This has baffled me for a while. How do people do it? I see courses and people using workflows that have more than solely blender, and just generally- how?
Especially when just getting into it after using only one software. When i'm trying to learn one software, i'm forgetting things in blender, some softwares I haven't even touched yet because I haven't learned the others ("When I learn how to do this in that software, then i'll start learning this one because it comes first...") things like that. Studying multiple things at once has always been a struggle for me, but I want to get better at it and become more flexible and multifaceted. How do I do that, and how do people manage? Also, I heard that there are things such as "main softwares", meaning that that's the software that you do most things in, and even if you use other softwares, they're usually only for a specific purposes like creating textures or sculpts or something like that, even if you can do more things with them, I think.
What if I have 2 softwares that I really like and would like to make my "main" software? I think they are both very capable and would like to make animation in both, but I don't know how people do multi-software workflows. How do people do it, and if anyone is doing it/has done it, how does it work?
Thank you all for all the advice i've gotten, this community is so versatile and amazing in helping eachother out and it's so nice to be around all of you! Thank you!
I used to get really distracted by other fancy software, but now I think it's best to really get a good grip on the fundamentals (in whatever software you may be working). Good topology, a good workflow and sculpting are skills that will probably transfer easily once you've mastered them in one software.
One software will never replace everything. Blender does a lot, but it doesn't mean it's the best solution. I personally like to find the software that does something the best, even if it means I have to pick up a few different programs to add into my workflow.
Currently I use about 4-5 different programs but they're all specific to one area and they do it very well. I use Unity for game development, Blender for 3d modeling and animation, Photoshop for traditional 2D images or photo editing, Substance Painter for texturing. Thing is, I'm not an expert in most of these. Unity is the one program I've gotten to know the most but there's still always more to learn.
I use each of these for very specific purposes. I don't need to become an expert or go deep into learning them to use them properly. I use Blender for mostly modeling and animation, but those tend to be the same types of models such as props, human characters, weapons, etc. I don't use sculpting, I don't texture or use materials beyond creating basic versions, nor do I use any of the other features Blender is known to have.
It may sound crazy that someone may know 20 different programs, but when you really dig in you realize they don't know everything about it. Heck over the past 15 years I've used:
Would you ever say that there was a time where you were learning something new to add to an existing workflow, and how would you figure out how to learn one without forgetting the other, or just figuring out a way to have a schedule for learning it and keeping sharp with the other things? Also, do you think notes could be helpful in remembering it all? Thank you, sorry if these are silly questions.
iihatelemons They're not silly questions, they're perfectly reasonable. There's a fun "joke" I heard when I was in the military. Our training was usually very intense and required us to learn a lot very quickly. Every time we learned something new we'd say "well another penguin just fell off the ice". Basically saying that everything we learned was a penguin taking up space on a piece of ice (the brain). Only so many penguins could fit on there so you needed to make sure whatever you're learning should be kept.
Anecdote aside, anytime you focus on one thing you'll inevitably stop practicing on other things and eventually you'll forget some things. I'm not going to say I remember everything from those programs because I don't. Constant practice is needed, but I don't need to know everything about these programs to use them.
I know the basics of modeling and rigging in Blender, I don't waste time by trying to learn everything about Blender especially if I won't use it. I then bring that into Substance Painter to texture it. My process for texturing in SP is almost always the same, so its almost a routine habit.
I have the most experience working with Unity and it tends to be quite vast in comparison to other programs but that's because I've been using it almost daily for years now.
My advice to you and to anyone wanting to dabble in multiple things is to learn enough to do what you want. Chances are there are plenty of things in that software or discipline that you don't really care about that much. Learn what you need and discard the rest.
If you're having trouble forgetting from one softwere to another just practice your workflow. With time it becomes natural. Also you can get your self a notebook, put it next to your Monitor and just write notes from time to time to remind you of things ( for e.g I got this done for some shortcuts, maps etc etc.) . That's what I do.