hi there, i like to work with 2-D animation as a hobby, but was considering adding some 3-D elements such as 3-D animals to a short film i'm making. My question is what are some 3-D programs that are easy to use for generating characters/models? I've got no experience in 3D, so I'm looking for something that won't make my brain hurt. I've heard of Poser, is that easy to work with? Any advice would be appreciated . thanks!
-kelly
to be honest, 3d apps are much the same if you dont know how to use any of them
poser will have a whole bunch of library characters to use but you can spot a poser produced peice a mile off
you might want to download the demo of zbrush and give that a whirl
its the closest thing to sculpting with clay on a computer
but then you have the problem of integrating this model into a 3d world for animating
this brings you to the great max vs maya debate
as a user of both i would recommend max for quick and easy results
all will make your brain ache
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I recommend Poser 5. Victor is right, you can spot Poser models easily in a film, but this program is easy as pie to learn. Plus they have a whole library of models (both human and animals), poses, lights, cameras, etc. that you can choose from. You mentioned 3D animals; they have a library of animals such as a horse, cat, dog, dolphin, fish...even a raptor. I haven't actually tried the animation tools yet, but they look easy enough. They even have a walk cycle library for the human models. Anyway, I really like Poser 5; I actually use it for drawing reference when drawing comics, too.:) It's cheap too ($189 on Amazon), compared to Maya or 3DS Max.
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thank you both for your advice, i'll check out those programs mentioned.
Check out 3D Studio Viz. It's a simplified version of 3D Studio Max, so its easier to learn. You might also consider getting a small library to work off of. check out The Archive at www.digimation.com.
You can also check out Blender, which is a free, open-source 3D app.
Another app that won't break your bank is Animation:Master.
Neither of these is industry-standard in that they're not used in a lot of studios, but they will let you get your feet wet with 3D.
Very very easy: iClones http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/default.asp if you just want something for a hobby.
Check youtube for samples. Not sophisticated from a professional's point of view. But if you don't want to hurt your brain learning the real 3d tools, this one I highly recommend.