Hi, I am interested in using zbrush as you mention above.I dont really understand exporting as an Alpha from PS. I looked this up I never have needed this feature. It seems to be saved as a PNG but these are the file types listed on the Zbrush website for import:OBJ, MA, STL, FBX, PLY. What you describe here I can tell is going to be the most natural for me and would love to learn this. If you can offer any hand holding on how to save the file, I would very much appreciate it. Thanks, holly
Ok, I just downloaded Zbrushmini which is free and the first thing that pops up in the tutorial is 6 lessons on how to convert convert greyscale or alpha based images to 3D modelsā¦happy dance hereā¦thanks!
Wow I had no idea Zbrush Mini had those tutorials! Iām glad you found them. Itās a very interesting method of modeling that seems to work really well for those who arenāt used to building something in 3D space. It cut at least 75% of the time out of our design process, which was the primary time sink in our workflow.
Let me know if you have any particular questions that donāt seem to be answered in those videos and Iāll see if I can provide any further assistance 
Recently my worst nightmares at the bench have been caused by āInstantā ājewelry designersā who have suddenly become CAD " jewelers", without ever sitting at a jewelry bench for even 1 day.
Without the experience of actually setting a valuable, but fragile, gemstone or learning to compensate for the shrinksge of metal between a wax or plastic modal and the end results of casting, I have been faced with some horrific problems, that are always blamed on the jeweler who is stuck trying to make everything work.
Thank you so much for all the info! It is so hard to figure out how to approach 3D and appreciate your sharing. The Zbrush mini is free and grade-schoolers can start to learn 3d. It is kind of an introductory program, gosh I love this! I do not know why the tutorial led me straight to the Alpha training as Zbrushmini does not allow import, but it is there and I can access it when I am ready to upgrade to the full program. Peace
I learned how to use Rhinoceros from Jonas @makowdesign on Instagram during this last year one-to-one over zoom. Jonas has bench experience, and is a great teacher/power user of rhino. He also records the teaching session and sends it to you to download and keep so you can refer back to any lesson with no time limits. I know other instructors offer video lessons for a limited time like 6 to 12 months, but I donāt know of any others that offer what Jonas does. Also, rhino 7 has greatly improved its jewelry design capability.
Iāve been using Rhino for some 12 years, I expected a 3 part learning curve when I started: 1 month to be able to do anything at all, a 6 month jump when i could actually make designs, and 2 years before I got good.
In hindsight, I was making designs at 3 weeks, got good at 2 years, got better at 4 years, and now I have come to realize that I do not know much at all.
You can explore everything from basic geometry, up to very advanced concepts in computational design and physics. Pretty much anything, and level, you care to investigate.
I chose the program, at the start of my 3d design experience, for features that I knew I would not use yet for several years, the largest being grasshopper, a part of rhino that allows of designing by relationships. I did not start using that until year 3, but wanted to know the capability was there.
In hindsight, glad I did.
Just be patient, allow yourself time to work through the inevitable periods of frustration.
Hello, I try the IG @makowdesign and came up with no results can you check to see if this is correct? Thank you
Thank you all you for this info! I have run into computer problems my Mac is too old for rhino so am looking at purchasing a new computer :(, I download Blender, but for some reason, it not working the tools are only showing when I click the icon only come half blue and the same with the XYZ. I have deleted and re-upload it again and still the same problem. At first, I thought I had hit a incorrect button and set the page incorrect but could not find any thing. The program does not seem to behaving like the one in the lesson on how to make a donut. So am thinking it has something to do with my computer. So am off to get a new computer!
hi
if you buy rhino, go with rhino 7, as it has the subD modelingā¦
also, there is a book called āRhino for Jewelry that you might like.
also, youtube has many videos on using rhino
also check out rhino3d.com/ community to get into the forum
and Rhino - Learn to use Rhino
julie
julie