To make it in the modern world, you need to learn advanced topics, software, and programs at a seemingly breakneck pace. To design something truly unique and special, you’re going to need the assistance of advanced and intuitive programs. That’s why learning how to use Autodesk products is a winning idea.
Whether it’s cloud-based software or the latest media and entertainment trends, it’s great to enhance your knowledge of some of the most influential design software out there. The fast-paced tempo of inventions, creations, and design is ever-changing, and you need to be at the forefront.
Read on to learn how to stay at the forefront of design by learning how to use Autodesk.
What Is Autodesk?
Autodesk is a software company that offers an impressively large amount of products. These include everything from 3D animation software to educational resources. For nearly 40 years, this United States-based software company has delivered unique tools for creating general media and entertainment.
After creating various pieces of computer-assisted design software, Autodesk quickly moved on to diversify its suite of programs. Autodesk is the program of choice for companies like Tesla and Raytheon.
What Is Autodesk Used For?
The primary uses for Autodesk products are staggering. Each Autodesk product can have multiple uses. With enough product knowledge, you can master different ways of creating.
- Designing. Whether it is architectural design, blueprints, and more, Autodesk products bring both design visualization and design engineering to life. Using Autodesk products, unquestionably makes the lives of various designers easier. Autodesk is an iconic software company, and they have been diligently creating software that assists in multiple fields.
- 3D animation. If you are a video game designer, architect, or movie visual expert, Autodesk is the perfect software company for consulting. A talented 3D animator equipped with something like Autodesk Maya or Autodesk Revit has a great chance of building something intuitive, memorable, and functional.
- Educational resources. Learning in the United States progresses by leaps and bounds each year. Students are no longer bound to learn things by only reading out of textbooks. Instead, various Autodesk products offer talented individuals the chance to create learning aids, programs, and animations to assist in teaching.
Types of Autodesk Products
Autodesk’s reach is far and wide. For years, the company has developed various types of products to meet nearly every need in media and entertainment.
Along with the more glamorous types of Autodesk products, there are intuitive and useful tools for areas like architecture. While this is not a complete list of all the impressive Autodesk design software products, it does include some of the most popular and notable Autodesk products available.
Autodesk Maya
Autodesk Maya is a prevalent 3D animation and rendering tool used in various entertainment industries. Game designers, animators, and big-time movie studios have all been loyal Maya users. It’s an excellent tool for learning animation.
Iconic director James Cameron leaned heavily on the reliability and horsepower of Autodesk software during the production of Avatar. Likewise, Walt Disney Studios created films like Frozen II with the help of the in-depth animation capabilities available to them via Maya.
AutoCAD
AutoCAD, which stands for computer-assisted design program, is a top-rated architectural design program from the Autodesk suite. Learning AutoCAD is a great way to quickly draft up blueprints, design buildings, and more.
AutoCAD is ideal for streamlining the architectural process, as well as minimizing human error during design engineering. Along with AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit is a fantastic, more advanced program. Learning Autodesk Revit is also beneficial for architectural designers and anyone who wants to utilize design software.
Autodesk Inventor
In the same vein as AutoCAD and Revit, Autodesk Inventor brings various design visualizations to life. Like the previous two programs, Autodesk Inventor is a piece of CAD software. With Autodesk Inventor, users can invent objects using the program’s advanced rendering and 3D animation software.
This allows for more comprehensive visualization and execution of ideas and actions.
Learning Autodesk
Now that we know Autodesk products can basically do anything a designer wants them to, what are the best ways to learn Autodesk? Let’s examine how long it takes to learn Autodesk and the steps involved in the learning process.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Autodesk?
If you buckle down and attempt to learn an Autodesk program, it usually takes around six months to master the basics. However, if you want to become an advanced user, it’ll likely take around a year to feel completely at home. Product knowledge comes with creative practice and crucial tips, tricks, and resources.
