campkiller :
So i'm looking to become a character art designer and i need to get the software for the cheapest possible. I have a plan for my custom pc build that im starting soon. but i need to get my hands on photoshop, zbrush, mudbox, and other such things, for free or as cheap as possible. and i don't want to ruin my new PC with viruses and such, any tips will help immensely.
campkiller,
Most software has a 30-day free trial and my suggestion is anyway to try as many as possible before committing. Simultaneously,be very thorough as to which programs are used most commonly professionally. For example in architecture today, it's mandatory to be able to use Autoesk Revit, many firms ask for Sketchup or Rhino skills, in the recording industry, ProTools, film industry AVID, in industrial design Solidworks or Catia. ZBrush is highly regarded and has been used in feature films, but a lot of professionals using 3ds and Maya.
As far as access to the software, the best situation is to be a student. If you can take a course at a local community college or etc, it's a very good combination both to learn the programs and have the software. With Adobe products the Creative Cloud programs are done as bundles by subscription. As an individual the cost is $50/month but if you're a student, you can use all the applications for $20 /month. If you are working as an individual the $50 is not punitive as you're using $3,000+ of software. If you don't pay the subscription fee, you lose access to the program function, but the work remains.
Autodesk has free software for students:
http://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/all
The work produced will have a watermark, but it's a way to gain the essential fluency and also produce a portfolio /demos.
Cheers,
BambiBoom
Modeling:
1. HP z420 (2015) > Xeon E5-1660 v2 (6-core @ 3.7 / 4.0GHz) > 32GB DDR3 1866 ECC RAM > Quadro K4200 (4GB) > Intel 730 480GB (9SSDSC2BP480G4R5) > Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > 600W PSU> > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > Logitech z2300 speakers > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H (2560 X 1440)>
[ Passmark Rating = 5064 > CPU= 13989 / 2D= 819 / 3D= 4596 / Mem= 2772 / Disk= 4555] [Cinebench R15 > CPU = 1014 OpenGL= 126.59 FPS] 7.8.15
Rendering:
2. Dell Precision T5500 (2011) (Revised) > 2X Xeon X5680 (6 -core @ 3.33 / 3.6GHz), 48GB DDR3 1333 ECC Reg. > Quadro K2200 (4GB ) > PERC H310 / Samsung 840 250GB / WD RE4 Enterprise 1TB > M-Audio 192 sound card > 875W PSU > Windows 7 Professional 64> HP 2711x (27", 1920 X 1080)
[ Passmark system rating = 3844 / CPU = 15047 / 2D= 662 / 3D= 3500 / Mem= 1785 / Disk= 2649] (12.30.15)
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