<p>Today we feature <a href="/aeiko/"><strong>Pete Harrison</strong></a> and his work. Take a break, pour yourself an espresso, top off your coffee, crack open another Red Bull or break out the china and sip on high tea... & let's see what Pete has to say to all y'all (just saw the Hatfields and McCoys)</p> <p>Enjoy!</p> <p><strong>FF: How would you describe your art and design style?<br /> <br /> Pete:</strong> My design style I guess at the moment you could say it was photo manipulation with lighting effects, I use similar elements and the way I work that now people recognise a piece and can put my name on it, the workflow of each project is different, normally if it's a personal piece, I will get the concept down, then sketch an idea and then go straight into photoshop. If it's a client piece well they might have an idea of what they want so I will work to that..or sometimes if I'm experimenting I just go straight into digital! Recently I got a new graphics tablet so my style is evolving, I am drawing more and you will see a lot of new stuff this year, that you probably would not expect from me!</p> <p><img alt="" height="845" src="/cache/pad_portfolio_thumbs/2011/03/25/c535365dc2c47cbc025c7aca0fb96dde_detail_image.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" /></p> <p><strong>FF: How much input do you have during the initial phase(s) on projects and how does that effect how you tackle the design?</strong></p> <p><strong>Pete: </strong>It all depends on what the project is and who the client is. Some clients are pretty specific about what they want, others you can talk to and input some of your own ideas into the brief and design stages. If the client is specific I try and stick to their design but keep it in my own style, which is probably [why] they [came] to me for in the first place, I pretty much tackle the design the same way in any case.</p> <p><strong>FF: How do you prepare for a big campaign?</strong></p> <p><strong>Pete:</strong>I set aside some time to just think about it, get my head around everything, make sure I'm stocked up on smokes, Diet Coke and snacks and spend a night working on it, come back to it the next day with fresh eyes and any feedback and then rinse and repeat :)</p> <p><strong>FF: What tools of the trade do you prefer to use and have you discovered any interesting techniques you could share with us?</strong></p> <p><strong>Pete:</strong> I just use my iMac and Photoshop to create everything, like I mentioned earlier I have recently bought a graphics tablet, a <a href="http://www.wacom.com/en/Products/Cintiq/Cintiq24HD.aspx?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=GCN&utm_campaign=C24HD&gclid=CNKmm5XBprACFagaQgodP0K1ag"><strong>Wacom Cintiq 24HD</strong></a> which will allow me to do a lot of creative things I could not previously do with the mouse, in fact, [I] have been working on a whole new style and going back to a few of my traditional techniques!</p> <p><img alt="" height="771" src="/media/cache/pad_portfolio_thumbs/2011/03/26/536671211275053_detail_image.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" /></p> <p><strong>FF: Do your subjects (sport stars, models, celebrities) ever contact you directly? If so, share with us a memorable story.</strong></p> <p><strong>Pete:</strong> I have had a few DJ's contact me directly, but most of the time its via there agents. I worked with Drum and Bass duo <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sigmauk"><strong>Sigma</strong></a> once, and we had our first client meeting in a club where they were playing! I love drum and bass music, its my favourite genre so to be on the guestlist and see other artists I knew that night also was a great experience!</p> <p><strong>FF: How often to do you illustrate? How do you compare it to your photo manipulation work?</strong></p> <p><strong>Pete:</strong> Recently everyday! Doing drawing on my new tablet, I can't wait to share my new works with everyone, I might just do a bunch of personal and client work and then just update my website in one go!</p> <p><strong>FF: If given the opportunity who would you like to collaborate with?</strong></p> <p><strong>Pete:</strong> Over the years its true I have collaborated with a lot of artists, I did this mainly because it's fun but it also pushed me and have develop my style and techniques. Recently I only collaborate with people with <a href="http://depthcore.com/"><strong>Depthcore</strong></a> if we are working on an artwork for a new chapter, or I do bigger collaborations with members of the <a href="http://blackrockcollective.com/"><strong>Blackrock Collective</strong></a> as part of a larger project, recently we did a skateboard and some card decks. I would love to do more personal art and there are still a lot of people that I would love to collaborate with, its just finding the time, I do get a lot of requests also, but have to turn most of them down due to time constraints. My favourite collaboration was the one I did with <a href="http://www.andreaswannerstedt.se/"><strong>Andreas Wannestadt</strong></a><strong>,</strong> it was a flash animation for the splash page of my clothing label <a href="http://www.andreaswannerstedt.se/funkrush/"><strong>Funkrush</strong></a>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" height="1101" src="/cache/pad_portfolio_thumbs/2011/03/26/aa3bc7aed2c870013345feb5dd197f88_detail_image.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" /><br /> You can view it online<br /><a href="http://www.andreaswannerstedt.se/motion/funkrush/"><strong>http://www.andreaswannerstedt.se/motion/funkrush/</strong></a></p> <p style="text-align: left;">We decided to make an animated intro that reflects the essence of funkrush, and that highlights elements from the designs as well as some of the featured artists. I did most of the art directing and creating the graphics and andreas worked on the compositing and animations. The final result is a mixture of urban infused graffiti street art mixed with cool, funky and unique characters. The project took us 6 months on and off whilst we were working on our own projects and client work. It was so much fun because I was passionate about the project (It is my clothing company afterall) and it was fun collaborating. It was exciting getting an email back from Andreas and seeing the progress we had made and it all come together bit by bit. I think if I had to collaborate with anyone again it would be Andreas, and we will at some point when we have some free time!</p> <p><strong>FF: What are you currently working on? (can we peek)</strong></p> <p><strong>Pete:</strong> I am working some stuff for a health product called <a href="http://www.babyquasar.com/">Baby Quasar</a>, we are doing a new website for their new product, so Im in charge of all the design aspects. I just took up some new work for a club in switzerland, apart from that just a bunch of new personal illustrations, I would give you a preview, but I'm saving them for a website update and to show everything new I've been doing!</p> <p><strong>FF: Give our readers some sage advice?</strong></p> <p><strong>Pete:</strong> Live by a <strong><em>Amo la Vita</em></strong> lifestyle, love life! If you are passionate, you will succeed, just keep practicing! Don't forget to have a healthy social life too and try and balence you health, love and wealth. Overall just be happy and if you are creative, keep doing what you love!</p> <p>[Pete, everyone here at FF Blog is looking forward to the new work, can't wait for the follow-up post. Cheers!]</p> <p>Enjoy Pete's work, visit his <a href="/aeiko/">PAD</a>: <a href="/aeiko/">/aeiko/</a></p> <p> </p>

<p style="text-align: center;">"Patrick & Chris @ Filter Foundry's booth @ NVIDIA GPU Tech Conf. 2012"</p> <p><a href="http://www.gputechconf.com">GPU Technology Conference</a> (GTC) advances global awareness of GPU computing and visualization and their importance to the future of science and innovation. Through world-class education, including hundreds of hours of technical sessions, tutorials, panel discussions, and moderated roundtables, GTC brings together thought leaders from a wide range of fields.</p> <p>The <a href="/">Filter Foundry</a> Team was excited to be selected for the Emerging Company Summit recognizing tech innovation.</p> <p>Attendees at GTC arrive from over 40 countries and comprise virtually every profession involved in HPC.</p> <p>GTC is the must-attend event for those working on the most complex computational problems and those interested in learning about parallel programming to achieve significantly faster applications.</p>

<p>It’s Diablo month on Filter Foundry: As our way of recognizing one of the greatest game sagas every imagined,  Filter Foundry is giving 3 months of Pro Membership for all concept art uploads during the month of May. It’s really simple, <strong>create an account with Invite Code “Diablo”</strong> and start uploading your best game or fantasy concept art. Our internal team of art curators will award the best PAD with 2 years of Pro Membership.</p> <p><img alt="This video game image released by Activision Blizzard Inc., shows gameplay from 'Diablo III'. The epic fantasy role-playing game has been 12 years in the making." src="http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20120515&Category=ENT06&ArtNo=120515041&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Video-gamers-geeked-over-release-Diablo-3-" width="617" /> <br /> This video game image released by Activision Blizzard Inc., shows gameplay from "Diablo III". The epic fantasy role-playing game has been 12 years in the making. / AP Photo/Activision Blizzard Inc.</p> <p>IRVINE, Calif. — Fans of "Diablo III" celebrated the midnight launch of the long-awaited video game.</p> <p>A crowd of more than 1,500 gathered Monday night around a stage built underneath the Ferris wheel at the Irvine Spectrum Center, a shopping center located about a mile from developer Blizzard Entertainment Inc.'s headquarters, for the gritty role-playing sequel set in the fantastical world of Sanctuary.</p> <p>Anticipation for "Diablo III" from publisher Activision Blizzard Inc. has bubbled over because the previous entry in the series was released 12 years ago, a lifetime in the gaming world when compared with franchises like "World of Warcraft" and "Call of Duty," which regularly receive updates.</p> <p>"When we first started doing midnight launches, we didn't think anyone would come, but now we do them for all our games, and they get bigger and bigger," said Rob Pardo, Blizzard's vice president of game design. "It's great for not only the fans but also the development team. They get to be here when everyone is buying the game and see the excitement."</p> <p>"Diablo" fans huddled around the stage to watch Blizzard artists sketch characters from scratch, view never-before-seen footage, take part in trivia contests and attempt to catch free swag during "loot storms."</p> <p> </p> <p>Ian Noble, 24, wanted his collector's edition autographed by developers.</p> <p>"There's nowhere I'd rather be tonight," Noble said. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long, long time."</p> <p>So why did it take so long?</p> <p>"We were just goofing off mostly," joked lead designer Jay Wilson over howls from the crowd. "No, it takes a long time to make a Blizzard game. We're very focused on quality. If we think something is not good enough, we make it better. We redo things, which is really uncommon in game development. If we build a level and don't like (it), we'll throw it out."</p> <p>In the third chapter of "Diablo," players choose among five classes — barbarian, demon hunter, monk, witch doctor or wizard — and battle hellish minions across the <span id="itxthook0w0">landscape</span> of Sanctuary.</p> <p>Wilson hopes new sprawling battlefields, real-money auctions, a deeper combat system and increased online capabilities for "Diablo III" will appease even the frustrated fans.</p> <p>"If we could have done anything different, we probably wouldn't have announced the game when we did," said Wilson. "We could have waited a little longer. We thought we were closer to release. We want people to get excited, but we don't want them to feel like they're strung along. We always try to have a dialogue with the audience and exceed their expectations."</p> <p>Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhati said "Diablo III," only available to play on PC and Mac <span id="itxthook1w0">computers</span>, not game consoles, has the potential to sell more than 4 million copies. He estimated Blizzard would sell 3.5 million copies this year. "Diablo II," released in the summer of 2000, sold 4 million copies in the year after it debuted.</p> <p>Useful Diablo 3 website:<br /><a href="http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723793/diablo-3-beginner-guide-welcome-to-sanctuary/">G4's Beginner's Guide</a><br /><a href="http://diablo.wikia.com/wiki/Diablo_Wiki">Diablo3 Wiki</a><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/forcesc2strategy">Best Diablo3 Youtube Channel: Force</a><br /><a href="http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/games/d3/?int">Official Diablo3 Site from Blizzard</a><br /><a href="http://www.ign.com/games/diablo-iii">IGN's Exclusive Diablo3 site</a><br /><a href="http://www.diablopodcast.com/">INC Gamer's Podcast</a><br /><a href="http://diablofans.com">News @ Diablofans<br /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Article Source: <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20120515/ENT06/120515041/Diablo-III-3-launch-video-game">Detroit Free Press</a></p>

