Hi, I'm relatively new to 3D modelling and need a bit of advice.

I work in graphic design and do quite a few product 3Ds (tins, bottles etc) for a large company. Up until now, they have been comped together in Photoshop but its about time we started doing them properly!

I am self taught to a certain extent in the cheap and cheerful Cheetah 3D, but could do with something a bit more professional. I need a new piece of software that can quickly and accurately model quite complex shapes, eg a motor oil bottle (assymetrical objects with awkward curves and cutout handles).

I'm on a mac, which may restrict things a little, and am hoping to spend hundreds rather than thousands of pounds!

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Hm.. Cheetah has a lot of nice 3d modeling tools.

Here are the Cheetah 3d polygonal modeling tools:
* Polygon, edge and point mode
* Set and Reset crease
* Create polygon
* Fill hole
* Bridge
* Insert point
* Magnet
* Extrude
* Inner extrude (point/edge/polygon)
* Shell
* Jigsaw
* Scalpel
* Ring cut
* Weld
* Move, Scale and Rotate points, edges and polygons
* Move, Scale and Rotate along normal
* Rotate edge
* Collapse polygon
* Flip normals
* Triangulate polygons
* Array
* Split
* Clone
* Mirror
* Separate
* Crumple
* Set value
* Quantize
* Burn transform
* Import child
* Point slide
* Cover
* Catmull- Clark Subdivide (partial or full mesh; with creases)
* Linear Subdivide (partial or full mesh)

and

Cheetah 3d Spline modeling tools:

* Create spline
* Insert point
* Soft interpolation
* Hard interpolation
* Equal tangent direction
* Equal tangent length
* Join segments
* Break segment
* Reverse sequence
* Mirror
* Set value
* Quantize
* Burn transform
* Import child

and the Cheetah 3d Modifiers that will aid you in modifying your 3d models:

* Array
* Bulge
* Build
* Displace
* Ring
* Shear
* Spherify
* Subdivide (Catmull-Clark, Stam-Loop, Linear)
* Symmetry
* Taper
* Transform
* Twist
* Warp


Any 3d modeler will tell you that this is a decent set of 3d modeling tools that will allow you to model practically any object.

But to answer your question if you want extreme precision try Rhino 3d NURBS modeling.

For 3d modeling speed and diversity of polygonal tools try Modo 3d.
Modo 3d also has a decent 3d renderer that will allow you to visualize your designs.

_________________
Andyba, 3d artist
skills: 3d modeling, texturing, rendering, 3d character animation, compositing
3d software experience: 3ds max, Maya, Softimage XSI, Deep Paint 3d, Body Paint 3D, Wings 3D, Z Brush
2d software experience: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After effects, Macromedia Flash, Freehand

Thanks Andyba.

My problem with Cheetah is that if I start merging shapes together I end up with loads of triangles which won't subdivide properly, then have major problems correcting them (no optimise tools).

I've nearly finished a trial of Cinema 4D which seems to have similar but more refined tools, but I'm still having the same problems though!

99% of this will be user error I'm sure. I'll have a look at Rhino!

Thanks.

What do you mean by Merging Shapes?
Boolean operations?
If you can, please attach an image with an example of your problem.
_________________
Andyba, 3d artist
skills: 3d modeling, texturing, rendering, 3d character animation, compositing
3d software experience: 3ds max, Maya, Softimage XSI, Deep Paint 3d, Body Paint 3D, Wings 3D, Z Brush
2d software experience: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After effects, Macromedia Flash, Freehand

I have a question about Cheetah. What formats can it export to? Their website mentions EPIX format. But all of my renders go into Photoshop for final 2D output.

I.E. I need a high-resolution rendered output from the 3D package - preferably with masks - so that I can further work on the image in Photoshop.

Any thoughts?

Ah, never mind. I found it on their website. Export to tiff etc.

Hey Thisandthat

Tiff is an image format, so the proper question would be in what format can the cheetah render images.
For 3d designers exporting to a format usually means saving the 3d scene in a different format from another 3d application.
_________________
Andyba, 3d artist
skills: 3d modeling, texturing, rendering, 3d character animation, compositing
3d software experience: 3ds max, Maya, Softimage XSI, Deep Paint 3d, Body Paint 3D, Wings 3D, Z Brush
2d software experience: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After effects, Macromedia Flash, Freehand

For 3d modeling speed and diversity of polygonal tools try Modo 3d.

academic superstore has a perpetual license for around $350 and you get maya, 3ds max, mudbox and more