3D Computer Art!

Hey all, whatsup guys and gals?

I was just wonderin and I need some feedback here hehe... Do any of you create 3d computer art, graphics and stuff? Cuz I really REALLY need to and would love to start doin that stuff... but if you do, how do you do it? Do you have to get a certain program? If you do, what program, and how much does it usually run? Cuz I only have like, paint shop pro and stuff... there's no way you can really create detailed 3d imagery... and I need to start creatin 3d stuff.. cuz they look awesome, and I'll be designing CD covers and website gfx and stuff, and 3d imagery is just way superior looking.
So thanks guys, and God bless - cuz I really REALLY appreciate all feedback... thanks again.

-Brandon

heh. I'm sorry no one else has replied and my post won't help you much either but I'm interested in the same thing. You do have to have programs. They are very exensive (good ones in the thousands) I had Inventor 4 in my highschool engeneering technology class (my school was a rich one) and I think those were around 4 thousand. They were more for designing parts for machines or architecture but there are other programs that are for making characters and lifelike structures.
I just read another topic similar to this one but by ppl who actually have programs for 3D art. one was mentioned that was $100 and another $600. That's good. the ones I had at school were more advanced for engeneering and not art.

I do 3D art off and on. A great starter program is Bryce, which is used for rendering 3D scenery. It has a terrain editor, sky editor, tree editor, and even animation capabilities. Version 5 is out and you can buy it online from Daz3d. It was around 200$ US if I remember. You can also make simple models with boolean procedures.

Vue Esprit 5 comes out soon and is another scenery rendering program. It is competetive with Bryce.

Poser is used for creating and posing human and animal models with clothing, props, and settings. Poser 5 has animation capabilities, as well, and the hair editor is new in version 5.

The high end programs are 3D Studio Max by Discreet, Lightwave 3D by Newtek, and Maya by Alias|Wavefront. Maya is around 10K$ US, 3D Studio Max was around 3K$ and Lightwave was around 1K$. Rhinoceros is a newer concept and started out as just a 3D modeler. Lots of add-ons have been created for it though. It is a LOT easier to learn than the others.

There are some free ones, but they fall short in several areas. Those include POV-Ray, Spatch, Anim8tor, etc. Just do a Google search for 'free 3d software'.

For really cool anime style mecha and spaceships, you can try DOGA L1. It is Japanese and you'll have to sift through their website. Sorry I can't post links yet.

Also, 3D text models can be created with Elefont. I don't know if it is still free, but it uses your built-in true-type fonts to create 3D models out of any words you type in and you can manipulate them with bevels, depth, etc. Really useful!

A great web resource for 3D art is Renderosity.com and also Daz3d.com
They have a lot of stuff, but be warned that a lot of pagans post a lot of pornography that they call 'art' in their galleries, so put on your filters.

My galleries have 3d art on them at Annihicorp.com - but be warned, that was before I gave myself over and some things are not quite Christian on there. I have to get to editing all that, so be warned.

I hope this helps!


Lael

like they have said, it can get expensive, some do have trial versions that u can try, if you need any help with things, you can im me

God bless,
-Jag

I am really into it and will probably go into it after college. I use Photo shop a tad, but mostly Macromedia Fireworks. It seems to be the best and fastest. I enjoy the features it has to make stuff go fast. I've used it recently to use the "wand" feature to get rid of the other stuff in the picture of our youth pastor, then got him and pasted him in pictures on the youth group events. I even got a veggietales backdrop and stuck him in it. It looks like he's taking to larry lol!

Lightwave used to have a free try out version that gave you quite a bit of freedom, but now they only have a little try out program limited to a small amount of polygones.

It is probably worth investing in a good 3D program, so start saving up about 2000$ for some of the double-program deals, and maybe a little less than that for the educational versions or student discount versions. It's worth working a summer for it if that is your real passion, if you are talented and smart you should be able to earn it back once you have a lot of practice or once you are out of a good art program in college.

The program I would advise you to keep your eye out for is Modo, created by the original creators of lightwave, and using the same methodes they used back when they first invented lightwave - inovated amazing work flow and an inexpensive price.

Once you get the program, practice, practice practice. Do free tutorials on the net. That is the best and most inexpensive way to learn. It's good to start early though.

If it's CG art in general that you like best now, try getting a second hand wacom tablet (ebay for example, at 15 $) and you can do 2D CG art with PSP Photoshop and free downloadable programs like open canvis and gimp.

Hmm. I looked at Modo and I'm wondering what the production difference is between that and Rhino. Rhino, I found was very easy to use, but Lightwave still had some advantages over it, especially in polygon reduction and use of control points. Rhino is about 800$ and Modo is 700$. Any thoughts?

Lael