VisualFXtuts.com » Cinema4D

Fat Teusday Post

Topher — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:48:51 +0000

Hey everyone! I have been hard at work, setting up a green screen studio in my basement so that I can up the production level of the VLOGs. I have some great ideas in mind… and the VLOGs are hopefully going to be a weekly thing once i get a schedule down. In the meantime, you can check out the rad array of tutorials that I have been collecting this week, as well as read my weekly articles over at AEtuts+, as well as my latest – “A Concise Guide To After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts“.

fineCG.com, a new site from Maltaannon, and his buddies at Polygon Studio are bringing you tutorials from all kinds of different aspects in the Visual Effects realm. The first tutorial, called 3D Sport Animation, takes a 3D low poly model of a human and makes the whole body particles using Pflow and animates while it kicks around a soccer ball (football). Check out fineCG.com HERE and watch the tutorial HERE and download the project files HERE.

Create a Breakup into Particles Logo Transition
Apr 13th in Motion Graphics by Lloyd
A very popular request is how to make a logo breakup into particles and reform into another logo. There’s many ways to achieve this and most of them require a full 3D application, but in this tutorial we learn how to achieve it all in After Effects using a 3D particle systems and a few smoke and mirrors.
Continue Reading
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In this tutorial, Nick takes a photo of a streetscape during the day and turns it into a night scene. He takes us through the steps of darkening and colouring the image to look like night, and then creates a light source to turn the street lamps on as well as giving the light a fall-off on the road below.
To download the project file for After Effects, click here. You will find an After Effects project file and a still image to work with. LINK HERE

In this tutorial, Nick shows us how to use the ‘Corner Pin’ tool in After Effects to sit a piece of video in a billboard. He also demonstrates how to use motion tracking and masking techniques to successfully sit the new piece of footage on a moving billboard and behind tree branches. It’s a versatile technique that can be applied to a range of uses including: replacing letters on number plates, putting signs on windows and replacing existing video footage on screens with other footage. LINK HERE

How To Use After Effects Masks As Custom Splines For Text Extrusions With Boris Continuum Complete 6

A video by Michele Yamazaki

Download a free demo of BCC6 | Buy BCC 6 | Learn more about BCC 6 in Toolfarm’s Plug-in Finder

Create the self-filling cup effect in After Effects

This film editing video tutorial will show you how to create the self-filling cup effect in After Effects.
LINK HERE

Free RockGen Plugin for Cinema4D by Robert Hitzer
Via NinjaCrayon – RockGen is a free Plugin for Maxons Cinema 4D. With this plugin you can easily create random rocks.The process of creation is very in intuitive, controlled by a few parameters. Also, RockGen creates Materials automatically. Those contain one of three included textures in different channels for creating a maximum of realism.
[Read More]
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Upgrade any Trapcode product to the FULL SUITE for only $399, or upgrade any two products to the FULL SUITE for only $299! The full suite includes all 9 Trapcode plug-ins; Shine, Starglow, 3D Stroke, Soundkeys, Lux, Particular, Echospace, Horizon and Form! Have SHINE? Get ‘em ALL for only $399. LINK HERE
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IPR in Maya vs. Render Region in XSI

In this lesson we will learn about the powerful and fast Render Region feature of XSI.

Uses XSI 5.0+ LINK HERE

ASHLI Bump Mapping in Maya
In this lesson we will learn how to use ASHLI bump shaders to make a low polygon mesh look more detailed in real time. We will also learn how to use the Surface Sampler to generate a normal map from a high-poly mesh. LINK HERE

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Inserting Joints in Maya
In this lesson we will learn how to insert joints within a bound joint chain without negatively affecting the bind.
Uses Autodesk Maya 2008+

LINK HERE

Maya and XSI Modules
Modules are groups of similar commands. For example, all of the modeling commands are under the modeling module. Try learning the shortcut keys of each module for a faster workflow inside XSI.

LINK HERE
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Animating Water with Turbulence Displace in After Effects
In this lesson we will learn how to create a fake moving water effect using Turbulence Displace in After Effects.
Uses AE7+

LINK HERE
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This is chapter 4 of the nuke training series video. Maya is used to break down this project into proper pass structures for nuke.
LINK HERE
This is chapter 5 of the nuke training series video. Nuke is show in regards to the separations of multi-channel EXR sequences.
LINK HERE

This video covers a couple of the more prevalent user errors and their solutions. These errors aren’t due to Mudbox, but due to what could be termed ‘Pilot Error’.
LINK HERE

In our latest 3dsmax video tutorial Michael Bauer shows us how to use wire parameters and limit controllers to rig lights in a scene.

