Trust us! It's intuitive
No it's not. Learning software is like learning a language. Just because you've learned English doesn't mean you can start speaking French too. But if you can already speak five languages it'll be easier to pick up a new one. Likewise, the more 3D programs you know the easier it is to learn another. If you don't know any 3D stuff at all, then it will probably take a while.

If you believed the spin that software makers put out about their products then learning to do 3D with their product is no more difficult than learning to use a pencil, where the challenge is not about learning the tool, but in learning to create great art. I hate that smug attitude and I'm here to say that it is not that easy at all. However, to their credit, more software makers are lifting their game a lot by providing very good video training materials to show you how their software works, something which, I might add, is not needed for people buying a pencil.

So is this stuff really hard? Well, it's complicated, but put in the hours and pretty much anyone can learn enough to start enjoying it. And there's a lot to enjoy.

So what's involved?
Lots of time. Experience in other software helps a lot but isn't essential. You'll also have a big advantage if you can draw or if you're experienced in animation. For example, anyone can learn how to get a 3D program make something move, but if you've got experience in animation you'll be able to make the thing move in a convincing way. You'll have a better feel for what to tell the software to do.

If you get the chance, try to get to watch someone who already knows how to use the software. Seeing software demonstrated can cut heaps off your learning time. That's why I'm such a fan of on-screen movie tutorials. You get to see an expert explaining and demonstrating the stuff at the same time.

If you throw yourself into it, doing or watching tutorials and setting yourself projects, then expect to spend about a few weeks or even months getting the feel for the basics of a medium-level 3D package.

Day's work
I was lucky because a friend of mine, John Shakespeare, spent a day teaching me how to make a basic model in Cinema 4D. This was what I did, based on my cartoon sharks. I bought John lunch that day, but lunch wasn't nearly enough to thank him for so much help.

When you start feeling comfortable with the software, simple models like this cartoon shark only take about 10-30 minutes.

What software do I use?
I use Cinema 4D. It lets me work fairly quickly, and it has a nice fast renderer.

I've learned pretty much all I know about the program in my spare time, over a few years or so. I'm used to its way of working, but I still only know a fraction of what it can do and I still often get stuck trying to figure out new things. They say that once you start learning this stuff you can keep learning forever. In fact there's probably way too much for one person to fully master it all. That's why a lot of the best stuff is done by teams, combining specialists in areas like lighting, modeling or animation.

Power user
You kidding? After an hour spent in Modo all I could do was this. I felt really lost because I was so used to the way things were done in Cinema 4D. But I was still very impressed by it. It has some really good features. And of course, if you were experienced in lots of other 3D packages you would probably pick this up much faster.

Don't click on the image to enlarge

What software would I recommend?
This is tricky. You see, I'm reluctant to suggest anything I haven't used personally and I haven't tried enough packages to be able to make any sort of recommendations. I also don't think I'm expert enough to go around telling people to hand over lots of money for one software package or another.

I can however mention some software packages which I see a lot of other people using and these packages seem to have their own loyal fan bases. I've already mentioned Cinema 4D. Maya tends to be popular in studios creating content for the film industry. Studio Max has a lot of followers too.

Then there's another package which I think is interesting and that's Modo from Luxology. I was impressed by it when I played with a demo and liked some of its features. I'm convinced it has a simple and efficient workflow - I just wish I could find it! You see, it's that old thing about not being experienced in enough 3D packages (not because of anything wrong with Modo!) After an hour of playing I only got as far as the image above. However some of the features which I did figure out were really nice and seemed easier to learn than some of the other ways of doing things which I've seen.

So that's a few choices but there are plenty of others.

I'll add here that my observations are probably heavily influenced by my role as a freelance illustrator.

One thing I do recommend is to check the list of features before you buy any software package, to make sure it will take care of your needs. Even better, ask someone who uses that package to see what it's like. That's because 3D software packages don't come cheap and some of them might not do everything you want. For example, some don't do animation, some don't do renders and some are only useful for modeling. And some have a very steep learning curve. Also, if you want a full-time job doing 3D then it's probably a good idea checking to see what packages are used in the places you want a job.

Summing up
Don't think it's your fault if you can't make a 3D blockbuster movie in your first hour. It's going to take time, and if you want to make a blockbuster you might need a bit more than an hour, and maybe a few hundred experienced specialists too.

Back to 3D home page

home