Polygon mesh is a collection of vertices and edges that make up the surface of the shell of the polygon model. Modeling processes use simplified surfaces allow rendering to occur with ease, as the simple surfaces can be transformed to move the way that the artist would like. A complete structure not only requires surfaces, but edges, polygons and vertices.

There are six aspects of mesh modeling, these include: vertices, edges, faces, polygons, surfaces and vertexes. These aspects become combined to create the polygon mesh that can be molded to the perspective of the artist. One or all of these aspects may be incorporated into the 3D model to create a full structure, which can be rendered.

A polygon is a set of faces on the mesh of the model. Faces are the different sides of the model, closed portions of the 3D model. Surfaces are the outside area of the model, and polygons are the shape of the model, as a whole – they assist in smoothing the outside of the model. Lastly, the vertices are points in the model used to coordinate faces and edges.

There are six ways that a polygon model may be represented. These are; face-vertex meshes, which are a simplified list of vertices and a list of polygons. Winged edge meshes refer to one of the heaviest of polygon representations and use two vertices, and two edges. Half edge meshes are similar to winged-edge meshes, using half of the information. Corner table meshes are the easiest meshes to convert, and the lightest but can be difficult to use, using a table to map the vertices. Quad-edge meshes use only half edges on the surface mesh. Vertex to vertex meshes is the simplest mesh to form, and are a primitive modeling form – where vertices are connected only to other vertices.