3d modelling software

[naiatoc]

I saw the thread below for printing 3d models. I know this is how a lot of miniature companies are going. They are not sculpting by hand, but are using a program.

So my question: what program is best for making minis? I imagine there are hundreds of options available. But what option is best for rendering minis?

[Patchwork]

I'm partial to Zbrush. It lets you work with the model is if you were sculpting clay rather than the more clumbersome Maya method. My avatar on the left was made in and textured with Zbrush.

Here is a Squig I've been working on.


The mascot of our gaming club is a monkey in Space Marine armor. Here is the model I made for him.


And a close up...


Rendered...


and printed...




---------- Post added at 03:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:14 PM ----------

Also, heres a few (admittedly crappy) animation tests.

[Dreygan]

ok so what did you use to "print" your model?

[Patchwork]

An Objet Eden

[WookieeGunner]

I would say a 3d printer.



Ok, intellegent posterior aside, looks like one of Shapeway's Fine Detail plastics: http://www.shapeways.com/materials

[Dreygan]

wow that shapeways site looks like a fantastic idea.

[Patchwork]

I haven't used Shapeways personally, but at a max resolution of .3mm, I worry you will be disappointed in the result, if your aim to to print a miniature 25-30 mm.

My first foray into 3D printing was with a Dimension Uprint. At a resolution of .254mm, a bit finer than Shapeways, it was still very poor for anything on the scale of a tabletop miniature. Here's a pic of something printed in that resolution.



While the general shape of the mini came through, all the face detail and anything smaller than the resolution of the printer was lost. The brown stuff is support material I never bothered to clean off.

The Eden I printed the monkey on has a resolution of 16 microns (.016mm)