"CGI" app of choice
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- Horp
What would be the definitive 3D / CGI app to learn how to use from scratch for someone who will primarily use it for static graphic work. You know, all that atrocious 'trendy' crapola with 3d type, all bevelled and looking like god awful shit.
What would be the best one to learn? Bearing in mind I gradual segway into animated work could follow as familiarity sets in.
- gung_hoek0
you trollin?
- harlequino0
Cinema 4D has a fairly gentle learning curve and is great for all that jazz.
- Horp0
- harlequino0
I'll bet some of your work busted out into 3D would be pretty wild, btw. I look forward to your experimentation. :)
- twokids0
1) give yourself 6 months and prepare to work at least 10 hours a week for that time. It will take that long to get comfortable with the tools to the point where you can produce reasonably competent work.
--> All the major 3D programs will do what you want...but they tend to be a little expensive, especially the most popular ones, Max and Maya.
http://wiki.cgsociety.org/index.…-->C4D seems to be favored by Mac people....I guess the interface must have some apple touches....
--> Blender is free and does everything, but some people think the learning curve is steeper. I dont think so. I have used 3dmax and softimage (years ago) and it didnt seem any harder to do Blender.
--> Whatever you do, know that it is a commitment.
- KwesiJ0
yeah you should be able to recreate some of your illustrations pretty easily after the initial learning curve. if you're on mac get C4d on pc get 3dmax. i think those shapes are destined for 3d. even if you're up to it try blender...its free and a very light application. I learned everything about 3d with it, lots of support out there and i know for a fact lots of modelers like it for the sculpting tools.
- skt0
maya
- Horp0
Funnily enough I heard of Blender for the first time today and downloaded it. I am of the mindset that a free app can't be a good app, but maybe I'll give it a go.
I got offered a commission today and it was explained they were splitting the work into two, one half to come to me and the other half to go to a 'CGI' studio. It made me realise that it could be beneficial to learn that stuff as I see more and more work done this way now.
I just can't imagine how long it must take to 'sculpt' or build these things architecturally and then to have to treat them in photoshop anyway, when I can generally just draw something and knock it up in PS as a 2d... but then again I am always screwed when a client wants to make a change to the angle or something.
- twokids0
well Blender is serious open source stuff....and the quality is very high...read up on it and you will see.
but let me stress...its not simple stuff.....CS3 is one thing...this is another world entirely
- Pupsipu0
the hardest part of getting a result like that is render/material/lighting settings. This isn't easier in C4D, it's always annoying. If you plan on doing static images use some fancy external renderer, C4D comes with VRay now, but might as well learn Maxwell Render. It's the easiest shit ever and will give you competent looking results even if you are not competent.
- gung_hoek0
i´d look into cinema4d and 3dsmax. between them it´s a pc/amiga decision, except you don´t run windows on your mac, then 3dsmax is not for you.
their features are basically the same, all the basics, modeling, texturing, lighting, (animating) are covered well. both are well supported by 3rd party developers, both have large communities for the q and the a. i guess you´re ok with photoshoping the 3d assets you´ll produce into a final image, in this case the only hassle in the beginning will be the modelling. i don´t think that there´s a 3d application that makes modelling significantly less painful than any other. so that´s that.
i also hear good things about luxology´s modo, they are said to having built their app into quite a nice package the last years, but i haven´t tested it, but you can run it on a mac.
- twokids0
dont listen to gung_hoek. he gives this opinion...with such authority (amiga?) read the article. There are quite a few high level apps worth of consideration.
get educated.
http://wiki.cgsociety.org/index.…
- uan0
for modelling try ZBrush, should give you lots of freedom in design and not having to worry about the technical side.
for rendering you could use bryce :) (it's a landscape rendering tool software, but the renderer gives good results)
- twokids0
i would just get all of the money you have, and even take out a loan, and buy ALL of the programs that everyone recommends....that way you are covered...
- harlequino0
Hadn't thought of the zBrush option, as I have never used it, but that's a great option. And it appears to be even simpler than the other apps.
- I think I'll check out both C4d and Zbrush. Zbrush been around for ever hasn't it.Horp
- uan0
Zbrush is great for organic modelling...has this 'weird' 2.5D toolbased interface that could feel just right for you knowing 2D and visual arts.
this japanese character modelling drawing tool written in java by takeo igarashi is worth mentioning here too:
http://www-ui.is.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp…
- KwesiJ0
they'd appreciate your kind around here i think...
i recently started going back here, there's lots of scifi like architecture stuff