But for those who have the time, skill and patience to master it, Maya has some of the best 3D tools around and is a sound investment. This level of power also comes at a price – a subscription to Maya doesn't come cheap. There’s a chance you may never touch some of its functionality, so you need to decide if it’s actually overkill for your specific needs. Maya is great at modelling, texturing, lighting and rendering – its vast feature set includes particles, hair, solid body physics, cloth, fluid simulations and character animation.

However, if you’re aiming to get a job in the animation or VFX industries, you’d be wise to use the same software that the likes of ILM, Pixar, DNEG and Framestore use. This hugely extensible app isn't for the faint-hearted: its toolset is hugely complex and takes time to learn. Largely seen as the industry standard for CG, Autodesk Maya boasts an unrivalled range of tools and features.

Ask any 3D artist to name the best 3D modelling software, and most will choose Autodesk Maya.