<p>If I had to pick one art movement that has fascinated me since my first days in art school they would have to be <a href="http://ff.fildry.com/JcH63W">Art Nouveau</a> and <a href="http://ff.fildry.com/JTrQ6N">Art Deco</a>. Yeah I know (just one) but I can't have one without the other. If you look around neither can our contemporary architects and artist friends. You can't escape it. It's everywhere: buildings, movie posters, smart phones. People are naturally attracted to the lines both rigid and flowing from these period. When I first had the pleasure of seeing and later working with Trish I felt that natural attraction to her art. So, I shot a couple of question over to Trish via our favorite social media outlet and this is what she had to say about how she started, what she's working on and a couple of words of advice.<br /> Enjoy!</p> <p><br /> <strong>FF: In a couple of sentences, would you describe your paintings?</strong><br /> Trish Biddle: A constant work in progress but today it's a cumulative effort of life experiences resulting in Glamorous Women in Fabulous Places.<br /> <img alt="" src="/cache/pad_portfolio_thumbs/1336637153.39_detail_image.jpg" width="617" /><br /> <strong><br />FF: Tell us how you started?</strong><br /> Trish Biddle: Art school in the 80s to Textile design for a clothing manufacturer to corporate offices of JC Penny (where I learned the trade of the fashion industry.) Branching out on my own I sent textile designs to a studio in NY. Then found a publisher in Vancouver. They started me in landscapes so my Husband and I took a month tour from Paris to the Amalfi. Wanting to paint the figure and my love for fashion began to incorporate my travels with textiles and my trademark was born.<br /> <br /> <strong>FF: Do you have a favorite painter?</strong><br /> Trish Biddle: Tamara De Lempicka . <br /> <br /> <strong>FF: What is your favorite subject matter? & Medium?</strong><br /> Trish Biddle: Art deco artist from 20-30's. Water soluble oils. Non-toxic and quick drying.<br /> <br /> <img alt="" src="/cache/pad_portfolio_thumbs/1336637187.03_detail_image.jpg" width="617" /><br /> <strong><br />FF: Do you have a signature piece that you consider a perfect example of your work?</strong><br /> Trish Biddle: Red Dress, Eiffel Tower.<br /> <strong><br /> FF: Who continues to inspired you to paint?</strong><br /> Trish Biddle: My husband Bryan and girls Chloe 8 and Claire 6. To be an example to my girls that you can live your Dreams.<br /> <br /> <strong>FF: Tell us about the series you are currently working on?</strong><br /> Trish Biddle: A children’s book for my mother the Author called Everette Green. A tree for all seasons. Not exactly glamorous nor fabulous but it's fun and a labor of love. <br /> <br /> <strong>FF: Any advice or words of wisdom for our young painters? </strong><br /> Trish Biddle: Find your own voice in your work. Learn as much as you can but don't look around and try to be something your not. Be passionate about your work and the rest will work itself out.</p> <p><a href="http://ff.fildry.com/JCQVVm">Visit her PAD to get a taste of her "fabulous" ladies.</a><br /><a href="http://www.trishbiddle.com/">Visit her extensive web site for more information on her past, recent and upcoming collections.</a></p>

<p><strong>Cut your hours.</strong><br />At first glance, many creative professionals are horrified at this idea. It appears counter intuitive to cut your hours in order to get more done, but this is a proven successful method. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when you overload yourself with work, and you will find yourself dragging. This can lead to poorer work quality. By keeping your hours short, however, you can be more efficient and focus on the task at hand, rather than how much more you have to do.<br /><br /><strong>Give your designs time to settle.</strong><br />This will give your brain a break after hours of working on a project, and let you look at it with new clarity. You should always take a break before editing and making final adjustments. Many designers put together design portfolios and then put them aside for a few days before making them official. <br /><br /><strong>Be aware of your energy levels.</strong><br />When you have a lot of energy, put it into designing. When you know you have low energy, don't waste time trying to force yourself. Many people are more productive in the morning, while others find the most energy in the evening.<br /><br /><strong>Be open to inspiration!</strong><br />Inspiration can dome from anywhere, including other designer's portfolios online, a poster, a picture, or a person. Be ready to take advantage when inspiration strikes.</p> <p><strong>Listen to music.</strong> <br />This can be a great tool to use, when used properly.  Don't listen to music that will distract you, instead find something that keeps you focused.  Many creative professionals claim that fast paced music keeps them working at maximum productivity.</p> <p> </p>

<p><strong>FF: Would you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us how got involved with 3D/Illustration and character design?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: My name is Alessandro Baldasseroni and I'm currently working as lead character artist at<strong>  <a href="http://www.blur.com/">Blur Studios</a>  </strong>in Los Angeles. I started to do 3D more than 10 years ago, but my professional involvement with characters coincided with my work at <strong>Blur</strong> in 2007. Before that I was 3D modeling for a small game developer in Milan, mainly working on environments and occasionally some vehicles and props. <br /> <br /> At that time I was spending a lot of my spare time working on personal projects, mainly 3D illustrations and some of them were based off high poly characters. Most of them were well received on the 3D forums and by the online communities. This allowed me to be contacted by a few companies, to do some freelance for <strong>Flagship Studios</strong>, <strong><a href="/blog/feeds/latest/www.massiveblack.com/">Massive Black</a></strong> and later on <strong><a href="http://www.blur.com/">Blur</a></strong>. In 2006, <strong><a href="http://www.blur.com/">Blur</a></strong> offered me a full time position as a character artist, they did all the paperwork and a few months later I relocated from Milan to Venice beach.</p> <p><strong><img alt="" src="http://www.eklettica.com/pictures/illustrations_album/dd1600_rol.jpg" width="617" /><br /> <br /> FF: For those who are following in similar paths, walk us through your favorite tools and your give us some insight into your artistic process.</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: My favorite tools are basically the ones I use every day in my work pipeline, <strong>3D Studio Max</strong> for poly modeling, <strong>Zbrush</strong> for high res sculpting and <strong>Photoshop</strong> for my textures. Concepts come in various forms, sometimes from the client in the form of a 3D (low-res,) a hi-res game models, other times (the one I prefer) as a 2D painting or drawing. <br /> <br /> My goal is to make it look better, while preserving the main spirit of the character. In my experience the best way to achieve this, assuming we are working on a good concept, is to literally try to trace the silhouette in 3D and to lock down the main proportions... then work on details: Make a render, bring it in <strong>Photoshop</strong>, and compare it. So as you can imagine design is limited, but being an extremely accurate interpreter is crucial.</p> <p> <br /> <strong>FF: What project(s) have you *really* enjoyed working on?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: There are so many honestly but I remember I was really into the <strong>Halo Wars</strong> cinematic by <strong> Blur</strong>. I had the chance to work with such an iconic character (Halo Masterchief) and it turned out really nice. Also working on the cinematics for Star Wars: The Old Republic was pretty [fun and] challenging. I worked on Darth Malgus, the main villain. <br /> <br /> Another project I enjoyed working on was <strong>Franky</strong>, the little sidekick partner of <strong>The Goon</strong>, for the movie pitch that <strong>Blur</strong> developed and presented at <strong>Comicon</strong> in San Diego. That one was really challenging because the character had never been transposed in 3D before. I think we did a pretty good job maintaining the look and spirit of the original comic by <strong>David Powell</strong>.</p> <p><strong>FF: Do you have a favorite studio (to work with)?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: Blur. I am partial I guess, but all in all it's a great company to work for :)</p> <p><strong>FF: How about a memorable development story?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: I remember one specific episode which happened when I was working for <strong><a href="/blog/feeds/latest/www.massiveblack.com/">Massive Black</a></strong> as a freelancer from Italy. I did a 3D character, fully modeled and textured for a marketing illustration and delivered it in T -pose . Some people at <strong><a href="/blog/feeds/latest/www.massiveblack.com/">Massive Black</a></strong> were in charge of posing it, lighting it and composing the final illustration. I took the chance to work on it by myself, just for fun, even if it was not requested. Surprisingly when I decided to show my final illustration to them, just out of curiosity, for feedback, they fell *so* in love with what I did that they decided to hire me on the spot.</p> <p><strong><img alt="" src="http://www.eklettica.com/pictures/vehicles/ducati.jpg" width="617" /><br /> <br /> FF: Given the choice, would you prefer to create characters or vehicles?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: I'd say characters for the simple fact that I still consider it very challenging. The range of possibilities and improvement when it comes to the realism of 3D characters is still huge compared to vehicles. I still struggle a lot doing characters. That said I wouldn't mind a chance to "chill out" on some vehicles design from time to time :)</p> <p><strong>FF: What are the challenges?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: I guess they both require a high level of realism nowadays. Vehicles, hard surface modeling require a great deal of precision... it can be very tedious. Modeling characters requires more flawless executions and a whole multitude of variables come into play that can detract from realism: animation, skin shaders, deformations (rigging), facial animation, to name a few. If the goal is to achieve Photorealism, any flaw in any of these areas pushes back the model into an "uncanny valley." Bringing characters to life requires an extra level of effort to infuse "personality" into them.</p> <p><strong>FF: Can you share with us your inspiration(s) to become an artist and whose work you follow?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: I was inspired to start 3D as many of my generation by the amazing visual effects of cult movies from the 70s and 80s, like Tron, Aliens, & Terminator. Keep in mind that CGI and visual effects in these movies were not to today's standards. Now that I'm doing CG for a living I'm way more interested and motivated to look back at traditional works and 2D artwork. <br /> <br /> I love illustration and paintings and whenever I have the chance I buy books like Spectrum, illustration anthologies and artwork compilations of my all time favorite artists: Frazetta, Catehrine Jeffrey Jones, Rojo, Vallejo, Ashely woods, Justine Sweet to name a few. Also the master painter and sculptors from the past are a great source of inspiration.</p> <p><strong>FF: What upcoming projects can we look forward to seeing your work in?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: I cant really mention the project I'm working on at Blur because they are under NDA but I'm working for sure on a few pieces of personal illustrations. Check out my <a href="/alessandobaldasseroni/">PAD</a> once it's up.</p> <p><strong>FF: What advice would you bestow on would-be 3D illustrators and character designers?</strong></p> <p>Alessandro: Work a lot of hours on your personal pieces; stay passionate; don't be afraid to compare yourself to the best out there; if you love what you do don't let anyone push you back; there are no masters by birth out there, just people at different stages of a common path. Listen to critiques but don't be influenced too much by that. Talent (believe me or not) can be cultivated, if supported by great motivation and will.</p> <p><strong>Visit Alessandro's PAD:<a href="/alessandrobaldasseroni"> /alessandrobaldasseroni/</a></strong></p> <p> </p>

