Globe with Moving Tectonic Plates in Cinema 4D

Model and animate a stylized Earth with dynamic tectonic plates in Cinema 4D.

This Cinema 4D tutorial and project file show how to build and animate a stylized 3D globe with separate tectonic plates that extrude and shift realistically. You’ll learn how to cut plates from a sphere using spline-guided Line Cuts, apply thickness, unwrap and texture the sides with layered gradients, and set up Redshift rendering using the ACES workflow. Inspired by a member request, this setup includes all models, textures, lighting, materials, and animation to create a professional geoscience-style effect.