Graphics Programs

I have been looking at various graphic programs that can be used for content creation is SL.

There are many packages available, each with specific strenghts and weaknesses. Though, I would like to try them all, costs are prohibitive.

So, I thought a thread about various graphic programs would be helpful for players interested in getting into content creation.

What design software do you use? Explain the specific strengths and weaknesses for the tasks that you use them for.

Perhaps we can come up with a definitive list of graphic tools.

here are a few that I have and use, and some that I've been looking for.

Photo editing and enhancement

Photoshop - I use this. Very powerful editing tool, but high learning curve. Able to create alpha textures.

Paint Shop Pro

GIMP

3D Software

I don't currently use any, but have been looking at various programs.

DAZlStudio

Bryce

Carerra

(any others? Which do you use?)

Texture specific

I know there are a few programs for creating seamless textures, but specific titles escape me at the moment.

Am I missing anything?

perhaps the results of this thread can eventually turned into a FAQ for those interested in getting into design.

- Sam

you can look @ my linksite, its mostly fee windows stuff but theres some tools you can use for SL

http://www.cheesefactory.us/NCI/modules/wflinks/viewcat.php?cid=1

LOL I am sure you mean FREE Osgeld. I am good at reading typoese, I have a lot of practice writing it, myself.


As I understand it, Poser is the top 3D program. I use DAZ Studio to model clothing but, I can't do much else in it.

Corel Painter IX is good for drawing with texture and creating seamless textures. I was able to purchase an Educator's licenced copy for less than $100, which I thought was a good value.

Jen

Photshop can be used to make seamless textures too. Its under the filters called offset. Stick with Photoshop if you already have it. As for 3D GFX packages I guess it depends what your wanting to do with it. Maya, Softimage XSI, or 3DS max do the most but are expensive and have a very steep learning curve.

I use Photoshop to make clothes and DAZ studio to preview them. I don't really use DAZ for much else though.

Im so new at all this I have Corel Paint Shop Pro X on my pc now. I don't know if that can even be used for making clothes or not. I would like to know if it can be.
I have asked a few clothiers but they all seem to use different ones, and when they talk its like a 3rd language to me, and I find myself cross eyed and drooling out one side of my mouth, so its tomato tomatoe I am sure.

I want to fool around with making something for myself and who knows, maybe I might come up with something wild and crazy that dog might sleep on.

Any suggestions from anyone is greatly appreciated!

With Best Regards,
Lost in Clothing

One great seamless texture creator I just picked up is Genetica by Spiral Graphics. I mostly use it for building textures but they do have a whole section for fabric textures. Its very modifiable and I found it pretty easy to learn. They have a demo version you can download at their website.

Corel Photopaint has served my bitmap editing purposes just fine. Version 11, a bit old now, seems stable. I much prefer the Photopaint interface to Photoshop.

Although it may not have too much to do with SL, there is a free open source vector based illustration program called Inkscape which I tried for just a few minutes after realizing that with Open Office and Gimp one should also have an open source vector based drawing program just for completeness. http://www.inkscape.org

I don't really know what all you can do with Blender, but you can use it to create animations and build 3D objects.

The Second Life wiki has a section on graphics and other software of interest to SL users.

Sue mentioned Inkscape. I like this even better than Illustrator sometimes.
Some other useful software.

Dogwaffle
Raster based painting software. Has many natural media and effects options. Efficient and low cost.

http://www.squirreldome.com/cyberop.htm

ArtRage
Cool paint software. Simulates smeary paints just like painting with oils on canvas.

http://www.ambientdesign.com/artrage.html

Cinema 4D and Bodypaint
General 3D modeler. Easier to pick up and learn than Maya, 3ds, Lightwave, etc. with comparable features.
SL avatars can be imported in and painted directly using Bodypaint, the companion program for Cinema 4D. Bodypaint has similar functions to Photoshop such as layering and layer effects, just that you paint directly onto the avatar model.

