Your 3D software of choice

[Doug Nelson]

I've been intermittently interested in 3D applications, mostly for their potential combining with Photoshop or other assistance in 2D image generation.

Which makes me wonder who else has tried their hand at this? What software have you tried? What 3D file format have you standardized upon? What's your workflow? Can you share any of your work?

[Stroker]

I use 3DS Max + Photoshop. But I have been known to dip into RenderMan SL for the occassional procedural.

- Photoshop for standard material generation in a 3d render.
- Render in passes in 3DS Max, then post-composite in Photoshop. I used to do an informal Composite This contest.
- 3DS Max for procedural textures for more Photoshop work.
- 3DS Max for funky Displacement Maps for use in Photoshop that are impossible to obtain using just Photoshop.
- 3DS Max to warp a 2d mesh in funky ways. Much like using morph software.

Can't say I have any examples handy right now. If you pick any particular aspect of marrying the two, I'll see about clarifying.

[Racc Iria]

3DS Max for me, as well. I used it in the August "Deco Hi-Life" poster contest.

--Racc

[creeduk]

3DS for me as well. I used to combine that with a very cool plugin in the KPT6 suite called Scene-Builder, it allowed you to open a 3DS file, rotate and light etc very nice.
It makes life so much easier when trying to figure out perspective to be able to map it out in 3D first. In Photoshop I make a bunch of textures, deal with UVmaps etc.

[byRo]

My interest in 3-D world has centered around the production of realistic replacement body parts in restoration work.
It always seemed logical, to me, that if one could acheive the necessary degree of realism then it would be easier to set up a 3-D render of, say, a missing foot than to scoure the Web for something that looks (a bit) similar.

Recently I did a job where only a baby's head and feet had (more or less) survived intact and for the rest I inserted a 3-D render of a baby's body.

Seeing as I need flexible posing of 3-D people, and not much else, the natural choice is Poser. Although, if I need to push 'n pull the mesh I export (.OBJ) to Carrara.

As for the workflow:
In Poser: Choose the most appropriate 3-D model, match the pose, match the camera and lighting conditions, render.
In Photoshop: Blend in the 3-D render with the original image.

I won't be posting the images here because I'm planning to write this up in a tutorial.

Rô

[plugsnpixels]

The only 3D I've done thus far has been terrains/landscapes, using the relevant applications. I did all of the examples for the apps listed here (except for the island in Vue--my daughter did that--and the credited Carrara examples).

[stevebarrett]

Hi Everyone,

I have been using 3D in my print work for years. In 1993(?) I started with Strata 3D, then went on to Bryce and Carrara. Now I use Cinema 4D, BodyPaint, Modo, Zbrush, Poser, Vue 5 Infinite and I am studying Maya and Mudbox.

3D Max, SoftImage, Lightwave, Real Flow, VRay, Renderman and Houdini are other high end 3d tools for serious animation production.

The market is saturated with 3D tools and there are many choices depending on what you want. Most major 3D production houses have their own proprietary software and programmers.

Making images for print is getting easier, but the learning curve is high if you have only used Photoshop.

Basically, you create a MODEL
It's very hard to master - try Modo, C4D

TEXTURE the model
Easier for Photoshop users. Bodypaint, Deep Paint for 3D painting on model directly

LIGHT and STAGE the scene
Relatively Easy. Cinema 4D, Maya, Modo, etc.

RENDER the scene
Easiest, but there are many choices for rendering- C4D, Maya, Modo, Renderman, VRay, etc.

There are many software companies out there. I read 3D World and check out many sites, to keep up. You can download demos of most of the programs, Mac and Windows.

The new Macs will run 3D programs that are PC only.


Here is a project that I produced with Cinema 4D. I rendered out the high res files and retouched them in Photoshop. Many views were rendered. We produced the actual packaging in house, then we printed the whole series of boxes.

I created the animations for the client's web site in Cinema 4D.

http://www.seagatefreeagent.com/


Cheers,

Steve Barrett

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

I've been intermittently interested in 3D applications, mostly for their potential combining with Photoshop or other assistance in 2D image generation.

Which makes me wonder who else has tried their hand at this? What software have you tried? What 3D file format have you standardized upon? What's your workflow? Can you share any of your work?

[pellepiano]

I have been using Strata 3d for years as it was the only program I could understand a little of right away. I dont do complicated stuff. I sometimes build small rooms to put my models in ( to get angles right ).

Here is a sample where the room is made in Strata.

[Doug Nelson]

My main objection to most 3D software is how heavily aimed at animation it is. This adds to the complexity (like it needs anymore complexity) and the cost. But the few (very few) 3D apps that aren't animation-heavy are also missing several other features necessary for true photo-realistic work.

[stevebarrett]

Hi Doug,

Modo is currently only able to make still graphics, even though they plan to add animation later. The quality of the out of the box photorealistic rendering is excellent. You have to learn subdivision modeling though.

Steve

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

My main objection to most 3D software is how heavily aimed at animation it is. This adds to the complexity (like it needs anymore complexity) and the cost. But the few (very few) 3D apps that aren't animation-heavy are also missing several other features necessary for true photo-realistic work.

[Doug Nelson]

Modo does seem impressive. I was bowled over by the spider image in the interview movie with Greg Leuenberger at http://www.luxology.com/news. I remember thinking "why would they want to replicate such a cool image in a 3D app?" only to find out they weren't replicating it, they'd just flashed the finished version up.