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Thread: get into 3D

  1. #1
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    Default get into 3D

    Hello,
    How are you?.
    I would like to learn some 3D tool and I'd like to learn one standar and more used in the market to be as much generic as possible, that is to say learn standard tools to be into the market.
    Which software do you recommend me to learn?, I've seen several of them and it is difficult to decide.
    Thanks in advance, best regards.
    Javier

  2. #2
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    Default Re: get into 3D

    Javier, nice to see you take an interest in 3D. The question you ask is not easy to answer, what market do you want to enter into and What software have you looked at?

  3. #3
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    Default Re: get into 3D

    Hi Mike,
    I am not interested in an specific market, I would like to create above all 3D renders of cars, buildings and mechanic parts and be able to create animations of them.
    I've tried some of them such us Blender, zbrush, another one from 3D daz I can't remember the name, I was looking 3ds but never tried it.
    The main reason is to learn an stardard software to avoid problems when you want to share files, etc.
    Thank you very much for your kind help.
    Javier

  4. #4
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    Default Re: get into 3D

    My tool set consist of:
    Modo, http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/modo/
    ZBrush, http://pixologic.com/
    I have various other programs which I use for one reason or another.
    I don't know much about 3DS max and Maya but I hear they are very good as well.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: get into 3D

    Jvila, there is no "standard" software. There are a load of different packages out there, at hugely varying price points, from nothing (Blender) to very expensive.

    What makes great software professionally for a studio, may not be the same as what suits someone starting out with a minimal budget.

    Mike has mentioned some software, Gare uses Cinema 4D, I think and in the past I used to use Lightwave 3D but I don't dabble any more.

    All or any of these packages can have issues when exchanging files between each other - they tend to use their own proprietary format but with the ability to import and export various "standard" file formats.

    Virtually all these packages can do a good job of visualisation and animation.

    A lot of people start with Blender, but the Blender interface is a little different to other packages.

    My basic advice would be to get familiar with one package rather than jump around looking for a "perfect" package.

    Lastly, TG isn't a great place for 3D advice - very few people her are using these packages. Hunt out more specialist forums for packages that you are interested in.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: get into 3D

    Mike, Pauland, thank you very much for your help, I'll go deep looking the options you adviced to me.
    Thank you very much
    Javier

  7. #7
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    Default Re: get into 3D

    I'll say one last thing Jvila.

    The studios that do 3D work usually have teams of people with specialists in doing different types of work and they evolve their own specialist software to help them along. They might use on package for modelling and another package for animation, then they have programs that can sculpt 3D meshes and specialist software for rendering and adding custom behaviour such as flocking or physics.

    So when you hear that a 3D studio uses, say, Maya, then it's often only part of a complex pipeline and not a single package being used from start to finish. Besides the headline software, there's pre-vizualisation, where studios make basic models/environments/animations/lighting to work out the concepts. Sometimes studios make agreements to highlight software packages as a form of endorsement. So the studio that uses Maya, probably uses five other packages as well but won't mention them.

    In these studios people often specialise - some people just build models, some add textures, some create 3D environments and do the lighting, some specialise in animating.

    As the studio size shrinks, people do more and more tasks. People working freelance on their own have to do everything. Many sole Freelancers do excellent work. They tend to be doing architectural visualisation, motion graphics or special effects.

    I can say it's a really competitive industry and in bad times finding work can be hard.

    Don't let me put you off. 3D can be fun.

    Best way forward is to decide on a small project and see it through.

    Design. Storyboard. Model. Texture. Create environments and light them. Animate. Use a film editor to add sound, titles, etc.

    Paul

    [ Edit: Find out if there are any 3D groups in your locality or studios using 3D software. It would be great to join a group and if there's a studio, express your interest in 3D and see if they'll let you come over and see what they do. They might give you some great advice or let you do some intern work and that would be a great foot in the door. At worst they'll just say no. ]
    Last edited by pauland; 27 January 2016 at 02:46 PM.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: get into 3D

    My suggestion would be to just start out as a hobbyist and enjoy the learning process.
    Some 3rd party training you can check out:
    www.lynda.com
    www.digitaltutors.com
    http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/

  9. #9
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    Default Re: get into 3D

    You've had excellent suggestions. Here are some more:

    Paul mentioned Maya. You already looked at 3DS, you said, and you can always try these out for free. Autodesk has Maya and 3DS MAX . They are expensive to buy but there is a large user base.

    An example of what Paul mentioned about using other products in the pipeline, take a look at Reallusion iClone 6 which has plugins for 3DS and Maya as well as some others. Watch the video to see how they use it. Everything becomes very complex, so it depends on what you want to do.

    Since you mentioned buildings and mechanical components, a less expensive product is TurboCad. Like AutoCAD, you have standard 2D drawing that can be turned into 3D models which can be rendered in 3D, animated and exported. Trial versions are available.

    I have to agree with Mike, start small and learn the basics. Don't forget, you have some 3D that you can do in Xara and animation in Xara 3D Maker.

    Good luck!
    John

  10. #10

    Default Re: get into 3D

    I would start with dedicated modelling software to learn the modelling first. There are no unnecessary distractions and the user interface is much simpler and faster than a full blown 3D-software that has too much everything.

    Actual modelling process is pretty much the same in every software and the biggest difference to learn will be the user interface and keyboard shortcuts. NURBS modeller is still NURBS modeller and SDS modeller is still SDS modeller, and all the same techniques will apply regardless of software. You can just about look any tutorial on Youtube and then duplicate it with different software. I can not speak about sculpting as did not touch any 3D software for more than 15 years and those were not around then. I am just starting to learn again myself and having fun in the process.

    I would start with subdivision surfaces as there are lots of great tutorials around, even if NURBS based approach would work very well with non-organic and technical stuff. I let others sell the sculpting idea.

    There are many file formats that are more or less industry standard so changing data between programs is not a big problem, but even if the file format supports something, it does not automatically mean every software will support all those functions.

 

 

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