LINK HERE

Sketch Car - NEW
Cinema 4D • After Effects
• Sketch & Toon
• AE Set Matte
• Track Mattes/Object Buffer

WATCH

Welcome to the second tutorial in the “the basics” series. In the previous tutorial you have learned the basics of the Cinema 4D interface.

In this tutorial you will learn how to add primitives to your scene, how to move your primitive around and how to change the size. You will also learn how to use the different views and the coordinate manager.

Continue reading

119. Material mapping. NEW 4/9/2009 Vue 6 and 7
* Exporting terrain map.
* Creating map in photoshop.
* Importing map in to Vue. LINK HERE

In this tutorial we will review two Fusion plugins. One from Speedsix and the other from The Foundry. We will look at basic and advanced compositing techniques using BSplines, color matching and perspective matching. Using the amazing plugin, Tinderbox, we will replace the sky in our footage and composite it to look realistic. The example is unlike the result yielded from the tutorial, as the example is stylized while the result from the tutorial is photo realistic. As always the tutorial is best viewed from the tutorials page. LINK HERE

n this PFlow training video we will learn to make a procedural dust cloud underneath of a helicopter as it lands. This tutorial was a welcomed request on the site, and it gives us a break from technical training in order to get into a more project based learning environment. This video is a real world challenge to which we are to find a solution, and we will yield some good results without using any third party plug ins. LINK HERE

Episode 16: Better Compositing with Light Wraps By Aharon Rabinowitz

In this Episode, Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to get better compositing results with Light Wraps – an effect used to blend the background light and foreground elements more convincingly during a composite.

Read More | Watch Video | Comment
Product(s) Used: Key Correct Pro

At 3D Total -

Our latest 3dsmax tutorial is by Lee Johnson and he shows us all about compositing for production.

Software Used: 3ds Max & Mental Ray
LINK HERE PROJECT FILES

@ MaxAfter.com -28. The Tunnel

A quick technique of creating a cool futuristic tunnel in After Effects. Use effects like CC Cylinder, CC Vector Blurr, Fractal Noise etc. to achieve it
LINK HERE

In this episode of Photoshop for Video, Richard Harrington takes a look at a new feature in Adobe Photoshop CS4 called content aware scaling. This feature allows a user to define a region or a graphic to scale or not to scale when the image is resized, giving tremendous flexibility to not have certain parts of a photo distorted when other parts are stretched.

LINK HERE

Having both FCP and Motion in Final Cut Studio means more options for effects creation with your video projects — and FCS integration makes it easy to work with them together. Having Motion projects sitting on your FCP timeline even helps keep your projects organized! Our man in Nepal, Jiggy Gaton, shows just how easy it can be to take advantage of it all.

LINK HERE

From Nick Campbell at Greyscalegorilla.com – The first video in the CSTools series where I will go though how to use all of Chris Smith’s endlessly useful, CSTools. Today we talk about the 3D Stroke. A Cinema 4D Tool he developed to emulate the Trapcode After Effects Plugin, 3D Stroke. LINK HERE. The 2nd video in the series deals with CSTools - Action Cam… LINK HERE
Download the CSTools Here

Watch all of the CS Tools Tutorials

Don’t forget about Nick Campbell’s aka The Gorilla’s 5 Second Weekly Projects over at GreyScaleGorilla.com. Gives you a theme and sparks your imagination to MAKE COOL SHIT!

Not too much for a Monday…

Topher — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:59:40 +0000

In the second part of this Photoshop tutorial series, Richard Harrington goes deeper into the camera raw interface. Richard looks at the tone curve tab which controls the contrast, the detail tab which controls the image sharpening and noise reduction, split toning tab controlling the hue and saturation, lens corrections tab and the presets tab to store settings and preferences

LINK HERE

MaxAfter.com – 27. Knowing Earth

• Use bitmap and text layers to emit particles to achieve Knowing film effect
• Trapcode particular will read and emit particle text from the lava cracks
LINK HERE

Design an Awesome 80’s Inspired Title Animation

We are very happy to welcome Nick Campbell (aka The Greyscale Gorilla) to the Aetuts+ family. He’s an incredibly talented designer and a fantastic teacher. In his first tutorial for us he shows us how to create this awesome 80’s style title animation. He covers a whole bunch of awesome little tips that are sure be useful on any After Effects project.

In this lesson we will learn how to use nested ramps and our UV layout to quickly texture a toy train. Topics covered in this tutorial:

Using UV Layout for fast cartoon shading
Adding Ramps inside of Ramps (Nesting)
Creating a Shading Network for fast previewing and updating of colors
LINK HERE

In this lesson we will learn how to use Rigid Bodies and Fluids together to create a dynamic popping cork.
Topics covered in this tutorial:
Setting up basic Rigid Body interactions
Changing the collision primitives
Learning how to use Fluids to move Rigid Bodies
LINK HERE

Tim Clapham was asked a question on www.fxphd.com on how to alternate between two colours on a set of stairs that someone had built. He came up with three simple solutions that use the shader effector, the color shader and the multi shader. Here is the file:

Download the C4D file

I hope that some of you find it useful.

