123D Make

Pros

• Free program to use
• Makes quick work of modeling
• Large community database
• Scales up or down to size well

Cons

• Not a ton of features
• Cardboard-like objects aren't attractive
• Will still need some 3D know-how to use

For everyone who likes to design 3D models and various art projects on Mac, you may already know that most of the software costs a bundle, and thus you might be thrilled to learn about a free alternative like 123D Make.

Overview of 123D Make

There are a lot of 3D modeling programs out there that deal in different things. Some allow you to simply draw a variety of models, while others are ideal for creating landscapes and characters for video games and other animated applications. 123D Make is actually a more realistic piece of software that allows you to create 3D objects that will render to 2D plans for real-life construction.

This program was created by Autodesk and is available for free. There's no trial version and no hidden charges. You can get this program for the Mac and Mac OS X operating systems. The only program language available here is English, and it's a relatively small download that won't lag down your computer.

How 123D Make Works

When you open up 123D Make, the first thing you might notice is that it's nowhere near as complex as a lot of those different 3D modeling programs on the market. In fact,this was designed to do a whole lot of the work for you. Since it's a program that allows you to create 2D plans from a 3D model, all the lines and options are pretty straightforward and to the point.

You'll open up to a blue screen with a gray side-bar on the left which gives you your various modeling options, like sizing options (height, width, etc), units, depth, and more. Everything is simple, however, since you're basically just dealing with brown, cardboard-looking objects to create a print-out for a 2D model.

123D Make Features

While there are not a ton of features with this program, one very unique feature it does have is the “Browse Community” feature, which will allow you to browse a community of many thousands of models other people have made. So, say that you're looking to make a model airplane for your kids, as a project to do with them. The program may have quite a few that you can use as-is, or go through and make unique tweaks.

Another great feature to use is the scale feature, which allows you to model in one size with which you're comfortable, but then to instantly scale it up or down to the size you're going to specifically need for your 2D model printout. This is something that comes in handy, since you're not forced to model in the exact size in which you will render.

Pros and Cons of 123D Make

Pros

• Free program to use
• Makes quick work of modeling
• Large community database
• Scales up or down to size well

Cons

• Not a ton of features
• Cardboard-like objects aren't attractive
• Will still need some 3D know-how to use