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Best way to Introduce Myself to True 3d Apps??
Hello all,
Please advise – – – I am a Final Cut veteran and extremely experienced with Quasi-3D applications like Boris RED. I have made very complex spline extrusions successfuly to model bull dozers, church buildings and anything else I think of.
However, after the last tractor was 119 layers of extruded boxes and cylinders, I maxed out my 8 gigs of ram on my new G5 tower. Decided it was time to go the “real” route.
Would love an intro to character animation…etc…Things like a three D pacman would bre a good start I suppose.
I am a web designer, so outputting at high quality flash compatibility is an issue as well…although image sequences through photoshop/pngs will be a way to go as well…
My thoughts were: start out as cheap as possible or even with some demos…
My business is not based on three d stuff, but I put it into my projects to stay ahead of my local competition.
I learn quickly, but enjoy Boris RED over AE because of the size of the company at Boris. They always answer my emails and phone calls…
So – if I am willing to spend 300-600 dollars ish to just scratch the surface – and assume that later the big money will flow for Maya or Shake or whatever –
What do you guys recommend.
Mac OSX.4 Tiger – G5 – 8 gigs of RAM – 256 video memory…
I have looked at
Lightwave
Cinema4D
and
Carrara (which has a 99 dollar basics, that peaked my interests..)Please give me analogies on these softwares…For example, Is one Microsoft Word and another Microsoft Works and another Wordstar Pro etc..hahaha
I currently use FInal Cut / Motion / DVD Studio Pro / Boris RED / Macromedia Flash/Fireworks / PHotoshop/Illustrator/Indesign…
I am a firm believer in learning the right applications…
I was not fearful of Boris or FInal cut, bc I have been told by my friends that a switch to Avid and AE will be an easy one…
So if I plan to do real 3D one day, which application is the best starter to carry over to the real deals…???
Thanks a lot guys.
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9 Replies
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NOW YOU SEE — I learned c4d but I had the choice between that and Maya. If I could go back I might have tried lightwave JUST for the price point. You buy lightwave and you get a radiosity option — which kind of pissed me off in c4d v8 when they first cut it out and you had to buy the bundle. C4d is very up and coming though, in my mind the modules are rediculous — they are worth every penny (i have advanced render and thinking particles).
This is a very tough topic to discuss. Overall though, it isn’t the quality of the software, its the quality of the artist. Put two really good modelers side by side, one with c4d and one with lw, you won’t see a difference.
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OH – I completely agree about the software not mattering to the end product…
I guess what I am asking is – if I am going to spend a max of 5 to 8 hundred on an intro software, and then spend a few months tinkering around, what is the best tool to get started with?
Two years ago I almost bought LiveMotion and went with Flash instead…I guess that is what I am saying here.
I don’t want to start a hobby of threeD tutorials, and not have learned something that will overlap with the industry standards…
Thanks.
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Generally speaking, I think what you learn on almost any app will take you were you want to go. Even Carrera which has probably one of the most unique ways of working. Because the overall concepts are the same, but each 3D app will get you to your goals in their own ways. I LOVE Maya, but for what it’s worth, since I don’t do ILM sized projects needing heavy MEL code, I switched to C4D Studio Bundle and am generally a lot happier. As a generalization, I would put Maya and C4D on par for overall use. Where Maya excels in programability and character tools, C4D makes up in elegant and logical design. I knew Maya “pretty well” after working on it for 3 years, but I learned C4D significalntly faster and am far more productive, creative, and simply quicker using it.
Chris Smith
https://www.sugarfilmproduction.com -
Another thing too…
Basic 3d modeling is VERY SIMILAR between all apps.
Nurbs and extrusions are goign to be the same all across the board, they’ll just have different names.download some demos and see which one you like the most…
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Cinema probably has a more intuitve and easier to learn workflow and toolset than either maya or Lightwave….I would suggest downloading demos of all the packages you are considering, and get to know them, each app has strengths and weakness when compared to the others….once you become proficient with all the demos you are considering, I’m sure you will have a clear idea of which package you want…I this sneaking feeling that you’re gonna like cinema though….it’s just so dang easy to use…. 🙂
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As a longtime FCP user I’m a recent convert to C4D. I found it much much easier to learn than Maya or LightWave after trying both out many times and coming up frustrated. Great app. 🙂
-Noah
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I am looking at some of the same products and have downloaded demos, minus lightwave which doesn’t have one.
I am curious which of these programs has the best tutorial and instruction base? How easy is it to find books teaching them as if we get one I will have to learn it “on my own” ?
Also curious what people think of Blender.
Thanks.
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Id say as far as tutorials MAYA and MAX probably have the most “mainstream tuts” like DVDs and Books. But, there are plenty of resources for learning Cinema 4D if you do a little digging. This book: CINEMA 4D : The Artist’s Project Sourcebook by Anne Powers is pretty awesome. I found it to be very useful. And a couple websites https://www.3dattack.net and https://www.c4dcafe.com and many more. Hope it helps
jon
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Thanks everyone for the GREAT input.
NOAH – congrats on the success lately – been reading a lot about you.
I am a long time Final Cut USER as well, so your advice seems to hit home the closest.
Would love to pick your brain about the onslaught of HDV camcorders out there – in light of your AWESOME footage on Formosa. Wow that looked really good – Cannot afford 25 grand, but it is not far off I am sure.
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