We used Agisoft Metashape to make our 3D models. This program allows us to use photogrammetry, which involves using photographs to make measurements. We followed Professor Austin Mason’s instructions on “Making 3D Models with Photogrammetry.”
Photos
Approximately 50 to 100 photos were taken for each object we modeled. In particular, objects enclosed in glass display cases, such as Oscar the Penguin and The Knight, needed upwards of 100 photos and extra care had to be taken when photographing to avoid surface glare from the glass. These photos were then uploaded to new projects in Agisoft Metashape.
Steps
1. Aligning
After the photos were uploaded, the photos were then aligned so that each photo corresponded to a point that made up the object.
2. Dense Cloud
Then the points generated after aligning the photos were processed into a dense cloud. Throughout this and subsequent processes, extraneous points or objects such as the floor were attempted to be removed so that only the object of interest remained.
3. Mesh
The dense cloud was then combined into a mesh.
4. Texture
The final photogrammetry step that made the model look realistic was combining a texture map that wrapped around the mesh.
5. Embedding
The models were exported out of MetaShapePro as .obj files and then uploaded to SketchFab. From there, the models were able to be embedded into their respective pages with the use of shortcode.
Challenges
When uploading the models to SketchFab, it was frustrating to see them being rendered at such a low quality, especially knowing that the actual models created in MetaShapePro were much better. However, this is most likely a drawback of SketchFab’s free account data upload limit. Our models were limited to being below 50mg, so any file exported from MetaShapePro that was larger than that (and likely a better quality) was unusable. Despite these limitations, we still hope that the models succeed in conveying a sense of what the mascots look like in person.
