Carrara Pro 8.5 plus "Essentials"?
Subtropic Pixel
Posts: 2,388
So the other thread on the Portrait Studio got me to thinking...I like this and it would give me a good start on learning how to light for portraits, and maybe not just for modeling and rendering, but also for real photography!
But dammit, now I have to ask this question:
What ELSE should I consider getting with Carrara 8.5 Pro? I have DS 4.6 and a bunch of (very) old content from 2000-2007 but no real utilities or tools that would be applicable at this point (because I don't have Carrara at all yet).
Let's put it this way, if I use my coupon and get Carrara 8.5 Pro, what other hmmmm, "essential" plugins would be good for beginners such as me (ie, for analysis and learning via decomposing and dissection)?
And let's say I'd like to keep the total price somewhere under $250?
My interests include landscaping, architecture, characters/design, portraits, and eventually animation of all the above.
My shopping cart will have to sit for a few hours while I think about this... :lol:
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First of all...
Hi! I hope you decide to join us as we all grow together, working with our 3d art in our own way! :)
Tough question.
For starters, since you say: "Plugins", Here's a short list of Plugins available here at DAZ 3D
In there, I own most of it. The Pose and other animation tools by Fenric are very helpful along the way and the Advance Pack is filled with, well.. some pretty advanced features that you can add to the tool box - of course depending on what you decide to get involved with.
I love having Tim Paynes Skies as well... and I'm kind of wondering why his skies are in that list without a bunch more, similar stuff. Like The helpful tools by these folks:
GK Dantas Shaders, Leaves, Skies, 3D Paint Brushes,
Dimension Theory HDRI, Clouds, Skies
3D Lust Incredible Futuristic Environments
Philip Drawbridge Excellent Star Ships
Ringo Monfort DP Shaders
Phil Wilkes Dynamic Hair, Photo Studio, Clouds...
Orestes Graphics Techtonics Vol's 1, 2, and 3
Mike Moir Realistic Outdoor Scenery
Howie Farkes Realistic Outdoor Scenery
Darn... I know I'm missing somebody besides My own store.
But if you love to just learn all sorts of good ways to use the software as well, I strongly suggest, sometime along the way, getting the Infinite Skills Carrara Training taught by the same fellow who made the Photo Studio you've made mention of... our own Phil Wilkes!
But just because all of this stuff is geared directly toward Carrara does not mean that it's the only way to go. Nearly anything sold here at DAZ 3D loads and works beautifully in Carrara - so it really depends upon what you wish to do - and how soon you wish to do it. :)
I am a Platinum Club Member, and use it to the hilt! Those models they sell at 1.99 and 2.99 are gold to me! petipet's store is nearly all mine! Those vehicles and building kits are so cool! Jack Tomalin as well.
I know that bigh's gonna get me for this... but I also love having Project Dogwaffle Pro: Howler to use right along with my Carrara renders - but that's me! ;)
Whew... I could go on forever like this - but let's see where you feel after exploring that stuff :)
here's a start
Fenric's
Selection Changer
Poser Shader Doctor
Enhanced Color Shaders
Multi-Shader Editor
Layer Blending Mode Shader
google fenric carrara to find his store, all very reasonable, I use the top two incredibly often
I also use the figure duplicate very often found in this pack
http://www.daz3d.com/plugins-utilities/posing-pack-3
that will save you much time, believe me
there's also some very good lighting rigs by people like DimensionTheory
also http://www.daz3d.com/plugins-utilities/carrara-skies-lightdomes-1
http://www.daz3d.com/plugins-utilities/advance-pack
I use these sometimes as well
http://www.daz3d.com/plugins-utilities/pose-helper-for-carrara
http://www.daz3d.com/plugins-utilities/pose-and-shading-tools-2
plenty of other stuff that eludes me
most of this stuff here at daz goes on sale, so be warned,.
get C8.5 pro - start playing with it
super help here -
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/15970/#233895
wait for sale
then get this -
http://www.daz3d.com/world-gardens-japan-bundle
some one posted a great learning scene - don't have link - some body will .
edit - to add this
http://www.daz3d.com/carrara-environkit-woodlands
Carrara Plugins:
Digital Carvers Guild
http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/carraraplugins.php
A fair number of shader related plugins, plus cognito (a plugin for gears, pistons, and axels)
Inagoni
http://www.inagoni.com/news.php
Architools to create quick architectural models; and shader related tools; baker works great combining shaders then baking them to create quick custom uv maps.
