The answer is often that digital images can be manipulated to create other, non-digital images (called “digital effects”) from digital images (described later in this article).
Digital effects include: 3D models, textured textures, special effects, color correction and transparency, lens blur and other optical artifacts.
What is “3D image” and what is “textured texture”?
There are two types of 3D images: “object” 3D images—images produced by moving a 3D model—and “3D scene” 3D images—images produced by rotating a 3D scene—the same idea that creates an image of a rotating 3D object in your mind’s eye. To learn more, click here to watch a brief explanation by Chris Anderson.
Most 3D image software programs allow the user to import 3D scene images into 3D format, which is commonly called MP3. This allows the user to “render” a 3D object or scene using the 3D toolbox of the software.
However, the MP3 format is still a bit new and is not yet commonly used by film-makers and computer-animators to create digital images. Digital effects often contain non- 3D material which can be created in software.
Many 3D models have the same or similar material (called “textures”) which is typically composed of multiple layers of material that change with varying degrees of transparency and color. For instance, a human face may have a single solid color layer which is opaque and blends into the background. Or there may be thousands of different textures that may blend or disappear into one another.
Digital effects may include:
3D models (also referred to as “3Ds”)
textured textures (usually of geometric materials)
rotation of 3D objects
refocusing of 3D images to show a new perspective
fisheye lens blur
blurring the background
blurring 3D objects in stereoscopic 3D
blurring 3D objects using lens blur (sometimes called “wide-angle lens blurring”)
Blending 3D object layers into a single 3D image
What can be manipulated digitally to produce a 3D image?
An image is a digital image obtained by taking an digital image, combining it with information from a 3D model to produce a new image, then reexporting that image to a digital format.