Adobe Dimensions

1. Platform, Price, and Company

• PCs & Macintosh computers
• $125
• Adobe www.adobe.com

2. Applications

• Complex 3D rendering and modeling software, containing tools such as surface properties commands, lighting effects, extrusions, masks, guides, paths, and more. Allowing the user to turn any object into a professional 3D object by offering both raster and crisp, resolution-independent PostScript output.

3. Examples/Samples

• http://www.adobe.com/print/gallery/spollen/main.html
• http://www.adobe.com/print/spotlights/pinsard/main.html
• http://www.efuse.com/Design/untitled.html#Dimensions

4. Functions

• Lighting and Shading
• Position the lights freely, at any angle or from behind
• Apply unlimited light sources and with individual intensities
• Three shading techniques: flat, Gouraud (diffuse), or Phong (plastic)
• Customize the shading with ambient, highlight, or shininess controls, and specify shade colors.
• 3D Rendering
• Draw 2D images and then convert them to 3D by adding depth to them or by revolving them around an axis.
• Create basic 3D shapes (primitives) using the program's drawing tools. Primitives include cubes, spheres, cones, and cylinders.
• Ability to wrap raster images on a 3D surface.
• Combine two or more simple objects to build more detailed models
• Transformation
• Align Object Centerpoints, Align Surface Centerpoints, Align Surface Orientation, and Align Surface Planes
• File formats
• Importing file formats: .PSD .AI .EPS .TIF .BMP Macintosh PICT
• Exporting file formats: .AI .PSD .EPS . TIFF .BMP QuickDraw 3D (3DMF)

5. Web Resources

• Product information on Adobe's website www.adobe.com/products/dimensions/main.html
• A WinMagazine article at http://www.techweb.com/winmag/library/1997/1101/winla112.htm