http://www.maxon.net

TGA Thumbplug
Small add on to windows that allows thumbnails of TGA files in the browser. Useful for those dealing with lots of TGA textures.

http://greggman.com/pages/thumbplug_tga.htm

Acapela Text-to-speech
Useful when you need some spoken wav files but don't like to use your own voice.

http://demo.acapela-group.com/

Relux Professional
Free light planning software that generates radiosity renders. I screengrab the renders and distort them into flat textures to create radiosity lit rooms. Not an easy process but its free.

http://www.relux.biz/

Riverpast Audio Converter
Convert pesky audio formats to wavs that are suitable for uploading to SL.

http://www.riverpast.com/

Glintercept
oh, uh nevermind. . .

I've installed DAZ | Studio and played with it for about an hour. The interface looks similar to Poser but easier to use, and has more controls than Avmotion. It didn't take long for me to figure out how to manipulate body parts and camera angles. Animations can be exported to .bvh files. The SL Avatar mannequins that are available for download on SL's website can be imported.

The description of the program from daz3d's website states the following:



DAZ | Studio is free and is available here: http://www.daz3d.com/program/studio/1_0index.php

The only requirement on installation is that you have to agree to tell 2 friends who are unaware of the software about it. I consider this post to satisfy my obligation

- Sam

Genetica is *awesome*

I also have Texture Maker which is pretty good, but Genetica is so much easier to use. Texture Maker supports scripting. But Genetica does the same thing with graphical flow-charting of the modifications.

Also be sure to get Wood Workshop, it's free... as well as Genetica Viewer which can generate hundreds of textures (for free as well).

Ulead Photo Impact is what I started with before aquiring Photoshop. I still use it for path editing and custom shapes to name a few of the many features applied to it.

Kinda pricey, but worth it

Whoah, thanks for the info on Genetica. Cool!

There is Serif Draw. It is free with a little registration. I installed in on all the computers in the computer lab I work at. Since the college is so cheap.
http://www.serif.com/

They give out the outdated version to hook you to purchasing the new one. The outdated one is a full version. I like both the Serif Draw and Serif photo editor better than adobe products. No doubt not as powerful but I find it easer for beginners like I get in the lab.
Serif Draw does export to .tga.

I am very newto second life, but i am a 3d cg artist, which 3d file types does SL allow for upload?

None.

You can upload targas and jpegs which are then applied to things built in world.
For the sake of completeness you can also upload .bvh animations, and a few audio file types.

There is a script somewhere for taking some types of 3D object files, reading them and recreating them in SL. Whilst it's hugely impressive, it's way primmy too. Search the scripting tips forum for scripts from Jeffrey Gomez for that one.

As a total noob and NOT having the resources for PhotoShop or some of the others, I had to mention the software I have been using lately. I actually came to this thread looking to see if others had used it.

MicroSoft Digital Image Pro has been very useful. It is kinda PhotoShop lite. Lots of simple features for those of us who are computer illiterate, but don't have the more advanced programs. I can create TGA and PNG files, both of which I use for textures.

I am a fantasy leather mask masker in RL and have been creating SL editions of my work. I have been really surprised by the compliments I have received on the images I created. Comments like "Wow, your alphas are really good" and "How did you make that texture so tight", and my favorite, "Are those sculpted prims?" (There not. They are sculpted in real life, leading to very nice images.) All of this was very funny since I had no idea what alphas were and said so! I merely clip the image out using a basic clipping tool, delete the background, and save as a PNG usually. TGA, when I transfer it creates black backgrounds for some reason.

So I guess it is a combination of our abilities as artists and that program does something right! Any one else every used it? Would love to know, as I am sure there are techniques I am missing and its all it got!

And not to miss a little self promotion, our work is on our site at www.mythicalmasks.com
and in SL at Brythony Isle, a home of Mythic Arts and Culture.