How long it takes depends on what skill level you wish to achieve and how many products you want to cover. One of the benefits of the various programs, namely their diversity, also can prove to be a daunting challenge. Those striving to learn AutoCAD may be at a disadvantage regarding Maya. However, if you focus on just one program, it makes this a lot more straightforward.
How to Learn Autodesk: Step-by-Step
While not everyone’s journey with various Autodesk products will be the same, there are a few surefire ways to learn how to use these valuable design tools.
- Download the programs. Whether you are using Maya or AutoCAD, you first need to download the programs. This is a great chance to get used to the UX/UI design, forms, functions, and overall feel of the program you’re using.
- Take an online course. As you’ll see, online courses are a great way to gain an introductory or advanced knowledge of various programs. There are quite a few options available.
- Create. The most important and perhaps the most obvious way to effectively learn Autodesk is by creating. No matter if you’re aiming to become an architect or rendering video game assets, creating is one of the best ways to perfect any skills you need.
- Pursue a certification. While entirely optional, a great way to learn and also advance your career is by earning a certificate. These act as more advanced classes, usually culminating in an exam to prove your product knowledge.
The Best Autodesk Courses and Training
There is a wealth of Autodesk training and courses available online. Let’s explore some of the most notable online courses offered to give you the best online learning experience.
Best Online Autodesk Courses
Online courses may be one of the most useful assets you have in acquiring essential product knowledge. There is an abundance of various courses for different Autodesk products. Let’s look at some good introductory courses.
Introduction to CAD: Learn Fusion 360 in 90 minutes
- Provider: Autodesk
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: Varies based on Autodesk membership
A quick and efficient way to learn AutoCAD. If you are majoring in architectural design or simply want to enhance your career capabilities, this is a great online course. Taught by CAD expert Matt Perez, participants will be able to render models, draw up elaborate plans, and articulate the critical differences between aspects of both AutoCAD and Fusion 360.
This is one of the most popular and most viewed courses provided by the software company.
Fusion 360 and Inventor: Core Skills
- Provider: Pluralsight
- Duration: 20 to 30 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: Varies based on subscription
The combination of two online courses focuses on Autodesk Inventor and Fusion 360. Through these various lectures and videos, students in Pluralsight’s course curriculum learn all there is to know about drafting up prototype drawings, patterns, symmetry, shapes, and freeform modeling.
While this is a group of two different course paths, they both fit well together. Autodesk Inventor and Fusion 360 share many of the same core concepts and allow users to let their creativity shine.
Best Free Autodesk Courses
Taking free courses is a great way to introduce yourself to various Autodesk products. Many people need considerable guidance with a lot of the programs offered. These free courses allow you to explore valuable basics without financial commitment.
Introduction to Autodesk Fusion 360
- Provider: European MOOCs
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: Free
This course is a must if you work at a company specializing in design. Fusion 360 is a cloud-based CAD made especially for effective collaboration and inventiveness. This free course introduces eager designers to the sheer power of one of Autodesk’s most advanced products.
The aim of the course is to take a complete beginner in design and equip them with the tools and product knowledge to take a prototype of an idea and flesh it out into a comprehensive and robust product design.
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Dr. Anna Grabowska is your guide through the six central learning units, taking you from interface tips to designing a product.
Autodesk Fusion 360 Integrated CAD/CAM/CAE
- Provider: Coursera
- Duration: Five weeks
- Prerequisites: None
- Price: Free
It’s somewhat hard to believe that such a detailed and lengthy class is free. While Coursera offers a paid certificate at the end of the five weeks, it’s an entirely free online course otherwise.
In this course, taught by Autodesk certified experts, students get comprehensive and detailed product knowledge regarding Fusion 360. One of the class’s central tenets is that people need to stay on top of design trends. While you’re able to do this manually with pen and paper, it just isn’t feasible in our fast-moving technological world.
By the end of this course specializing in all things CAD, students can confidently display their architectural design skills, completing complex projects, and overall sturdy product knowledge.
