How do I make 3d molecular graphics similar to those shown on Wikipedia?

I want to make 3d molecular graphics similar to those found on Wikipedia. In the page for benzene, you can see the structure looks like this:
[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2O4Ktm.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2O4Ktm.png)


However, if I go to the interactive image as shown in here:


[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KgP7Y.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KgP7Y.png)


I get an interactive image that looks like this:
[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hmrfz.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hmrfz.png)


To me, the second image doesn't look nice, and I prefer the first one. However, I cant seem to find a way to get the image of first type for any molecule after converting from SMILES. I want to draw the structure of, say for example, Bismabenzene? How do I produce a graphical image for that if it's not available on Wikipedia?




You can generate the geometry for your molecule of choice by drawing it in [Avogadro](http://avogadro.cc/). More often than not, you want to refine the geometry through a force field calculation. 


Avogadro supports multiple ways of visualization, which all can be configured according to your preferences. A ball-and-stick model, which you seem to prefer, is included.


If you want to generate an animation from the input file, [QuteMol](http://qutemol.sourceforge.net/) might be one option.


The interactive visualization on the wikipedia page of benzene is generated using **JSmol**, which is a JavaScript implementation of [Jmol](https://sourceforge.net/projects/jmol/).


If you are only interested in online tools, [MolView](http://molview.org/) could be an option.


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Have a look at [Molcalc](http://molcalc.org/). It's fully online and uses JSmol as a visualiser.


Alternatively you can browse the [Pitt Quantum Repository](http://pqr.pitt.edu/) for structures that have already been calculated. 


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That Benzene molecular model you found on Wikipedia is uploaded by [Ben](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Benjah-bmm27), (a chemistry PhD student at the University of Bristol). He uses [Avogadro](https://avogadro.cc/) and/or [CCDC Mercury](https://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/solutions/csd-core/components/mercury/). Both of them are free, cross-platform molecule editors which can be used to make 3-D Ball-and-stick models.


He previously used to have [Accelrys Discovery Studio](http://accelrys.com/products/discovery-studio/visualization/discovery-studio-visualizer.html) using which he made the original benzene molecule, but it is no longer supported.
[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pki4m.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pki4m.png)


See [this tutorial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Benjah-bmm27/MakingMolecules) on his user page about making molecules. Hope this helps. Have fun making molecules!


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