you can think of. The animation can start with a slow spin view of the entire area and then move to close up shots of individual objects.
Close up views combined with the level of realism this technology offers is a powerful way to make sure potential customers can see the quality of the piece. From the overall appearance and eye appeal down to the finest details, you can make sure customers have the chance to see it all.
Boosting Prospect Interaction
While 3D animations generally take a set path and focus on certain objects from defined angles and perspectives, they can also be interactive. Today’s online consumers want the opportunity to fully examine their choices in depth. This may include zooming in, rotating the view, moving the perspective, and more.
When these functions are built-in and made available for prospective customers to use, engagement is much higher. With photographs or still 3D renderings, the consumer simply sees the image and moves on. By adding engaging functions, they interact with the media. They will be able to explore their curiosity about the piece, and this will only help to produce more sales.
Additional Media Options
Presenting your furniture with 3D animation is a powerful tool on its own. However, it also allows for a wide range of options when it comes time to place and present it. Of course, it belongs on brand web sites and e-commerce product pages, but there are more ways to utilize it.
Since 3D animations are already a short clip, they can be uploaded to video hosting platforms and social media. Today, there are also a variety of video-specific advertising options, such as ads on YouTube and other large high-traffic sites. Advertising and placement options like these are simply not accessible if you’re only using still product images.
Showing Scale and Perspective
One of the qualities that can be lost in a photoshoot is accurate scale and perspective. This may be a necessity because of the angle of the shot or the desired background. Regardless of the cause, it is something that often cannot be accurately depicted with photography.
In the case of 3D animation, the scale of the object can be portrayed with absolute accuracy. By including other objects in the animation that most prospects will already be familiar with, they can get a concise idea of how that piece of furniture will fit in their home or office.
This isn’t dependent on the perspective in a 3D animation either. Everything will appear with an accurate scale due to everything in the animation being defined by the designer. So long as everything is defined with a reasonable level of realism, prospects will get an accurate idea of the product size quite easily.
Presenting Options
In a traditional brick and mortar furniture store, floor models rule the day. They allow potential customers to try the product out and see how it works for themselves. One thing floor models lack in most scenarios is a full display of all possible product options.
Upgrades, custom options, and special colors are only increasing in popularity. In order to show them with floor models, a considerable amount of space would be necessary. The same goes for a photo shoot. It would take a lot of extra work and time to get examples with each option to the studio.
Instructions
Creating 3D animations that show product or assembly instructions is a great way to add value and build trust with your customer base. If there are some impressive construction features, then that may be another way to increase the perceived value of the piece as well.
Instruction and assembly manuals tend to be tedious and difficult for many customers. Plenty of people prefer a visual guide for directions like these anyway.
When you make instructional 3D animations available for your furniture, it adds value to the whole experience. It may not look like much on the surface, but those who have had numerous headaches and long days in the past from poor instructions will absolutely appreciate it.
Quick Tips for 3D Furniture Animation
As you can see, there are numerous ways to increase furniture sales and add value by using 3D animation. Which types would benefit you and your company the most will depend on the specifics of your situation. Let’s cover a few examples.
Let’s say that your furniture line appeals to customers because of its numerous useful and innovative features. In a situation like this, you’ll definitely want to make sure you take advantage of 3D product demo animations. You may even want to add a bit of this into all of the 3D animations that you use for promoting the line.
On the other hand, if your line is based more on stylish designs and less about extra functions, then lifestyle type animations are likely to be at the top of the list. These will allow your potential customers to get an accurate idea of how the pieces could fit in their home. It will also serve as an excellent way to display the overall eye appeal and quality of the piece.
For many prospects, assembly is an afterthought. However, if your furniture is particularly easy to assemble, then you may want to consider including a short assembly animation in your promotional materials. It could serve as an additional selling point for some particularly discerning customers.
While focusing 3D animations for your products on a particular type is valuable, you can also make a single animation for each piece with a bit of everything. Include some shots to highlight the visual quality, the functions and features, some lifestyle shots, and perhaps finish with a short section showing the assembly process. What you include in the animation is up to you, so take advantage of the creative freedom.
Q&A
Are focused 3D animations or all-in-one type animations better?
This is mostly a matter of opinion based on your circumstances. If you believe that one type of 3D animation would be better for your furniture than another type based on what you know about existing customers, then you’re probably right.
Can I get a 3D animation that shows a few pieces from my lineup instead of just one or the whole lineup?
You absolutely can. This is one of the best things about 3D animation that makes it such a versatile tool. You can make it whatever you want. As long as you think it will show your products in a desirable way, then go for it.
Is there a reason not to use 3D animation in today’s furniture market?
3D animation is superior to traditional photography in numerous ways. The only real reason to avoid it would be a matter of preference. It tends to be faster, more affordable, and higher quality when compared to photography. It also has some qualities that photography simply doesn’t offer, such as the ability to reuse models for multiple animations.
Ready to Get 3D Animation for Your Furniture Line?
Starting a new 3D animation project for your furniture line can be an intimidating task. There’s plenty to gain by using 3D animation, but there are also a lot of creative decisions to make before the work even begins. It’s best to work with a vetted professional so you can take advantage of their experience and expertise.
Fortunately, Cad Crowd can make the whole process easier for you. You can choose from our pool of vetted freelance 3D animation professionals. We take care of professional concerns with our standard procedures as well. You can hire a vetted 3D animation designer confidentially to work on your project. You’ll have all of the intellectual property rights and non-disclosure agreements are part of the standard process here as well.
If you’re ready to take the first step with your new 3D animation project, it’s quick and easy. Start by getting a quote today.