Carrara Info
Carrara Information Page
This is where I'll keep a whole pile of information regarding Carrara software and how it works, what it likes and doesn't like, and offer as many possibilities that I have time to share.
I have a lot to talk about in this regard. Have I mentioned that I really enjoy using Carrara? I did... but I really cannot say that enough. I really, Really enjoy using Carrara.
I feel that, for those of us who want to make CG using Poser or DAZ 3D figures, especially if we want to do it all on our own on a very limited budget, Carrara is the perfect solution - even though it's not on a persistent development cycle. So we don't have the very latest technology in the industry. Big deal. It works with technology that really rocks for what we want to do.
Keep in mind that, aside from everything you'll find here, Carrara is so vast that you can always be certain that you can go into Carrara and find a LOT more options, functions and features available to you.
Check out the Dartanbeck Articles Page
That said, I'd like to urge anyone reading this to head on over to the Carrara Discussion Forum at Daz3D.com, where you'll find a living community of Carrara users asking questions, finding answers, sharing thoughts, sharing rendered images, offering advice, competing in challenges, etc., etc., and sometimes just being silly and friendly!
► Learning CARRARA and need some help? - a thread by Dartanbeck
One of our intrepid forum members also created another forum to focus directly on Animating in Carrara, covering all manner of topics in this vast subject without the scrutiny of the Daz3d forum moderation - CARRARATORS - Come on in, sign in, introduce yourself, and join in on the fun!
If you're new to Carrara and would like to read a great "Getting Started" thread about bringing in Genesis for the first time and going on and on from there, I can't recommend this thread enough, by forum member Diomede: No one asked me
The Carrara Cafe page is my brief write-up on another excellent site focussing strictly on Carrara. The hard-working staff is always posting the latest news and eager to assist its members. I love the Cafe!
They have great articles and news casts as well as tutorials and project demonstrations, Galleries, downloads and the wonderful C3DE (Carrara 3D Expo) Magazines!
►►► Carrara Information Manual ◄◄◄ is a forum thread that I started long ago - even before Carrara 8.5 was officially released. It was my attempt to create a sort of links thread combined with articles I've written myself to help show people what they might use Carrara for - from new user or someone looking to purchase, to even seasoned users looking for other techniques or inspiration.
I've written a little about the idea behind the manual thread here.
Just an FYI: There's a thread in the forum regarding things that don't entirely work in Carrara to come up with work-arounds to fix it: Buy Something That Doesn't Work in Carrara? Post your Questions and Workarounds here
Phil Wilkes Carrara Courses - Learn Carrara like Never Before!
and there's also the amazing 3DXtract e-zine Collection
So Let's Begin
I'll do my best to organize this as I write it into an order that makes sense to someone just starting out with, or considering Carrara which should help to make navigating a bit easier - but this might eventually create a bit of reorganization as the site progresses.
Table of Contents
This will cover the basics to help make sure we don't miss anything... knowing what is needed right from the start. We'll also expand from here to discuss other forms of installation, like Daz Studio Content installation vs Poser Runtime structures as well as various methods of handling how Carrara-Specific purchased content can be installed and then found within Carrara's browser.
Cripeman Memorial (with video tutorial index)
Forum Help!!! Links
This is a living help system because the links lead to forum threads about the topic in question. It's quite common for folks who were part of such a discussion to 'follow' the thread, so they'll get an e-mail if someone makes a fresh post, but the topic will also rise to the top of the forum listings again, to capture the attention of the current forum readers - so if the thread doesn't already answer your specific question, make a new post and further the thread with new queries!
Genesis - Carrara 8.5 - DIM Support Thread Links
Got questions about Genesis use in Carrara, DIM use for installing?
This page lists links to threads that have answered many questions to common problems
► Learning CARRARA and need some help? - a thread by Dartanbeck
Backgrounds, Skies, and Environmental
Phil Wilkes Carrara Courses - Learn Carrara like Never Before!
Lighting
see Cripeman's videos on Lighting & Rendering
GKDantas has some great demonstrations on using lights
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On the right is Jeremy Birn's incredible book: Digital Lighting & Rendering, which is a strongly suggested resource for anyone wanting to improve their CG imagery!
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Carrara Lighting Tutorial High Quality Video Tutorial by Mark Bremmer - includes scene -
Michael 6 HD Light Study by Ringo Monfort
HDRI Anyone know where I can find cheap (or free) HDRIs?
Polygon Modeling, Post your creations! Learn and share experiences
Modeling Objects in Carrara - Q&A - Come One and All - join wgdjohn on a journey through creating anything and everything
Tessellation in Carrara on an arbitrary position like in Hexagon?
Questions on vertex modeling (rotating the axis system, grouping etc)
5 ways to fix poke through without using conforming clothes! Another informative tutorial by Diomede64
Export as obj without loosing Pose ("Completely Insane!")
UV Unwrapping - Multiple Software discussion with video tutorials
Philip Staiger, one of the developers of Project Dogwaffle, is a huge Carrara fan. He used to work for Eovia when they took over Carrara and released version 2! He loved it then and it remains to be his favorite 3d tool to this day! No wonder. Carrara rocks!
I am really growing to enjoy the unlimited resources found at TheBest3D.com - There are tutorials galore, for many various apps for many different techniques. The videos conducted by Philip are my favorite of them due to his immense knowledge combined with his wonderful personality.
Learning tips and tricks from prior Carrara Challenge WIP threads!
