The (Un)official 3D FX/Design Thread

Post up WIPS, links, inspirations, resources not mentioned and anything else related to 3D. Here are some good resources for models, references, tutorials, etc. I didn't list many renderers simply because there are just too many of them! Keep in mind that while many of the programs listed may not be free, many have trials for you to play around in, with tutorials floating all over the internet. This is by no means a end-all complete list of 3D information, remember Google is your friend...

REFERENCES & TEXTURES:
Comprehensive texture site- imageafter.com
Free High-Quality Stock images and textures- sxc.hu
CG Textures
Good place for Grunge textures- grungetextures.com

MODELS:
turbosquid.com
Foundation 3D
Of course, I have to link to- SciFi 3D


GENERAL 3D SITES:
These sites have a little bit of everything in them, from models, to articles on the industry and so on.
A lot of great resources here- CGSociety
Another very good site, with training in 3D- CG Channel
Tutorials in 3D modeling, sculpting, and many others- The Gnomon Workshop
3DTotal
"The largest 3D-SciFi based online community"- Scifi-Meshes.com

TUTORIALS:
They usually have good tutorials for all the various 3D apps- cg.tutsplus.com
While mainly based in After Effects, he often posts 3d-specific tutorials- Videocopilot.net
One of the best sites to go to for training in 3D as well as many other topics- fxphd.com

3D APPLICATIONS:
Autodesk 3DS Max
Autodesk Maya
Maxon Cinema 4D
Lightwave
Houdini
Modo
Nice site on 3D sculpting, from the makers of ZBrush- Pixologic.com
3D Digital Sculpting & Texture Painting Software- Autodesk Mudbox
For fluids and dynamics- Realflow
For things that go boom (also check out their Afterburn software)- FumeFX
For creating realistic natural environments in various 3D apps- Vue
3D Character animation- Autodesk Softimage
3D Character design and animation- Poser[/li

 

I approve of this.

I also approve of Lightwave and Boujou.

 

Schweet. Funny that I post this, because I myself am looking for resources on the topic at hand. Let me know if I miss anything.

 

Oh wait. 3D only. I'll refrain from self-referencing then.

I like this idea. There's lots of little topics that can be too big for the social thread but too small for an entire thread of their own.

I'd quite like to see 3D sculpting apps mentioned (ZBrush/Mudbox) - you might also reference Gnomonology, where you can find a few good free 3D tutorials.

 

I would toss up Blender as well in the 3D apps, with the notion free by it.

Here is a tutorial I made a little while ago about modeling a basic glass in Maya, sorta quick because it was accompanying a website tutorial I also made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn3SO1tU_Ys

EDIT: Fail, just saw Blender listed under free. Here are some tutorials I made for blender a long time ago.

http://www.vimeo.com/2383130 - Lightsabers Part 1
http://www.vimeo.com/2383168 - Lightsabers Part 2

 

I'll put your site under 2D/3D integration.

 

Sorry for the double post, but you spelled Anim8or wrong btw.

 

O.K., I guess I'll get this thread started by posting something I've been working on. Keep in mind I've only been at this 3D for a very short while.

These are for an Indiana Jones "Fanfilm" I was working on for school. I only had two weeks, so I had to cut this scene out. And yes, I know some of the boxes are levitating, the crates are OBVIOUSLY repeating over and over, AND yes nothing is quite to scale, but now that school's over I'm looking forward to restarting this shot and finally getting it all done.

Reference image:
[image=http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab133/IndieAnna_2010/crates_ref.png]

Amb. Occ. renders (ran out of time to really work the textures in, and because they look so nice...):

[image=http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab133/IndieAnna_2010/warehouse_2.jpg]
[image=http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab133/IndieAnna_2010/crates.jpg]
[image=http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab133/IndieAnna_2010/cratesf.jpg]

And the text for the title sequence:
[image=http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab133/IndieAnna_2010/occlusion00033024.jpg]

 

Some cool stuff you got here. Good idea for a thread

 

Checking out a few of the models on SciFi 3D, and found a pretty cool general grievous one and played around with it. P.S. anyone know of any floating around that are rigged?

[image=http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab133/IndieAnna_2010/grievous300000.jpg]

Note: DoF not done in 3DS, just (poorly) made a quick matte in Ae to get it a little more cinematic looking.

 

Didn't Sith-Man or someone rig Grevious, I thought there was a rigged one on sci-fi3d?

 

I'm currently working on the police car from the 5th element...

ref:

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-02-477935.jpg]

progress thus far:

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-03-567801.jpg]

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-03-564085.jpg]

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-02-529065.jpg]

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-02-528306.jpg]

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-02-524918.jpg]

 

Oooo nice. You must put it in motion when you are done, I bet it'd look snazzy.

This may be just me, but I'd make the material used on the bottom of the car a bit more reflective, so it doesn't exactly look like the blue parts but at the same time isn't too distracting. What program are you working in?

 

LightWave3d

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-05-749292.jpg]

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-05-749140.jpg]

 

I don't do character stuff. Pretty much only environmental stuff in Vue, and some light AE.



Now, for a contribution to the thread from me.
Geek At Play Studios
Mostly stuff concerning Vue. Many packs of models, atmospheres, and such.

They have some great tutorials. Hundreds for Vue, and many for other programs, such as poser, photoshop, and Daz3d, (which was mentioned in the first post in the thread).

Hope it helps someone out.

 

Anyone here have any experience with using motion capture, whether it be the performance side of it or the eventual animating?

 

Not really, but I have heard it takes a bit of clean-up after the motion is captured. Not fully sure though.

 

I will hopefully in the coming months. I modeled a transformer and i'm currently rigging it for motion capture soon.

 

Oooh, that sounds cool. Do come back with the results.

@Bruce, that's what I've heard too. I wonder how MUCH clean up is involved, I'm sure it depends on the quality of the track...

 

Let me throw in my own site of tips for anyone rendering with mental ray, http://www.mentalraytips.com
Also, I'll add the mental ray "fan site", http://www.mymentalray.com

/Z

 

Darn! I meant to link your site in the first post but forgot. Very good site, sir.

 

Another work in progress..
[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/MIB-render.jpg]

 

[image=http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq185/todayV4/90-18-500623.jpg]

 

That's pretty cool. Feels kinda cramped, though.
EDIT: Oh. Or maybe I'm just remembering it wrong.

[image=http://www.stardustmovies.com/gallery_film/%28020409181541%29Men_in_Black_II_1.jpg]