340 chapter 9 ■ Normal Maps, Displacement Maps, Maya, and Decimation Master
3D Printing
3D printing, or milling, is the process by which 3D models are generated in the real world either
by extruding layers of plastic on a 3D printer or with the carving process of a 3D mill. 3D print-
ing is best for small to medium objects with high details whereas milling works best for larger
objects. Gentle Giant Studios and Weta Workshop produced a life-sized King Kong for the
movie premiere in New York City in 2005 by milling from digital sculpture data.
Figure 9.85 shows several examples of some figures I printed while working as digital
art director at Gentle Giant Studios.Figure 9.83 The decimated model and texture map displayed in the Maya
viewport
Figure 9.84 A Maya render of a
decimated mesh. This scene file is
included on the DVD.Figure 9.85 These figures were created using 3D printing ZBrush data.