Glossary

3D rendering is the process of turning digital three-dimensional data (a virtual model made of geometric points, edges, and surfaces) into a finished image or a set of instructions a machine can physically produce. During the rendering itself, the software calculates how light, material, texture, and camera angle interact with the shape to produce a convincing result, whether that's a photorealistic preview image or a file ready to send to a 3D printer. Form, proportion, surface finish, and lighting can all be tested and changed endlessly before a single piece of material is touched.

For collectors, 3D rendering raises a question worth asking directly: Since a digital file can technically be rendered or fabricated an unlimited number of times, understanding how an artist limits an edition, and proves it, matters here.