Phil Wilkes Carrara Courses - Learn Carrara like Never Before!
Animation and Posing
See Cripeman's videos on Animation
See GKDantas' Animation exercises
A Guide to using Tweeners in 3D Animation (Tutorial) - Sci Fi Funk
How to use Mimic Pro for Carrara effectively Tutorials - Sci Fi Funk
NLA head Clips library and transfer - Sci Fi Funk
Commercial Poses translate whole figure in xyz coordinates. Any solution?
Combine NLA clips (Looping or Matching Previous Location)
ShareCG Download - Carrara Helper and Modifiers for Genesis - by fabaone
Can Carrara 8.5 beta play animations made by ds timeline? ... Yes.
Old Forum - Animating Plant Growth (also explains how a Hard Drive defrag fixed the original poster's Error problem)
New Forum - Discuss the same Topic - Animating Carrara Trees
Please Help Support My Cause!
(or not... your choice!)
Feeling generous? Perhaps a little Kind Hearted?
Did one of my many tutorials or presentations inspire you or help you along in some way?
Drop by Daz 3d and buy me a Gift Card!
It's the Best Gift EVER!!!
More Daz 3D content allows me to add new assets and tools for Daz Studio, and helps with everything I do here at Dartanbeck.com, Digital Art Live, and my YouTube channel - which, in turn helps you all out too!
Thanks in Advance! Dartanbeck
In the Gift Card page, select "For Someone Else"
Recipients Name: Dartanbeck
Recipient's Email: dartanbeck@yahoo.com
Rendering
see Cripeman's videos on Lighting & Rendering
See GKDantas' Render Room info
Flickering AVI My AVI flickers in Carrara
Digital Lighting & Rendering
This is truly a Must-Have Book!!!
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On the right is Jeremy Birn's incredible book: Digital Lighting & Rendering, which is a strongly suggested resource for anyone wanting to improve their CG imagery!
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PhilW's topic listed above: Linear Workflow - Gamma Correction = 2.2 is really informative regarding adopting a Linear Workflow. Later he released an educational course: Realism Rendering in Carrara, which uses and emphasizes some of the many points of topic described in this book.
Plugins
Texture from camera (solved using DCG Shader Ops 2 and Inagoni's Baker)
Sparrowhawke3D Plugins for Carrara 8/8.5 for Mac (and some updates)
Simulating Realistic Flocking Behavior in Carrara using PyCarrara
Want fluids for Carrara? Try PyCloid!!! If you like it, please don't forget to Donate!
How do I start using Daz 3D/Poser content? Link to an article I've written in the Forum
These pages will demonstrate how to locate, load, and optimize our content for use in Carrara, and then store this into our Carrara browser.
Once we've taken the time to optimize content for Carrara, let's save the changes we've made to our browser. While we're at it we can also create a nice system that works best for our individual needs.
Basic walkthrough of designing your own custom runtime structure
► Comprehensive List of Video Tutorials on Carrara - by FractalDemensia
The purpose of this thread is to collect, consolidate, and make available a comprehensive list of all video tutorials available on Carrara.
Buy Something That Doesn't Work in Carrara? Post your Questions and Workarounds here - Not everything made for Poser and/or Daz Studio work as expected in Carrara. Here's where we can get live feedback on our own issues and help out with others.
No One Asked Me - Diomede's Teachings and Examples - Diomede guides us through many issues, beginning with getting Genesis up and running in your Carrara scenes!
Wacky Modeling in Carrara ~ - A wonderful thread by Stezza, where he inspires us to model whatever comes to mind - and gives us super-cool freebies too!
Carrara Non Photorealistic Works (NPR) - explore and learn the wonders of Carrara's Non-Photorealistic Render Engine, along with other techniques for creating NPR or Toon-style renders.
Off Topic! - Have something - Anything to say? Come on in and relax!
Brash Lonergan Adventures - Join Diomede once again! This time to witness his modeling and mapping skills in Carrara - and learn a bunch about making your own custom characters from scratch!
- Learn Carrara like Never Before!
Just a stroll down memory lane - Well.. research for me since I only came aboard with Carrara 8, though to get it, I also own 6.5 and 7 I'd love to eventually own all of them, just for a nice nostalgic collection on its own shelf in my studio/office.
Also check out:
Carrara User's Manual
CarraraOnlineHelp.pdfI love this manual.
Before buying the software I downloaded it, printed it out (all 864 pages of it!!!) and bound it in a giant three-ring binder.
Great resource for when you're waiting for that animation render - kick back, pick a topic and read! Rinse and repeat ;)
Carrara Keyboard Shortcuts
Courtesy of Daz 3d and rk66 from the Carrara Cafe for recovering it, here is the wonderful Keyboard Shortcuts Reference Guide in a lovely chart form!
Thanks rk66 for finding this lost archive, and special thanks to the fine folks at Daz 3D for putting it all together!
CarraraKeyboardShortcuts.pdfHave a Question? Just Ask!
I love to help others as best I can. This is a rather broad topic: CG Filmmaking, so my articles on any particular topic may not answer your specific question.
Most of the questions directed to me are regarding Carrara or How did I do this?
For these sorts of things, post your question at the Carrara Discussion Forum (or another appropriate category) at Daz 3D.com forums, and if I don't see it right away, someone else might. They are such a friendly and helpful bunch! I've learned so much from that forum over the years!
For a more immediate question directed to me, log into those forums and Send me a PM!
Please support this project, even in some small way find out how
