3D Can Animation

Create a 3D Can In Illustrator

Creating a realistic 3D soda can in Adobe Illustrator is a classic exercise in using the 3D and Materials engine. Since we’re aiming for that “aluminum” look, the magic happens in the material settings.

1. Create the Profile (The Path)

• Create a new document in Illustrator: 800 x 2000 pixels, RGB, 72ppi resolution.
• Draw half the silhouette: Use the Pen Tool (P) to draw a vertical profile of exactly half the can.
• Keep it simple: Include the slight inward curve at the bottom and the “neck” at the top.
• Stroke, no fill: Give the path a light gray stroke and ensure there is no fill color.

2. Apply the 3D Effect

• Go to Effect > 3D and Materials > Revolve.
• In the Object tab, ensure the “Offset Direction” is set to the correct edge (usually the Left Edge) to wrap the path into a cylinder.

3. Dial in the Aluminum Finish

Switch to the Materials tab within the 3D panel:

• Base Material: Choose “Default” or look for a “Polished Metal” preset if available.
• Metallic: Crank this slider up to 1.0.
• Roughness: Set this between 0.2 and 0.4. Lower values make it “shiny/mirror-like,” while higher values create that “brushed/matte” look.

4. Lighting for Realism

Switch to the Lighting tab:

• Intensity: Increase to brighten the highlights.
• Rotation: Move the light source until you see a strong vertical highlight (this defines the cylindrical shape).
• Softness: Increase slightly to smooth out the gradients on the metal.

5. Final Touch: Ray Tracing

• Click the Render with Ray Tracing icon (the small cube at the top right of the 3D panel).
• Toggle “Quality” to High and hit Render. This is essential for the metal to actually look like metal rather than gray plastic.

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Pro Tip: If you want to add a label, drag your artwork into the Symbols panel first, then go to the Graphics tab in the 3D panel to “drape” it onto the can.

Creating the “Pop Top”

Creating the “pop top” (the stay-tab lid) is a three-part process. Because the top of a soda can is a flat surface with complex cutouts, it’s best to create it as a 2D graphic first, then apply depth with 3D Inflate, and then attach it to the can in After Effects.

1. Design the Top View (2D)

In Illustrator, before touching the 3D settings, draw the top of the can looking straight down:

• Create a new Illustrator document and title it Can Pop-Top
• The “Score” Line: Draw an inner oval where the can opens.
• The Tab: Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to create the tab shape. Use the Pathfinder tool to punch out the two small holes (where the finger grips and the rivet sits).
• The Rivet: A tiny circle in the center where the tab attaches.

2. Add Depth with 3D Inflate

In Illustrator, if you want the top to have actual physical depth (indents), you can use the 3D Inflate tool on your tab shapes separately:

• Select your tab vector.
• Choose Effect > 3D and Materials > Inflate.
• Set the Volume very low (around 5–10%) to give it a stamped metal look.
• Place this on top of your revolved can in your After Effects composition as a separate layer.

Export as 3D Objects and Map the Design in After Effects

1. Export the Model and Pop-Top in Illustrator (Separate files)

• Export as a GLB/GLTF file (File > Export > Selection for Screens).

2. Design the Can Label in Illustrator or Photoshop

• Artboard Size: Create a new rectangular artboard. The width should be the circumference of your can (C = pi times d), and the height should be the can’s height. For the can 3D model I created, the wrap designis 2292 x 1790 pixels.
• Design: Place your branding, text, and logos here.
• Export: Export this artboard as a high-resolution PNG or JPG. (Photoshop > File > Save a Copy > PNG)

3. The “Texture Mapping” in After Effects

This is where the magic happens. After Effects allows you to use a composition as a texture for a 3D model.

1. In After Effects, make a new composition
   • 1920×1080 / 30fps (Industry standard and perfect for most social media/web marketing)
   • Set your 3D Renderer to Advanced 3D
2. In the main composition pane, at the bottom left, set your background to transparent
3. Import Both: Bring your GLB/GLTF can and your label image PNG into After Effects.
4. Create a Label Comp: Put your label image into a new Composition (let’s call it “Can_Label_Precomp”).
5. The Material Link: * Place your 3D Can in your main Comp.
   • Select the 3D Can layer and look at the Material Options in the Timeline.
   • Under the Base Color (or “Diffuse”) map setting, select your “Can_Label_Precomp” from the dropdown menu.

4. The Pop-Top “Parenting” Setup

In After Effects, you will have two 3D layers in your timeline: the Can Body and the Pop-Top.

• Import your pop-top 3D object into After Effects
• Place the Tab layer directly above the Can layer in the timeline.
• Use the Pick Whip (the spiral icon) on the Tab layer and drag it to the Can layer.
• Result: Now, whenever you move or rotate the Can, the Tab follows perfectly.

