Anyone interested in 3d modeling has no doubt heard of blender, which has been around for quite a while. Art of Illusion showed up in my RSS feeds last week and I checked it out – this is a decent, free, java-based 3d modeling and rendering tool. If you’re looking to experiment with 3d modeling and are overwhelmed with Blender’s interface you might find Art of Illusion will fit the bill. I could also see this used as a teaching tool where the budget doesn’t allow for a lab license for Maya or 3d studio max.