Friday!!!!!!!!!!!

Topher — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:20:12 +0000

Hey everyone, it is Friday and you know what that means! My new article over at AE.tutsplus.com debuted today – 15 Inspiring Particle-Based Tutorials from Around the Web! Make sure you go over there and check it out.

Also I have been uploading a ton of footage to my account over at VideoHive.net. Me and the family went to the zoo last Sunday and got some killer footage of the Polar Bears, Sumatran Tiger, and a ton of other animals.

Ko Maruyama aka Ninja Crayon

@MacAnimationPro

In this QuickTip, Ko will show you how easy it is to navigate your scene with R11. Of course, you could create something similar in earlier version, but it was never this easy.

…Read More »
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Using Lower Thirds Behind Logos

Editor’s Toolbox – After Effects Training

RELEASE DATE: MARCH 26, 2009

When is a lower third not a lower third? Any time you choose to be creative. In this tutorial learn how to turn a lower third into a background element for an animated logo in After Effects.
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No Alpha? No Problem: Xtracting Mattes

Compositor’s Toolkit – Apple Motion Training

RELEASE DATE: MARCH 26, 2009
Not every animation in your project is going to come ready-made with an alpha channel. In this tutorial, learn how to quickly create a matte for animated falling snow in Apple Motion.
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How to Produce a Great Video Tutorial by Dirk Worring-Ramstoeck

Even though you might be a great After Effects artist it doesn’t automatically mean you are a natural at teaching. Even though making a tutorial might seem easy there is more to it than meets the eye. Dirk Worring-Ramstoeck was gracious enough to write this brief article with some excellent points and analogies that will hopefully make your tutorial as good as your work.
Continue Reading

Digital Tutors – Using 3D Layers in Photoshop Extended Parts 1 & 2

In this lesson we will learn how to edit a texture inside Photoshop using the amazing 3D layers workflow.

Uses Photoshop CS3 Extended+
Part 1 Part 2
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Popping Animation Effect in Adobe After Effects

This tutorial will set up the popular “popping” animation effect and will use the new CS4 Wiggle Transform operator.

Exporting XFL Format from After Effects to Flash

Tom Green shows how to easily take an effect created in After Effects and bring it over Flash using the XML format.

In this tutorial I would like to show you how to make an interior scene using 3dsmax 6 and rendering with Vray .
Certainly you can use other version of 3dsmax and Vray but it’s possible that you will not get the same result as it’s showed. Tutorial is very detailed
so beginners should not be worried that they will not manage with this. But it’s usefull to know basic tools and interface in 3dsmax.
In the final part you can download scene file.
Have fun in 3d world … LINK HERE
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Most Common Animation Mistake In After Effects and How To Fix It – Wobbly Keyframes

RSS Users… Visit the website to watch the videos.
The “Wobbly Keyframe” problem has been plaguing After Effects animators everywhere. I made this short cast on how to get rid of the problem.
If your not sure what it looks like, check out this video.

LINK HERE

HI from Nahuel!

Finally, AutoTitles preset for After Effects 6.5 + is available.

It’s compatible with AE 6.5, 7, CS3 & CS4 in English!

A little tip: If the text layer is bad positioned when you apply the preset, go to Paragraph Window and click on Center Text.

Download Preset

Over FIFTY entries in last week’s theme! This week’s theme is “Circle Vs. Square”.

“Need an excuse to make something cool this week? Well now is your chance. Use this theme to make a short motion piece and link it in the comments of this blog post. “Shout Box” submissions will not be found and added to the channel. Please be sure to post a link in this post’s comments to ensure me seeing it. Great work so far on these themes. It’s really great to see so much participation. Don’t forget to push yourself to try something new every week. Always wanted to try a specific technique, idea, or piece of software? Now is your chance to make something new and great. Can’t wait!!!” – Nick Campbell aka The Gorilla
Visit the Channel

Last time we featured “144 After Effects Plug-Ins,” we now continue with the industry standard for special effects and compositing. This time we out did ourself buy providing you no less than 1001 AE tutorials from around the internets.

