Thinking about learning 3D art but aren’t sure where to begin?
Taking some lessons or following tutorials online can be a great way to explore the world of 3D art and discover if you have an actual interest in making 3D art, or if you think it just sounds good on paper.
Exploring new things is never a bad idea! You might find out that you adore 3D art and can’t stop learning about it and practicing. Or, you might find that you love specific aspects of it that can be molded into your own personal style of art, 3D or otherwise. Worst case, you find out you don’t like it at all, and then you don’t have to wonder if you’re missing out on something anymore.
In this article, you will find out how you can prepare to learn about 3D art as well as some great beginner tutorials to give it a shot!
How Do I Prepare for Taking 3D Drawing Lessons?
We will talk hardware and software in just a moment, but first, let’s address what you need to do to prepare yourself to take 3D art classes!
Test Run
The great thing about the scope of the internet today is that you can try just about anything on your own; no longer do you need to commit to a college, university, tech school, or another expensive and time-consuming endeavor just to find out the basics about something.
This is fantastic news, especially for younger people who haven’t yet taken on any massive student loans. They have the opportunity to explore so many things before they are finished with high school that they can make a more informed decision about further studies.
If you have a child who is interested in art, you can enroll them in 3D art lessons for kids so they can learn about the medium and the industry at a young age.
Set Goals
You may want to set some objectives for learning 3D art and design so you have a clear direction to head in with your education. Or, you can choose to just go with it and see where your interests take you! Either method works as long as you’re happy with it!
Some example goals might be:
- I want to learn how to make a 3D composition
- I want to learn how to master shading and coloring in a 3D setting
- I want to learn the technical aspects of 3D design
- I want to learn 3D industrial design
- I want to learn 3D character design
- I want to learn 3D environment design
- I want to learn 3D architectural or engineering design
- I want to learn how to design 3D sets that can go on to be animated
Set Aside Practice Time
Like any other skill, you’ll need to dedicate time to learning. Since you are likely learning this new skill on your own, you get to set your hours depending on your schedule and goals.
Try to set aside at least 1 hour per week for learning your new skill. You can increase your practice time gradually as it becomes a regular part of your routine.
And, make sure you dedicate some time to just messing around with the software to see what you can discover on your own, without tutorials! We can learn so much from experimentation and investigation. In fact, people often learn better by using self-directed learning and inquiry-based learning. During this time, don’t be attached to the idea of making “good” artwork. You’re just messing around and exploring!
Stay Positive!
Learning a new skill can be challenging, especially at first. There may be a steep learning curve for 3D art and for the software itself, so don’t give up if you are having a hard time when you start out.
Getting over the beginning hurdles of understanding how things work and getting acquainted with your tools will take some time. After that, you’ll be off making your first artwork!
Give yourself space to make mistakes, accept that it might be boring or frustrating sometimes, and enjoy the journey.
What Hardware Do I Need for 3D Art?
To actually begin making 3D art, you’ll need to have some fundamental equipment at your disposal.
You can buy premade computers that meet all these requirements, or if you’re interested in building your own computer you can pick and choose which elements go into it.
Computer
First and foremost, you’ll need to have a computer that can handle running the software you’ll be using for your art.
3D art software takes a lot of resources to use, so your computer must have these key components:
- CPU with around 8 to 16 cores with at least 3.4 GHz speed (and Turbo Boost feature is possible)
- GPU (graphics card; especially if you want to render using the GPU rather than the CPU)
- At least 32 GB of RAM, but get as much as you can afford
- Operating system
- Windows 10 (minimum)
- Mac 10.15 Intel (minimum)
Computer Housing
Since the software will be taxing on your rig, you need to make sure the case is suitable.
Ensure that your computer case protects against dust and provides adequate cooling, or else you risk overheating.
Monitor / Display
To be able to see your work clearly, you will want to have at least a 15-inch or larger display with a resolution of 1920×1080 or higher. Consider investing in an IPS or OLED panel for better color representation.
Data Storage
Invest in some external storage so you can stash works in progress and finished pieces in a way that doesn’t slow your computer down. You can use HDD, NVE, and SSD.
Graphics Tablet
It’s not absolutely necessary to invest in a graphics tablet, especially if you aren’t sure you want to continue with 3D art. But, many computer artists find using a graphics tablet to be extremely beneficial, versus using a mouse or touchpad.