<p>Many people are confused when asked to differentiate between graphic designers and web developers, but there are significant differences between these types of creative professionals. Sure, they both deal with digital manipulation, and will likely both have online portfolios on display, but the professions require various skills and education.<br /><br />One primary difference is that of the target. Graphic designers are considered artists, and looking at a few design portfolios will likely exemplify this characterization. Manipulating images, pixels, and vectors requires an artistic eye, and the most successful are those that can be imaginative with colors and type.<br /><br />Web developers, on the other hand, work primarily with codes. They are more mathematically minded, and focus on functionality and accessibility as opposed to visual stimulation alone. While the online portfolio of a web developer may appear quite artistic, the images displayed are usually made by a graphic designer. The web developers work can be seen in the layout of a page, and the special features that make that page unique.<br /><br />Unfortunately, graphic designers and web developers tend to butt heads when working on a project together. The differences in their work can cause conflict for a number of reasons. One common issue is the graphic designers tend to finish their work faster than developers, leaving impatience and boredom for the quicker party.<br /><br />Also, each party will likely have opinions about what the other should be doing. The two fields are similar in many ways, even as they are incredibly different. This fact causes graphic designers to try and be involved in the development process, and vice versa, as each type of work can greatly affect the other.<br /><br />Despite the differences between these creative professionals, when they work together they can produce magnificent final products.</p> <p>Art by: <a href="/andrezzavantini/">Andrezza Vantini</a></p>

<p>Our friends at <a href="http://ff.fildry.com/chinadesignhub">China Design Hub</a> (CDH) have been covering original design and art from China for a few months now and have shared with us a couple of inspiring new artists. The blog, that features art from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, has been showcasing different creative industries from industrial and architecture to interior and fashion. Their goal is simply to shake off the negative light and biased view toward Chinese Design. Here are 3 talented artists that caught our attention.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://ff.fildry.com/sallyzou">Sally Zou</a></strong><br /> Sally is a Shanghainese born in 1986 and started picking up art, design and advertising after displaying a big interest in the art field since a child. After working at the advertising agency McCann-Erickson, she joined W+K Shanghai as an intern in 2006 to participate in numerous design projects and visual productions. Sally officially became Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai’s graphic designer and digital artist in 2007, and went on to work on visual works for Nike, Converse and Umbro. One of the projects she worked on, “W+K BOOK III”, won a merit at One Show 2009. Sally is also a member of the design collective- MMRB and has been working on several art collaborations, and increasing her presence in the design industry as well by emerging 3rd place in the Cut & Paste competition held in Shanghai. Recently, she was the only Chinese female individual to be selected by Yen magazine, Australia’s no.1 independent magazine for women as one of the top 100 female artists in 2009. <strong><br />Visit Sally at China Design Hub: <a href="http://ff.fildry.com/sallyzou">http://ff.fildry.com/sallyzou</a></strong></p> <p><img alt="" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/01.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><img alt="" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/high1.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><img alt="" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/airmax_lebron_vii_a01.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><strong>Feng Haoyu</strong><br /> The original design lasts for a reason. People looks at the same object over time and gives it different meanings. A polka dot pattern has its origin, the same applies to any design, product and object. This is a project to find the origin of design, product and object,to discover their meaning in different time period. and to find new interpretations of original design and object. <strong><br />Visit Feng at China Design Hub: <a href="http://ff.fildry.com/HGy8H9">http://ff.fildry.com/HGy8H9 </a></strong></p> <p><img alt="" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/origin_1.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><img alt="" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/origin_7.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><img alt="" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/origin_6.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><strong><a href="http://ff.fildry.com/nodyoung">Nod Young</a></strong><br /> Nod Young is a visual artist specializing in digital design and visual arts, whose unique style and extraordinary insight have been well recognized. In his works, Nod mixes Chinese cultures with various elements, avant garde and traditional, always trying to break down the boundaries. As an artist, his works have been widely exhibited around the globe, from the UK to Spain, Finland to Singapore, the US to South Africa. Nod hopes to bring changes to life, through art and creativity that are able to influence the world and enrich people’s sensations. Nod has also gained commercial success and worked with many international clients, including NIKE, Adidas, Coca Cola, McDonald’s, Nokia, Microsoft, Mercedes, Li Ning, FIAT, Green Peace. He is also actively involved in a lot of art-related projects as an independent designer, and is planning to publish a portfolio book together with Tsinghua University Press at the summer of 2012. <strong><br />Visit Nod at China Design Hub: <a href="http://ff.fildry.com/nodyoung">http://ff.fildry.com/nodyoung</a></strong></p> <p><img alt="" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/aNew-Wave-_01_600.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><img alt="" height="617" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/01_Run_by_Nod.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><img alt="" src="http://chinadesignhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Nod-Young-@-Nike-2_600.jpg" width="617" /></p> <p><strong> </strong></p>

<p><strong>The Benefits of Online Portfolios</strong></p> <p>There are many advantages to developing an online portfolio, including convenience, diversity, and affordability.  When presenting a portfolio, it is important to be as efficient as possible in order to both keep prospective employers interested, as well as to give yourself the best opportunity to succeed.</p> <p>Many creative professionals prefer online portfolios because of how convenient they are to create.  Instead of endless time spent printing and organizing a hand held portfolio, you could spend all of your time designing it into something truly unique before the simple process of uploading your work onto the internet.</p> <p>Updating your portfolio online is also much more convenient with this method.  If you want to slightly change a project, you can do so simply by re-uploading it as opposed to worrying about reprinting.  It is much easier to deal with problems that arise when working with digital files as opposed to hard copies.</p> <p>Printing and reprinting costs can add up quickly, not to mention the costs associated with additional portfolio supplies.  This fact makes online portfolios much more affordable and cost effective than their physical counterparts.</p> <p>Another convenience of an online portfolio is that you can easily include works from different professional fields.  Perhaps your portfolio combines painting, photography, and graphic design, all of which would be very hard to display in a single portfolio.  Online portfolios allow more diversity because there is not only more space available, but because everything can be presented on screen in a clean and organized fashion. This allows you to upload everything you want, while viewers sort out what they want to see.</p> <p>Creating a portfolio on the web can also impress viewers with your digital skills.  Creating and maintaining a web portfolio presents many opportunities to show off HTML, Flash, or Java expertise, as well as proving your ability to work using an online platform.  Many online portfolios even include an extensive resume and history of education, making it easy for employers to get all the information they need in a single convenient location!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/CptDooDlez"><img alt="CptDooDlez" src="/cache/pad_portfolio_thumbs/1331193843.04_detail_image.jpg" width="635" /></a><br /> From <a href="/CptDooDlez">Kevin Andersson</a> Filter Foundry PAD (online portfolio) <br /> <br /></p> <p><strong>Creative Supply and Demand</strong></p> <p>While being an artist or a creative professional may have been considered a risky move at one point, the growing need for design and creative services has been apparent over the last few years.  Visual professionals, good ones at least, used to be few and far between, but recent trends suggest that the rules of supply and demand are taking their toll on the industry.</p> <p>Creative professionals are graduating in bigger and bigger classes as the years go by, creating a huge pool of qualified potentials making a grab for available jobs.  Design portfolios are being [e]mailed to advertising and marketing firms on a daily basis as people hope to turn their creative dreams into reality.</p> <p>The creative supply is there, but the problem is that as universities produce more designers, there is less demand for design services.  The job market is getting increasingly more competitive, and many employers and hiring managers have noticed a shift in the quality of design portfolios.</p> <p>There has been a noticeable increase in mimic designers, who lack creative depth but are very good at manipulating existing popular designs.  Trade schools are even providing creative programs now, meaning that the level of experience, education, and passion that used to characterize art students is slowly being dissolved.</p> <p>Upon viewing portfolios it is difficult for companies to accurately assess the talents of the applicant.  Because they are being swamped with online portfolios, as well as physical copies, it is getting harder to find real value when sifting through it all. Similarly, the value of a designer to the hiring company is getting confused as companies struggle to use their designers to their full advantage.  Many people inaccurately think that design services consist of a logo and a pretty poster, but that is far from being true especially as the industry continues to expand.</p> <p>The future of design professionals, especially those graduating in the near future, is cloudy.  The relationship between designer and hiring company is facing a lot of changes as supply and demand continue to take their toll.<br /> <br /> <a href="/Casiana"><img alt="Casiana" src="/cache/pad_portfolio_thumbs/1320570181.68_detail_image.jpg" width="635" /></a><br /> From <a href="/Casiana">Petrovan Casiana</a> Filter Foundry PAD (online portfolio)</p> <p><strong>Common Mistakes When Putting Together a Design Portfolio</strong></p> <p>Many creative professionals don't give themselves the opportunity to shine because they make too many mistakes when putting together their portfolios.  This article will discuss a few key tips to remember in order to create successful and effective design portfolios.</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>First</strong>, don't use outdated materials.  Unless it is a really high-profile project, it's better to show your recent work.  A good rule of thumb is to use assignments created within the last three years unless you have something older that is incredibly relevant to a project you’re after.</p> <p><strong>Second</strong>, an online portfolio is a great thing to have, but many employers will want something they can hold in their hands.  In order to meet the demands of all types, it is best to provide the option of both types of design portfolios.  Also, bring a sample that you can leave behind when you go on your interview to give the company something to remember you by.</p> <p><strong>Another common mistake</strong> is not tailoring the portfolio to the needs of the client. Customize your portfolio online and in print in order to engage the hiring manager and show that you have done your research. Also remember that when you build an online portfolio you will not want to turn off viewers with long loading times.  Design portfolios should be impressive, but not require so much space that no one sticks around to view them.</p> <p><strong>The most important thing</strong> to remember is to keep your portfolio organized.  No one wants to look at a sloppy book, or a sloppy web page.  Printed copies should look fresh, and if your portfolio contains bulky items be sure to carry them separately.  Don't let a few items compromise your whole portfolio.</p> </blockquote> <p>Keep these things in mind and it will be a breeze to create effective design portfolios.  The competition in this industry is getting fiercer as every graduation day passes, so it is often necessary to go the extra mile to help yourself stand out in the crowd. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/pads/"><img alt="Pads" border="1" height="316" src="http://filterfoundry-media.s3.amazonaws.com/blog_images/Article01_FF_Screencap_Pads.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="635" /></a> <a href="/pads/">Filter Foundry Featured PADs </a></p> <p><strong>Building a <a href="/pads/">Free Portfolio</a></strong></p> <p>In the current economy, many people are struggling to find work.  It can be even more difficult when applying for a job requires putting together an expensive portfolio, as is the case for many creative professionals.  Lucky for them (and you!), however, there are many ways to go about building a <a href="/pads/">free portfolio</a>.</p> <p>The best way to create a <a href="/pads/">free portfolio</a> is by exploring all of the various ways to make a portfolio online.  Unlike a printing shop, the internet’s options are available for free.  Not only that, but an online portfolio is incredibly convenient because it can be viewed by anyone at any time. There are a number of online methods that will allow you to build a <a href="/pads/">free portfolio</a>.  The first is by going through a host site.  Many web service providers allow others to create sites within their server for free, and many even specialize in building an online portfolio.</p> <p>These sites also provide easy upload services, which will allow you to organize your work neatly.  They also provide basic layout and color spread options, while also offering you the opportunity to customize the layout to your liking.  Those with expertise in HTML or Java applications may prefer to use their own design, especially if they want to market these services.</p> <p>There are many benefits to creating a <a href="/pads/">free portfolio</a> this way because it will introduce you to a whole network of creative professionals.  Many of these sites allow users to interact with each other, offering feedback or advice on how to enhance your portfolio online. In addition, some even offer job listings so that you can put your <a href="/pads/">free portfolio</a> to immediate use!  There can be many benefits to investing money into a portfolio, but there are many effective strategies you can take advantage of when this isn't an option.</p>

