Rael Delcon has created a plugin exporter for the free Albatross3D modeling software that will allow you to make sculpted prims for free. Albatross looks like  a full-featured modeler and it works on WIndows, BeOS, and Linux. It even has a pretty spiffy Sculpting mode that lets you push, pull, and smooth the vertices of your object.

For now you’ll be limited to starting with a properly formatted sphere, but Rael mentions that there will be more options for cube, cone, etc as work progresses on the plugin. You can find more info about the plugin on the SL Forums and on Rael’s blog.

Great news! Always happy to see another free sculpty tool. :) I’m downloading it now, and I’ll give it a spin tonight.

Here is my latest video tutorial about using zBrush and Sculpty Maker to create sculpted prims. This time around I show you how to create an object made up of multiple sculpties. You’ll be using the Subtools feature in zBrush, the Sculpty Maker converter (or zSculpty), and a plugin called Subtool Master. *2k has let us know that Subtool Master is no longer necessary when using the zSculpty plugin.

I got a bit carried away in this video and ended up spending more time sculpting than teaching. :)  I do tend to get a bit sidetracked when I sculpt. I’ll be creating another video on this same topic that is a bit more concise and informative. I decided to post this one anyway since there is plenty of useful info stuffed in between my digital doodlings. :D

Yuzuru Jewell, creator of the Rokuro (Lather) and Tokoroten (Extruder)  modelers, has created another sculpty tool called Tatara. This new program is a bit of a Swiss army knife, including many tools that let allow you to create sculpties in different ways.

You can use the familiar lathe and extrude tools as well, as some more complicated vertex based modeling modes. There’s an 3-view orthographic mode, one called Wappa that gives you control over the shape of each individual row of vertices, and even a mode that allows you to control ever pixel of the actual sculptmap file by adjusting the RGB values.

Tatara supports all of the sculpty types (plane, sphere, torus, etc), includes a 3D display of the object with texture preview, and also lets you see what your object will look like at the different Levels of Detail in the SL client. The interface may be a bit too technical for some, but Tatara is certainly worth a try. If nothing else it will give you a new look at how sculpted prims are constructed.

It’ costs L$4,500, or you can download a free 3 day trial. You can purchase an object in-world that will give you a serial number to unlock the full version.

As a part of my efforts to help people find and use the Sculpty Maker object converter, I’ve created a new tutorial. This video covers the very basics of using Sculpty Maker. How to create the proper objects in zBrush, export them, convert, and upload to SL. Future tutorials will cover more advanced uses of SM, including textures, animation, and multiple object creations.

VIrrginia Tombola, fellow zBrush adventurer, has posted another great tutorial on LaBicyclette. This time around she demonstrates several tools and techniques that you can use to create a sculpted prim skull.  You’ll learn how to:

• Use a reference image to assist with modeling
• Use different levels of division to create an organized sculpting workflow
• Use the subtool menu to group objects together, and be able to manipulate them and edit them individually
• Understand the difference between texture and color, and color individual subtools
• Use symmetry when sculpting
• Use the various sculpting brushes for their various purposes
• Make a cute skull

Great step-by-step instructions and detailed info. Thanks Virrginia!