3D modelling and animation software programs combine the use of numbers and colours to create an amazing visual concept. You can bring your typical 3D model to life using an array of tools to enhance lighting, textures, backgrounds or add additional angles. Your stationary 3d model can be transformed into a rotating model, which can be viewed from a variety of angles, including the ability to zoom in and out to truly assess the effectiveness of certain features. There are many different 3d modelling and animation software packages on the market, some requiring paid subscriptions while others are free. Of those several packages on the market however, there are three options that really offer a superior level of performance.
AutoDesk Maya
This is without a doubt the most comprehensive 3d modelling and software package. It offers the most extensive range of material and texture features including the ability to alter soft body dynamics, hair, skin and muscles. It really stands out for its superior animation features as it offers the ability to edit motion trails and track footage motions as well as other key features such as key frame animation, layering and pose blending. The GeoDex Voxel binding feature allows you to create top quality models very quickly. It is one of the most user friendly software packages too, and it is very easy to use. It can be run on all modern operating systems including Windows 7, 8, XP and Vista as well as MAC OS X. Because it is so comprehensive, you do have to really dedicate yourself to learning in order to really benefit from its full scale of features.
AutoDesk 3DS Max
It might seem unfair to list two AutoDesk products in our top 3, but to leave out AutoDesk 3DS Max would be a travesty. This professional 3d modelling and animation software package has been around for quite some time and offers an excellent array of features. While it doesn’t offer quite the comprehensive list of advanced animation features in comparison with Maya, it is still a very powerful piece of software, and it is ideal if you need to develop content rapidly. It too is supported by all popular operating systems. The Perspective Match features makes editing backgrounds a dream as you can simply upload your background image and fit your model to suit. The ability to upgrade easily to newer versions allows a professional to consistently avail of the most advanced features in 3d modelling. The 2014 version also now supports the use of 2D vector graphics too.
Cinema 4D
Maxon’s premium 3D modelling and animation software really can do just about anything a creative professional could desire from such a software program. It is specifically popular in the movie world where it has been used in the production of some huge movies in recent years including Spiderman 3 and War of the Worlds. That said, architects, engineers and product builders can find it just as beneficial. It has undergone consistent upgrades over the years and now can rightfully claim an equal standard of that of the two aforementioned AutoDesk products. It offers a completely customisable layout to allow for superior ease of use. It can alter bodily dynamics including hair and offer an animation toolbar for easy key frame management. It can render a pretty impressive 32 bits per pixel too. The latest version – Cinema 4D Studio R12 – even offers a visualisation library and a great picture viewer with RAM playback.
There are some great options out there in terms of 3D modelling and animation software, however these three really do serve as the cream of the crop.
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