KeyShot is a 3D rendering, animation, illumination and retracing software, it’s available for both Mac and Windows operating systems. There are many alternatives for keyShot; Vray, PhotoView 360 and Maxwell Render are some of the most commonly used alternatives. What sets KeyShot apart from the competition is its ease of use, easily integrated to major 3D modelling software and the fact that it doesn’t require special GPU as it’s CPU based.
Learning KeyShot is very important for design engineers as it brings their design to life, the difference between a properly rendered design and a bare bone design might condense down to the difference between an accepted design and a rejected one.
This post is a road map for anyone willing to start learning KeyShot online for free from scratch, the post will present and compare between the best online sources where beginners can start from and follow along, the sources stated in this post are full structured courses so you won’t find a link to a single video or a group of unrelated tutorials.
Start Learning KeyShot for Free from Scratch
KeyShot Training
KeyShot Training is the first free online outlet where beginners can start learning KyeShot through video tutorials, you don’t have to register to have access to the course.
Structure: The training is divided into 4 section (excluding the manual section) each section is divided into lessons that covers various topics in KeyShot.
Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the topic you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the YouTube page where the video resides.
Pros
- Free.
- The training is well-structured and organized for beginners.
- It’s very easy for beginners to follow along throughout the training.
Cons
- The raining doesn’t cover the latest release of the software (KeyShot 5), though that won’t be a big problem for beginners.
Verdict:This is an excellent outlet for beginners to start learning KeyShot online for free from scratch.
Inneo
Inneo is the second free online outlet where beginners can start learning KeyShot through video tutorials, as the above outlet you don’t have to register to have access to the course.
Structure: The training is divided into 5 section each section covers various topics in KeyShot.
Interface: The interface is very simple, just click on the section you’re interested in and you’ll be directed to the YouTube page where the video resides.
Pros
- Free.
- The training is well-structured and organized for beginners.
Cons
- The training doesn’t cover the latest release of the software (KeyShot 5), though that won’t be a big problem for beginners.
Verdict: This is an excellent outlet for beginners to start learning KeyShot, it’s nearly the same advantages and disadvantages of the first outlet and choosing between them will rely on your personal preferences.
CG Arena
CG Arena is the third free online outlet where beginners can start learning KeyShot through a text-based tutorial, as the above outlet you don’t have to register to have access to the tutorial.
Structure: The tutorial is more of a “learn by doing” as you’ll learn how to use KeyShot through a project through which you’ll render a car.
Interface: The project is three pages, you’ll just navigate from one page to another.
Pros
- Free.
Cons
- The car (material) used in the tutorial isn’t available for download, so it won’t be easy for beginners to follow along.
Verdict: The first and second outlet provide better alternatives for beginners to start learning KeyShot.
3D Tutorials
3D Tutorials is the fourth free online outlet where beginners can start learning KeyShot through video tutorials, as the above sources you don’t need to register to have access to the training.
Structure: There’s no real structure or organization for the training. The training is divide into 124 video tutorials, these tutorials cover many topics in KeyShot.
Interface: Click on the lesson you’re interested in and the video will start.
Pros
- Free.
- The training covers every aspect in KeyShot and has many complete and complex examples.
Cons
- There’s no structure or organization for the training.
- There’s no way by which the training could be organized to make it helpful for beginners..
Verdict: Though this outlet covers every aspect in KeyShot in depth; but the lack of structure and organization makes it not suitable for beginners.
Bottom Line
The recipe for learning KeyShot for free
- KeyShot Training and Inneo are the best free online outlets where beginners can start learning KeyShot for free and choosing between them condenses down to your personal preferences.
Remember that the first step is always the toughest step, and the aim of this post is to provide you with resources that will help you take your first step in KeyShot.