Best 3D modeling software

Modern technology allows you to create amazing things. You don’t have to have a lot of experience to get started in cartoon animation, video editing, 3D modeling, and more. All it takes is a little perseverance and the right software.

What programs for creating 3D models are considered the best – we’ll talk in today’s article.

What is 3D Modeling?

Best 3D modeling software allows you to visualize an object that exists only in drawings, such as a copy of a future building or an alien landscape. The use of this technology can be found anywhere:

• in cinema;
• video games;
• animations;
• VR;
• advertising;
• medicine (meaning the creation of modules of internal organs and artificial limbs);
• architecture;
• mechanical engineering, etc.

When creating models, an artist is involved who develops a concept – how the future part or object will look like in 3D. Based on this, the 3D modeler transforms the object into the desired form using special software. What kind of software is this and what professional and novice 3D modelers use – we’ll talk further.

Finding free 3d modeling software is not difficult, but today there are so many of them that you can stumble upon not the best option. If you are just starting out in this area, then you should know about both professional software and the one that is adapted for beginners.

Maya

The first program on our list is Maya. It is considered the industry standard in computer graphics and boasts a wide range of tools and features. Maya excels at modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering – its extensive feature set includes particles, hair, rigid body physics, cloth, fluid modeling, character animation, and more.

Also in the program you can simulate powerful explosions, realistic movement of clothes or hair, the surface of water with small waves or the flight of a bullet – there are special tools and modules for this.

Such extensive functionality of 3d modeling software for nft requires a lot of time to learn, so if you are a beginner, then it is better to bypass this software, but it is definitely worth taking note of it.

Peculiarities:

• creation of high-quality heroes, characters;
• a huge selection of visual special effects;
• plausible changes in the forms of various objects;
• the ability to create air and water imitation of surfaces;
• the ability to convey the dynamics of flexible and rigid bodies;
• support for plugins that extend the functionality of the program.

ZBrush

ZBrush is a sculpting and modeling program best suited for creating organic shapes, although recent updates have gradually improved its hard surface capabilities. ZBrush is also great for other purposes, such as the program can be used to create UV maps and paint textures. All these possibilities are most often used by artists who want to print various shapes on a 3D printer.

In general, the web 3d modeling software is ideal for working with people and animals – suitable for those who are already familiar with 3D modeling at least a little.

Peculiarities:

• fast integration with a professional 2D graphics package;
• revitalization of finished sculptures with the help of facial expressions, hair, clothing and accessories;
• you can add an atmospheric environment for the character;
• a huge set of different brushes for editing models with 3d modeling software for 3d printing;
• sculpting a 3D object, from a ball to a finished character, is similar to the clay sculpting process;
• the ability to easily cut models into two or more parts thanks to the fragment brush;
• export to JPEG format with cropping, preview and adjustment functions.

Houdini

Houdini is a widely used 3D rendering program in the visual effects industry. Due to its powerful special effects capabilities, it is often used in film scenes.

In addition, Houdini is convenient for efficient work on complex and non-standard tasks, for example, it is perfect for working in the field of VFX.

The program is not the easiest – it will be quite difficult to cope with its functionality if you are just starting to dive into 3d model software. However, the developers offer Houdini Apprentice, a free version that can be used by students, artists, and hobbyists for personal non-commercial projects. Therefore, if you are just starting out, you can grab this tool for free and see what it consists of.

Peculiarities:

• creation of shaders based on anchor points, lighting and re-lighting in a specialized viewer;
• there are all standard objects of three-dimensional and two-dimensional geometry, including polygons, Bezier curves, inhomogeneous rational B-splines, planes, metaspheres;
• using its own CloudFx and PyroFx toolkits, the utility can simulate clouds, smoke, fire;
• there is a built-in development library that allows you to expand the functionality.

Cinema 4D

Cinema 4D is a great tool for those just getting started with 3D modeling. At the same time, it is in high demand among professionals due to such an extensive set of tools as modeling, sculpting, painting, compositing, tracking and animation, high-quality rendering, as well as the ability to implement unusual 3D effects.

Cinema 4D has a huge community with an online library of tutorials and instructions. There is also a training site, Cineversity, where you can get a free membership when you purchase an app or pay for a Maxon Annual Service Agreement (MSA).

Peculiarities:

• you can install third-party visualizers on the main version of the program;
• a large selection of complex shaders and image files, animations;
• object cloning will allow you to create complex animations for several objects in a couple of clicks;
• with the help of modynamics, you can create photorealistic simulations of various physical effects, such as friction or collision;
• deep lighting helps create believable light, realistic lens flares, and more.

Autodesk 3ds Max

3ds Max is Autodesk’s 3D computer graphics program for the PC, used for television and feature film production, as well as architectural and product visualization. Like its cousin Maya, 3ds Max boasts a very wide range of ways to convert image to 3d model software free, not to mention fluid, hair and fur simulation.

3ds Max uses direct manipulation and procedural modeling techniques, and a huge library of various modifiers makes the modeling process easy for beginners and experienced 3D artists.

The choice of beginners is mainly due to the fact that 3ds Max has a large number of different video tutorials and courses. Also, the developers of the program provide students with a free version for 3 years. In order to issue it, it is enough to register as a student.

Peculiarities:

• modeling wool, hair, grass and other similar elements using the HairandFur module;
• there is texturing and UV mapping;
• support for open source OpenSubdiv libraries from Pixar allows you to create additional effects;
• using various modifiers, you can add realism to characters and simulate liquid effects;
• there are animation tools and character rigging.

Modo

Modo is a great tool for 3D modeling, preparing animated scenes, rendering digital content, and developing design elements. Supports import from third-party editors: Autodesk, Photoshop, Wavefront, Lightwave. Modo 3D also allows you to use sculpting to prepare new objects, offers dynamic lighting, realistic surfaces and saves a lot of time when rendering.

Overall, this is one of the best software for creating polygonal shapes, and the addition of the Boolean MeshFusion system greatly expands the modeling functionality.

Peculiarities:

• accuracy of modeling, geometry construction: each object in Modo is attached to the bearing points, aligned from the point of view of the plane, adjusts to the environment;
• there is a built-in tool for combining functions, as well as assigning hot keys to each bunch of actions;
• dynamic lighting with the possibility of shading details, blurring the background, applying filtering;
• tools for sculpting objects using brushes and custom sculpting methods;
• import and export of materials in the selected format (a dozen different extensions are supported) in their original quality, preserving all the details and structure.