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XO3D Labs guides

Practical guides for CGI and 3D

Solve a file, material or production question, then open the tools that help you check the result. Start with a practical workflow or browse by the task you need to complete.

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Guide library

Materials and environments

Check maps, projections and the limits of generated source material.

Roughness vs glossiness: fix the map before the lightingUnderstand roughness vs glossiness, when to invert a map, how to avoid colour-space errors and how to check a material with free browser tools.Texture resolution and memory: what 4K actually costsCalculate uncompressed texture memory from 1K to 8K, understand mipmap overhead and choose a texture size for your actual product view.What cubemap face size should you use?Choose a cubemap face size from an equirectangular panorama, calculate output pixels and test face orientation with free browser tools.Fix a normal map before changing the lightingFix inverted details, seams and weak normal maps. Check colour space, UVs and map type, then test the result with XO3D Labs texture tools.Convert a panorama with the orientation intactConvert a 360 panorama into cubemap faces, check orientation and seams, and understand the PNG export limits before using the result in a viewer.AI-generated art for 3D artists: where it actually helpsUse image references and procedural textures carefully in a 3D workflow. Understand what Labs generates, where inferred PBR maps help, and what still needs checking.
Guide library

Files and software

Choose a route and inspect what survives the handoff.

Choose a 3D model that fits the renderCheck a 3D model before buying or rendering: scene role, file formats, materials, scale, geometry and licence. Follow a practical asset handoff checklist.Resize or compress an image: which change do you need?Choose whether to resize, crop or compress an image. Follow a worked 4000 × 3000 example, preserve aspect ratio and check the final file with free tools.Check a GLB before handing it to a web teamDiagnose missing GLB textures, unexpected materials, scale and loading problems with a practical validation and viewer checklist before web or AR handoff.Web and AR 3D file size benchmarksUse XO3D Labs benchmark targets for AR file size, WebGL polygon budgets and common CGI output resolutions before delivery.Free CAD software for 3D design: what actually exports cleanA practical guide to free CAD tools for 3D design and which export formats keep geometry clean for CGI, 3D printing and web delivery, plus free Labs tools to check and convert the file before it goes wrong.The easiest 3D modelling software to learn firstCompare the easiest 3D modelling software for beginners, see how Blender, 3ds Max and Cinema 4D differ in practice, and check your first model's polygon budget and UV efficiency before you move on.Best 3D rendering software for MacCompare Mac rendering workflows, check Apple Silicon and GPU requirements, and benchmark a representative scene before choosing a renderer or delivery date.Best 3D animation software, compared by use caseCompare the leading 3D animation software by use case, then estimate animation cost and render time with free XO3D Labs calculators before you brief the work.3D modelling apps for iPhone, iPad and MacThe current 3D modelling apps for iPhone, iPad and Mac, plus the USDZ and GLB export and file-size steps that keep the model AR-ready.3D rendering apps for Android: what they can actually doA practical look at 3D rendering apps for Android, the file formats that work on-device, and how to plan render time and output resolution before you rely on one.
Guide library

Planning and review

Turn a production question into a usable brief, check or delivery plan.

How much does product CGI cost?A practical guide to product CGI cost drivers, scope, reuse value and the Labs tools that help estimate budget.CGI vs product photography: when does each route fit?Compare CGI and product photography for launches, ecommerce, variants, timing, reuse and long-term cost.What files does a CGI studio need?Learn which CAD, reference, material, brand and delivery files help a CGI studio quote and start production.How to brief a product animationLearn how to brief a product CGI animation with goals, runtime, story, assets, specs and review points.How to review CGI rendersA practical guide to reviewing CGI renders with clearer comments, visual markups and production-ready feedback.Product CGI for ecommerceLearn how product CGI supports ecommerce visuals, colourways, consistency, PDP quality and reusable assets.CGI video delivery specsPlan CGI video delivery specs for social, web, launch films and product animation cutdowns.
Guide library

Learning and careers

What 3D work involves, and how artists get started and progress.

What does a 3D artist do?What a 3D artist does: modelling, materials, lighting and rendering, the skills and software the job uses, and how artists get started and progress.What are polygons in 3D?What polygons are in 3D: vertices, edges and faces, tris, quads and n-gons, high-poly and low-poly meshes, retopology, and how many polygons a model needs.The main types of 3D modellingThe main types of 3D modelling compared: polygon and box modelling, sculpting, NURBS and CAD, Boolean and procedural modelling, and scanning, and when each fits.What is retopology?What retopology is, when a sculpt, scan or CAD mesh needs it, manual retopology vs remeshing and decimation, edge flow, and baking detail into normal maps.How to turn photos into a 3D modelHow photogrammetry turns overlapping photos into a 3D model: which objects scan well, how to shoot them, the reconstruction pipeline, clean-up and export.How to make a 3D render look cinematicMake a 3D render look cinematic: linear colour, motivated light, real camera behaviour, surface imperfection, story-led framing and a light final grade.What goes into a 3D render?What goes into a 3D render: the model, materials, lighting and environment, the camera, the render engine and sampling, post-production and 3D illustration.Exaggeration in 3D animationWhat exaggeration means in 3D animation, how poses, timing and easing make motion read, and why product animation pushes the motion, never the product.
Technical reference

Formats and comparisons

Open the specific conversion, delivery format or software comparison you need.

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FAQ

Questions this page answers

Where should I start?

Choose the task closest to your problem: materials and environments, 3D files and software, production planning and review, or learning and careers. Each guide links to the relevant tools.

Are these guides free?

The public guides are free to read. Core Labs tools can be used without an account; individual hosted features explain their own requirements.

Are Labs guides the same as the XO3D studio guides?

Labs covers practical checks, tool workflows, and learning and career guides for artists. The studio guides on xo3d.co.uk cover commissioning, creative direction and production decisions for brands.

Next step

Put the guide into practice

Open a tool, check the result and use the relevant guide when a question comes up.

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Published by XO3D Labs: 2026-09-05

Updated: 2026-09-17

About the studio behind these tools

XO3D is a director-led product CGI studio, and these tools come out of its own production pipeline rather than being built as marketing. We work with tech, industrial and premium consumer brands on product films, launch stills and interactive experiences.

That makes us the right choice for launch-critical work where the visual standard has to be high and the product may not exist yet.

It makes us the wrong choice for three things: hundreds of routine SKUs to a fixed template, a permanently live self-service configurator across a large range, and the campaign idea itself.

How XO3D compares to the other five supplier models Send us a brief