<p><strong>FF: Victor, tell us a little bit about your photography and your art.</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: I’m a 36 year old Photo Artist, from Barcelona. My college education was in the School of Architecture, as that was supposed to be my profession.<br /> However, and due to the fact that since early years of my life there was always a computer at home, in particular, because of the job of my father and, in combination with that fact that most of the times, in my childhood, I enjoyed playing alone, using my imagination, I started to get in touch with several kinds of rudimentary CAD packages, which for me, where the best extension of my hand-made drawings and sketches.<br /> With time, I developed some skills in Computer Graphics but just for my own fun. In the university years, I found out that I had already developed some valuable skills for architects to communicate their projects so I began to accept commissioned works from my school teachers, who with time, became my permanent customers.<br /> Being considered and recognized professionally was definitely a good thing, but not good enough as a very important part of me was totally misused in my commissioned projects, which was my imagination. That is why I decided to quit 15 years experience of freelance works, as well as a long and stable list of customers and move to a totally unexpected and uncertain future within the world of art.</p> <p><img alt="" height="495" src="http://victorenrich.com/wp-content/uploads/037_027MANUELA_01_BOXMETA.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="495" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>FF: How did you get started with photo-realistic fantasy architecture?</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: Moving into art is not such an easy step, you need something to say, an inspiring source and...at least one technique or way of expression. I somehow, found out that I had the 3 of them...so, in a way, my 15 years in freelancing, in the end served me to dominate a tool, with which do whatever I would like to.<br /> So the step from commissioned to creative works was not difficult in terms of know-how... It was more difficult in terms of accepting a new economical situation, or overcoming the fear of bad critics or even worse, total anonymity.<br /> At first, between project and project, some time was dedicated to art, those were tough times as, after long days in front of the computer for a customer’s deadline, I only had energy to leave the office and take some rest...but I stayed.<br /> Then, with time, I started to dedicate more and more time to creative works until the day I decided to not accept any more commissioned works.<br /> The whole transformation has taken place in about 5 years.</p> <p><strong>FF: Would you walk us through a typical project from location scouting to final render?<br /> </strong><br /> Victor: Any project starts with a living experience. A conversation, a commercial, a trip, a dinner with friends, a moment of solitude...anything is welcome.<br /> I must admit that there’s a little journalist in me, so I tend to introduce myself into situations that normal people would reject</p> <ul> To give you an example:<br /> I spent the last 2 years of my life in Tel Aviv, Israel...surrounded by Jews. I community that, the more I know them, the more I love them<br /> For several circumstances I was forced to leave the country, I got deported, went to jail and in jail I met incredible interesting people who I interview for over 5 days. I met false prophets living in caves, Colombian refugees escaping death from the Narco, Nigerian priests performing out loud Afro-Christian ceremonies in our 8 sq meter cell 4 times a day...and so on.<br /> </ul> <p>Now I live in Munich, Germany, the former cradle of the Nazi movement and I’m sharing flat with a religious Muslim husband born in the Gaza strip...I bet most of my Jewish friends would refuse me for that...or maybe not.<br /> So, without a living experience, at least for me, Art is not possible.<br /> The rest is just a kind of routine process of computers, photography, city walks etc...</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><img alt="" src="http://victorenrich.com/wp-content/uploads/036_026DUCKS_01_BOXMETA.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="495" /><br /> <br /> FF: What software have you used and what's the advantages it bring to the table?</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: I must admit that, with my age, I’m a bit old fashioned in terms of software choices. I use mainly <a href="/mudbox/">Autodesk</a> software, because I feel comfortable with them, I know all the bugs and I can perform fast. These packages are AUTOCAD and 3DSTUDIO MAX with VRAY. <br /> As a 3D visualizer, I must say that VRAY changed my life because the Chaos Group technology implemented a big leap into Global Illumination.<br /> I also use Rhinoceros when it’s time to dig deeper into weird shapes as we all know that AUTOCAD has its limitations as a 2D-born package.</p> <p><strong>FF: When do you know a certain site is “prime” for 3D building?</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: Generally I shoot tons of pictures with my camera, in order to have a vast range of choice. Some pictures don’t [turn out] as good as I want, or the central subject is not clear enough for me. Sometimes, instead, it’s totally clear for me that I want to shoot a building so I start to investigate ways to get a nice shot, specially from unusual points of view. I contact people, [make] some phone calls, or if necessary I sneek into [buildings and construction sites], so there’s a bit of adrenaline in it...which I love.<br /> So, in the end, it’s a combination of facts that make a picture be finally selected to the next stage...it’s like a casting somehow.<br /> This selection is very important as the following 3D tasks applied on it will take at least one month...I can’t permit myself to throw away a month work  (it has already happened to me ...)</p> <p><strong><img alt="" src="http://victorenrich.com/wp-content/uploads/032_022TUNA_01_BOXMETA.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="495" /><br /> <br /> FF: Do you work with other architects?</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: Not anymore, at least in commissioned projects. I work with them in terms of conversational meetings, discussions or any other subject related to architecture which can be valuable for me to get inspiration.</p> <p><strong>FF: What projects do you have coming up in the near future?</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: Now I’m working on a project that will involve the Munich cathedral. I can’t [disclose] more about it as it will be published exclusively for an important magazine in London.<br /> After this, we'll see...I have several projects that are on the waiting list, some of them based again on Tel Aviv.</p> <p><strong>FF: Who are your influences?</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: Everything influences me. From an old homeless man playing, under a porch, extremely beautiful classical music with his rotten violin but right after peeing in “his” corner behind to an Indian guy I met recently who travels the world by bike spreading his message.<br /> So I must say it’s people. No architecture influences me as is comparable more restricted than what I do for obvious reasons.</p> <p><strong>FF: How does creating art compare to teaching?</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: Teaching first of all is a social act. Doing my pictures is an individual act. In order to keep my insanity under control, both acts must be there. I love teaching, probably more than doing art.</p> <p><strong>FF: Can you give our readers some tips or advice?</strong><br /> <br /> Victor: Well...it’s hard to give advice as I don’t have any big message to say.<br /> I would only try to invite everybody to investigate in his or her own fears and try to overcome them, reaching unexpected limits of self knowledge without forgetting that any single direction we take in life, left or right, has a price to pay...so the first question one should ask himself should be: Am I ready to pay that price?</p> <p><br /> Another thing I would say is: consume less, bring more. Feed the universe.<br /> That idea, thought or dream that you consider silly or stupid is instead the most valuable good you can share with all of us.</p> <p><strong>Victor's Filter Foundry PAD: <a href="/victorenrich/">/victorenrich/</a></strong></p>

Collection of the work of typographer and graphic designer Herb Lubalin.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/203dafe5/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Unit+Editions+publishes+book+on+design+legend+Herb+Lubalin+by+Adrian+Shaughnessy&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3363213%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Unit+Editions+publishes+book+on+design+legend+Herb+Lubalin+by+Adrian+Shaughnessy&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3363213%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136622921109/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203dafe5/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136622921109/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203dafe5/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/136622921109/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203dafe5/a2t.img" width="1" />

New iPad and iPad 2 stickers featuring artwork and wallpaper by artists and illustrators.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/203d956f/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Gelaskins+releases+iPad+stickers+featuring+art+by+eBoy%2C+Camilla+d%27Errico%2C+EMEK%2C+Jeff+Soto%2C+Andy+Gilmore+%26+more&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3363201%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Gelaskins+releases+iPad+stickers+featuring+art+by+eBoy%2C+Camilla+d%27Errico%2C+EMEK%2C+Jeff+Soto%2C+Andy+Gilmore+%26+more&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3363201%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136544800587/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203d956f/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136544800587/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203d956f/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/136544800587/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203d956f/a2t.img" width="1" />

The graphics will change and animate to reflect movements in the underlying data.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/203c4476/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Purpose+rebrands+Market+Research+Society+using+animated+infographics+based+on+live+data&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3363157%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Purpose+rebrands+Market+Research+Society+using+animated+infographics+based+on+live+data&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3363157%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136621574930/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203c4476/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136621574930/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203c4476/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/136621574930/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/203c4476/a2t.img" width="1" />

Adobe today patched seven critical vulnerabilities in Flash Player -- the fifth security update so far in 2012 -- and released a sandboxed plug-in for Mozilla's Firefox.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/2039d30c/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Adobe+patches+critical+Flash+bugs%2C+ships+sandboxed+plug-in+for+Firefox&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3363007%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Adobe+patches+critical+Flash+bugs%2C+ships+sandboxed+plug-in+for+Firefox&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3363007%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136622903447/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2039d30c/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136622903447/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2039d30c/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/136622903447/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2039d30c/a2t.img" width="1" />

See the best graphic design and illustration work from this year's Free Range grad shows<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/20320b53/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Free+Range+grad+show+report%3A+Middlesex+University%2C+Havering+College%2C+UCA+Maidstone&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362918%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Free+Range+grad+show+report%3A+Middlesex+University%2C+Havering+College%2C+UCA+Maidstone&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362918%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136622868433/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/20320b53/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136622868433/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/20320b53/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/136622868433/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/20320b53/a2t.img" width="1" />

Vimeo presented the awards last night in New York City with a motion-responsive, projection-mapped awards show set<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/2027570b/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Watch+all+of+the+Vimeo+Awards+2012+winners&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362726%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Watch+all+of+the+Vimeo+Awards+2012+winners&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362726%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136544700524/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2027570b/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136544700524/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2027570b/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/136544700524/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2027570b/a2t.img" width="1" />

Also, a small entry-level workstation, the Z220.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/20264049/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=HP+launches+next-generation+mobile+workstations&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362717%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=HP+launches+next-generation+mobile+workstations&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362717%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136622814751/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/20264049/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136622814751/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/20264049/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/136622814751/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/20264049/a2t.img" width="1" />

Also, a small entry-level workstation, the Z220.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/2034ad57/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=HP+launches+next-generation+mobile+workstations&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcadvisor.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362717%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=HP+launches+next-generation+mobile+workstations&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcadvisor.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362717%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div>

Canon has announced the EOS 650D – a new digital SLR (DSLR) that offers high image quality and a touch-screen operation.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/2025adca/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Canon+launches+EOS+650D+digital+SLR+with+18mp+sensor+and+flip-out+touchscreen&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362706%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Canon+launches+EOS+650D+digital+SLR+with+18mp+sensor+and+flip-out+touchscreen&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalartsonline.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362706%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136621473084/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2025adca/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/136621473084/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2025adca/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/136621473084/u/0/f/8410/c/662/s/2025adca/a2t.img" width="1" />

Canon has announced the EOS 650D – a new digital SLR (DSLR) that offers high image quality and a touch-screen operation.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/662/f/8410/s/203a4215/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Canon+launches+EOS+650D+digital+SLR+with+18mp+sensor+and+flip-out+touchscreen&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcadvisor.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362706%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Canon+launches+EOS+650D+digital+SLR+with+18mp+sensor+and+flip-out+touchscreen&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcadvisor.co.uk%2Fnews%2F%3Fnewsid%3D3362706%26olo%3Drss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div>

