Tell me about 3D/Modeling and Animation

[Merro]

Hey guys, I was thinking of getting into 3D Modeling and Animation for a hobby and start making my own movies. But the problem is, I don't know where to start, I've read up on Blender tutorials and Blender seems hard to do. I am one of those type of people that don't learn stuff too fast. Not saying I'm stupid or anything but it gets really complicated when I try to teach my self things. I don't know what to model and stuff. I don't know if you need to scan your own art work into your computer to model your characters or what not. I want to make a 3D Animation Project movie but I know it takes months just to develop one film. So if you could. Can you tell me all about 3D Modeling and Animation? I'd like to add special effects and art work to the movie too. But I don't know what I need to get into that course. Any experts that are good in 3D Modeling or Animation please share with me! I would really appreciate it!

[nina]

Start slow. It's good to aim high but you are getting way ahead of yourself in wanting to make a 3d movie. Getting the hang of 3d modeling is difficult enough without adding any animation. First you need to learn how to model some very basic things. Search for tutorials online, there are plenty. Once you can model something, you need to learn how to texture it...and then you need to learn how to light it...and only THEN can you begin worrying about how to animate it. Don't just jump in and think you will be able to model and animate something over night. Sure, you can do this if you follow a basic tutorial step for step...but if you do that, then you will only learn how to do one basic thing and not really learning the concepts. It's the give a man a fish vs. teach a man to fish mentality. So you really need to get into a 3d program and spend some time learning how to do each and every bit. If you spend enough time learning and practicing, it will eventually become second nature to you. But if you're going to learn something...learn it right, and know that it takes time. You're going to need a lot of patience, but the rewards are great in the end! Also, in aspiring to make a movie, you not only need to learn how to be a good 3d modeler, but you also need to learn about film and good directing. You need to know what makes a good movie. Plus you need a good computer/s or you will spend half your life just waiting for frames to render. I have always used Cinema 4d for my 3d modeling and animation and I like it the best. I used 3d studio max for a few months at an architecture firm, but I never liked it as much even though a lot of people seem to prefer it. I'm not familiar with blender at all.

[jarrhead]

Try out Vue 8 Pioneer, it's completely free, easy to start and use, and there's even tutorials on how to do everything.

[slash112]

Well, Vue would only be half the job, if he was to use it at all. Remember Vue is mainly for scene setting up. You would model in Cinema 4D, blender, or 3Ds Max. I like C4D, personally, but blender is free, and I suppose it is alright. Then you can import the models into the Vue scene, if you wanted to use Vue. But I don't know if Vue has a rigging system for animation... so it might not be the best thing. (maybe it does have a rigging thing, I dunno, but I doubt it) Or, instead of getting Vue 8 pioneer, you could get and earlier version that has xStream. Because you can use them as plugins for Cinema 4D, 3Ds max, Maya, etc. But I don't think Blender works with it.