GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, is an excellent tool for editing images with many features comparable to Adobe Photoshop. It has been around for 25 years and is free and open source. Download: https://www.gimp.org/
GIMP: 2D Image Editing
Krita: 2D Painting & Animation
Krita is a professional free and open source painting program. It is an excellent tool for concept art texture and matte painters illustrations and comics In addition, is supports 2D animation Get Krita The software can be downloaded from Krita.org
OpenToonz: 2D Animation
Free and Open Source yet professionally powerful 2D animation software. Simulates a cell based animation approach, handles bit bitmap and vector layers.
Meshroom: Photogrammertry
Meshroom is a free, open-source 3D Reconstruction Software based on the AliceVision framework
This powerful photogrammertry tool is available for Windows and Linux
3D Paint Tool
These two videos show the basics of using the 3D paint tool in Maya, and how to then refine the result in Adobe Photoshop. The model used was created by Naeem Green ’22 A rather old but still useful tutorial can be found on 3dtutorialzone.com
Using the Andy Rig
How to use the Andy Rig.
The basic features of the Andy Rig are explained in a video.:
How to use DSN Rapid Rig Basic
There are several scripts out there that let you create a rig for your character in a more or less automated way. The only free one that I found that actually works in Maya 2011+ is DSN Rapid Rig. There are two version: the basic and free one and the full version which of course […]
BlendShapes: Shape Editor
Morphing has gotten a lot easier in Maya with the Shape Editor.
Morphing
This technique, also know as Shape Animation / Shape Blending, enable you to deform an object from one shape to another. The principle is simple: you have a base shape (the un-deformed state) and a target shape. By determining a percentage, for instance by pulling on a slider, you can by smoothly interpolate between the […]
Retopologizing using the Quad Draw tool
The Quad Draw tool in Maya is great for retopologizing a model. You basically draw a new mesh on top of the (probably way too high density scanned) mesh, Here is a video on the basics. To start drawing quads on top of an existing mesh Select the surface you want to re-topo (draw on) […]