Stage One Complete:

Well I am finally on my way, in the last two months I managed to get Vue 8 Frontier in a copy of 3D World, love it so much I upgraded to version 9 with a special offer over at DAZ3D. Plus I had some Gift Certs and vouchers so I picked it up for a song.

Last Sunday I upgraded to Vue 9 Espirt which was on special from eon-software. Got to work straight away on finishing off an image I started in version 8 (look up). Espirt gives more control over the final render plus I can import more formats. Also for a while I have been collecting cheap or free Vue formatted content. Now I can use them all.

So since starting this 3D rendering lark I have used Bryce, Carrara, Daz Studio, Poser and Vue.

Bryce 7 Pro: I love the latest additions to the lighting and rendering quality. True Ambience is sweet. In my opinion Bryce can make some great terrains better than Vue, for detail that is. Good Material Lab and Deep Texture Editor. The possibilities are endless but this is true of Vue in that regard. If I want distant terrains then I may stick with Bryce. If I want close vegetation I will use Vue. But I can make the terrains in Bryce and save the height map and use it in Vue and vice versa.

Carrara 7 Pro: I never really got on with Carrara but never say never as with each piece of software I learn the easier it is to learn other programs. So you never know with me. But I won’t be upgrading beyond 7 Pro for now. There is version 8 out now which I believe is more stable and has more functions for animators.

Daz Studio 3 Advanced: This is where all this kicked off big time. I love the program, with what it can do and I love the company. Again in my opinion it is the easiest program to learn and use. I could rant all day about how good it is but I won’t bore you.

Poser: Well I won Poser 8 in an image contest and I have opened it a few times, hummm not very intuitive. But if I get the bit between my teeth I dare say I will get to grips with it. To be honest I am having too much fun in Vue at the moment.

Vue: What can I say about Vue? I had an inclining that I would like this program even with a low powered computer. I was wrong I don’t like it I absolutely LOVE it. :D I will spend the next year or so buying the modules I want and saving up for a new computer. Until then I will keep learning about the technical and artist aspects of 3D art.

What is good about all this is that the content I purchase from Daz Studio can be used in Bryce, Carrara, Poser, Vue and of course Daz Studio. Plus with my Photoshop skills growing I can use multiple programs compositing the renders in Photoshop

Yeap art is good for the soul just like gardening. I am doubly blessed, three if you count my wife. Duck - ouch!