LINK HERE

Also check out these great feature articles:
202 Final Cut Pro Tutorials
202 Sony Vegas Tutorials
202 DIY Filmmaking Tutorials

By Dirk de Jong @ Creative Cow

In this video tutorial we show you how to employ the power of vertex shaders to warp, deform and even explode 3D extruded text using Adobe After Effects and the new 3D Objects from Boris Continuum Complete 6 After Effects.
LINK HERE

The tutorial uses Video Gogh, RE:Map and SmoothKit. Download a demo of all 3 RE:Vision Effects plug-ins here.
View the tutorial: Animated Impressionism in After Effects
Purchase Video Gogh, RE:Map or SmoothKit

This is a very common way of modeling a Car Rim so you may have already seen tutorials like this. I have chosen to record this using the program Camtasia Studio so that you can see me modeling this from from Start to End showing you some of my Techniques. I converted the AVI Video to Flash to reduce the file size, so you will need to make sure you have Flash Player installed. The file sizes are still a little large so please be patient when clicking on the tutorial file. Modeling in 3D Studio Max 7 but can be done in almost all versions of 3D Studio Max. Complete Tutorial is 52.44min LINK HERE

Monday… SOOO tired.

Topher — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:42:26 +0000

Today, Nick Campbell runs through the basics of setting up a scene in Cinema 4D and rendering an image. We are gonna make this abstract sphere scene here using HDR lighting, The Mograph module, and Global Illumination. LINK HERE

Download the HDR Map and C4D Project file

Thanks to Chad Ashley for the HDRI Map.

GreyScaleGorilla’s Five Second Projects are a real hit! Check out what has been entered so far, and go enter your own design! The least that can happen is you get some cool shit to put on your demo reel! LINK HERE

Stu Maschwitz, the genius that he is, has found a way to convert H.264 Quicktime to a format that Playstation 3 can read. LINK HERE

If you haven’t checked out ProLost, Stu’s site… here is the link.

Also if you are a Twitterhound, make sure you follow him as well… TONS of cool resources he tweets. 5tu on Twitter
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From FXGuide.com – red centre #028
Listen | Right-Click to Download | Download Show Notes

Mar 16, 2009 – We discuss Red and Avid news, Scarlet in the flesh, ratholes and revisit Jason’s post issues.

I know its not too much VFX related, but the RED cameras are sexy as hell, and one o the cameras that are becoming quite popular, especially with the release of the new line.

Create a Mysterious Smokey Logo Reveal
By Adam Everett Miller

In this fun tutorial, Adam walks us through the write-on effect as well as a new way to implement trapcode’s particular to create the popular simulation of an appearing wisp of smoke. He shows us some options to this effect as well how to customize any logo apply these principles in any way you wish.

LINK HERE

Keylight Training with Angie Mistretta is FINALLY OUT! It is over at Toolfarm.com and is a compreshensive guide to getting the best key possible with After Effects’ built in keyer, Keylight.

LINK HERE

Digital Tutors – Light Association in XSI
This feature lets you create lights for specific purposes – lights that only shine on the objects you want them to. This is an ability only available in 3D! Try using light associations while lighting your next project for more control over the scene. Topics covered in this lesson: Associate Light options, Different uses of Light Association LINK HERE

Digital Tutors – Building a Soft Body Antenna in Maya
Adding a Soft Body to drive an IK spline creates the follow-through motion of the antenna automatically. This is a nifty time-saver, because the antenna will animate itself. Soft Bodies with Goals are good tools to animate organic motion quickly, because they will always try to conform to your original model.
Uses Autodesk Maya 7.0+ LINK HERE

Digital Tutors – Qwerty Interaction – Maya to XSI
If you are familiar with Maya shortcuts, you can use many of your familiar keyboard shortcuts within XSI, for a faster workflow. Topics covered in this video: How to enable QWERTY interaction, The shortcut similarities, How to add Keying Panel/Layer control. Uses Softimage XSI 5.0+
LINK HERE

In this Final Cut tutorial, Richard Harrington discusses what to do to correct your film when you shoot footage with the wrong white balance setting. This is a common problem if you step outside after shooting inside and you forget to rewhite balance. Richard uses the three way color corrector to do a digital white balance on the clip inside of Final Cut Pro.

iPod Version
HD Version

In this Photoshop tutorial, Richard Harrington takes a look at the auto blend command that allows you to merge multiple pictures together into a single larger document. When you have a large scan and you have to scan it in multiple pieces and then stitch it together or if you want to stitch together panoramic photos for a virtual scene this photography tool becomes quite useful.
iPod Version
HD Version

Popping Animation Effect in Adobe After Effects

This tutorial uses the new to CS4 Wiggle Transform operator and creates the popular “popping” animation effect.

3DsMax FumeFX and PFlow -

Learn the basics of Pflow and then how to use it together with FumeFX to create a unique explosion too.

