3D-modeling tools help turn individual ideas into beautiful models and prototypes for a variety of fields. These tools allow building and customizing models from the ground up, no matter if you are a keen beginner or a professional engineer. Popular in various industries such as film, animation, architecture, and interior design, are key aspects of various projects. Choosing the best modeling software is often difficult because of various aspects and the wide range of features available in these tools. To help you with the selections, here is a list of 20 3D-modeling software for personal or professional modeling. Read more: Wings 3D is an advanced sub-division modeler which offers a wide range of modeling tools and a customizable interface, along with a built-in AutoUV mapping tool, as well as export facility for common 3D formats.
However, despite more awesome features like support for virtual mirroring for symmetric modeling, Wings 3D provides no support for animation for its users. Supported Platforms: Windows macOS Linux A powerful and free 3D creation software, Daz Studio may not prove easy for beginners to use, but it does offer a feature- and functionality-rich user experience nonetheless.
Artec ScanApp is a brand new Mac OS application, which allows users, for the first time ever to capture 3D data with Artec Eva 3D scanner directly on a Mac. This 3D software, designed specifically for Mac OS, features a new, easy way to scan, as well as a clean, ergonomically designed interface, perfect for new Mac users and a breakthrough for 3D technology.
It enables you to create amazing 3D art with GPU-accelerated real-time rendering and photorealistic results. Along with providing various features of Wings 3D, it also supports animation as well as scene buildings. Supported Platforms: Windows macOS A free 3D-modeling software for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux, Open SCAD focuses more on the CAD aspects of modeling an object rather than the artistic aspect. Unlike many others listed on this page, Open SCAD is not an interactive modeler but a 3D-compiler modeler that reads in the details of the objects to render their 3D models on the screen. Supported Platforms: Windows macOS Linux BSD Meshmixer 3.0 allows designing and creating 3D designs by combining two or more models in just few simple steps. It follows a simple cut and paste procedure, and even supports sculpting ie molding and refining the surfaces real-time like a virtual clay. It supports 3D printing, taking design models as inputs and sending the models to a 3D printer.
Supported Platforms: Windows macOS 3DReshaper is an affordable and easy to use 3D-modeling software dedicated to the processing of 3D models. It can be used in various fields such as arts, mining, civil engineering, and ship-building. It comes with support for various scripts and textures, and packs in lots of features for easy modeling. Supported Platform: Windows 3D Crafter is a real-time 3D-modeling and animation tool that incorporates an intuitive drag-and-drop approach for use.
Complex models can be constructed using simple 3D shapes, and it supports sculpting as well as printing. It’s an advance tool for creating animations. Supported Platform: Windows Creo is a comprehensive system for mechanical engineers and model designers who create products using the direct modeling approach of 3D CAD. Direct modeling allows the creation of designs by existing designs or fresh ideas.
Hence, the changes to the geometry of an object can be made quickly and easily. This is a premium program but there is a 30-day free trial, and a for students and teachers. Supported Platforms: Free Trial for Windows NaroCAD is a full-fledged and extensible CAD modeling application.
It is based on the OpenCascade technology, and supports both Windows and Linux platforms. It supports both basic and advance 3D modeling operations, and can be extended through plugins and programming interface. Supported Platform: Windows Providing a design worksheet, DesignSpark allows the production of highly detailed 3D designs. It promises easy features to remove bottlenecks by making amendments and additions to your design as well as changing product concepts in 3D quickly.
It also supports direct modeling technique as well as 3D printing your models. Supported Platform: Windows FreeCAD is a parametric 3D modeler made primarily to design real-life objects of any size. It is easy to modify designs using the model history and changing the parameters. The program is a multi-platform (Windows, Mac OS, and Linux) tool, and reads and writes various open file formats.
It also allows the building of your own modules or embedding them in your custom-developed application. Supported Platforms: Windows macOS Linux Sculptris provides an excellent gateway into the exciting world of 3D. Its features are easy to learn, navigate and use, even for someone with no experience in digital art or modeling. It helps take geometry concerns out of the design process, and will dynamically divide the model, better handling your computer’s resources. Supported Platforms: Windows macOS MeshMagic 3D helps in creating 3D rendering files, and drawing 2D objects or extending them to 3D. It’s an easy and intuitive 3D design software for users of multiple fields.
Although it currently supports only Windows, it allows the output file to be saved in the popular STL format, which can be opened and edited in various online and offline 3D-modeling tools. Supported Platform: Windows Open Cascade is a software development kit (SDK) intended for development of applications dealing with 3D CAD data. It includes the special, community-developed C class libraries that provide services for 3D surface and modeling, data visualization and exchange and rapid application development. Supported Platforms: multiple desktop and mobile platforms Have you used any of the listed 3D-modeling software? Which is your favorite among these software? Kindly let me know your answers through comments.
Custom Search Art of Illusion 3.0.3 Art of Illusion is a free, open source 3D modelling and rendering studio. Many of its capabilities rival those found in commercial programs. Highlights include subdivision surface based modelling tools, skeleton based animation, and a graphical language for designing procedural textures and materials. This version is both stable and powerful enough to be used for serious, high end animation work. License: Freeware. Developer/Publisher: Peter Eastman.
Modification Date: December 5, 2016. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.6 or higher File Size: 16.8 MB Blacksmith3D 7.0.6 Blacksmith3D provides you with a host of tools for reshaping and painting your 3D characters and objects. Never before has it been so easy to do. Features that are normally found in expensive, and hard to learn software packages have been brought together in this easy and affordable 3D detailing solution. Designed for professional cg artists and novices, Blacksmith3D provides artists with easy-to-use tools to create high quality art.
