Hi everyone - I recently got a copy of Carrara 7.2 that came free on a disc in 3D Artist magazine. "Alriiiiight!"I thought, after having seen some work people had done in Carrara. But the I opened it.

Um........ I haven't got the foggiest idea where to begin. I'm absolutely clueless. I'd like to use it mainly at first, to create some environments and backgrounds into which I can import my Poser figures. But where do I begin?!?!?

Are there anygood tutorials for beginners out there? I looked on Youtube and didn't find anything for someone with my total lack of knw-how. If there are some good ones out there (preferably ones that I can download and save, to view when I'm offline, but I'll take whatever I can get) can anyone point me to where they are?

Please help! I'd love to use this great program!

Thanks,

Steve

Hi Steve, 

Welcome to Carrara. I've got some tutorials here that can introduce you to Carrara and help you get started.

Mark

Welcome to the Carrara Crazyness..

Marks Tutorials are great and well worth the price.

There are several tutorial threads here http://forum.daz3d.com/viewforum.php?f=66 (at least 4 sticky threads worth).

This one in particular which has links to the youtube videos http://forum.daz3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=143676 his youtube page http://www.youtube.com/user/CarraraLounge#g/u (under carrara basic training). 

After Marks I also enjoyed the Infinite Skills training, they take different approaches.

Dnt forget to look at CarraraLounge.com tutorials! I am changing the homepage but you can see the forum too with lot of tutorials.

http://www.carraralounge.com

hey what issue was that? =)

3D Artist:  Issue #12 http://3dartistonline.com/back_issues.php

The one with the Shark spaceship!

3D World magazine: Issue #133  http://www.3dworldmag.com/2010/07/30/issue_133_of_3d_world_now_on_sale_in_the_uk/

I have articles in both Magazines for those issues. I know the 3D World is supposed be completely gone from the publisher. However, that doesn't mean that local bookstores/art stores don't have a copy or two. 

You can find a work-in-progress for one of the tutorials I did in the magazine here: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2802748

Mark

3dartist had it as well issue I think #17 http://www.3dartistonline.com/back_issues.php  but the 3dworld also came with Mimic I think.

Okay, tell us what type of prop you want for a background, eg table, chair, vase, a patio with a fence, coffee cups and saucer.  We will help you create and texture it.  Jan

Quote - 3dartist had it as well issue I think #17 http://www.3dartistonline.com/back_issues.php  but the 3dworld also came with Mimic I think.

cool!!!

Wow, this is great stuff! Thanks everyone! And Plutom, I'm not looking for anything in particular at the moment. I just want to learn how to use Carrara so that I can have more realistic looking environments. I look at things like this

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1832144&user_id=493127&favorite&np

and I'm just in awe. I'd love to be able to do that!

The bridge and rocks are quite easy to do.  There are growth trees in Carrara (you can modify the trunks and leaves).  Making realistic water in Carrara is more difficult.  Grass, I think that some folks here can show you how to do that (I can't).

I would click on help upper shelf, then Carrara help, grab some Cnoffee (that's industrial coffee), start reading and doing.  The sick feeling in the pit of your stomach will gradually go away after all it did in Poser didn't it?  Jan

One you get up to speed on Carrara you might concider buying that scene by Howie Farkes (from Daz) and disect it.

Welcome to Carrara.  I think you will love it.

I used to write Poser tutorials for "3D Artist" magazine, and got a copy of 7.2 with one of the issues containing an article of mine.  I only just installed it yesterday, so I'm in the same boat as the OP!  It looks terrifying, but I'm looking forward to being able to do some modelling and rendering with Carrara, hopefully I'll get good enough to post some pics here along with my Poser work!

Welcome aboard auirrowhead42! I wish I could claim full credit for the image you linked to, but for the landscape I used was Secret Lake by Howie Farkes at DAZ (http://www.daz3d.com/i/3d-models/0/secret-lake?item=7265&cat=&_m=d), though I did make a number of modifications to the scene. 

If you're really interested in doing this type of landscape work, I'd suggest buying one of his scenes, and studying it. He does some fantastic work, and there is no better way to learn how he does it. Plus, his scenes give you a great instant library of grass, plants, trees, etc. to build your own scenes with.

Carrara is actually a nice companion to Poser - since they both got their beginings with the same UI. Of course Carrara has a lot more tools than Poser, but if you focus one one thing at a time, it will make the learning process much easier (Marks tutorials can help A LOT as well).

You can get a lot of help here as well, or on the Carrara forums at DAZ. There's not as many Carrara users as Poser users, so answers may take a bit longer to get, but generally we are a very friendly crowd and VERY willing to help!

Good Luck and Happy Rendering!

Welcome Arrowhead and Paul Francis. I switched from Bryce and Poser in 2005 and have never looked back. Carrara rocks my world.

Carrara is A W E S O M E =D

It is a natural progression and evolution from Bryce, you will surely enjoy it.

I know people like tutorials, but I like experiemnting a bit (ok, wayyyyy too much =P). Don't be afraid to crack open a few of the included scenes and messing everything up. Theory an talk is good, but nothing is like practical application... You can look at blueprints all day, but there is NOTHING like building a house w/ your own hands...

Not that I ever built a house.

I don't even read blueprints =/