Which Design Software is preferred?

[Woodnutt]

Does anyone prefer a particular design software over another and for what reasons? (i.e. zbrush vs corel draw)

I can get corel draw for $95.00 vs $400 for zbrush (student prices from gradware). Obvious choice cost wise but want something that is fairly easy to use which CD has many features that I will never use and usually means it requires a higher learning curve. i see many on here use CD though.

Any thoughts are gladly welcomed.

James

[jpaluck]

James

it depends on your budget and how far you want to go with pattern making. Zbrush will get the perfect 2.5/3d pattern but there is a high learning curve. Have you done any 3d modeling prior? if no then the learning curve is very high but once you got it down you can awsome heightmaps. Corel is fairly easy to grasp I think and has it's uses but you will never get the heightmaps out of it like zbrush.

Here is a link to a couple videos i made regarding zbrush and pattern making hope this helps you

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=9947

John

[w2csa]

I use CorelX3 and SDI's Flexi.
Both are good but Corel is much less expensive.

[Woodnutt]

I seen your vids John before I posted that is what made me start thinking (dangerous I know) but I liked the way zbrush looked. I have no 3d design experience and was ready to buy the CD X4 when I came across your vids. I guess the CD is the economical way to go considering I can buy a lot of patterns for $400-600 bucks (cost of zbrush).

Thanks for the replies,
James

[jpaluck]

yep you sure can buy alot of patterns...Like I said it all depends how deep with it you want to go...zbrush will get you the cadilac of patterns. The learing curve is up there. When i got the program a tear ago I had no 3d experience, but for me the learning curve was a challenge/fun. For me it is as much fun to make the patterns as carving them so...I guess if you don't want a high learning curve or think you will enjoy the making of patterns as much as doing the carvings my suggestion would be don't get zbrush. i am as addicted to 3d modelling now as I am to the CW.

The only way to get a good heightmap and pattern is to use a 3d modelling program that has the heightmap render. there are alot of 3d programs out there way cheaper but they don't have the heightmap render. Mabey check out blender www.blender.org this is a free program and I think it will give you a heightmap somewhere...think there is a tutorial on it somewhere in this forum...search blender. I hated the inerface of this program but you can do alot with it if you master the interface.

hope this helps

John

[Technicow]

I use paint that came with windows (zero bucks) and my program (EZ Carve- 20 bucks).