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW119.t_trans.opener.jpg" rel="lightbox[35093]"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-35098" height="348" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW119.t_trans.opener.jpg" title="TDW119.t_trans.opener" width="580" /></a></p> <p class="strap">Transformers week draws to a close with this video training from Dan DeEntremont. Master key animation skills in this Transformer-style tutorial as you rig a robot to animate its transformation from train to humanoid</p> <p>To celebrate <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/03/07/digital-tutors-releases-new-transforming-robot-tutorials/">Digital-Tutors’ new Transformation training</a>, we thought we’d make an event of it and post online all things Transformery!</p> <p>We’ve already posted up two making-of Transformers articles:<br /> <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/03/07/the-making-of-transformers/">The making of Transformers</a><br /> <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/03/08/the-making-of-transformers-2/">The making of Transformers 2</a></p> <p>And you can also read a making-of article on the cult Transformers-style advert for Citroën - <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/03/13/the-embassy-the-art-of-robotics/">The Embassy: The art of Robotics</a></p> <p>To complete the Transformers roundup, here’s the train-transforming video tutorial we’ve been talking about.</p> <h3>Rig your own Transformer in LightWave</h3> <p>This article demonstrates the workflow for creating a transforming robot, similar to the designs in the live-action Transformers movies.</p> <p>The films’ director, Michael Bay, is well known for taking the level of special and visual effects over the top in his films. These Transformers are not the simple ones everyone has seen in the cartoon show, but a gigantic mass of moving metal that somehow manages to form a human-like (or sometimes animal-like) robot. The transforming train that you’ll rig and animate has about 300 moving parts.</p> <p>There are three videos available to show in detail the techniques described here. The first two videos focus on setting up the upper arms of the robot: you can take the principles you learn and apply them to the remaining parts of the figure. The first video will focus on rigging the upper arms. In this section, you will also be setting up the rig in a way that helps to cut the animation time nearly in half, using the useful Follower modifier. Bones will be used for moving the parts instead of separate layers.</p> <p>In Video 2, we will continue with the animation of the rigged upper arms. Here, I will demonstrate how to bring each piece to its destination position without causing geometry to intersect. I will also demonstrate a number of key techniques to help the movement of the different sections to be more realistic.</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35099" style="width: 590px;"><p class="wp-caption-text">Discover how you can rig this robot to animate its transformation from train to humanoid</p></div> <p>Video 3 has a completely rigged transforming train. This video focuses on animating the transformation from a train to a robot, ending in a cool pose. A proxy version of the train will be used in this video. IK/FK Blending will also be implemented to allow smoothness in the transformation. If you get stuck at any point, the CD includes completed scene files you can study.</p> <p><em>Click Next to begin the train-transforming video tutorial</em></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d821264/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Video+tutorial%3A+Rig+your+own+Transformer+in+LightWave&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F16%2Fvideo-tutorial-rig-your-own-transformer-in-lightwave%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dvideo-tutorial-rig-your-own-transformer-in-lightwave" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Video+tutorial%3A+Rig+your+own+Transformer+in+LightWave&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F16%2Fvideo-tutorial-rig-your-own-transformer-in-lightwave%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dvideo-tutorial-rig-your-own-transformer-in-lightwave" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200441230/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d821264/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200441230/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d821264/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200441230/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d821264/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/VscwAZ8sOVc" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/ftr.jpg" rel="lightbox[35136]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35137" height="243" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/ftr.jpg" title="ftr" width="580" /></a></p> <p class="strap">Find out how this atmospheric, painterly animated short was created using Maya, Photoshop and After Effects. Watch the film here too</p> <p>For the Remainder depicts the last moments of a house cat who bids farewell to its home before leaving to perish. The short was a graduation project created by Omer Ben David while studying at the <a href="http://www.bezalel.ac.il/en/">Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design</a> in Jerusalem, Israel. Ben David first began working on the plot in November last year. </p> <p>“I was dwelling on a concept of a cat that leaves his house and searches for his final resting place for some time before then,” he says. “I pondered on that notion since hearing the rumour that old cats sometime leave their home to die somewhere else unseen by their beloved ones or enemies. I felt that this essence of a story is very poetic and thus should be treated as a song rather than a narrative.”</p> <h4>First impressions</h4> <p>After developing the main plot, the director carefully considered the importance of the film’s characters and what role each would play. </p> <p>“From the beginning, the story was about a cat and a house,” Ben David explains. “The cat’s owner was also a main character but I wasn’t sure if he would be performing or his presence just suggested. The spider came somewhat in the middle of the storyboarding stage, when I was searching for a death motif to allow the cat to deal with.”</p> <p>“I was greatly inspired by sketches and calligraphy, and some colour blocking when searching for the look of the characters. I figured the house, as a character, should be mostly colour blocked while the cat should be wired so they were in contrast.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/ftr1.jpg" rel="lightbox[35136]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35138" height="243" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/ftr1.jpg" title="ftr1" width="580" /></a></p> <h4>Creating perfect brush strokes</h4> <p>The film’s unique style was inspired by a number of sources. “I was very moved by a series of paintings by <a href="http://lukpazera.blogspot.com/">Lukasz Pazera</a> called <a href="http://postcardsfromthezone.com/">Postcards from the Zone</a> and his brilliant <a href="http://lukpazera.blogspot.com/2011/06/dog-of-zone-animation-sample.html">Dog of Zone</a>, which I figured would be awesome animated,” Ben David says.</p> <p>While researching, the director also watched Andrei Tarkovsky’s film Stalker. “I thought it to be the exact poem-like atmosphere I was searching for both visually and musically. I love the ambiance and slow rhythm,” he says. “I was also greatly inspired by color block paintings such as <a href="http://www.gerhardmozsi.com/">Gerhard Mozsi’s</a>, and the dreamy feel and pace in animated films such as Tekkonkinkreet or Ghost in the Shell which I adore.”</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35159" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/remainder_infl.jpg" rel="lightbox[35136]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35159" height="389" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/remainder_infl.jpg" title="remainder_infl" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">One of the film’s main influences was a series of paintings by Lukasz Pazera called Postcards from the Zone. You can see similarities in tone and style between them and For the Remainder</p></div> <p>Ben David’s extensive research and inspirations helped him to develop the unique painterly style of the film. In order to achieve this in 3D, he turned to the powerful tools of Maya. </p> <p>“This software was vital to production,” he explains. “It was an inherent rendering method that got the look for my characters and objects, combined with the overlapping textures on the sets. Photoshop was of course crucial for painting the textures, but Maya allowed me to rig and control almost everything I needed.”</p> <p>The film’s style, however, also presented some technical challenges. “The whole sketchiness and painterly look was the biggest technical issue,” says Ben David. “I did a lot of research about NPR (non photo realistic) rendering before developing the technique for creating it, and it was pretty much an experiment throughout the entire process. I didn’t have a clear point of reference on a technical level on how to achieve this look, and so I did a lot of testing until I reached a certain point where I knew that the composited render would satisfy me.”</p> <p>Despite extensive research and testing, Ben David managed to complete the film within a fairly short time period. “It took me around nine months to finish the short,” he says. “I did some touch-ups, on and off, for a few months afterwards as I was not completely happy with some renders and I’ve worked some more on mastering the soundtrack with <a href="http://onili.com/">Onili</a>. I’m very pleased with the final result. Both on the aesthetics and the feel of it.”</p> <p></p> <h3>Like this film?</h3> <p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/category/showcase/shorts/">Check out the selection of other awesome animations on our shorts page</a></p> <p><em>Make sure you visit next week for more Friday Animation Fun!</em></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d81a18a/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Friday+Animation+Fun%3A+For+the+Remainder&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F16%2Ffriday-animation-fun-for-the-remainder%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dfriday-animation-fun-for-the-remainder" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Friday+Animation+Fun%3A+For+the+Remainder&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F16%2Ffriday-animation-fun-for-the-remainder%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dfriday-animation-fun-for-the-remainder" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200396320/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d81a18a/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200396320/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d81a18a/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200396320/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d81a18a/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/W9nf4RJbbCw" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_desert_cinesite.jpg" rel="lightbox[35145]"><img alt="Disney's John Carter movie still" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-35150" height="242" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_desert_cinesite.jpg" title="Disney's John Carter movie still - opener" width="580" /></a> <p class="strap">Cinesite has completed 831 VFX shots and converted 87 minutes of film into stereoscopic 3D for Disney’s John Carter, which hit cinemas last week</p> <p>The 3D work in John Carter - Andrew Stanton’s first live-action feature film, based on Edgar Rice Burroughs ‘Mars’ series of novels - was split between three leading London FX houses: Cinesite, Double Negative and The Moving Picture Company. </p> <p>Cinesite, renowned for its photoreal environment work, was responsible for creating and populating the majority of environments for John Carter. The team of 310-strong completed 831 visual effects shots, which included creating and populating the majority of environments for the film. They also converted 87 minutes of the film into stereo 3D.</p> <p>Cinesite’s VFX supervisor Sue Rowe spent several months on set in the UK and Utah. Due to the scale of the project, Rowe divided the work between four other VFX supervisors.</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35151" style="width: 590px;"></p> <p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_wireframe_helium_cinesite.jpg" rel="lightbox[35145]"><img alt="John Carter VFX shots" class="size-full wp-image-35151" height="242" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_wireframe_helium_cinesite.jpg" title="johncarter_wireframe_helium_cinesite" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Helium is shown from different angles throughout the film, and is used as the backdrop for the final battle sequence</p></div> <p>Christian Irles supervised work on Princess Dejah’s city, Helium. The city presented a challenge as it had to match the art department concept stills. While this was easy enough to do in matte painting, it was very time-consuming and render heavy to get actual full 3D renders. Projections were created for the terrain and these were worked up in matte painting to achieve the level of detail required. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35152" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_helium_cinesite.jpg" rel="lightbox[35145]"><img alt="John Carter Helium city" class="size-full wp-image-35152" height="242" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_helium_cinesite.jpg" title="John Carter Helium city" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Cinesite created a matte painting of the outside of the city of Helium and, using projections, built up the terrain using high-res stills taken on location in Utah</p></div> <p>The shots presented the city as a whole with both Helium Major and Helium Minor visible, resulting in a huge amount of texture maps and shaders. Render time was very high for these shots and all layers, such as crowds, terrain, etc were rendered separately. </p> <p>Helium stats:</p> <ul> <li>346 models in the city structure</li> <li>74 individual props created</li> </ul> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35153" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Zodanga_cinesite.jpg" rel="lightbox[35145]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35153" height="242" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Zodanga_cinesite.jpg" title="Zodanga_cinesite" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The mobile city of Zodanga crawls like a myriapod across the surface of Mars: giving the city a sense of scale and animating the digital legs was challenging</p></div> <p>Jonathan Neill supervised Cinesite’s work on the mobile city of Zodanga, a mile-long rusty metal tanker that crawls like a myriapod across the surface of Mars. The city was heavily textured using a combination of Photoshop, Mari and Mudbox in tandem with bespoke shaders and lighting development, to give an industrial look and feel.</p> <p>A handful of sets were built which were locations within the city, but these needed considerable extension work to make the depth and scale of the city believable. Cinesite modelled thousands of pieces of geometry for the city buildings, and created hundreds of CG props to dress the sets.