I need help learning how to make 3D animations....

[Smice]

Hello, I am needing to learn how to make 3D animaitons. These animations are supposed to be animals such as dogs, cats, horses, bunnies and things like that. Not to mention that I am a complete newbie to this heh heh.

[Twey]

Check out Blender.

[djr33]

Creating something like that is very hard. Organic animation (animals, or even cloth) is really tough to get right.

Blender is a good option, 'cause it's free.

However, depending on how realistic you need the images, you might want to look into professional solutions (3D Studio Max, Maya, etc.).

Doing realistic stuff like this is hard for even big movie studios, so you should start slowly.

If you just want cartoon style, then that's great... go with blender.

If not, try blender and see how it works. If you end up needing more, try another program, but blender, if used correctly, is actually very powerful within itself.

[Twey]

I find that Blender is like ASM: it can do just about anything. It's not necessarily easy, or fast, but it gets there and it can do it, with skill and patience.

[djr33]

Skin, fabric, hair, realistic muscle/flesh movement, eyes, etc. are all INCREDIBLY hard to do.

Even the pro apps wouldn't necessary do this well.

Companies like ILM still have trouble. They actually write most of their own software, 'cause the other stuff just won't do


I'm not saying blender isn't a good program. It's great, and I've seen amazing things done in it.

However, "animals" as the OP said, are tough if realism is required.

[the-disturbed]

LIGHTWAVE!!!!

sure its like 3 grand but u didnt hear it from me but beleive it or not u can actually *cough*download*cough* software.

amazing software, i learned 3D animation just from installing it and pressing buttons hehe, stuff like ST Voyager, Babilon 5, Serenity, to name a few, use lightwave

edit: sry just realized that organics arnt to easy in LW right off the bat, but if u learn it can be

[djr33]

Lightwave is outdated, from what i've heard. There are newer versions of other software, and it never was seen as clearly better than 3DS Max. (That was debated, though.)
Maya is, generally, seen as the 'best'.

[the-disturbed]

lightwave just came out with a new version i don't see how it can be 'outdated', i started out using 7.0, then moved to 8.0, and now im on 9.0BETA, (the full version is out i just havnt gotten it lol) 3ds max seems way to over complicated, lightwave is simple, and if not meets, exceeds the rendered output of 3dsmax, maya, is great to havnt touched it though, heard great things about it frm a friend....he got me into lightwave lol

[djr33]

I thought the product was discontinued. Sorry about that.
I don't do much 3D work myself, but I work with a lot of FX artists in making movies and have friends who do 3D.

Then, I would say, yes, look at lightwave vs. 3DS.
But, i have heard a few times that Maya is better.

All depends on the user.

I have a friend who can do amazing things with just Blender.
See: http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...loadlargte.jpg
just one example... I can link to more if you want.


Anyway, yeah... I'm sure lightwave can do fine, but I have heard it's kinda the odd-man out in some ways. Also, going with 3DS instead might be better due to popularity and support, though it's totally, again, up to the user.

Everything's relative.

the-disturbed-- you got anything you can link to? (Feel free to PM... I'm just curious. I do filmmaking, so that's my other hobby... would like to see some stuff.)

[the-disturbed]

I have a friend who can do amazing things with just Blender.
See: http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...loadlargte.jpg
just one example... I can link to more if you want.

i think your friend has access to photoshop as well lol, no way ANYONE can produce that with JUST an animation program, it's still pretty sweet though