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Why this workflow is superior:

• Live Updates: If you need to change a typo on the label, just edit the “Can_Label_Precomp.” The 3D can will update instantly.
• Animation: You can animate the label on the can (e.g., a “loading” bar or glowing text) by animating the 2D layers inside the label pre-comp.
• Resolution: You aren’t limited by Illustrator’s internal texture baking; you can make your label pre-comp 4K for crisp close-ups.

One Small Warning: “UV Mapping”

Illustrator’s .glb export automatically generates UV coordinates (the map that tells the software how to wrap a 2D image around a 3D shape). If your label looks stretched or misaligned when you apply it in After Effects:

1. Go back to Illustrator.
2. In the 3D panel, make sure your object scale is “100%” before exporting.
3. Ensure your label pre-comp aspect ratio in AE matches the proportions of the can’s surface.

Make the Video Background Removable for AR Use

To make a background removable in AR or compositing, ensure your video exports with an Alpha Channel (transparency). If you render a standard MP4, your background will be baked in (usually as black), and you won’t be able to “remove” it later without messy keying.

Here are the specific settings to prep your After Effects project for both a marketing video and an AR-ready asset:

1. After Effects Composition Settings

• New Composition
• 1920×1080 / 30fps (Industry standard and perfect for most social media/web marketing)
• Create a solid layer the same size as your background and color is as you wish for your project
• Set your 3D Renderer to Advanced 3D

• Toggle Transparency Grid: Click the small checkerboard icon at the bottom of the Composition window. If you see checkers, your background is transparent. If you see solid black, you might have a “Solid” layer acting as a background—hide or delete it before exporting for AR.

2. The “Shadow Catcher” (Crucial for AR)

In AR, a 3D object looks fake if it doesn’t cast a shadow on the “real” floor.

The size of your Shadow Catcher solid depends on two things: the height of your camera and the length of the shadows cast by your lights.

The Rule of Thumb

The shape should be at least 3 to 4 times the width of the can.

• Small Solid: If the shadow gets “cut off” by the edge of the solid, you will see a sharp, ugly line in your AR scene where the shadow suddenly disappears.
• Large Solid: It is always safer to go too big than too small. A solid that is 2000×2000 pixels (even in a 1920×1080 comp) is usually perfect.

How to Set It Up Properly

1. Create the Solid: Go to Layer > New > Solid (Make it 2000 x 2000).
2. Make it 3D: Toggle the 3D cube switch.
3. Positioning: * Press P for Position.
   • Set the X and Y to the center of your comp.
   • Adjust the Z position (or use the green arrow) to slide it just underneath the bottom of the can.
   • Press R and set X-Rotation to 90° so it lays flat like a floor.
4. The “Shadows Only” Magic:
   • In the Timeline, open the Material Options for this Solid.
   • Change Accepts Lights to Off.
   • Change Accepts Shadows to Only.
   • The white solid will vanish, leaving only the dark shadow pixels on your transparency grid.

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Pro-Tip: Soften the “Contact”

In the real world, shadows are sharpest right where the can touches the floor and get blurrier as they move away.

• To achieve this, go to your Light Layer (the one casting the shadow, usually a Point or Spot light).
• Increase the Shadow Diffusion setting. This prevents the AR shadow from looking like a harsh, black sticker.

Why 2000×2000?

If you decide to animate the can sliding across the floor or rolling, a large 2000px floor ensures the shadow stays “caught” no matter where the can goes within the frame.

3. Export Settings (The “Alpha” Secret)

To keep the background removable, you cannot use H.264 (MP4). You must use a format that supports transparency:

• Format: QuickTime
• Channels: Change “RGB” to RGB + Alpha
• Depth: Millions of Colors+
• Color: Straight (Unmatted) — This is preferred for AR/Pro compositing to avoid a “dark fringe” around the edges of the aluminum.

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4. AR Considerations (The “Real” 3D Route)

If your “AR scene” means a video overlay (like a TikTok filter), the steps above are perfect.

However, if your “AR scene” means a true 3D object that a user can rotate on their phone (like Apple Quick Look or Adobe Aero), a video won’t work. You would instead use the .GLB file you exported from Illustrator directly in the AR software.

Summary Checklist for After Effects:

Feature	Setting	Why?
Renderer	Advanced 3D	Required to render the .glb model correctly.
Background	None (Checkerboard)	Ensures nothing is behind the can.
Shadows	Shadows Only Solid	Provides a “grounding” shadow for the AR floor.
Output	QuickTime (ProRes 4444)	Only format that supports “RGB + Alpha.”