Fortunately, SideFX offers Houdini Apprentice, a free version of Houdini FX, which can be used by students, artists and hobbyists for personal non-commercial projects. Like Maya, this level of power and non-standard workflow can be tricky to get to grips with. This nodal workflow isn’t to everyone’s liking, but Houdini also has more traditional tools for directly interacting with polygons on screen.
Widely used in the VFX industry for creating a range of amazing 3D imagery, Houdini's node-based procedural approach provides digital artists with an unprecedented level of power, flexibility and control.
CINEMA 4D R20 OR MODO 13 SOFTWARE
HoudiniĬoming in second place in our guide to the best 3D modelling software is Houdini by SideFX. But for those who have the time, skill and patience to master it, Maya has some of the best 3D tools around and is a sound investment. This level of power also comes at a price – a subscription to Maya doesn't come cheap. There’s a chance you may never touch some of its functionality, so you need to decide if it’s actually overkill for your specific needs. Maya is great at modelling, texturing, lighting and rendering – its vast feature set includes particles, hair, solid body physics, cloth, fluid simulations and character animation. However, if you’re aiming to get a job in the animation or VFX industries, you’d be wise to use the same software that the likes of ILM, Pixar, DNEG and Framestore use. This hugely extensible app isn't for the faint-hearted: its toolset is hugely complex and takes time to learn. Largely seen as the industry standard for CG, Autodesk Maya boasts an unrivalled range of tools and features. Read on for the best 3D modelling software packages the market has to offer.Īsk any 3D artist to name the best 3D modelling software, and most will choose Autodesk Maya.
That way, you're much less likely to experience a lag when displaying complex 3D scenes. Most of the 3D software applications here need roughly 5GB of disc space to install, but you need to take rendering into account too.Īlso, if you're taking your digital art seriously, then investing in one of the best graphics cards, with a fast processor and a lot of memory is highly recommended. Firstly, as a general rule, any kind of 3D work will require around 16GB RAM or more. So how do you choose the right 3D modelling software? Well, there are some key considerations to bear in mind.