Hypnotic Space

I’ve been using Daz Carrara for 3D modeling for the past few months, really just scratching the surface on how to use the tool.  The past week or so I started working with Hexagon which is also from Daz.  I received Carrara with an issue of 3D World magazine and picked up Hexagon last year during a leap year sale practically dirt cheap.

Both of these products are considered hobby level applications within the 3D modeling community yet both are also powerful enough to accomplish many complex tasks. Both also have a reputation for being buggy within the forums that I frequent.  I suppose that it a sure sign that I’m still novice because I haven’t noticed any of the bugs yet.

Lately I’ve been thinking investments in 3D modeling tools. Of course there is the financial investment but there is also the investment of time. I am trying to decide if I should just stick with Carrara/Hexagon or if I should be looking towards something that is the next level up.

There are the pro level tools such as Maya and 3ds Max, but those are mega bucks as in needing to apply for a mortgage in order to buy them.  However there are some mid level tools that I could afford by setting some money aside for a few months.

The major thing Carrara has going for it besides the fact that I already have it, is that it works very well with Poser, its fairly easy to move object from one product to the other.  On the downside is the lack of formal training material, there are not many books and unlike the pro level applications, I know of no classes where Carrara is taught. Not to mention the bugs that I have not yet discovered.

The biggest risk of all is vendor support.  Carrara 7 was just released however I have to wonder if some time in the near future Daz decides to drop the product.  In today’s economy these things do happen, and at the core of why I am still looking for my tool of choice.

I have been spending most of my time the past few weeks learning, it’s a entirely new level of satisfaction to have created an entire scene or animation with materials created from scratch, and that’s the place I want to be.  I’ve done a few quick projects and a couple of other things that I am working on by request. And still having a blast with it all.

A 3D render created in Poser and post work in Adobe Photoshop. The skin textures were custom by me.  I wanted to do something a little outside the norm for this one.  It’s interesting to me that things that I’ve always thought were magic in the form of presentation are not so magic after all.  Yet it is so much to create that magic.