</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35154" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_city_cinesite.jpg" rel="lightbox[35145]"><img alt="John Carter VFX. Interior of city" class="size-full wp-image-35154" height="242" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_city_cinesite.jpg" title="John Carter VFX. Interior of city" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Cinesite filled the city with warships and troops, before dressing it with hundreds of CG props</p></div> <p>With 674 legs, the mobile city was technically challenging to animate: Timed animation caches were used to ensure the digital legs moved in a random fashion. “Variations in movement and secondary animation such as cogs and cabling were used to create interest in the leg movement,” says Cinesite.</p> <p>Zodanga City Model stats: </p> <ul> <li>291 structural element models</li> <li>Up to 20,000 objects in a single shot</li> <li>1-2 billion polygons, dependent on camera position and detail required</li> <li>242 CG props created to populate the city</li> </ul> <p>Zodanga City Legs stats:</p> <ul> <li>674 legs </li> <li>44 claws</li> </ul> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35155" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_airship_cinesite.jpg" rel="lightbox[35145]"><img alt="John Carter" class="size-full wp-image-35155" height="242" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/johncarter_airship_cinesite.jpg" title="johncarter_airship_cinesite" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The texturing and detailing of the giant airships had to be spot on since they feature in many close up shots</p></div> <p>Ben Shepherd oversaw the huge aerial battle between Zodanga and Helium. His team created each side’s airships which use solar wings to travel on light, as well as explosions, fire, people and set extensions.</p> <p>The giant airships needed to be finely detailed for close-up shots. A challenge for look development was that they were required to be more like a 19th-Century sailing ship, than the type of spaceship which a modern-day audience might expect. </p> <p>For Sab’s flagship corsair, a partial set was created for the bridge/cockpit and one deck of a single ship. This was scanned and photographed for reference and recreated. The remaining areas were created as full CG models. </p> <p>Dejah’s ship and the flagship Helium ship, the Xavarian, were created in 3D also. Each ship had a full set of wings which were sized and laid out specifically for each ship. These were controlled by pulleys and ratchet-type controls to give a sailing look. Each of the wings was covered in hundreds of individual solar tiles which needed to be able to be controlled in animation. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35156" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Thern-Sanctuary_Final-Comp.jpg" rel="lightbox[35145]"><img alt="John Carter movie" class="size-full wp-image-35156" height="242" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Thern-Sanctuary_Final-Comp.jpg" title="John Carter movie" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The entire Thern effect system was designed and built from scratch using a combination of Maya, Houdini and custom software developed in house</p></div> <p>Simon Stanley-Clamp directed work on the Thern sanctuary, a huge underground cave that forms around Carter and Dejah as self-illuminating blue branches as the characters walk through it. </p> <p>The entire Thern effect system was designed and built from scratch using a combination of Maya, Houdini and custom software developed in house. Based on the principles of nanotechnology, the system provided a semi-automated way to ‘grow’ Thern into any environment and geometry. It took a full year of development time to evolve and bring to the big screen.</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35157" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Thern-Sanctuary_3_Final-comp.jpg" rel="lightbox[35145]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35157" height="247" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Thern-Sanctuary_3_Final-comp.jpg" title="Thern-Sanctuary_3_Final-comp" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">These ‘growing Thern’ shots were some of the most complex VFX shots Cinesite undertook, and can be seen to great effect in 3D</p></div> <p>In the sequence, as the tunnel itself ends, the main Thern Sanctuary room is seen to build itself, opening out within the Thern matrix of the pyramid interior. This shot required extensive Thern simulation and growing effects, blending multiple elements together in Nuke to build the shot up.</p> <p><em>John Carter is in cinemas now. We’ve not seen the film yet, and reviews so far seem to be fairly mixed, so if you do go, let us know what you think of it via the comments box below, or on Facebook or Twitter </em></p> <h3>The making of John Carter</h3> <p>This article focuses on Cinesite’s contribution to the film, but the 3D work was split between three leading London FX houses: Cinesite, Double Negative and The Moving Picture Company. </p> <p>Read the making-of John Carter article in issue 155 of 3D World magazine, where Renee Dunlop takes us behind the scenes of all three VFX facilities.</p> <p><strong>Issue 155 of 3D World goes on sale on 27th March</strong></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d801946/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Disney%E2%80%99s+John+Carter%3A+The+VFX+of+Cinesite&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F16%2Fdisneys-john-carter-the-vfx-of-cinesite%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Ddisneys-john-carter-the-vfx-of-cinesite" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Disney%E2%80%99s+John+Carter%3A+The+VFX+of+Cinesite&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F16%2Fdisneys-john-carter-the-vfx-of-cinesite%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Ddisneys-john-carter-the-vfx-of-cinesite" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200459259/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d801946/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200459259/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d801946/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200459259/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d801946/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/SAa9hvj4MmU" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin17_998034v28.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-35134" height="247" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin17_998034v28.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.tin17_998034v28" width="580" /></a> <p class="strap">Weta Digital embarked on a new quest with The Adventures of Tintin, complete with crashing waves, pirate battles and an extremely stylish wardrobe. Renee Dunlop takes us behind the scenes</p> <p>As the Blu-ray of The Adventures of Tintin goes on sale, we thought we’d share this article from <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/01/07/3d-world-152-create-fire-water-and-more/">issue 152 of 3D World magazine</a>. </p> <p>If you haven’t watched the film already, we suggest you do - The Adventures of Tintin looks like a mix of live-action and CG, which adds up to something unique on screen. It’s possible that The Adventures of Tintin missed out at the Oscars this year because of this very thing, which is a real shame as we think the film has some of the best CG we’ve ever seen. </p> <h3>Weta’s Adventures of Tintin</h3> <p>Weta Digital is delving into a new world – that of the journalist. Enter Tintin, a popular post-World War One comic strip hero who travels about with his dog, Snowy, cracking cases with a little help from his friends. Created in 1929 by the artist and writer best known as Hergé, the stellar artists of Weta, led by director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson, have brought the story to 3D animated life on the big screen. </p> <p>It took some of Weta’s best to tackle the wide array of arduous effects required to complete the film. Keith Miller, one of five VFX supervisors, was among those appointed to the task. He was in charge of roughly 340 shots.</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35113" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.opener_ships1.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35113" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.opener_ships1.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.opener_ships1" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">An epic sea battle required Weta Digital’s team to simulate stormy ocean waves</p></div> <p>For Miller, the big challenge was the pirate battle. “It’s such a dynamic sequence,” he says. “There are nearly 60 pirates running about, two ships that are sailing in 60-metre seas complete with lightning storms, rain, hurricane winds, fire, explosions – you name it, it’s all there.” The most difficult challenge was the water, with 60-metre waves interacting with the ships that needed to compositionally match the representations provided by the pre-viz team.</p> <p>Miller’s team approached the work from a few different angles. “First, we updated our FFT [fast Fourier transform] library, a system of generating waves using measurements collected in oceanic research,” says Miller. They also completely rewrote their library using a more up-to-date spectrum that provided the ability to incorporate the ideas of the depth of the ocean and the fetch, or the distance that wind stays at a constant velocity. “We added those new variables into the system and we were able to generate much more realistic wave scenarios for the high wind systems,” he adds. </p> <p>Weta’s FX team did quite a bit of work approximating the surface velocity from the newly generated ocean surfaces and applied those to Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) particle simulations, much of which was used for the white water simulation, breaking waves that rode on top of the ocean surface. These were pushed through Weta’s in-house 3D effects solution, Synapse, a node-based system that’s a container for solvers. In some cases, Naiad data was also incorporated into Synapse for the initial bounded simulation elements.</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35116" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.pirate1.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35116" height="245" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.pirate1.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.pirate1" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The battle sequence combines water, fire, wind and lightning, and featured as many as 60 pirates in combat</p></div> <p>In addition to reworking the FFT system, senior water TD Chris Horvath updated Weta’s shading model for raytraced water, using an improved model for participating media for underwater light extinction and scattering. He also made improvements to the procedural texture foam system. </p> <h4>Creating the hands</h4> <p>While Miller and his team battled with the pirate ships, Weta’s digital creature supervisor Simon Clutterbuck focused on some of the smallest of details through his modelling department. “We build the animation puppets, the deformation rigs, we do all the cloth and hair simulations, muscle dynamics, flesh dynamics – anything that has to do with the monster or character,” he says. “We interact with all the departments in the studio to produce stuff for them to use, like the puppets or the baked light, and we work closely with shots and animation.” </p> <p>The creature department work includes providing all the puppets for the animators. “Our animation puppet isn’t the thing that gets cached and ends up in the shot,” says Clutterbuck. “The animation puppets are kind of an interactive, almost real-time version of the character. They don’t have to see amazing hand deformations to pose the hand correctly, so they’re just posing [and] animating this thing that’s much lower resolution.” Clutterbuck’s Creature Department provides the animators with approximations of clothes and low-res hands and bodies that allow for faster animation. “Then the animation data is cached off of that puppet and plugged into a high-resolution creature rig, which gets cached and given to lighting,” he says. “This way there’s no requirement for interactivity in our actual deformation models.” </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35111" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.new_013025261.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35111" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.new_013025261.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.new_013025261" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A single complex rig was used as the basis for all characters’ hands</p></div> <p>It’s hardly all low-res work, though. “There’s a big focus on faces and hands in the show, so a good deal of time was focused on building a detailed hand rig,” says Clutterbuck. “We had all these incredibly close shots of Tintin’s hands. It’s a treasure hunt, so there are all these clues that lead to the treasure, and there are lots of shots where he’s inspecting things. The shots are incredibly long, so you’ll have minutes focused on their face or hands. The stability of the cloth solve, the fidelity of the hands [and] the deformation all had to be very high. It was pretty unforgiving.”</p> <p>Weta Digital’s workflow uses a generic model called Gen Man as a baseline for building humanoid characters. This starting point is used for reference, scanning and motion capturing, tailoring clothes, and even cross-referencing MRI data. Clutterbuck explains: “We produced a whole bunch of life casts in all different poses that were used to build support moulds, 36 in all, that went into the MRI machine, so the character could put his hand into a similar pose and hold it there. Then we could derive the meshes of his joints from the MRIs.” The result was a series of high-resolution joint meshes of his actual skeleton in the selected poses. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35110" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.new_00402825.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="The story requires characters to grip and manipulate objects" class="size-full wp-image-35110" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.new_00402825.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.new_00402825" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The story is a treasure hunt, so there are lots of shots where the characters have to pick things up and be able to manipulate them</p></div> <p>“The metacarpals in the wrist do all these crazy rolling motions – it’s really complex,” Clutterbuck says. “We couldn’t build that complexity into the animation puppets because it would have been prohibitive to animate with, but we also needed the correct degrees of freedom in the wrist and joints to give us the right deformations of the hand.” It took nearly five months to get the hands working the way they wanted.