3D software - worth the time to learn?

[Christine Garner]

@lisanganart I don't know whether it is worth the time but it is something I've been learning for several months now. I'm learning Blender because I wanted to create reference for paint overs and to create guides for lighting scenarios and camera angles. It has been somewhat of a slog to learn just the basics but I'm finding it helps me think of ideas and I'm enjoying the process. I'm going to write something up on my Medium blog about my experience at some point. I also keep a dev log of a personal project I'm working on where I've written about learning 3D.
https://medium.com/the-art-squirrel. I also found an online software some time back called smoothie 3D which is an easy way to make quick 3D models from images if you don't have time to learn the more complicated software- and there is online sculpting software which is an easy way to try 3D sculpting (https://medium.com/the-art-squirrel/what-is-digital-3d-sculpting-and-what-are-some-softwares-i-can-do-it-with-9c3654202f36).

[Jim Algar]

Something like Goolge SketchUp might be all you need. It's pretty basic, pretty easy, and pretty free.

[sigross]

I just got an email off Zbrush and their new version is just out ZBrush 2019 features says you can get it on subscription now like photoshop. Might try it out for a bit. I'd love to learn how to use it. Just not sure if 3D is for me. There's not enough hours in the day!

[sigross]

I do like the idea of the ZBrush new features where you can turn 3D designs into 2D! That's defo something I'm up for. Especially for lighting scenery and stuff.

[Christine Garner]

@sigross ZBrush 2019 looks really cool. It is known as NPR rendering (Non photo realistic). You can do that with Blender as well with different material types.

[Christine Garner]

@sigross I felt like that for years as well. I wish I hadn't put off learning it for so long though.

[sigross]

@Christine-Garner Yeah I had a go on blender. Essentially I'd like to learn them both. I do prefer the interface of ZBrush. But they're both complicated as a beginner. Once I know where all the buttons are I'll be able to get into it. I think it'll be worth the effort.

[Christine Garner]

@sigross Hi I just happened to be online doing research for my blog so this is going to be a long reply sorry. Yeah they are complicated to begin with. I'd recommend doing a beginner level course for either first to get the hang of the basics. Once you have an understanding of the UI, how to navigate in 3D space and add objects it gets a little better. I did a crash course on CG Cookie (They have a Blender beginners series of videos) and followed some beginner courses on Udemy. It took me about 3 months to get the basics, but I'm still going through a course on Udemy. There are a few free ones on Udemy and around YouTube, but what really helped me was doing a crash course on CG Cookie which has a beginners series on Blender. There is a tutor (he's done some courses here on SVS Learn)- Marco Bucci, who uses Blender- I found a YouTube video he did of an overview of using 3D for 2D art here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PRiM1LAh2U
I read that Schoolism does a really good beginner course for ZBrush: https://www.schoolism.com/lp/introduction-to-zbrush-justin-goby-fields/
What I would have liked ideally to begin with would have been a course aimed toward 2D illustrators with no prior knowledge of 3d software describing the real world benefits of using 3D for helping the creation of 2D art and with a focused syllabus for the core skills needed without going too complicated. Most are aimed at gamedev, architecture or AAA concept art, but maybe one day someone will do that or I will find one.

[Christine Garner]

Oh- just realized Marco Bucci HAS done a course for blender for using with digital painting-. https://marcobucciartstore.com/collections/online-workshops/products/using-3d-techniques-with-digital-painting. I should have read the YouTube description more.
There are also artists like Tony Leonard who demo using ZBrush for 2D line art https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHQvh0oCMCo

[sigross]

@Christine-Garner Thats a great help. Thanks I'll take a look at those links. Cheers.

[Christine Garner]

@sigross Cool Glad it was useful. There are a fair amount of Blender tuts and one by Justin Goby Fields on Skillshare as well, thought I'd mention it as lots of people use that site already and I think if you have a subscription you can watch any of the courses (I'm not affiliated with any of these links I've mentioned btw). https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Digital-Concept-Art-Designing-Creatures-Learn-with-Wacom/1752963798?via=search-layout-grid

[Christine Garner]

I went into writing mode today and made an article about "Some Techniques for using Digital 3D Art Software for Digital 2D Painting, Illustration and Design workflows" if anyone feels like reading . https://medium.com/the-art-squirrel/some-techniques-for-using-digital-3d-art-software-for-digital-2d-painting-illustration-and-design-d7a6fb45ea5c. I think I was procrastinating about drawing peacocks today.

[sigross]

@Christine-Garner I'll have a read of that. Sounds interesting. I tend to read crypto/bitcoin stuff on medium and forget there's a whole range of subjects on there!

[sigross]

@Christine-Garner I've been getting more into blender since this post, had other stuff to make in between. I just bought The Grove so I can grow my own trees, which I'm quite excited about. There's also FLIP Fluids I'm looking at so I can experiment with liquids. Now that the grease pencil has been upgraded I can see many things in my mind that I can now make without having to spend a fortune.

[Christine Garner]

@sigross Awesome! Thanks for sharing . I wish more people knew how amazing Blender is, it has come leaps and bounds just since i started learning it 2 years ago. I'm still learning about the things it can do- and I'm going to check out those things you mentioned they look really cool.

[jdubz]

I may have posted this in another threat that was similar but if it helps anyone I think it's worth a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS1w8vldA0w

Kind of gives you a bit of an overview of how you might use this in the simplest way possible - setting up flat shade rooms just so that the lighting and proportions are 100% set, then you just export it as a jpg image and paint right on top of it.

This is a good reminder to actually jump back into it because I got some basics down and then just fell out of the habit

[Jeremy Ross]

Hi @jdubz, also found this video helpful from Simona Ceccarelli using sketch up as start for her illustration. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2u7HFEp9M4

[jdubz]

Nice - thanks for the input!

[lora_chaudavis]

I want to recommend the artwork of Aaron Becker! He uses 3D modeling in his children's books illustrations in a way that is really inspiring and unique. He 3D models, the city, then prints out the outlines very faintly on watercolor, and paints it by hand. There is an interview on this that just blew my mind when I read it - http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=3255

Here are a couple of process images from the interview

[Christine Garner]

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, sorry if I did. Jama Jurabaev is a concept artist who makes lots of useful resources and tutorials aimed toward 2D artists getting into Blender. Anyone interested in the Grease Pencil and how to use 3D as a tool for environment design would probably find his stuff really useful. https://gumroad.com/jamajurabaev
If anyone is looking for beginner tutorials on making 3D characters and props check out Grant Abbitt on YouTube, he is a very good teacher. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFUrFoqvqlN8seaAeEwjlw
Marco Bucci has been making some really interesting 2D to 3D with Blender videos lately. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff0aobJRSNc&list=PLLmXZMqb_9sayfQ22npe7Ip9RUUevTuU2