Simple, free, jewelry design program

[autumngems]

Can anyone recommend a jewelry design program that is free that is simple and easy to use? I feel my sketching doesn't get the job done.

 

[Gypsy]

Watching this thread avidly.

 

[monarch64]

How to Choose the Best Jewelry Design CAD Software

Let’s take a look at the jewelry design CAD software offerings so that you can make the right choice in selecting a virtual work environment.

formlabs.com

Screenshot/snippet:

 

[Starstruck8]

Can anyone recommend a jewelry design program that is free that is simple and easy to use? I feel my sketching doesn't get the job done.

In my experience, these things don't really go together...

I had the same problem. With a bit of care, I can sketch square-on and profile views. But tilted perspectives that show the 3D effect are beyond me. I tried Blender, which is listed in the reviews @monarch64 linked to. The attraction was that it's free and infinitely versatile (though in no way jewellery-specific).

Here's what the review says: ... For beginners or those more mechanically inclined, the transition to Blender will entail a steep learning curve. ... Compared to commercial alternatives, the open-source Blender is somewhat harder to learn, slightly more buggy when it comes to features such as Boolean operations, more limited in sculpting features, and overall more amenable for small projects... They're not kidding about the learning curve. I spent weeks working through instructional videos just to get started. I doubt that this is specific to Blender: 3D modelling is about sculpting surfaces, and that just is complex. (Unless perhaps you have access to a library of designs, and limit yourself to a bit of tweaking.)

Quick summary: Blender has been useful, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't have too much time on their hands.

What works best is to work with a designer you can communicate well with, and whose approach and ideas are compatible with yours. I expect designers to listen to me, and to grasp what I'm trying to say with words and sketches and 3D renderings. But I always remind myself: He's a jewellery designer and I'm not. His ideas are probably better than mine...