LINK HERE

Updates and Tons of Sweet Stuff…

Topher — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:25:01 +0000

I have an announcement! I will be writing the Weekly Roundup articles over at AE.tutsplus.com! This is a great honor, and I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to write for this great site, expecially since they produce so much awesome content for us all to enjoy!

So make sure you go check out my article over at AE.tutsplus.com and remember to check out all the rest of the articles and check back to the website every Friday to see my weekly article!

Additionally, I have been shooting some stock footage lately that is now up for sale on VideoHive.net. I have 7 clips up right now, mostly stuff that I have shot around my house in Tacoma, Washington.

Places like the Puget Sound, Narrows Bridge, and other really cool looking places around my neck of the woods will be available for download very soon. I also have an affiliation set up with the sites as well as the rest of the Envato Network, so make sure you click through THIS LINK for me!

In this After Effects Tutorial podcast, Eran Stern takes the next step in the science fiction classic and finalizes the promo by projecting graphics in space from a flying saucer.

Ross Shain’s Channel on Vimeo:

In this advanced tutorial, Ben Heusner of Curious Turtle details the workflow for removing an actor in After Effects.
Covers tracking, roto and mocha shape plug-in for After Effects.

LINK HERE

Pond5, who is one of the friends on the links at the very top of the page at Toolfarm.com, has just launched their free clip of the week. Sign up for a free account at Pond5 and download it!

Also Check out AEFreemart.com for free stuff throughout the week for After Effects!

VideoCopilot.net – In this tutorial we will learn a fast method for fracturing a layer into multiple parts and distribute in 3D space. This 50 minute tutorial is also packed with all sorts of tips, tricks and a few stories too.

Watch Tutorial

Artbeats.com – Cartoonification

by Chris & Trish Meyer of Crish Design (www.cybmotion.com)

Tips for getting better results from “cartoon look” plug-ins.

Download this article

I am going to let AEPortal.blogspot.com report this one… Rich knows what he is talking about bettter than I do…

“Via Sebastien Perier, a top contributor to After Effects Community Help, is DuDuF IK Tools for After Effects, a free script that does Inverse Kinematics (IK). The script is from Duik Tools, a website in French (English translation).

Sebastien says it seems pretty decent, and that you can even add bones to puppet pins. For specifics see the Overview and Help sections.”

Link to article on AEportal.blogspot.com

The Adobe Beginner Classes Episode #13 and Episode #14 from Dennis Radeke show you how to extrude text into 3D in After Effects.

Episode #13

Episode #14

Download 3D Text Project File

Digital Tutors – Fixing Texture Distortion with Warp Image in Maya – In this lesson we will learn how to fix texture distortion without changing the UVs with the Warp Image command in Maya. Topics covered in this lesson: Creating a new UV Set, Copying UVs between Sets, Using the Warp Image command.
Uses Autodesk Maya 8.5+ LINK HERE

Digital Tutors – Working with Keyframe Handles in AE – In this lesson we will learn how to change animation using keyframe handles in After Effects. Topics covered in this video: Changing keyframe interpolation, How to read the interpolation line, Using the Graph Editor
Uses Adobe After Effects 7+ LINK HERE

Interested? Go to GREYSCALEGORILLA.com, see what its about and MAKE COOL SHIT!

These two web pages will teach you how to do the Egg modeling.
Egg Primitive Plugin
Splendid Egg video tutorial
Point by point on blueprint method
And here is the subject on C4dCafé OK Lets get started on this one…

LINK TO BASE80.com

No Name Post #4

Topher — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:09:41 +0000

Digital Juice has tons of products and tons of training to go along with those products. The only bad thing about most of their tutorials, is you have to own some of the products to follow along… Although every once in a while, they demonstrate some good techniques that you can apply to your own footage that you shoot or other elements you may be working with… Check it out.

LINK HERE

Digital Tutors – Customizing the Modo Interface

In this lesson we will learn how to customize the user interface using Tabbed Viewports. Topics covered include modifying viewport settings and creating a new tabbed viewport

Uses Modo 301+
LINK HERE

In this tutorial, Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to take the Crowd Control Footage (or any 25P footage) and quickly conform it to 24 P (Film Frame Rate) using eithe Adobe After Effects or Final Cut Studio. Also covered are some workflow tips for After Effects for quickly setting up Renders.

LINK HERE

Episode 12: Form Face – Part 2 By Maltaannon
In part 1 of this tutorial, Maltaannon showed us how to create an awesome push-pin 3D face, using Red Giant’s Trapcode Form. In part 2, he’ll enhance the effect by going deeper into Form’s properties, and doing some camera work.
Read More | Watch Video | Comment
Product(s) Used: Trapcode Form

In the latest collection of ZBrush Tutorial Videos by Pixologic we will show you all about ZSpheres and how to use them. Later on in we will put what you have shown you into use by creating a simple human, hand and quadruped models.
LINK HERE

Building an EKG graphic in Apple Motion 3

This tutorial takes you through the steps of creating a heart monitor graphic (also known as an EKG).

