You must have heard about the concept of 3D animation videos. The fact that you have come here to read about this concept tells me that you have a sufficient background knowledge in animation. You might have also gone through a wide range of technology in technology in order to learn the intricacies of it. Although there are a number of software packages in the market today, I want to share my experience with you when it comes to selecting an easy software for 3d animation .
Softwares for 3d animation are of two categories- free and paid.There are many softwares available on the internet but the question is which one of them is easy to use?
Blender
For over 20 years, Blender has been a trusted source of 3D software animation. Not only that, but the $0 price tag doesn’t hurt!
This is an optimal piece of software for creating 3D games. It allows the user to draw different assets from many different existing 3D engines, allowing versatility and variety to your game developing experience.
Blender has some impressive features:
- Simulation
- Modeling
- Customizable UI
- High-End Production Path Tracer
- GPU Rendering
- Game CreationAnimation Toolset
- Fast Rigging
The list goes on, but when asked: “What is the best free 3D animation software?” Blender is the best.
SketchUp
This piece of software is pretty cool.
Rather than focus on complicated game development that programs like Blender, SketchUp is the ideal piece of software for those who are into design. I remember taking an architectural design class in 10th grade, and this would fit right in. Maybe it would have made the class a little less tortuous, (Sorry, Mr. Donohue!).
This program comes with tons of prefab models and more, allowing you to stoke creativity without digging up more 3D assets.
However, this program could be a little more difficult for newer users to use compared to the user-interface included in KeyShot. If you are looking to bring a blueprint to life, you cannot go wrong with SketchUp.
PowToon
What is the best free 3D animation software for beginners? PowToon, no doubt.
I know this was mentioned in our 2D list, but the 3D capabilities are also so great that they can’t be ignored.
Focusing more on platforms like social media, PowToon is a great program for users that have their fingers on the pulse on trends in social media. With aspects and projects that can easily be uploaded to several social media sites and Vimeo, PowToon evokes imagery of a bygone era of the Internet: amusing animation, (think JibJab).
PowToon allows users to make presentations and short animations, (around 3 minutes).
This program is great for beginners, as projects usually are small yet colorful and informative animations. The learning curve is super small, ensuring that even the most computer-illiterate user can start making great toons or presentations in no time.
Daz Studio
If there is one aspect of free software, it is a slew of free assets and models included with the initial package. Much like the Unity asset marketplace, Daz Studio has the potential for a huge about of models that can be accessed.
For those of you out there looking to create small animations and short films, Das Studio is a great alternative to the more advanced 3D animation software. It allows you to create your projects without the tweaking of every little thing when it comes to rendering and mapping assets.
If you are a more casual animator, Daz Studio is a solid option.
Autodesk Maya
Use on: Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Best for: Everyone, beginner to pro
Many beginner animators want to know: What animation software does Disney use? Well, look no further—while Disney artists use a variety of animation software, one of the most popular choices is Autodesk Maya. (If your question, on the other hand, is “What animation software does Pixar use?” it’s a proprietary software that’s not available to animators outside of the company.)
For many professional animators and animation studios, Autodesk Maya is the industry standard. This 3D animation software is ideal for character creation, modeling, simulation, motion graphics, and more. It’s been used to create animation for movies including “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters, Inc.,” and “Avatar.”
After a free trial, pricing begins at $122 per month (for a three-year license), although monthly plans are also available. If you’re a current student, you may be able to access Autodesk Maya for free.
Adobe Character Animator
Use on: Windows, Mac OS
Best for: Beginners
Adobe Character Animator is perfect for beginners, even those with very little animation experience. That’s because creating and animating a character in this program requires very few animation skills.
Here’s how it works: You choose a character (called a puppet), which can be your own artwork imported from Procreate, Adobe Photoshop, or Adobe Illustrator. Then, the program uses your computer’s microphone and camera to detect your voice and movements and animate the character. Essentially, you use your own performance to animate a character in real time. Whatever you do with your face—including your mouth, eyes, and eyebrows—your character does. Plus, you can add in other movements, like hand gestures.
Ultimately, this allows beginners to create animations quickly and easily. However, it’s best used for animations that are mostly dialogue, as there is limited functionality to create action and physical movement. Interested in seeing an example? Showtime’s “Our Cartoon President” is created with this animation software.
Character Animator is available as part of Adobe Creative Cloud’s “All Apps” plan.
After Effects
After Effects is a motion graphics and digital visual effects application developed by Adobe. This tool helps you to easily remove elements in the film.
Features:
- This tool provides more than 100 options for selecting effects.
- You can preview your playback using GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).
- It allows you to animate titles.
- You can combine images and videos to create animation.
- This tool provides more than 100 options for selecting effects.
- You can remove an object from a video clip.
Conclusion
3D animation is one of the most popular fields in current IT technologies. It is involved in animation design, production, rendering and even video game designing. This software allows the user to make exclusive 3D characters, animated graphic objects, backgrounds etc. All these are made possible by using different software applications used for 3D animation.