Greetings all,
I'm a digital artist designer who graduated art school not that long ago with a degree in Visual Effects & Motion Graphics (VEMG). I had wanted to update my skills. VEMG encompasses a whole spectrum of technologies related to making visuals that fool people - mostly effects for commercials and movies. So 3D modeling was just one of many aspects covered.
The training I did receive in 3D modeling was on a very basic level. I did experience some box & strip modeling, rigging, and animation in 3DsMax. And also I did a little subdivision sculpting within Cinema 4D; but I've never taken a 3D project from start to finish in a work flow built for games or video. So I know very little about the specifics of UV mapping, topology, or rendering-based technologies like ray tracing & shaders.
When I was graduated, I had the opportunity to take a different path. I started doing some practical design/prototyping. For that I had to train in CAD with Rhinoceros. I loved being able to prototype real-world objects using CNC milling or 3D printing. The CAD environment, with its NURBS and T-Splines is precise and a perfect fit for those output technologies. But CAD is stricter and less flexible than strip modeling... plus it is really weak when it comes to producing organic shapes and textures. I can see how 3D models can be "organically enhanced" through painted UV maps (and it does look like 3D Coat has a lot of great tools for that).... But that stuff only works for screen-oriented products. Real-world prototypes need real-world volumes & textures.
I'm really intrigued by the voxel paradigm within 3D Coat and I'm hoping I might find a workflow that enhances Rhino CAD models with Coat sculpts...
I'm not thinking it's going to be easy; but I'm hoping that it could be... I've played with ZBrush a little; and I was taken aback by the complexity of its unique UI and its strategy for subdivisions. I'm perceiving there would be a steep learning curve. So I pointed my self at 3D Coat. Coat's interface is also a bit confusing and overwhelming to me as well; but it does seem a little more conventional, and therefore might possibly be more intuitive for me. My main problem at this point is that everything seems so oriented toward UV mapping.
As I said I'm hoping that I can find a usable Rhino/3D Cat workflow that avoids everything but actual geometry and practical sculpts.
Thanks 4 listening
dayoldy
