In the modeling phase, animators create 3D objects that will serve as the basis for animation. This kind of animation is achieved by using a modeling tool. A 3D mesh is made from a simple object, called a primitive, which is then shaped and refined to the desired figure.

Only once the above steps are complete will a 3D animator move on to the actual animation process. At this point, they can take a 3D object and make it move. There are different ways to do this, from using keyframes—moving the object on a frame-by-frame basis—to using motion capture data.

Once the animation is perfected, along with the lighting and camera angles, the animator can move on to rendering. In this process, the graphic images that have been designed are actually created and exported.