3d modeling

I am a furniture design student looking to learn a 3d modeling software, and
I have no experience doing such a thing.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to a solid modeling program that would
be easier to learn, and I would assume be pretty basic as I wouldn't for the
most part need any moving parts.

I have access to a copy of Solidworks 2003, any feedback? websites with
tutorials, tips?

thanks

I apologise as I realise this is a little off topic.

Mathew

 

As a student you may obtain a free Maya license.
Forget Autocad it is a toy.
www.rhino3d.com is not too bad..
Blender3d.org is a great 3D modeler with a very good interface and it is
free.
www.Alias.com is one of the best.
Softimage is also very strong in 3D
www.parallelgraphics.com/products/for-beginners


Yves

 

Have you considered open source? If it's solid modelling, I'd recommend Brd
CAD. Links below.

--
OPENSOURCE/FREE CAD/3D/GIS/ETC. SOLUTIONS/INFO:
..Why Software Should Not Have Owners: www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-free.html
..Brl CAD http://ftp.arl.mil/brlcad
..Q CAD www.qcad.org/index.php3
..FreeCAD www.askoh.com/freecad
..Varkon CAD www.mathematik.uni-ulm.de/help/varkon/man.htm
..Art Of Illusion http://aoi.sourceforge.net
..Blender www.blender.org
..Wings www.wings3d.org
..Persistence of Vision www.povray.org
..Grass GIS http://grass.itc.it
..Info www.opensource.org
..Repository www.sourceforge.net
..3d File Converter http://home.europa.com/~keithr

 

for fast and easy 3D sketching check SketchUp: http://www.sketch3d.com

for real 3D surface and solid modeling on Win or Mac check Concepts
Unlimited: http://www.concepts3d.com

N.

 

Sounds more like you are the one with limited knowledge. TomD knows very
well that AutoCAD can do solids but he also realizes that it is not it's
strong point. It doesn't mimic anything. It does solids. You seem to be
under the impression that solid modeling and parametric are the same thing.
They aren't. There are a lot of solid modeling programs out that are not
parametric. If that's good or bad depends on what you are doing. AutoCAD is
far from being my choice for solids but is have used it for that.