Tutorials:
http://www.vtc.com/products/Carrara-6-Pro-Tutorials.htm
http://www.vtc.com/products/Carrara-7-Pro-Tutorials.htm
*uses older version of Carrera but some of the tools and techniques are the same as in 8 plus it helps having multiple tutorials to cover a topic.
Here's one of petipet's ships replicated with inigoni's really cool "Replica" (I got the whole Advance Pack, as noted in my first post)
EDIT: I forgot that I wrecked that picture with over-exposure, getting used to PaintShop Pro X5
Here's a newer one, but under sea.
Gotta say, this is one very smart question! I wish I had had the wit to ask 'what do I really need?' before embarking on my Carrara journey :)
There's tons of content stuff I've picked up over the years and never used (all the V3/M3/D3 stuff was going on sale when I got started and I picked up tons of it... then never used it)
For your needs, I think when it comes to portrait rendering Philw's Portrait Studio is probably top of the list (and way cheap and on sale too). Philw also does excellent hair, so does Naomi and 3dCelebrity, but that really is more content stuff, not really a plugin or necessary tool, and you will have the ability to create your own hair in Carrara too. I'd say DimensionTheory's Luminance stuff can be very useful as well.
As far as landscapes, whatever else you do you're going to want to grab at least one of HowieFarkes scenes, just to study how he does it. I know everyone has beat me to the punch and already suggested it, but they are right. Mike Moir does some very good stuff as well, and if you do any night scenes I think Dartanbeck's Starry Sky is a must, and don't forget his woodland environkit either - both are very low cost/high benefit. And DimensionTheory's Ecomantics can make a large landscape scene a very simple and quick thing to render, depending on how you want to approach it.
Also if you do landscapes, there are some atmosphere add-ons that can be very very helpful. DimensionTheory's Cloud 9 is fantastic, and Tim Payne's Carrara Skies and Lightdome sets. Also Philw has a very nice clouddome set.
For architecture, you might consider Architools. It's a quick and easy modeling tool to build houses/buildings, etc. It works great for exteriors, but it isn't designed for interiors as much so doing them is harder. I'm going to dig up some old renders of mine that I did using Architools to build the houses/buildings.
You'll likely want some plugins from Fenric. I use the Poser Shader Doctor and the Pose Exporter the most, but all the Pose tool plugins are great, and the ERC is fantastic.
There's tons of other good suggestions, I'll have to mull it over. But don't get overwhelmed or think you have to purchase $50000 worth of additional stuff to enjoy Carrara. I can safely say that Carrara by itself is pretty awesome and you can do a ton with the base package, so don't let all the suggestions scare you :)
Here's some old Architools renders (well they are Carrara renders, but I built the buildings with Architools :) )
wow JonStark! That makes me want to revisit architools ! (edit sorry I spelt Jon wrong)~
apologies for leaving out these two
I know these have been mentioned but I'd like to reiterate:
these are a steal!
http://www.daz3d.com/carrara-environkit-woodlands
http://www.daz3d.com/ecomantics-efficient-ecosystems
also age of armour's
http://www.daz3d.com/studio-paris comes with carrara shaders and a stack of good props to use elsewhere
Thanks head wax :) I built them all in Carrara 7, if memory serves, and they were saved in my 'my objects' tab, but then the laptop I was using died and they've been lost to me, which makes me a little sad... I got addicted to playing with Architools for a while there.
Forgot about Age of Armor's Studio Paris. That's a very nice interior scene, and could easily help with the learning interior lighting (with daylight streaming through the window) for portraiture
Inagoni
http://www.inagoni.com/news.php
Architools to create quick architectural models; and shader related tools; baker works great combining shaders then baking them to create quick custom uv maps.
Hi,
There is a problem with Velouté and Carrara 8.5 (see attach file)
I write a mail to Inagoni and they answer me very quicly. :) A new version will come (when ?) … waiting for the SDK from Daz
Velouté was working with the 8.5 beta, but not with the last version.
So I keep a 8.1 in a corner of my Mac
Regards
the file
Hello again!
Thank you to all who responded.
I am very close to getting 8.5 Pro and the Studio Portrait thing I mentioned at the top of this thread. I'll browse through some of the other things too and maybe pick up a few things that are (or go) on sale this weekend.