</p> <p>“The hand rig looks pretty amazing,” says Clutterbuck. “The hand model propagates out into the show, procedurally warped into new shapes, so we built one hand rig and it was fitted to all the characters’ hands. We have a process that was developed on Avatar to transfer the rig and deformation data onto other models.” </p> <p>Weta Digital’s model supervisor Marco Revelant was responsible for all the assets created in the model department and was involved with grooming and developing the fur system from the user side for the dog, Snowy. However, it was the clothing that both Clutterbuck and Revelant found the most challenging. The multiple layers and the way the different fabrics fell and moved presented a daunting task. </p> <h4>Folding the clothes</h4> <p>Weta Digital set up a Tintin-specific costume department that helped define the design of the clothing, offering insight into how the fabric would drape and move over a character. “The problem is,” says Revelant, “when you do digital clothing and give it to a modeller, the modeller will try to put in features like wrinkles and folds, but won’t necessarily take into account the quantity of fabric.”</p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35114" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.other1_04800542SS_dist.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35114" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.other1_04800542SS_dist.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.other1_04800542SS_dist" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Care was taken with getting clothing folds to animate correctly</p></div> <p>To manage this issue, the Creature Department worked closely with modelling, providing tools that helped drape the character as they were modelling so that they could see how the fabric was behaving, rather than waiting until the Creature Department ran their simulations. Weta used NCloth in Maya, but spent a huge amount of time up-front shooting parameters and getting the topology in the models and construction correct, especially in cross-sections such as sleeves. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35124" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin8_020003215SS.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35124" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin8_020003215SS.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.tin8_020003215SS" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">There are eight principal characters, and several have multiple costumes. In all, there were 551 individual costumes to build for the film</p></div> <p>Several characters had multiple layers of clothing, requiring layers of geometry to simulate friction. There were eight principal characters, and several – including Tintin, Captain Haddock and Sakharine – have multiple costumes. In all, there were 551 individual costumes to build for the film. “Take the Captain,” Clutterbuck says. “He had a big woollen jacket, a woollen jumper, trousers, and socks and shoes.” Again, proper reference was key. Weta filmed a man running on a treadmill wearing a tailored suit they provided, and gathered reference on how cloth breaks across the seams, collecting data on details such as the effects of double versus single stitching. </p> <p>Weta first tried just solving the visible clothing, but found that it didn’t quite look correct. “We ended up going for full coupled solutions where everything was solved,” says Clutterbuck. “Tintin might enter with his trench coat on, then take it off and toss it onto the back of a chair, and continue the scene wearing the rest of his costume,” says Clutterbuck. “We had to handle this level of complexity where we had all these variations of costume elements and they had to solve coupled. We hadn’t really done anything that complicated before in terms of clothes.” </p> <p>Coupling affects even supporting characters such as Silk, who dresses in a formal jacket, a waistcoat and a shirt. “We didn’t solve the shirt, then put the waistcoat on, then the jacket,” says Clutterbuck. “We solved everything at the same time, so the solutions were all fully coupled. All the costume elements are plugged into one solver. Since they’re all plugged in, they all interact.”</p> <p>Weta defers everything to its render wall. The costumes were assembled as a master file that contained a costume description. During the baked simulation step that file would assemble the costume, plug it into all the solvers, bring it in, attach it to the character, then do the simulation. The result was a final sim and a series of files generated to show what Weta calls pre-files, which are pre-simulation. The individual costume assets are iterated in parallel as an ensemble of costume elements. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35130" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin14_03802770SS.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35130" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin14_03802770SS.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.tin14_03802770SS" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text"> “There’s a big focus on faces and hands in the show, so a good deal of time was focused on building a detailed hand rig,” says Clutterbuck</p></div> <p>The costumes took several minutes a frame to simulate, but there was no interactivity requirement because that’s all happening on the render wall and animation was working with real-time puppet versions. “So we have these two parts of every character, with the puppet which goes to animation and the creature deformation model that’s the thing the animation curves get plugged into that simulates on the wall,” says Clutterbuck. </p> <p>Weta’s flexible pipeline paid off, according to Miller. “I know a lot of facilities tend to lock down their technology, branch it off and continue developing it outside of current shows, but that’s very different from how Weta works,” he says. “It’s got pros and cons for sure, but it’s one of those things that helps us to stay at the leading edge of technology. We’re constantly throwing in new technology and updating and developing new aspects, and trying to get it pushed into production all the way through the course of the show.” </p> <h4>Setting the scene </h4> <p>The entire Tintin project was done in-house at Weta Digital, including the artwork for the environment and character studies. The translation of the environments from 2D to 3D was left to Weta’s modelling department under modelling supervisor Marco Revelant’s guidance. An internal art department was assembled to research information about the time when the film takes place. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35133" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin16_08900835.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35133" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin16_08900835.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.tin16_08900835" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">“Every element that was drawn in the book, we tried to find the respective real element from that period that could have been the inspiration for the Hergé drawing," explains Revelant. "Everything was checked against real period data.” </p></div> <p>“One important thing is [creator] Hergé was very careful in depicting a kind of reality that was around the 1940s,” explains Revelant. “Every element that was drawn in the book, we tried to find the respective real element from that period that could have been the inspiration for the Hergé drawing. Everything was checked against real period data.” </p> <h4>Creating the hair </h4> <p>Weta was working on Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Tintin at the same time. While the requirements for hair on Tintin weren’t anything near what they were for Apes, some of the aspects translated over. Tintin required wind effects, wet hair and a lot of development to get the hair to work coupled with the clothes. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_35125" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin9_030016v405.jpg" rel="lightbox[35108]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35125" height="246" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW152.f_tintin.tin9_030016v405.jpg" title="TDW152.f_tintin.tin9_030016v405" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Character hair in The Adventures of Tintin has to interact with objects and the environment</p></div> <p>With the hat on, the Captain has a groom, styled so his hair doesn’t stick through the hat. When the hat is off, the hair is groomed appropriately. Sometimes the Captain put his hat on or took it off, so transitional shots with appropriate grooms were needed. The Captain’s hair ended up having a very dense particle set on the hair and collision objects with the hat, and his hair would spring up a bit during the transition. </p> <p><a href="http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/design/3dworld-magazine-back-issues/3d-world-feb-12/">Buy issue 152 of 3D World magazine to read the full article</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Tintin-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-Digital/dp/B0034G4P4Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1331150699&sr=8-3">Buy the Blu-ray of The Adventures of Tintin via Amazon</a></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d77d052/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Weta+Digital+on+the+making+of+The+Adventures+of+Tintin&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F15%2Fweta-digital-on-the-making-of-the-adventures-of-tintin%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dweta-digital-on-the-making-of-the-adventures-of-tintin" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Weta+Digital+on+the+making+of+The+Adventures+of+Tintin&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F15%2Fweta-digital-on-the-making-of-the-adventures-of-tintin%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dweta-digital-on-the-making-of-the-adventures-of-tintin" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200327135/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d77d052/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200327135/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d77d052/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200327135/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d77d052/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/D4s7vJZZjr8" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/19.jpg" rel="lightbox[35032]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35091" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/19.jpg" title="19" width="580" /></a></p> <p class="strap">Find out how this ultra photorealistic film was pieced together using 3ds Max and V-Ray. Watch the animated short here too</p> <p><span id="more-35032"></span></p> <p>The Accuracy of Time is a depiction of part of the process of building a watch, more specifically the ceramic crown. Created by art director Javi Martinez, the short was made as a case study for his upcoming <a href="http://lightrendergroup.com/">CGI training roadshow TAOT2012</a>.</p> <p>The idea was to replicate a real advertisement and the entire production process behind it. The film will be used as part of the roadshow training to highlight some of specific challenges currently facing digital artists.</p> <p>The project was created using a 3ds Max and V-Ray pipeline. “The decision to use this software was simply to make a technical demonstration of the many capabilities offered by the two working together,” explains Martinez. </p> <h4>3ds Max and V-Ray: an ideal combo</h4> <p>“3ds Max allowed us to develop the short very easily using the new MASSFX to perform physical dynamics and the ceramic particles and at the same time offered great performance in the modelling and animation of objects and cameras. The reason we chose V-Ray was the quality of representation of light, versatility, simplicity to recreate materials and the optimisation of production times.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/14.jpg" rel="lightbox[35032]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35092" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/14.jpg" title="14" width="580" /></a></p> <h4>More-than-reasonable render times</h4> <p>Rather amazingly, The Accuracy of Time was created using only one workstation! It just goes to show what can be achieved if you’ve got the right amount of dedication: “The short includes the processing of raw materials [to create the watch], the material injection to obtain the piece itself, then it passes through the baking stage and ends with the exposure of the product with elegance and quality,” says Martinez. “But the whole film was in fact a very simple macro CG production playing with a basic geometric model, a virtual light and virtual camera. Given that the piece was produced using a single workstation, the render times were very manageable, ranging from five to 35 minutes per frame.”</p> <h4>Playing with the look</h4> <p>It wasn’t all plain sailing, however. Due to the style and close-up nature of the short, Martinez had to work out solutions in order to achieve the correct look. “The animation treatment and lens blurs were resolved by ZD channels and working on it in post,” Martinex explains. “The animation of the camera lens can easily change the meaning of a sequence so experimenting with this technique was very attractive to me.”</p> <p>Overall, the short took Martinez approximately just under a year to complete from start to finish. “The 10-month production time was an amazing experience,” Martinez says. “But it led to a lot of sacrifice and [it was a] joy to finally get my work out to reach the community of artists in an industry which is so difficult and exquisite.”</p> <h4>Watch the new animation short:</h4> </p> <p></p> <h4>Want more animated shorts of the same calibre?</h4> <p>If you liked this film, check out a selection of other awesome animations on our <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/category/showcase/shorts/">Shorts page</a></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d6f8c5d/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=New+animation+short%3A+The+Accuracy+of+Time&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F14%2Fnew-animation-short-the-accuracy-of-time%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dnew-animation-short-the-accuracy-of-time" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=New+animation+short%3A+The+Accuracy+of+Time&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F14%2Fnew-animation-short-the-accuracy-of-time%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dnew-animation-short-the-accuracy-of-time" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200299806/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d6f8c5d/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200299806/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d6f8c5d/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200299806/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d6f8c5d/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/HB_RZPTmu4k" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW94.t_trade.ad_seq3.jpg" rel="lightbox[35067]"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-35088" height="348" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW94.t_trade.ad_seq3.jpg" title="TDW94.t_trade.ad_seq3" width="580" /></a></p> <p class="strap">Do you remember the original Transformers-style Citroën C4 spot? Five years ago it became a worldwide cult hit and we asked The Embassy’s CG team to reveal some of the ad’s technical secrets. Catch up as Transformers week continues…</p> <p>To celebrate <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/03/07/digital-tutors-releases-new-transforming-robot-tutorials/">Digital-Tutors’ new Transformation training</a>, we thought we’d make an event of it and post online all things Transformery!