3D artists who are using popular modeling, animation and rendering packages find Blacksmith3D very simple to integrate into their pipeline and enhance the quality of their art in a short period of time. 2D artists, who are looking to experiment with 3D software, find Blacksmith3D very intuitive, as it has a common 2D paint application look and feel. License: Demo, Standard $110, Pro $230. Developer/Publisher: Renderosity. Modification Date: June 23, 2017. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.6 or higher File Size: 199.1 MB Blender 2.79b Blender is a full functional integrated 3D creation software suite.
It lets users create high quality 3D graphics, movies and replay real-time, interactive 3D content. Over the last decade, Blender has evolved as an in-house tool for a leading European animation studio. Blender is powerful technology used for creating broadcast quality 3D content. License: Freeware. Developer/Publisher: Blender Foundation. Modification Date: March 22, 2018.
Requirements: Mac OS X 10.6 or higher File Size: 164.7 MB BodyPaint 3D r20 BodyPaint 3D offers the ultimate control over your textures with complete layers, filters and tablet support - all optimized for working in 3D. With BodyPaint 3D you can paint on up to ten channels with a single stroke, so a brush can define an entire material rather than a single color.
Plus, BodyPaint 3D's exclusive RayBrush technology lets you view the results of your painting realtime in a rendered image. License: Demo, $995 - Standalone Version - note that BodyPaint 3D is included in all versions of Cinema 4D. Developer/Publisher: Maxon Computer. Modification Date: September 24, 2018. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.11.6 or higher File Size: 4.41 GB - Cinema 4D & BodyPaint 3D Demo Cheetah3D 7.3.3 The amazingly powerful 3D modeling, rendering and animation software for Apple Mac OS X.
Cheetah3D is a powerful and easy to learn 3D modeling, rendering and animation application which was developed from the ground up for Mac OS X. So jump right into the world of computer generated imaging, create 3D artwork for your next iPhone game or make your first animated character. License: Demo, $99. Developer/Publisher: Martin Wengenmayer. Modification Date: March 17, 2019. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.8.5 or higher File Size: 27.5 MB Cinema 4D r20 Cinema 4D is the professional 3D package for your needs.
If you want to create advanced 3D graphics but need a helping hand to ensure you create jaw-dropping graphics quickly and easily, then Cinema 4D is the choice for you. Despite being designed for advanced 3D, the extra tools found in Cinema 4D Studio are still designed to be user-friendly and intuitive. Generating advanced 3D effects such as hair is surprisingly easy and fast, with Cinema 4D doing much of the work for you. License: Demo, $3,695.00 - 3 month License $600. Developer/Publisher: Maxon Computer. Modification Date: September 24, 2018.
Requirements: Mac OS X 10.11.6 or higher or higher File Size: 4.41 GB - Cinema 4D & BodyPaint 3D Demo DAZ Studio 4.10 Powerful and FREE 3D creation software tool that is not only easy to use yet but feature and functionality rich. Whether you are a novice or proficient 3D artist or 3D animator - Daz Studio enables you to create amazing 3D Art. 3D morphing, posing, animation and rendering suite. GPU accelerated real-time rendering, photo-realistic results. Become a proficient 3D artist with interactive tutorials.
You own what you make, royalty free. License: Freeware.
Developer/Publisher: DAZ Productions. Modification Date: December 5, 2017. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.7 or higher File Size: 352.4 MB installer Electric Image Animation System 9.1 Not only is EIAS the fastest renderer on Earth, it is clearly one of the easiest and most intuitive 3D applications to learn.
You will be creating beautiful images in no time, and you will wonder why anyone uses those other bloat-ware 3D applications. EIAS is a suite of several high-end applications giving you the power, quality, and sophistication you expect from a 3D software program. These applications include Animator, Camera, Renderama, and Radiosity. This suite of applications continues its legacy of creating breathtaking character animations, building new worlds with 3D matte painting, and design sophisticated product concepts - you can do all of this and more with EIAS!
So don't be suckered into spending thousands of dollars on inferior 3D applications. License: Demo, $895.
Developer/Publisher: EI Technology Group. Modification Date: June 7, 2013. Requirements: Mac OS X 10.6 or higher File Size: 71.6 MB formZ 8.6 form-Z is an award winning general purpose solid and surface modeler with an extensive set of 2D/3D form manipulating and sculpting capabilities, many of which are unique.
It is an effective design tool for architects, landscape architects, urban designers, engineers, animators and illustrators, industrial and interior designers, and all design fields that deal with the articulation of 3D spaces and forms. Form-Z is highly responsive to the needs of mature designers and, at the same time, novices can use it with ease. Form-Z RadioZity is the version of form-Z that includes radiosity based rendering, provided by the LightWorks® radiosity engine. With form-Z RadioZity, the distribution of light in an environment can be simulated in a physically accurate manner. FormZ RenderZone Plus is the version of formZ that, in addition to all the modeling/drafting/animation tools found in the basic package (described here), includes photorealistic rendering based on the LightWorks rendering engine. It offers three levels of rendering: simple, z-buffer, and raytrace.
A user can start developing the image of a 3D model at the simple level and gradually turn on features and render it at the most photorealistic level. License: Free, Jr. $345, Pro $995. Developer/Publisher: Autodessys, Inc.