Instructor uses Apple Motion 3.0.2.

Techniques feature include: Paint Stroke Tool, Shape Styles, Keyframe Edit Tool.
LINK HERE

For Fanboys/Girls Everywhere – Star Wars Crawl in Apple Motion

This tutorial builds arguably one of the most famous title sequences in film history from scratch. It focuses on accuracy to the original title crawl from Star Wars.

Techniques featured are:

Particles, Vector Graphics, 3D Camera
LINK HERE

Rotating Earth in Apple Motion

Earth as viewed from space.

Learn how to create a round, rotating planet Earth from NASA images.

Techniques featured are:

Sphere filter, lights, masking
LINK HERE

Create a Beautifully Animated Faux 3D Flower Scene

By Tan Wei Yan

In this tutorial you will learn how to create and animate a beautiful and fully animatable 3D flower that can be the star or simply a design element of any motion graphics piece.

LINK HERE

MAXON Computer, a leading 3D modeling and rendering software specialist and Nemetschek North America, a global leader in design technologies, are pleased to announce the release of the updated exchange plugins for the direct connection between Vectorworks 2009 and CINEMA 4D R11.

The VectorWorks 2009 exchange plugin for CINEMA 4D is available free of charge from the MAXON website.

CSTOOLS for Cinema 4D – Click the links for info

Digital Tutors – PhysX Dynamics Engine

In this lesson we will learn how to drop a jar full of pills using the powerful PhysX Rigid Body engine. Try using the PhysX engine if you have a scene witha lot of dynamic interactions!

Uses Softimage XSI 5.0 Essentials+

LINK HERE

Took A Break… sorry bout the 4 days no posts…

Topher — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:06:26 +0000

had an awesome Valentine’s Day, if any of you cared… haha… that and I have been working on some pretty intensive projects… but back to it!

In this new tutorial we will build a chrome ring in After Effects with an elaborate particle wipe. You’ll learn a new expression and build an anamorphic lens flare. The tutorial uses Trapcode Particular but I also show you how to set it up with CC particle world as well. Watch Tutorial Watch Sample Video Also some other stuff from VCP this week… Download Free Rain Sounds Download Free Hearts V-Day Project (CS3+)

The most expressions are written in english… If you’re running your After Effects in a different language these expressions will cause a bunch of errors. With this .jsx you can translate it to your language. This script supports English, French, German, Italian and Spanish versions only. DOWNLOAD

You’ve probably seen other old TV effect tutorials before but in this tutorial Greg pays attention to minute details like the RGB pixel separation and teaches us how to achieve this look using all built-in After Effects tools.

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AAEuser on Youtube has a 2 part tutorial for creating an IceMan effect in… you guessed it… After Effects. Part 1 is on youtube, while the second part is hosted on Vimeo… don’t ask why… I have no idea.

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In part 3 of this series learn how to use After Effects Shape Layers to add dynamic and organic, self-animating elements to the background.

Watch tutorial

In this tutorial we’ll use the Spacing Tool to distribute objects based on the current selection (domino object) along a path defined by a spline and use reactor to make the falling domino FX. LINK HERE
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Text to Smoke Using Trapcode Form

In this After Effects free video tutorial, we’re going to show you how to make text disappear into thin air. Using Trapcode Form we’ll go from a solid shape to little puffs of smoke that whisp off into the air…much like money these days, OMG!

Welcome to the first tutorial in our “the basics” series. This series of tutorials is designed to teach you the extreme basics of Cinema 4D and is a great way to learn Cinema 4D for everyone that has never used Cinema 4D before.

In this tutorial we will cover the Cinema 4D interface, we will go through all basic menu’s and button explaining what they are and how to use them.
Continue reading

In this Photoshop tutorial, Richard Harrington gives some tips on how to fix an underexposed or overexposed image using the shadow / highlights command in Adobe Photoshop CS4 and goes through each of the advanced settings to give great understand of how you can harness the power of this adjustment tool. The shadow / highlights filter can also be used on Smart Objects in recent versions of PS, expanding the way you can dynamically utilize this tool. LINK HERE

In this episode, Aharon shows you how to turn your video into an animated watercolor painting, and shares some techniques in varying the look and color.

View Tutorial | Project Files | Example Video

Friday Massive Overload – No not Massive the program…

Topher — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:28:14 +0000

Create a “Light-tastic” Logo Reveal Animation - Lloyd Alvarez

In part 2 Lloyd shows us how to use 32-bit compositing with custom particle shapes to create the “light-tastical” light streaking logo reveal animation.

