3D art question

[SilentThief]

Wanna find a tutorial that would be like "idiots guide" for 3D art creation (and I'm sure there is an idiots guide). Specifically, I'm not as up on my definitions/terminology and I don't know much about this except how to take somone elses character and make a scene with it.

Any ideas where I should go?

ST

[SilentThief]

Here's a copy of a new background I made with Caligary's TrueSpace 3.2 (a free DL from the truespace site ). I'm playing around with the 3D programs, and starting to get a clue (finally)

ST
ps, the background is kinda like a starry sky, but I think the "water" below looks a little too metallic...

[Uatu]

Cool, looks otherworldly! Yes, the water does look like mercury (or some other liquid metal), but it sure does look cool...

[SilentThief]

I've only just begun to understand this process, as it is much different from standard pixel painting like I'm used to. This pic is actually my first actual "render" as well...

ST

[Uatu]

Hmm - looks kind of fun, maybe I will try (one of these days)!

[manikus]

Originally Posted by SilentThief Wanna find a tutorial that would be like "idiots guide" for 3D art creation (and I'm sure there is an idiots guide). Specifically, I'm not as up on my definitions/terminology and I don't know much about this except how to take somone elses character and make a scene with it. Any ideas where I should go? ST

Both DAZ3D and Renderosity have good tutorial sections, and check out the DAZ forum section (the Studio forum has a bunch of n00b stuff for you edutainment).

[manikus]

Originally Posted by SilentThief Here's a copy of a new background I made with Caligary's TrueSpace 3.2 (a free DL from the truespace site ).

I tried using TrueSpace ('cause it was free) and I had a hard time doing anything that I wanted to do. I knew the stuff could be done, b/c I saw lots of examples...

For doing terrains, there is the great free app, Terragen. More like TrueSpace, but much better at terrains, is Bryce, also available for free (well, this version is free, the newer version isn't).

[SilentThief]

Since I DL-ed and installed it, I'm gonna stay with it until I deem it not useful. I really don't know how to do much at this time, but I've learned a thing or two about it and when I get the time I'm gonna get some serious practice with it. Specifically, starting out easy (at least in my opinion) with doing some item renders and perhaps plants and creatures without too complex of form (like a snake (basically a tube), some insects/arachnids, maybe even birds). I am NOT going to try creating people with all the controls that that would require yet.

Rome wasn't built in a day
ST

[manikus]

Sure, sure. Fair enough.

I just wanted to give you some options to what I thought was a difficult app to use.

Not for rendering, but for model building, I think Wings3D is the easiest to use, and there are some nice tutorials and videos at their site.

[SilentThief]

That seems to be truespace's weakness. The documentation for the free version is almost non-existant. I can find plenty of feature and trick explanations for versions 4+, but the free version is 3.2

ST
ps, I will look at the programs you recommend. I won't ignore your advice (especially on a subject that I personally asked you for advice on )