From a traditional artist seeking a better way to transpose ideas onto the canvas to a digital visual effects wizard with a small pocketbook, the following tutorial will be of great use to you.
I've spent the last several weeks researching packages that are not only free but have a strong user-base behind them. It is important to have resources to turn to if there are bugs or issues, so simply being free was not enough for a program to make our list.
Windows only, for a cross platform version of regular Gimp go here.
Loris Attacks Digital Paint Workflow (the concepts apply to Gimp as well)
Gimp Paint Studio Introduction
For Traditional Artists:
Gimp Painter is an intuitive way to quickly sketch out ideas and play with color/light concepts without ever having to use up precious materials. Saves money and time in the long run.
For Digital Artists:
Photoshop and Corel Painter cost money, granted there are free version available, but if you want all the features in one package without torrenting or purchasing then Gimp Painter is your new best friend!
Download Sculptris
For Mac and Windows
For Traditional Artists:
Perhaps you may not be the best digital sculptor, but that does not meant that you cannot benefit from the possibility of viewing something from any angle to sketch or paint! You can download free .obj models (here, here, and here) and load them into Sculptris for an object, character, or place in the round at your disposal! Free reference that allows your creative freedom to flourish? Yes please!
Does importing a strange file into a (perhaps) terrifyingly digital program sound like a bit of a stretch for you despite the benefits? Here is a quick guide to importing those .obj models and even getting started with a bit of sculpting yourself!
For Digital Artists:
What if you could have the ease of use that Mudbox offers, from the makers of ZBrush, and all for free? That's the beauty of Sculptris, you can build up your texture and modeling portfolio for free.
Download Google SketchUp
For Windows and Mac
For Traditional and Digital Artists:
Google SketchUp is fantastic for pulling perspective on tricky situations.
With only several minutes spent, it is possible to rough out an entire environment of primitive forms that serve as excellent reference.
From digital paint to oils, Google SketchUp is a handy free tool for everyone!
Download Blender
For Windows, Linux, and Mac
Crazy Amazing Things you can do with Blender!
Free Book: Blender 3D Noob to Pro
For Traditional Artists:
Unless you are planning on transitioning from traditional artist to digital animation or visual effects artist...you may not want to touch this one.
For Digital Artists:
There are some people who have a strong hatred for Blender simply because of how genuinely good it is. If Blender were a presidential candidate, the media would ignore it. This is a dark horse of a program simply because it is programmed by and for digital artists.
As a free alternative to Maya, 3DS Max, and Cinema 4D, Blender is fantastic.
I personally like this program better than all of the programs listed aside from Maya.
Blender is polarizing, yet impressive.
I personally like this program better than all of the programs listed aside from Maya.
Blender is polarizing, yet impressive.
Download Picogen
For Windows or Linux
Gallery of Images made with Picogen
For Traditional Artists:
Sometimes the fantastic or surreal landscape you want to paint or draw does not exist. The ability to generate an environment from your mind's eye to use as a reference is valuable, the nonexistent price tag is an added bonus.
Sometimes the fantastic or surreal landscape you want to paint or draw does not exist. The ability to generate an environment from your mind's eye to use as a reference is valuable, the nonexistent price tag is an added bonus.
For Digital Artists:
Whether you need a landscape for an environment sphere or a dynamic plate to base a matte painting off of, Picogen is a nice (free) alternative to Vue.