LINK HERE
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In this tutorial you’ll learn how to create domino’s textures in After Effects and use Flip Horizontal and Vertical.

Requirements: After Effects CS4 (Flip Horizontal and vertical)

AEPortal.blogspot.com is reporting on the new version of Ease and Wizz 2.0 Now with Curvaceous. If you’re not familiar with this script, it’s an adaptation of Robert Penner’s easing equations for Flash, and gives you more options when you’re tweening values such as position, rotation, or scale. LINK HERE

In this video tutorial we will learn how to make an insect swarm animation without using any particle engine. We will be using type tool and a font to create insects. After Effects have a very strong type engine and using this you can create some cool looking animations.

LINK HERE

Stabilizing and Reverse Stabilizing Footage in After Effects

Tracking and stabilizing footage plays important role in composition. This tutorial covers stabilization of the footage and reverse stabilization of the footage to eliminate the black areas that caused due to stabilization operation. Lets get started… LINK HERE

How to Create Fog in Fusion using the Fog Tool

In this tutorial we will go thru the process of creating fog using fog tool of deep pixel category of eyeon Fusion tools. We will use luminance depth pass and channel boolean tool to achieve this effect.

LINK HERE

Artbeats.com – “Eight” Movie Title Effects by Steve Holmes of Energi Design (www.clickenergi.com)
Join the power of Adobe After Effects with the quality, variety and flexibility of Artbeats stock footage to create an amazingly detailed and textured movie title sequence!
Watch Tutorial (right click to download)
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Artbeats.com – “Inside the Machines” DVD Menus
by Steve Holmes of Energi Design (www.clickenergi.com)
Discover how to create cool, unique and highly flexible motion menu graphics for DVDs, with just a minimal investment in an Artbeats high-definition clip!
Watch Tutorial (right click to download)
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Artbeats.com – “Earthfire” Television Intro

by Steve Holmes of Energi Design (www.clickenergi.com)

Learn cool real-world techniques to mask, color and control Artbeats stock footage to add depth and detail to this incredible TV intro.

Watch Tutorial (right click to download)

Artbeats.com – Organic Fruit & Textables by Steve Holmes of Energi Design (www.clickenergi.com) In this scenario of creating a commercial for the British Organic Health Agency, Artbeats royalty-free stock clips form the perfect background and motion for a truly memorable advertisement. Combine beautiful video with incredible 3D motion tracked text and playful animation techniques.Watch Tutorial (right click to download)
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Artbeats.com – Come Rain or Shine by Steve Holmes of Energi Design (www.clickenergi.com) In this scenario of motion graphics design for a television channel’s weather program, finding the right sky, clouds, or rainy background is quick and easy when presented with the wide selection of stock footage clips from Artbeats. But what about “adding” weather? Making it snow or rain over the top of 3D composited footage? See just how this seemingly impossible task becomes reality, and learn some new tricks in After Effects along the way!
Watch Tutorial (right click to download)

I got an email with a bunch of tutorials on using Boris’ BCC filters. If you have never used Boris or heard of their products I would recommend downloading their 14 trail verison below.
Applying a BCC 3D Object Filter in After Effects
• Duration: 1 minute and 45 seconds
• Description: Quick demonstration of how to apply a BCC 3D Object filter in After Effects.

Using After Effects Comp Lights with BCC 3D Objects Filters
• Duration: 4 minutes and 8 seconds
• Description: Demonstration of how to use After Effects lights to light a BCC 3D Object and how to use AE expressions to link BCC 3D Object Rotations to an AE Null object – to enable use of on-screen 3D interactors.
Using After Effects’ Comp Camera with BCC 3D Object Filters
• Duration: 2 minutes and 34 seconds
• Description: Demonstration of how to use the After Effects camera to view a BCC 3D Object. Also includes tips for integrating BCC 3D Objects filters into AE comps including AE 3D layers.
Download a Free 14-day Trial Version

Early Thursday

Topher — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:21:21 +0000

Here’s a fun project file that adds an anamorphic stripe and star around the standard AE lens flare. The layers are linked to the position of the Flare, so everything moves together. You can change the color from the “FLARE” solid effects control to create a golden sun or even a red sun. Have fun, just don’t look directly at it.

Download Project File
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The mobile version of Video Copilot is now online! It’s not going to change the world but it may give you something to do while you’re waiting around town.

Just type http://m.videocopilot.net from a mobile device and your in!

Harry Frank’s website Graymachine.com has a ton of quick tips, on things like easy ways to scroll through presets, using really simple expressions you would never think of and things like that.

