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#1

Just ordered a copy of Zbrush :slight_smile:

I also ordered Lightwave and upgraded my Photoshop 7 to CS

Anything suggestions on other programs to help out a newbie just breaking into the whole 3D scene?

BTW How do you all afford all the programs? hehe just spent over $700 and thats without plugin packs lol

Oh little background for what i would like to do would help with suggestions I suppose hehe

I am really interested in Animation and Modelings/Textures (which is why I chose ZBrush ;))

I am have a good knowledge of Photoshop but am still a low grade novice with it (least in my opinion) I have played with Lightwave before and even though I think 3D Max is alot easier to use I got Lightwave because it seems to be more compatable with ZBrush. Lightwave has its own Renderer but from what I read most people are using 3rd party Rendering programs.
I would like to do most of my modeling/Texturing in Z-Bruish just because its very very easy to use. Then I would take those 3D objects and export them to Lightwave and compose my scenes. Is this doable?

So just to make it easier to answer :slight_smile:

  1. What plug-ins or other programs would compliment Lightwave, ZBrush, and Photoshop for 3D Animation/Rendering?

  2. Should I get another program just to render the scenes I make in Lightwave?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

#2

Freak,

When you start making money with the software, I suppose $700-$1500 will become a typical yearly upgrade event.

Though with LightWave, and all the plugins from Worley Labs (FPrime, G2, Sasquatch) and Evasion3d (Microwave, X-DOF, Spectrum) which make the program more effective and fun to use, the pilaging may be closer to $2000 every other year.

Oh wait. Set aside another $1200 for video tutorials and $500 for software specific books, and $1500-$3000 for a nice website promoting yourself the greatest cg artist ever, who is ‘competitively priced’ and willing to work looong hours, and you’re ready to strike it rich.

Oh, wait. Then you’ll need to pick up a dual Xeon 3.2 system with dual thirty inch plasma monitors, 24 GB of memory, and neo-modernist office chair with a frame made of air plane aluminum, and you’ll be raking in the bucks.

Then freeware versions of everything you just bought will pop up all over the web, the next generation of computers will be released, and you’ll throw your nice office chair out a tall building window, and either follow it, or decide to become a plumber.

Seriously, though, how the blazes does anyone make money freelancing? Must be a mafia thing.

But, to stay on topic, the answer to question One is: Worley Labs and Evasion3d plugins for Lightwave.

The answer to Question two is Mental Ray, or any Renderman renderer. (Set aside another $5000). Or try YafRAY, which is free, I believe.

Good luck with the equipment.

#3

Thanks for the info Denture Cream :slight_smile:

Throwing around a couple of grand here and there is alot of money (especially when you have a wife, 2 kids, house, etc
) just wondering how others afford to get the programs to get those good jobs to make the money for the programs hehe

Luckly my job is buying the programs for myself since I will be using the experience for them for publications.

#4

:slight_smile:

#5

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Seriously, though, how the blazes does anyone make money freelancing?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Freelancing is a blast and can be very profitable. I’ll give an example of why you can make money by telling a story (sort of). While the companies may be fictional the scenario is not :slight_smile: .

When working for a multimedia company I was in a meeting with a company that wanted to use us to create some project. The estimated price for the project was around $30,000. When I saw what we, as a company, were going to produce I did a little calculations. I found that I could have done the same project myself (outsourcing a bit here and there) for about $10,000 
 1/3 the price. Why?

The answer is simple. The company, as with any company, has a ton of overhead. They have to pay salaries, insurance, taxes on all salaries, rent, utilities, CEO salaries, etc. These were built into the price of our projects (and understandably so). I realized that I did not have such a large overhead as an individual. If I could find the clients I could offer them my services at a cut rate price (as far as they were concerned) and make much more than I ever could working for the company. Thus my adventures as a freelancer.

The first thing to realize if someone wants to go freelance is that they can indeed offer an extremely competative price as compared to many companies.

Secondly, I would recommend that a freelancer finds a niche market 
 especially one that is not saturated. This puts you in demand (as long as there is a need for the niche). For example, I do real-time 3D creation (like you see in 3D games) but my niche is not games at all. Instead it is archaeological reconstructions and RT3D training simulations. The result has been that I am getting so much work that I have to outsource portions of it in order to meet the demand.

The last thing I think someone needs to do when freelancing is to be completely honest and upfront with your clients. My clients realize they are getting a fair price and that I am going to do what I say I am going to do. I tell them when there are delays and why and the result is trust between me and my clients. The result is also that about 95% of all my clients return for more work.

So, yes, it is very possible to make a living as a freelancer.

#6

Hi there. Here’s something that you may not have considered, DentureCream: The fact that ZBrush only allows one object to be editable at a time is that no matter how complex your scene becomes, you’ll always be able to interact with it in real time. This will be especially valuable in Z2, where the higher polygon counts that are possible mean that you could easily build scenes with billions of polygons – something that would bring any conventional 3D app to its knees. Yet in ZBrush, only one of those models will ever exist as polygons at a time (although the polygon version will remain in your Tool palette and can be saved that way), so you can build such outrageously complex scenes with ease. AND because each object is incorporated into the canvas when snapshot, you can then paint other details on and around it without needing to create still more geometry.

Yes, this requires a slightly different workflow, but the advantages are HUGE. :slight_smile:

As for affordability, what I recommend is to begin with two or three “core” applications. Master them, rather than scattering your energy by chasing after ever cool-looking new program that comes out. The faster you master your tools, the faster you will have the potential to start making money. Once you are earning enough profit to justify adding more software, you will also be experienced enough in the field to know what you really need to buy for the most benefit to your own workflow.

Of course, ZBrush will always be both a top-notch stand-alone illustration program and a great complement to all of your other applications. :smiley:

#7

:slight_smile:

#8

Aurick : brilliant :+1:
Denture cream : You are some impatient :slight_smile:
Technology goes with a senator’s march :smiley:
Pilou

#9

Pilou,

I’m impatient and indignant. Shame on me. :slight_smile:

#10

Hi Cream
Technology goes with the speedy of wind yes !
It’s her apply who get some years to appear :roll_eyes:
You are entierely right :+1:
So be zen and learn patience :smiley:
Pilou
Ps Pixo rides on bicycle :slight_smile:

#11

Great points Matthew!

#12

Aurick is on the nosey.

I wouldn’t buy 3rd party anything until you could just kick ass with what you’ve got.

My biggest problem is concentrating my energies on one or two programs, because everything is so incredible.