If you do decide to pursue 3D art, you don’t need to use a tablet, but it’s a good idea to try one out and see if it helps you (though it does have a bit of a learning curve). You’re probably familiar with the brand name Wacom.
VR Headset and Controllers
Now, this is definitely only an expense you should consider if you know for sure that you want to build art in 3D (or if you already have one for gaming).
Some programs are available for you to virtually construct art, like sculptures and environments.
Even if working in VR is a faraway dream for you right now, isn’t it cool to know it’s something you can eventually do?
How to Choose a Software or Program for 3D Art Online
This might be the most intricate part of beginning your 3D art journey: Which program should you learn?
There are many factors that can help you decide which program(s) to start with, and which to check out later on, if at all. You don’t need to know every 3D art program out there, but dabbling in all the free ones over time is a good idea so you have a feel for how other artists might be approaching their work.
Some of the most popular 3D art programs today are:
- Blender
- Maya
- Creo Parametric
- Adobe Dimension
- Unity
- 3ds Max Design
- Cinema 4D
- Tilt Brush
- Substance Designer
- Houdini
- Modo
- Sculpt
- SketchUp
- SculptGL
To choose the first program to try, you can ask yourself these questions:
1. What is my specific goal right now?
If you want to learn a specific thing like we talked about earlier, then your choice of program is narrowed down. For example, if you want to learn to make 3D animations, you obviously need to choose software that has this capability.
2. What tutorials seem to be the most helpful?
Search written and video tutorials for each program you are considering. This way, you can get an idea of the interface, the workflow, and the capabilities for the program. You’ll also be able to better judge what kind of instruction is out there; if you can’t find any tutorials that you like for a specific program, take it as a sign that that’s not the one you need to learn right now.
3. What are people recommending?
Scope out places like X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, YouTube, and forums about 3D art to see what people are saying about certain programs. Do they like specific features? Are they frustrated with the UX?
Research what program people are using to create the same things you want to. Find artists you want to emulate and see if you can copy their workflow. When you’re starting out and learning an art, it only makes sense to learn by emulating people who have already done what you want to learn! For example, many famous painters learned by copying existing famous paintings first.
4. Is it compatible with my hardware?
Double-check the hardware requirements for any prospective programs to make sure you can even actually use it!
5. What is my budget?
Many of these programs are free, and many have free “apprentice versions” for learners. So, surprisingly, budget doesn’t come into play nearly as much as other factors! You’ll have to worry about budget if you want to start making things like video games and selling them for profit, in which case you might need to purchase a license from the software company.
Don’t get too hung up on choosing a program! The more important thing is to take the first steps and start actually creating. If you find out you really don’t like the program, you can always switch to a different one, but you’ll only know that once you actually start using it.
If you plan on making 3D art for the long term, you will likely end up learning multiple programs as necessary, so don’t worry that you will be stuck in one program forever!
5 Beginner Tutorials for 3D Art
Ready to explore working with a 3D art program?
Here are 5 of the most helpful and informative tutorials for different programs.
1. 3ds Max & V-Ray
Margarita Nikita is the co-founder of High Q Renders, an award-winning 3D rendering studio in San Francisco, CA. This tutorial shows you some high-value basics when working with 3ds Max and V-Ray. Some of the information is general for 3D art programs, so you’ll understand the terminology of the industry!
2. Blender
Blender Guru is the YouTube channel run by Andrew Price, who is a Blender expert. This donut series is one of the most popular Blender tutorial series ever.
3. Houdini
The “Houdini in Five Minutes” series by Entagma is a great beginner’s tutorial for learning this complex program.
4. SculptGL
This tutorial by Haddy the Creator goes over the basics of SculptGL, a powerful 3D sculpting program.
5. SketchUp
One of the most recognizable 3D architectural programs, SketchUp, is broken down into a basic tutorial by MasterSketchUp.
Where to Learn 3D Art
There are a few different ways you can make it possible to learn these 3D art programs.
If you don’t have access to a computer capable of running the programs at home, you may be able to join a local 3D art course that has computers available for students.
Some great places to learn about recommendations for local courses include your library, high school, adult education center, community college or local college/university, and online bulletins like Craigslist, Facebook, and Meetup.
You can even hire your own tutor to teach you! Find a tutor for in-person or virtual lessons on Superprof. If you do have your own equipment at home, you can learn specific skills directly with a professional instructor.
Ready to get started with 3D art? Great! What will you create?
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
