How fast can you learn a new software package?

VESIUS

So like the title says, how fast can you learn a new software package? When are you somewhat comfortable with the program where you actually feel comfortable making stuff ? When are you actually proficient in the program, where you can make something without little to no help? When are you good enough with the program, where it becomes faster than your previous workflow or when you can make something faster than 2 shakes of a lambs tail? I know you never fully learn the program to it's full potential, but you guys get what I mean.

The two reasons I ask is because, for one I'm trying to learn both MODO and Zbrush at the same time and want to see the general length it takes to learn these programs. And two, the psychology behind this kind of stuff has always interested me. It's interesting (sometimes depressing) to see what took someone a week or two to learn, could have taken someone else a year to learn the exact same thing.

Beestonian

I learned the majority of Blender in the same week that I had to use it to do an art test. So I would say a week for enough practical knowledge to get you going on the job, and maybe a month to become fully comfortable with it. I was using it full time at this point, so if you're doing it after hours at home or at work a couple of hours each time then sure, it might take you longer.

All you have to do is make sure that you have a good library of information to refer to (Example: Blender Wiki) and someone good on hand to point out differences where stuff seems counter-intuitive.

sheckee

Depends if you're experienced with other Software.
I picked Max up in a day, but I had a good understanding of Maya. If I didn't have the Maya knowledge it would take a long time as you'd have to learn all of the tools and such.

rls

As sheckee said, if you already know the basic concept of 3D, it's easy to apply it in another software.
The only thing, for me, it's to find the similar tools.

It was really fast to learn blender (one week i think).
Motionbuilder take me one week too to the basic, and more time to control sp

Jeff Parrott

The rule of thumb most places I've been is like 2 weeks 8 hours a day I think. You might fumble around a bit but after 2 weeks you should be good to go.

That's just to be competent assuming you are already really good at using another 3d program. Now if you're learning ZBrush? I dunno it could be a while. 10,000 hours it takes to typically master something (you could argue against that, but whatever).

I've been using Maya for 12 years. I just learned something new last week. I've been using other 3d programs for 8 years and still figuring stuff out in Max and Zbrush. To me it's kinda cool when someone shows me a way to speed up or do something I was unaware of.

oglu

if you know an other 3d package...
and if you have to use the new tool 8h a day...

three days to get something done...
three weeks to get up to speed...

MagicSugar

VESIUS wrote: »

The two reasons I ask is because, for one I'm trying to learn both MODO and Zbrush at the same time

That's a hard goal. Doable of course, but hard.

I started using Modo 302 and it took me months of casual learning with the aid of Dan Ablan's book and dvd plus some Luxology (at the time) training videos. It's only when I got a long term work contract where I forced myself to use Modo 401 did I "get it".

Zbrush took me longer to learn too....especially when I started with version 2.5. If you know what that version looks like, zbrush r4.6 is a piece of cake.

My advice is to keep using both on a regular basis til the interface and modes of working aren't alien to you anymore.

I've been self-teaching with Blender too. I'm okay with the interface now but what's hard is coming from sweet ass modeler Modo to Blender has been pretty difficult to adjust to. I really just want to be competent using Blender's animation tools.

Anthony

It usually depends on the software for me, I picked up max in a few months, though i'd had a couple of years prior experience learning Maya in college, though i'm still not very good at rigging or animation (or texture creation, but i recently got the Substance Indie pack to help with that.)

I usually use free trials to try and learn new software, but they usually expire before i can really get into them (or just as I'm getting into them)

I've had Zbrush for about 14 months now, and still trying to get into it (it was a bit of a jump coming from max, with only little prior expereince in Mudbox)

I've tried blender....but i just can't get into it, I find it far easier and faster to work in Max, but i might have to start relearning maya soon, or Modo, as i'll need to switch software if i want to go freelance, my current version of Max is an educational version of Max 8, both obsolete and not for commercial use, and there's no way in hell i'm paying for the full version.

VESIUS

Thanks for the replies guys. Interesting seeing all the views on this.

ExcessiveZero

oglu wrote: »

if you know an other 3d package...
and if you have to use the new tool 8h a day...

three days to get something done...
three weeks to get up to speed...

this more or less tends to ring true I would say.

Steve Schulze

I've been learning Alias Designer as part of a uni course lately. As it stands I've gone from not being able to use it at all (It's a NURBS modeller and is fundamentally different to anything else I've worked with) to being able to use it with a pretty reasonable degree of aptitude in a combined time of about 30 hours. That's structured lessons with a tutor though. If you're learning it in your bedroom I dare say you could add quite a few hours for fiddling about and experimenting.

Ben Apuna

IIRC Max was like a week or two after having used Maya for years. Modo on the other hand was extremely frustrating for the first few days. I had to tear Modo apart and put it back together the way I wanted it to be hotkeys/menus/scripts before I was comfortable and functioning at 100%. That took maybe a month, it was worth it though.

ISmokeRodeo

Every 3d software has the same terms even photoshop when it comes to rendering. So the basic stuff you need are those terms, and if you are familiar with them you can learn it quickly. Then it comes down to the interface and different tools.