Best Autodesk Books
Since Autodesk has been cranking out various programs and updates since 1982, it’s hardly a surprise that there are quite a few written materials to peruse. Tangible books or e-books may be excellent learning materials for some would-be experts. Let’s see some of the most well-known books regarding the subject.
Mastering AutoCAD 2021 and AutoCAD LT 2021, Brian C. Benton
While at first glance, this may seem like a more intermediate book, it contains all of the necessary information required to advance your AutoCAD knowledge. You don’t need to be an AutoCAD expert (although that can help) to benefit from this book.
In Benton’s text, you will learn how to complete the basics, like generate drawings, apply 3D animation and modeling, organization techniques, and general architectural design tips. This is the most up to date edition of the book, so you know you’re getting great information. It’s the AutoCAD reference book to end all reference books.
Getting Started in 3D with Maya: Create a Project from Start to Finish—Model, Texture, Rig, Animate, and Render in Maya, Adam Watkins
For designers who gravitate towards 3D animation more than architectural design, Maya is one of the best tools. Adam Watkins has compiled an excellent text to help you with the beginning steps of Maya and how to benefit from having excellent product knowledge.
In a little over 400 pages, Watkins promises that even the absolute beginners of the bunch will be able to harness the powerful software of Maya and create professional-grade 3D animation and renderings. Using real-world examples, along with fundamental techniques, Watkins shows you that 3D animation isn’t something to be intimidated by.
Autodesk Certifications
Certifications in any sort of design software are pretty impressive. When you earn certification with any Autodesk product, it shows employers that you have a diverse set of skills and ways to design, create, and implement solutions in the workplace. Here are some useful Autodesk certifications to explore.
Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI)
The Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) program is a great way to give back to the design community. If you are particularly adept in a few facets of various Autodesk products, why not offer your abilities to help others?
You can do this by becoming an Autodesk Certified Instructor. Having this certification, while requiring quite a lot of effort to stay current, offers you fantastic opportunities for career advancement, as well as assisting those just starting with Autodesk products.
To start your journey, you need to enroll in courses in the Authorized Training Centers. After advancing, you will need to join the affiliate program. After taking the exam and proving yourself, you can become an Autodesk certified instructor.
Online Autodesk Resources
When online courses or books fail to make an impact, or you’re merely looking for something extra, there are resources for you. These include websites, communities, tutorials, and more.
Let’s see some of the best places to visit for brushing up on Autodesk product knowledge.
The Official Autodesk Software Company
What better place to get started than the official Autodesk website? Scrolling past product prices and information provides a wealth of product knowledge and resources. There is a great support center, basic tutorials for various Autodesk products, and more.
If you have any questions, concerns, or assistance, this is the place to go. They offer generous support via direct contact or through their various social media pages. They also direct you to their various certifications, affiliate, and learning programs to help you with your career.
The Autodesk Community
Once again, Autodesk proves to be one of, if not the most beneficial resource for those seeking assistance. While there are other sites and resources, Autodesk knocks it out of the park, offering numerous support services.
The community, in particular, offers unequaled access to other users and design experts to help answer questions or collaborate on projects and ideas.
There are forums for every Autodesk product, from Fusion 360 to Autodesk Inventor. If users have questions, there’s a very high chance that they can find an answer on the forums. The community also offers tutorials and documentation.
Should You Study Autodesk?
If you fancy yourself a designer of any sort, then learning any of the Autodesk products is a winning idea. While some users may automatically feel at home with interfaces and program basics, others may need to tap into the various and abundant Autodesk resources.
Whatever situation you find yourself in, Autodesk is a robust and reliable software company, one that values design and the potential for greatness. If you are a video game developer searching for the perfect 3D animation program, or merely an architect who needs to map out electrical circuits, Autodesk has you covered.
To keep afloat in the 21st century, you’re going to need to harness all of the modern tools you can. One of these is undoubtedly Autodesk. With ample product knowledge, resources, and online courses, your expertise can lead to great things.
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