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I've always been a fan of Lynda.com and took a number of their video courses during college. They offer a few courses in AutoCAD. Would I be able to take these to learn Rhino?

http://www.lynda.com/home/ViewCourses.aspx?lpk0=359

Well geometry is geometry. However names of the commands and input formats are vastly different on each cad system. It all boils down to how they write the software. The AutoCAD class will teach you how to use AutoCAD and with that you will gain a good understanding of drawing on a cad program. Once again however it will not teach you how to use Rhino command format.

If you are thinking of paying the give college rate for an AutoCAD class just to learn how to use Rhino I think your money and time is a bit on the high end. But you will gain a wealth of knowledge about cad in general. I am just scared you will be lost going from one command format language to a totally different one.

Rhino command format is closer to Pro E command format than AutoCAD.

Thanks, Michael. Lynda.com is $29.95/month, so it wouldn't be a terrible investment. I'd like to learn this summer while school is out for vacation.

I thought the interfaces would similar to an Illustrator type program with similar tool pallets, but it sounds like you draw by writing code? Maybe the best thing to do is to find a good Rhino book.

Before you do Lynda.com check out VTC.com

They have a great Rhino 3d course. They are also 30.00 /mo

you can view the first few chapters for free i think

http://www.vtc.com/products/Rhino-3D-tutorials.htm

Not even close on either. This is whole other workd thn ilistrator.

You draw like you would in any other program. You will be much faster at it and have more control if you get used to using the text commands, though. Working your way through the basic Rhino training manuals will teach you a lot more both about Rhino and about CAD than most AutoCAD courses will. Learning to make good curves is everything; if you learn to do that then the 3D stuff is trivial for the most part.

There will be sticking points, but learning your way around and then learning to use a couple commands at a time properly will get you 'there' pretty quickly in Rhino. The Rhino newsgroup is also open to the public and there are always people there who'll help you out (and fast!) if you get stuck on something. If you post questions here, then I'm sure there are at least a few Rhino users around

There are some specific and useful tricks here:
http://offbroadway.blogspot.com/

The guy who wrote that blog passed away last year, actually just a few days after I spoke to him last, and he was probably the best resource there was on Rhino. Before his website shut down, there were some excellent video tutorials on it.

_________________
Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

That VTC site looks like a decent value, since it covers a lot of the commands. The Rhino help file in version 4.0 is also very good (and animated now!). You'd probably get a good head start from the VTC stuff, enough that you'd be 'self-directed' pretty quickly.

_________________
Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Shawn, thank you! I'm watching right now.

I think this is something I can learn. Michael, you used to post really nice illustrations. Were you using a similar program?

Nevermind, I found the answer

viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=5563

every rendering I have posted on this form was done using basically two software packages. The solid models and or meshes (the frame work were created in AutoCAD. The material (skins) were created in one of two another AutoDesk products called AutoVision (no longer in production) or 3D StudioMax. I liked auto vision because it was simpler and quicker to create and manipulate materials IE skins using hi-res JPGS and other graphics files as samples for the skins. But when I do any animation it was simpler the create the skins in 3D StudioMax because I needed that software to create scenes manipulate lighting and animation movements. So if animated I would create the skins, scenes and animation in the same file.