Top 6 Best 3D Printing Softwares for Miniatures
- zBrush – Best overall software for printing miniatures
- Blender – Best software for advanced users for printing miniatures
- AutoDesk Fusion360 – Best all in one software for printing miniatures
- TinkerCAD – Best software for beginners for printing miniatures
- HeroForge – Best software for customization for printing miniatures
- Sculptris – Best software for sculpting characters for printing miniatures
1. zBrush – Best overall software for printing miniatures
PRICING: Plans start at $29.91/month when billed annually, $39/month when billed monthly.
ZBrush is a digital sculpting and painting program that has innovative features and a well thought out workflow. With the ability to sculpt up to a billion polygons, ZBrush allows you to create anything you can think of. The processing capability of this software is very high, allowing users to create in real-time without having to purchasing expensive memory cards.
KEY FEATURES
- Create embossed surfaces
- Add beveled edges
- Brushes now support dual alphas and textures
- By using brush size/sensitivity, add in any image, noise, texture, or brush preset to create visually interesting surface detail aon your subject.
- Alignment/Redistribution – you can now align meshes to the top, bottom, left, right or center
- New knife brushes allow you to cut cleanly through meshes
- Create more intricate patterns and strokes with the interpolation update
- Access now included to XMD Toolbox within zBrush once installed
REASONS TO BUY
- Great software for sculpting
- Custom made brushes
- Noise sculpting – easily add surface textures to your work
- Great software for detailed, high-poly work
- Re-topologizing
REASONS TO AVOID
- Difficult UI
- Not a software well suited for renders
- Not a software well suited for animation or rigging
2. Blender – Best software for advanced users for printing miniatures
PRICING: Free to download
Blender is a free and open source 3D creation suite. Blender is cross-platform and runs equally well on Linux, Windows, and Macintosh computers. Advanced users can use Blender’s API for Python scripting to customize the software and write specialized tools.
KEY FEATURES
- Rendering
- Modeling
- Sculpting
- Animation & Rigging
- Story Artist
- VFX
- Simulation
- Pipeline
- Video Editing
- Scripting
- Interface
REASONS TO BUY
- Excellent for designing from scratch
- This software is free to download making it easily accessible to everyone
- Ample learning resources including videos
REASONS TO AVOID
- Bigger learning curve for beginners, the UI can be a challenge to grasp at first
- Large file size to download, requires a big computer with ample RAM
- Since this program requires a large amount of space on your computer, certain editing capabilities, like video editing and node editing specifically can lag if you do not have the recommended RAM.
3. AutoDesk Fusion360 – Best all in one software for printing miniatures
PRICING: Free 30 day trial available. $60/month or $495/year.
Fusion 360 is a cloud-based 3D modeling, CAD, CAM, CAE, and PCB software platform for product design and manufacturing. You’re able to create products and ensure aesthetics, form, fit, and function of them all in the same place all while keeping in mind the time spent on normal product design, engineering, and changes. You have the ability to edit existing features with Fusion360, which has been named ‘the only truly integrated CAD + CAM software tool’.
KEY FEATURES
- Sketching
- Direct Modeling
- Surface Modeling
- Parametric Modeling
- Mesh Modeling
- Freeform Modeling
- Rendering
- PCB Design Integration
- Sheet Metal
- Assemblies
REASONS TO BUY
- Very easy to learn and use
- Works on MAC and PC computers
- All work can be saved to the cloud – making them easily accessible from other devices
REASONS TO AVOID
- Updates are continuously rolling out, this can be tedious to keep updating and relearn tools
- Many of the tools/buttons are unlabeled, which can take time to learn when you’re just starting out
- Being a cloud-based program, you need a reliable internet connection
4. TinkerCAD – Best software for beginners for printing miniatures
PRICING: Free
Tinkercad is a free, easy-to-use web app that is most notably used for those starting out in 3D design and coding.
KEY FEATURES
- 3D Design: any item you can think of, you’ll be able to make in this software
- Electronics: great for simulating electronics like circuit breakers
- Coding: write programs that can make designs for you
- Augmented Reality: see your designs in everyday spaces with the push of a button to enter AR mode
REASONS TO BUY
- Best software for beginners, very user-friendly and easy to learn
- Tutorials are available on the software website
- Being web-based, you can login anywhere to see and work on your projects.
REASONS TO AVOID
- Navigation is tricky if you’re just using a mouse, learning the quick keys is very helpful in this program
- Limited features, so for more intermediate to advanced users, you may not be able to accomplish a specific goal or vision with this software
5. HeroForge – Best software for customization for printing miniatures
PRICING: Basic download of the software is free, Pro version of the software is $3.99/month and the Pro+Download option is $14.99/month
Hero Forge is a software/platform where you can design and order custom miniatures. You can choose to design your own miniature from their software, or order already made ones. Using the latest in 3D printing technology, you can create your character, export images for your character sheet or favorite virtual tabletop program, and order a one of a kind custom miniature.
KEY FEATURES
- Character design & Customization
- Ordering of custom miniatures
- Download your character
- Making virtual tabletop tokens
REASONS TO BUY
- Easy to use and customize your characters
- This software is an all-in-one site, you can create your own character, buy ones already made and buy extras and accessories.
REASONS TO AVOID
- You’re given specific characters and design elements to choose from, but within those you have free reign, so building a character completely from imagination isn’t possible using this software.
6. Sculptris – Best software for sculpting characters for printing miniatures
PRICING: Free to download
Sculptris is a virtual sculpting software program, with a primary focus on the concept of modeling clay. Users can pull, push, pinch, and twist virtual clay. It is geared toward character sculpting and “organic” models.
KEY FEATURES
- Dynamic Tessellation: If there are not enough triangles to display the detail you want, the software automatically divides the area under the brush. If you’re adding volume to your model, the existing polygons are not stretched, as commonly with other softwares, instead new polygons are added.
- GoZ: effortless integration with ZBrush.
- Symmetry Mode: when sculpting on one side of the model, you can automatically affect the other side symmetrically.
- Mask System: while working, you can choose to protect some of the areas of your model.
- Projection Painting: textures painted with Photoshop can be projected onto your model.
REASONS TO BUY
- Preloaded materials and patterns
- Sculpting and optimizing brushes available
- Ability to customize your navigation controls
REASONS TO AVOID
- Only for Windows and MAC
- Software doesn’t do much besides sculpting
- Not industry standard and does lack some other more “basic” options that are available in different softwares.
References and Links
- https://www.myminifactory.com/software/
- https://blenderbasecamp.com/home/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-blender-3d/
- https://3dprinterly.com/how-to-make-miniatures-with-your-3d-printer-design-print/
- https://www.getapp.com/construction-software
- https://www.heroforge.com/intro/
- https://www.tinkercad.com/
- https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360
- https://zbrushcore.com/
- https://www.sculpteo.com/