LINK HERE

In this 2 part tutorial AETUTS editor Lloyd Alvarez gets his hands dirty with a little expression math to create some beautifully organic light streaks that are used to reveal the AETUTS logo. In part 1 Lloyd breaks down the science behind creating a simple expression that drives the light streak emitter and shows you how easy it is to create infinite variations with ease.

LINK HERE

CreativeCow.net has another podcast now with its 114th episode out. The podcast is the Photoshop For Video Podcast. The lastest episode deals with shadow and highlight adjustments. In this tutorial, Richard Harrington takes a look at the shadow / highlights command in Photoshop CS4 to control the underexposed or overexposed areas of a graphic.

Instructor – Pradeep Mamgain
In this video tutorial we will generate lava from a dry lava field image. We will also use particular to generate heat effect.
LINK HERE

In this tutorial we will take CG passes from 3D Application, Maya in this case and composite them inside of eyeon fusion. Composting is the art of combining multiple images into a unified final scene. All professional productions are rendered in multiple layers or passes and finished though compositing.When you render in passes, you render different attribute of an image separately such as color, shadow, specularity, reflection, contact shadows and depth. It gives you precise control over the different aspects of your scene. Once you render the passes in given 3D application, you can bring them into the composting software like Fusion, Shake or After Effects and generate a quite nice result after fine tuning the passes. LINK HERE

Poly Loop - NEW
A way to create a row of looping polys using Modo.
WATCH NOW

Arc
Cutting out an arc shape from a single poly. A technique used for adding in that extra detail.
WATCH NOW

Bevel Out Geometry/ Edge Loop
A subdivion technique used to add extra detail into your model. Creating edge loops and avoid triangles.
WATCH NOW

Spin Edges Manually
If you work with C4D 10 and below you know that there is no spin edge tool or command. In this video we’ll do it the old fashion way.
WATCH NOW

Late Late Teusday

Topher — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:47:57 +0000

In part 2 of this series learn how to use After Effects Shape Layers, Fractal Noise and Grid effects to create background elements, then animate them using the Convert Audio to Keyframes feature. Watch tutorial

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to make moving geometric shapes shake and shudder as if they’ve been moved by the vibrations of a beat. You’ll learn how to sync this effect to music and create the building blocks of a stunning and futuristic music video. LINK HERE

Nahuel has a cool site with a ton of tutorials, but he is actually offering free 3D Stuff… Nahuel’s words – “If you want 3D Logos, or intro email me at Nahuel_VFX@hotmail.com, and I’ll make it for free” Nahuel actually created my logo for the header of the website, and its looking pretty slick.
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Red Giant TV Episode 08: Creating and Working with Complex 3D Projects. In this episode, Aharon shares some tips for simplifying and working with 3D compositions. You’ll also get a look at some cool tools designed to easily distribute and arrange layers in 3D space, and that help in creating complex 3D shapes.
View Tutorial | Project Files

Video Apex has a nice written tutorial on how to create an Anamorphic Lens Flare. LINK HERE

Instructor – Pradeep Mamgain
In this tutorial we will explore Depth of Field Effect found under 3D channel category. This effect uses Z depth information of the image to produce depth of field. LINK HERE

HypaTV.blogspot.com has a bunch of cool C4D nice little walkthrough with a bunch of example pictures for creating randomness with the Mograph module. LINK HERE

Artbeats.com – An interesting technique is to cause a piece of footage to appear to be projected onto other items, as if it was coming from a video or film projector. This can be done with the 3D capabilities of After Effects, but it requires knowledge of a little-known parameter: Light Transmission. In this tutorial, we’ll show how to set up a 3D environment that takes advantage of Light Transmission to create this look plus share some tips
on how to improve the final image, including sharpening (or blurring) the projection and cropping light from spilling around the edges of the image. We’re going to assume you have at least passing familiarity with using 3D space in After Effects, so that we can focus on the unique features you need to employ to create this look. LINK HERE (WRITTEN TUTORIAL)

This site is packed with tutorials on Apple Motion. I personally don’t dabble in the program, but I know a lot of people do. You have to check out this site if you are a user in Motion, guaranteed you will find something of use to you. LINK HERE

Another Apple Motion resource. I still think the way to go is After Effects, but for those of you that crave Motion knowledge…. bookmark it. It has some really good tuts on creating things in Motion that prove hard to do in Adobe After Effects.

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Finally! A new tutorial from MaxAfter.com! I really love this guys tutorials, they are really upbeat, and always the cool stuff that people want to learn… reminds me of VCP actually… Anyways… In this tutorial we will create a car light trail effect in After Effects, and you get to play around with 3D stroke effect to achieve great results.
LINK HERE

Lastly, here is a site giving away free sound FX, to anyone who wants them… SWEET. LINK HERE