Carrara (software)

Infobox Software


name = Carrara
developer = DAZ 3D
latest_release_version = 6.0
latest_release_date = August 2007
operating_system = Mac OS X, Windows
genre = 3D computer graphics
license = Proprietary
website = [http://www.daz3d.com/i.x/software/carrara/ www.daz3d.com/i.x/software/carrara/]

Carrara is a general purpose 3d modeling, animation and rendering package which is now owned and developed by DAZ 3D. It features a full set of modeling and animation tools at a price that is competitive with rival packages. Carrara is notable for including compatibility with Poser and DAZ format 3D figures, along with a selection of landscape generation tools, together with its more traditional modeling features.

History

The history of Carrara starts in 1989 when a group of individuals moved from France to California and founded Ray Dream, Inc. with the idea of creating graphic software for the new Mac computers with color displays. Two years later the first version of their new 3D graphics program which they named Ray Dream Studio was released.

In the years that followed Ray Dream Studio became a successful product having at one time over 200,000 users. In 1996 Ray Dream Inc. was sold to Fractal Design Corporation (developer of Painter, Poser). Fractal Design Corporation was in turn acquired by MetaTools (developer of Bryce, KPT) shortly thereafter. The combination of the two companies was given the new name MetaCreations. Around the same time another 3D graphics program named Infini-D was acquired from Specular International. Now owning two 3D graphics programs MetaCreations decided to merge Ray Dream and Infini-D into one application giving it the new name Carrara.

Around the year 2000 Metacreations divested itself of most of its products including Carrara which was sold to a new company named Eovia founded by former MetaCreations employee Antoine Clappier. Eovia developed Carrara for several versions culminating with version 5 released in 2005. Eovia also developed a new 3D modeling application named Hexagon which shipped in 2005.

In 2006 DAZ 3D (developers of DAZ Studio and a popular line of articulated 3D figures) acquired Eovia along with Carrara and Hexagon. Several programmers formerly employed by Eovia now work for DAZ and continue development on Carrara.

References

External links

Official

* [http://www.daz3d.com/i.x/software/carrara_5/-/? Carrara]

Plug-ins

* [http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/ Digital Carvers Guild]
* [http://www.inagoni.com/ Inagoni]
* [http://www.associatedfx.com/ AssociatedFX]
* [http://www.des-web.net/shoestring_graphics.html Shoestring Graphics]
* [http://www.kawachi.zaq.ne.jp/kurozuka/akurodigital/ A-Kuro Digital]

Tips and tutorials

* [http://www.markbremmer.com/3Bpages/tutorials.html Carrara Dark Arts]