If you’ve decided to take on 3D modeling as a hobby or for the purposes of changing careers, then you will have probably researched numerous different 3D modeling applications that you can use. And after that research, you’ll probably be left with one of two options, either Blender or Maya. So which of these applications should you learn?
Blender is the more accessible of the two options and is highly recommended if you are looking for 3D modeling software that you can use to learn the art form. It is also being increasingly used by smaller companies in various fields such as game design and 3D animation. Therefore, learning blender would be a good first step on a potential career path.
There are numerous reasons why we would recommend either Blender or Maya as a tool that you would use to learn 3D modeling. Both are extremely powerful, so why are we so strongly in favor of Blender Over Maya?
Why Should I Learn Blender?
There are many reasons why you would want to learn the blender software, perhaps the most important of which is the fact that it is free software that you can download without paying for and without registering your personal details.
You can download Blender and begin using it straight away, and as we discuss a little bit later in the article, this is actually why we recommend Blender over Maya.
The user interface is simple enough for a beginner to understand with guidance as Blender uses a workspace system to divide up its many tools into these various workspaces. Each workspace focuses on a specific task. For example, there is one for modeling and then a separate one for animation.
The main tools for any task are typically made available within the viewport or the main panel for that task. While there are many more tools available besides the ones that are visible on the tool shelf, it’s easy enough for a beginner to learn the basic tools for 3D modeling.
And the third reason why we strongly recommend learning Blender is because of the faster way of available learning resources. There are hundreds of YouTube channels that center around tutorial content relating to Blender.
You also have access to numerous blog websites similar to this one and the Blender Manual. And if you want to take your learning a step further, there are many courses on websites like Udemy, Skillshare, and Blender Boot Camp.
Why Should I Learn Maya?
The main reason you should choose to learn Maya as your software is because it stands head and shoulders as the premier application for 3D modeling and animation in a wide variety of industries.
For many years it has been considered an industry standard and a standard bearer in what a free D modeling application should be able to do.
Because of this, many of the top companies in various fields will use Maya in their pipelines, whether that pipeline involves video game assets, 3D animations, or even the creation of objects used for 3D printing or manufacturing.
Its core toolsets are slightly easier to learn than blenders. In particular, the animation suite on Maya is sensational. You also have access to some excellent physics simulations that you can perform using Maya, which are considerably better than Blender.
Why Do We Recommend Blender?
The number one reason why we recommend Blender over Maya is accessibility. Blender is one of the most accessible applications of any kind that you can find on the web.
All you need to do to begin using the blender software is to go to the blender website, click on the download button, choose the correct operating system to begin the download process, install the software and then begin using it on your device.
Going from the main web page to using this software could not be faster with Blender. This is one of the main reasons Blender is arguably the most popular 3D modeling application used by the global community.
By contrast, it’s much more difficult to attain Maya. You can get a free license for Maya if you are a registered student at a certified university. They will work around this in years gone by. However, now you are required to provide evidence that you are associated with an educational institution.
So if you do not meet this requirement, you are out of luck when getting an educational license.
As a result, you can attain Maya using one of two methods. You can either buy a license for a specific period of time, or you can go with their flex system, which allows you to buy a set number of tokens.
If going with the license option, you’re going to be paying approximately $2000 a year to license Maya for both personal and commercial use. If you go with a 3-year license, it doesn’t really save you that much money and is still not too far off the $6000 mark.
The token system looks a little bit better because it’s based on a usage amount each day. If you access the Maya software, then you will be charged six tokens for the access on that specific day. But if you choose not to use my next day, you won’t be charged for that day.
While this sounds much better, the minimum projected price that you can pay for flex tokens is still $1500. So it seems that no matter which option you choose, you’re going to be paying a premium for the Maya software, but at least you get premium support for the money.
This is not something that you’re going to want to do if you’re simply looking to learn 3D modeling. Because of this, the only time we would recommend learning Maya instead of Blender is if your main goal is to enter a field where Maya is used in that industry by the company you are trying to get employment with.
There are still a lot of companies, particularly in game design, that use Maya in their pipelines, and so learning the software will definitely be of tremendous advantage If you are looking for employment with those companies.
Thanks For Reading The Article
We appreciate you taking the time to read through this article and hope you have come one step closer to deciding which 3D modeling application you’re going to Start learning. If that choice is Blender, we have some additional articles below that you can read to learn about the software.
