5 Worthwhile Purchases For 3d Artists

Posted on 30. Jan, 2010 by Andrew Price in Articles

Ready to turn your hobby into a serious art form? These products will make your life that little bit easier.

1. CrazyBump

This amazing program creates detailed bump maps from any still image you throw at it. Watch the video on their homepage to see a demonstration. It’s simple, easy to use and the results are speak for themselves. Be warned, once you’ve used this program, it’s hard to live without it.

Price: $99 Personal / $299 Commercial License

Buy: crazybump.com

2. 3d World Subscription

Photo by: Hideki Saito

It’s certainly not the cheapest magazine around, but the value you get more than makes up for it. Every issue is jam packed with articles from industry professionals, an inspirational gallery of works, making of feature films and tons of tutorials.

Price: Yearly subscription – $80 UK / $90 Rest of the World

Buy: myfavouritemagazines.co.uk

3. CG Textures Membership

It’s no secret that the best place to find textures is CGTextures.com, but whilst the website lets you sign up for free, you are restricted to a tight download quota and smaller sized textures. A paid membership solves all these problems as well as giving you full access to their full sky map range, basically meaning it pays for itself on the first day.

Price: Starting at $65 a year

Buy: cgtextures.com

4. Digital Lighting and Rendering

This best selling book has become the industry standard for learning how to light your scene. From sub surf scattering to caustics, this book will teach you how to make your scene ridiculously good looking. If you’re serious about 3d, this book deserves a spot on your shelf.

Price: $37.80

Buy: amazon.com

5. Graphics Tablet

Photo by: andyp_uk

Whether it’s for 3d sculpting or just sketching out your ideas in photoshop first, a graphics tablet is definitely a good idea. A mouse can be cumbersome to work with at times, so it can help to work at the speed of your thoughts with a much more natural solution. Concept artist, David Revoy recommended the Bamboo Fun as an all round, cost effective tablet with more than enough features for what most artists will need.

Price: $299

Buy: wacom.com.au

So those are my 5 recommendations, what invaluable products do you recommend?

Share and Enjoy:

21 Responses to “5 Worthwhile Purchases For 3d Artists”

Nick

31. Jan, 2010

Yay! first comment!

I recently bought a graphics tablet, and haven’t regretted it since. Will definitely look into buying the book.

Thanks Andrew!
basilsmith

31. Jan, 2010

Bamboo not work under Linux
Ja-Seen

01. Feb, 2010

Which tablets work with Linux??
Nixon

01. Feb, 2010

good hints..i wonder if the cheaper alternatives to wacom boards can do the trick too…
since 300$ could almost buy one an additional render comp almost….
wonder if anyone still uses handdrawn sketches and a scanner like me does
Joe

01. Feb, 2010

I just photograph my handdrawn sketches. free transformation tool… and feels faster than scan, and I hate the noise I still use a tablet but I have heard the bamboo is not good quality compared to the intuos 3 and 4…
talachem

01. Feb, 2010

I’ll definitely looking into some of the things you mentioned. Something I can’t image working without it the Space Navigator from 3D Connexion. Navigation in Blender and other apps becomes kind of second nature. I’m looking around with it, moving and rotating things, it is just so easy and precision.
Kagami

02. Feb, 2010

Bamboo works great on Linux (Ubuntu 9.10)!
CrazyBumb is cool software, realy
Cornell

03. Feb, 2010

Intuos4 also works fine with Ubuntu 9.10.
I also use a Bamboo at work and though the quality may not be the same as an Intuos, it is much much better value for your money.
Nosweat

03. Feb, 2010

Lighting and Rendering book is really good!
I also use CG textures alot.
I really want the Bamboo pad now!
Andrew Price

08. Feb, 2010

I haven’t heard of Bamboo not working on Linux. At the Blender Conference I think David Revoy was running Linux during his workshops and he was using the Bamboo for his tablet. So maybe just some Linux versions don’t work?
Andrew Price

08. Feb, 2010

@talachem
I’ve often wondered about the Space Navigator. I haven’t brought myself to buy one as I worry that I would become a complete spaz if I then had to switch to a mouse at a conference demo or something. Glad to hear that it works well with Blender though.
Eibriel

17. Feb, 2010

Well I’ve the bamboo, I will see the other things hehe.

(PD: Bamboo works out of box on Ubuntu)
Ben

18. Feb, 2010

Agree on the Bamboo, it’s a great value for money tablet, and well worth going for as your first one if you aren’t sure if the more expensive ones aren’t worth the money (I’m still not). Crazybump is great too.
I’d hold out on the CGtextures membership till you really feel like you need it though. I’m a huge fan of the site, but I’ve not yet really felt like I was missing out hugely by not being a member.
Matt

21. Feb, 2010

Do any of you know of a way to get a discount on 3d World?
Marc

21. Feb, 2010

I’m looking at getting a SpaceNavigator. I have an Intuos3 and it works great with Ubuntu.

I have also put a lot of money toward Blender books and DVDs, and that’s been well worth it.
Kirill

24. Feb, 2010

I recommend to use some old Wacom Graphair tablet if you’re low on money. Ideal is A5 size. I have the big Intuos 3 A4… and it’s so big that I brings it to my work’s place very seldom.
Personally I don’t like Bamboo – it’s unhandy.
Tunyalit

01. Mar, 2010

Digital Lighting and Rendering

this book is publish for so long time ago
but it still be a thing like bible of rendering.
clecle

02. Mar, 2010

i’m still very young and i dont have money enoguh, and i’m still beginner

so

wouldnt you know about somewhere else i could get good textures, not as good as cgt textures, but good enough for know
David

07. Mar, 2010

I like this article, however I feel that you should edit the price under the graphics tablet heading. You have a bamboo pictured in the article, yet you have the pricing at more than I paid for my Intuos3. I agree that a graphics tablet is useful, but you’re price listing may discourage people from the thought. At my last look, you could find a bamboo on Amazon for less than $100 US. Even the Wacom website has a bamboo pen and touch for half the price you listed (in AU). Sorry to nitpick.
Chris

09. Mar, 2010

I don’t need a CGTextures membership. I make my own.

Got a Bamboo.

Everything else shown is nifty.
Mike

10. Mar, 2010

A digital camera, with video capture, is an asset.