Fantastic news. I love the Photo Studio by Phil W!
So simple to use, yet amazing diverse. It's a real photo studio right within Carrara's render engine!
This is an interesting topic, and... as you get to know me, you'll know that this subject pumps me up and I'll go on about how much I love this product and that one. I'll miss more than I suggest - I buy items and stuff from the store all the time - sometimes planned goods from my wish list, others are impulsive from some cool new thing hitting the store window!
For example, we've mentioned Dimension Theory in this thread. He just released a new HDRI pack to the store. Amazingly took me by absolute surprise is that it was released to the Platinum Club Items store - so I get it for $1.99
With Phil's call to having us try the linear workflow, a subject that I've become quite intrigued with, how could I pass up an HDRI trip to Yosemite National Park?
But when it comes down to it, I think that it's most amazing how much you can accomplish with Carrara Pro, itself. Having the plugins that I use all the time now would make it hard to do without for me. Replica and all of Fenric's Pose tools never get too cool in my workshop. But Carrara is so vast just as it comes, there's not a huge need for anything else when you first start. Some nice content helps. I really enjoy buying in fun, interesting scenes, buildings, landscapes, vehicles and stuff.
Carrara native content may not be the same style of stuff you get at the store - speaking of the models examples. They are of varying scales and levels of complexity - designed to help you learn to model on your own, I think - mostly. But it's good stuff. The vast, picturesque and amazing worlds you can create just working with tools build right into the workflow - such art can keep you captivated with nothing more that Carrara, itself, for year upon year upon year...
Phil Wilkes' Advanced Techniques video series shows how, using nothing but Carrara, you can create incredibly realistic cities and county-side cabins with flowing streams. Urban environments bustling with cars and people - yet built in such an efficient manner to make it fun and fast - with amazing results. Advanced Carrara Techniques video series has to be on of my favorite additions to Carrara to date.
Yet to own the Digital Carvers Guild (DCG) plugins collection, it, too is totally on my 'want' list. I actually am trying to just save up and buy the whole lot. But if that doesn't pan out, I'll try and punt - and buy one or two at a time. The reason I want to just buy them all is that, choosing between them is quite a difficult decision for me. Fact remains- I want them.
Fenric and inagoni's plugins are so welcome. They go really far to expanding Carrara immensely. And that's not even mentioning (shame on me) all of the amazing plugins and other add-ons you can get absolutely free!
Welcome aboard!!!
This is an amazing thing about this, particular release of Carrara - because having it just added a good bunch of value back into all of that stuff!!!I have a few Generation 3 collections - and even just bought Lone Wolf for M3 just not long ago - because auto-fit works so well with Genesis. I bought the Generation 3 shapes for Genesis - got the complete collection - because there's still some excellent Generation 3 Armor and adventurer clothing that just never got remade for 4th, 5th or 6th generations. I wasn't quite clear on the amazing abilities of Dimension 3D's GenX stuff when it came out, or I'd have bought it then. Definitively on my radar now.
The release of Genesis 2 Female sure did create a stir... but Genesis has huge staying power - even though I'm going Gen 6 full bore!
I still opt for a lot of older clothing items. Style has changed and nobody seems to want to make the stuff I like best - so Gen 3 and 4 is where I often go for my clothing needs - Thank you Auto-Fit!
A little tip about "Auto-fit" and Generation 4:
Daz Studio (I use the hexagon bridge for this) has the ability to add figure-level morph target zones. This gives me the option to make morphs across the figure level, ignoring what body rig zone I may be in. In other words, Full Body Morphs.
If I have the need, I can go in and perform this and create specific morphs according to my needs. So the tip is this: Go in and do this stuff before Auto-Fit takes place. The new auto-fit leaves these morphs intact. So after an auto-fit, I pay attention to tweaks that I'd like to make, where and how I need to tweaks to work. Now I can load in a fresh copy of that same figure - make the appropriate adjustment morphs prior to the auto-fit process and save those morphs on the figure level.
It works great - pre-installing morphs designed to assist with auto-fit, and what you want to animate, or pose afterwards :)
Sparrowhawke is too. I see that he's already been testing his stuff with the new release.
When you get around to doing animation I think you might find that the "Animate aniblock Importer for Carrara" and some of the "Animate Packs" could be very useful as far as saving time and as a learning tool. These (or portions of them) can be turned into NLA "poses" as well.