3D Recommendation

Okay,

First off, I want to purchase a 3D program to help me create GRAPHICS - I'm not into making games and stuff. I see so many people on this forum with signatures and websites that used a 3D program for its graphics... and little Sharif gets jealous.

I must learn... I must.

So please, which 3D programs are the best for graphics... and I can learn it easily.

Thanks for your help.

What do you need a 3D program for? If it's just to make nice things and stuff..i'd really advise you look at www.maxon.net and havea look at Cinema 4D. All 3D stuff i do is done in Cinema 4D...go to my site (http://cyblingdesign.com/). I recently put a small list of new images on the right hand side of the flash file (in html text)...those are my most recent stuff.

It's all around pretty damn fantastic..great renderer, modelling tools, particle system etc all at a very reasonable price.

Well I thought if I had a 3D program, I could create those cool special effects people use as backgrounds for pages... want examples?

well there are a few things u need to understand first..

1) a 3d progam (non-free) will run you a few thousand dollars (even if you buy a student license).

2) Those " cool effects" start in a 3d program..but its the photoshop work that makes it look cool. When someone creates a background...they dont even spend 30 seconds in the 3d program. If you saw the render from a 3d program..before it was made into a background in photoshop...you would probably change your mind!!

3) "and I can learn it easily". No. I dont care if your superman and can read at the speed of light. Any programs gonna be hard. There are a few easier ones out there...i think C4d is among them. But if you pay money to get one of the big boys...you need at least a year to even uderstand it..never mind being good at it!!

Also those images are getting old. People dont respect them anymore cause there are so many of them!! Id suggest finding a new interest. The techniques involved in creating one of those backgrounds arent really anything spectacular. So from a learning standpoint...you wont gain much. If your new to photoshop...then it would be a waste of quality time you could use to become better at photoshop.

err, negative there big boy. there's some quality stuff available rather cheaply these days. my thoughts would be to check out:

1. the 3d Toolkit from DVgarage ($199)
2. an older version of LightWave on eBay (will run you under $300)

either of these will give you a chance to learn 3D basics with some great tools at an affordable price. from there you can see if you need more, if this fits your needs, or if you can't stand 3d and don't want anymore

chris

This is an example of what I want to do:
http://blackdigitalunderground.mszstudios.net/bduWD/home.php

The image on the side...

Oh so you you want to be a trendwhore?

Oh give the guy a break!
Learning 3D is an exelent experience.
With Photoshop & 3d combined, you can make some exelent results.
Try Lightwave 3D. Its great for the 3d beginer, & very powerful for the pros!
:D

I prefer Trendslut... mind you. I'll try Lightwave 3D... hope they offer a demo! I just want to make these 3D looking creations... no way in hell can they be made in photoshop... not from what most people on these forums tell me.

"no way in hell can they be made in photoshop"

This is the idea you keep falling on sharif. These images ARE made in photoshop. The actuall 3d renderings made for these images are as simplistic as they can get. ( my quote from an earlier post : "they dont even spend 30 seconds in the 3d program" ). Just cause you have a fancy 3d prog...does not mean you'll be able to create these kinds of pictures. You need photoshop skills to be able to pull it off. I dont mind if you wanna go trendslut all over the place...im just pointing out that its harder than you think.