</p> <p>We’ve already posted up two making of Transformers articles:<br /> <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/03/07/the-making-of-transformers/">The making of Transformers</a><br /> <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/03/08/the-making-of-transformers-2/">The making of Transformers 2</a></p> <p>We plan to post up a <strong>train-transforming walkthrough tutorial</strong> this week too, so remember to check back.</p> <h3>Here’s the Embassy’s making of the Citroën ‘Runner’ spot</h3> <h4>ABOUT THE ORIGINAL AD</h4> <p>Created for the launch of Citroën’s C4 range, The Embassy Visual Effects’s original 2004 ad, ‘Alive with Technology’, opens with a hand-held camera shot of a car that transforms into a robot, performs an?impromptu series of dance moves and then reverts back to vehicular form.</p> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_35068" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW94.t_trade.orig_ad.jpg" rel="lightbox[35067]"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-35068" height="320" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/TDW94.t_trade.orig_ad.jpg" title="TDW94.t_trade.orig_ad" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The Embassy Visual Effects’s original 2004 ad, ‘Alive with Technology’, opens with a hand-held camera shot of a car that transforms into a robot, performs an?impromptu series of dance moves and then reverts back to vehicular form</p></div> <p>As well as making other VFX teams green with envy, the spot proved to have unexpected longevity. A full two years on, it was regularly appearing on TV, picking up fresh awards, and inspiring numerous spoofs and tributes, including a memorable parody replacing the C4 with a rather less glamorous Citroën 2CV and a viral for Danish bacon. The Mill even got a shot at producing a follow-up, before The Embassy itself jumped back on board for a third in the series.</p> <p>“It’s hard to say what it was about that original ad that hit people,” says studio president Winston Helgason. “Technically we did a good job, but something else struck a chord with them. While the ad has that geek factor, it’s just really fun to watch.”</p> <p>Television audiences got their first taste of vehicular dancefloor magic back in 2004. A?relative newcomer to the field of CG, Vancouver-based VFX studio The Embassy Visual Effects had already turned heads with its viral short film <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1zGLx6H3f4&feature=related">Tetra Vaal</a> and some impressively photoreal ads for the likes of Nike.</p> <p>But it was the Citroën ‘Alive with Technology’ ad that really put the studio on the map – and a spring in the step of CG?based car ads. Fusing perfectly believable virtual visuals, directorial flair, and some seriously cool dance moves, The Embassy created what is now regarded as a?genuine classic.</p> <h3>Watch the Citroën ‘Alive with Technology’ spot</h3> <p></p> <p>Now the studio is back on board for the third spot in what is becoming an increasingly long-running campaign, and has been working hard to push the concept of a car that transforms into a robot to even greater heights.</p> <p>In contrast to the original spot, for which director Neill Blomkamp utilised a virtual camera and 3D environment constructed from photographs, the new ad’s director, Trevor Cawood, chose to undertake a live shoot in South Africa – a location chosen principally for its favourable lighting conditions. A new transforming CG vehicle was then integrated into the plates with the help of elements rebuilt in?3D to aid the creation of shadows and reflections.</p> <p>“The brief was pretty open,” says The Embassy president Winston Helgason. “The idea was to have the robot running, but other than that, it was simply ‘make it look cool’. The client did come back and ask if we could find something else for the robot to do, though, so we came up with the rail slide [which the bot performs along the restraining barrier by the side of the road].”</p> <p>Here, the studio’s 3D and compositing staff reveal just how their cybernetic star was rigged and animated to perform such a stunt. They also explore some of the shading and lighting techniques used to generate the photorealistic renders of the modified car necessary to composite it seamlessly into the background plate.</p> <p>Helgason reveals that the studio’s preferred tool for this kind of work is LightWave 3D’s own renderer, its raytracing proving particularly well suited to hard surface lighting. Dropping HDRI set data into the program and adding additional lights, the studio is able to get a scene fully lit in a matter of minutes. But ultimately, he says that the real secret of photorealism in the Citroën ads is simply attention to detail.</p> <p>“The most important thing is to understand how lighting really works, and then learn to match the way it reacts to metallic surfaces,” he says. “That, and then adding loads of extra model detail is what makes the results so effective.”</p> <h3>Watch the Citroën ‘Runner’ spot</h3> <p></p> <p><em>Click Next to read about how ILM had to rip apart the original robot design</em></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d689117/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=The+Embassy%3A+The+art+of+robotics&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F13%2Fthe-embassy-the-art-of-robotics%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dthe-embassy-the-art-of-robotics" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=The+Embassy%3A+The+art+of+robotics&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F13%2Fthe-embassy-the-art-of-robotics%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dthe-embassy-the-art-of-robotics" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200298402/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d689117/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200298402/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d689117/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129200298402/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d689117/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/z_DGLpUWdbI" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.hero_.jpg" rel="lightbox[35061]"><img alt="iClone's new toon shader" class="alignright size-full wp-image-35062" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.hero_.jpg" title="iClone's new toon shader" width="580" /></a> <p class="strap">Real-time 3D animation tool, iClone, has everything you need to set up your directorial ?debut. But is it too limited, asks Paul Champion?</p> <p>PRICE?: $200.? Upgrade from $120. ??Other editions: Standard, $80??<br /> PLATFORM?: Windows??<br /> MAIN FEATURES: <ul> <li>Real-time animation?</li> <li>In-screen motion editing and puppeteering?</li> <li>Advanced timeline editing with transition curve?</li> <li>Animate in real-time with motion-capture device??</li> </ul> <p>DEVELOPER: <a href="http://www.reallusion.com">Reallusion</a></p> <p>Converting your finished story idea into a pre-viz or polished animation often presents some daunting challenges, and selecting the right software applications to use can be a key factor in the time (and cost) spent completing it. </p> <p>iClone5 Pro offers a happy medium between high-end applications that have seemingly endless options to tweak, and frustratingly feeble, user-unfriendly low-end software. The latest version of iClone has new animation tools, is still a breeze to use and remains competitively priced.?</p> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_35063" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.assets.jpg" rel="lightbox[35061]"><img alt="iClone5" class="size-full wp-image-35063" height="463" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.assets.jpg" title="iClone5" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Now you can create your own version of Pixar’s The Incredibles, in a park and on a merry-go-round!</p></div> <p>If you’re unfamiliar with iClone, it’s primarily a template-based hassle-free solution for real-time animation with plenty of bells and whistles. In terms of workflow, you’re limited to working with the rudimentary content supplied with the application, unless you’re prepared to buy additional assets via Reallusion’s Content Marketplace (which always seems to have some sort of deal on offer). </p> <p>Getting your own assets into iClone5 Pro is quick and easy, but it requires Reallusion’s 3DXchange4, which converts files from applications such as ZBrush, Photoshop, Blender, Poser, Daz Studio, Vue and Maya, and costs $80 for the Standard version. You’ll need 3DXchange4 Pro ($120) to use assets in FBX, 3DS, OBJ and SKP formats. ?</p> <p>Pre-viz users or anyone presenting a concept pitch to clients should find that the content provided is more than adequate for demonstration, where the actual look of assets is less relevant. End users, who will no doubt grow tired of the limited content provided, will be disappointed that they have to shell out for 3DXchange to import more material.?<br /> With the assets in place, it’s time to animate, and there are many new tools to help you with this.??</p> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_35064" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.market.jpg" rel="lightbox[35061]"><img alt="iClone5" class="size-full wp-image-35064" height="402" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.market.jpg" title="iClone5" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Whether it’s sexy girls, gym kits or vampires you’re after, the marketplace has plenty of assets for you to buy</p></div> <h4>New features</h4> <p>?<br /> Direct Puppet lets you record your actor’s animation in real time, and if necessary lock body parts to locations. MixMoves enables seamless blending between motions. Body Motion Puppeteering enables the user to control the animation speed and direction. ?</p> <p>Simple floor contact is taken care of with Human IK Motion Editing for Actors, and allows props (which can now be animated in real time) to be held onto realistically. The Timeline has been updated so that animation curves can be varied in playback by adding curve adjustments such as Ease In and Ease Out. For physics animation there are Rigid and Soft Body options for simulation, and other uses such as game prototyping.?</p> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_35065" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.effects.jpg" rel="lightbox[35061]"><img alt="iClone5" class="size-full wp-image-35065" height="464" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.effects.jpg" title="iClone5" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Effects can help to enhance your movies, but they are limited to a maximum of five within a project</p></div> <p>The premium new animation tool being touted for use with iClone5 Pro is the Mocap Device plug-in. With this you can act out your animations in real-time – the recorded mocap data is then applied to actors. </p> <p>At $140, this is a lot cheaper than buying your own professional mocap studio, although it requires you to have an Xbox 360 with Kinect. It’s also only compatible with the Pro edition. </p> <p>The plug-in is a significant add-on that falls outside the remit of this review. Judging by forum responses, however, it’s a successful product and great for anyone who wants to physically generate their own movement.</p> <p>?Other notable tools and settings, with which Reallusion is catching up with market competitors rather than introducing groundbreaking innovations, include Ambient Occlusion, which improves the quality of visual output with barely any impact on render times; post-FX tools for colour and blur, which are easy to apply; and cartoon rendering, which can be achieved with just a few clicks and some minor texture corrections. ?</p> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_35066" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.rigid_.jpg" rel="lightbox[35061]"><img alt="iClone5" class="size-full wp-image-35066" height="371" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.rigid_.jpg" title="iClone5" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Rigid body simulations can pep up high-speed chases. In iClone5 Pro they are easy to deploy</p></div> <p>There’s still plenty of room for improvement in the renderer. The options are minimal and simplistic – which is part of the general charm of iClone, but it doesn’t always do justice to the end result. Multiple cameras and Picture-In-Picture features offer greater control between shots. Much-requested duplication settings enable you to instance objects with ease, and adjustable pivots, snapping and aligning tools are now possible for objects.?</p> <p>More resource-hungry improvements include higher poly counts for actors, with notable increases to head meshes, which enable more natural deformations. In practice this works far better than before, and since faces are areas that most viewers’ eyes are naturally drawn to, it’s a clearly visible improvement. However, it can still be difficult and time-consuming to tweak. </p> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_35062" style="width: 590px;"><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.hero_.jpg" rel="lightbox[35061]"><img alt="iClone's new toon shader" class="size-full wp-image-35062" height="326" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/r_iclone5.hero_.jpg" title="iClone's new toon shader" width="580" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The new Toon Shader is found in the Atmosphere section of the Stage tab, and can be adjusted for your project needs</p></div> <p>Cartoon character facial controls have been advanced to include exaggeration. Height Map Terrains now allow bigger landscapes, but they are limited to just five. Smart iProps have been updated for game-like interaction.</p> <p>?During testing, these new tools all worked admirably, yet iClone crashed a number of times for no apparent reason. When pushed to reasonable extremes for any shot – such as 20 actors set up with different parameters and animations applied – iClone responded well. But other times it would crash with, for example, a fairly empty scene during terrain set-up. Ordinarily, this would only be a minor annoyance, but since there’s no autosave option in the program, it becomes more ?of a frustration. </p> <p>?Hardware-wise, iClone doesn’t require an overly demanding system. Rather misleadingly, it’s listed as being 32-bit and 64-bit Windows compatible, but it’s not actually a native 64-bit release, so it won’t take advantage of any extra memory installed over 32-bit limitations. It’s rumoured that a 64-bit update will be released, although this was unconfirmed as we went to press.?</p> <p>Overall, iClone5 Pro remains an easy-to-use application, and it can be a real time-saver for pre-viz work and presentations. The learning curve isn’t too steep, and setting up shots is intuitive. For existing iClone users, it should be a no-brainer to upgrade because content from previous versions is compatible, the upgrade price is good, and the new tools (and mocap plug-in, if you choose to buy it) will enhance its usability. New users will need to assess whether they have the funds for additional content and a copy of 3DXchange. </p> <h3>VERDICT</h3> <h4>PROS</h4> <ul> <li>Simple for novices without previous animation experience?</li> <li>Easily modifiable preset models?</li> <li>Ready-made animation categories?</li> <li>Intuitive editing?</li> <li>Options for advanced animators</li> </ul> <h4>??CONS</h4> <ul> <li>Facial profiles are difficult to tweak?</li> <li>Additional content incurs extra costs</li> <li>Rendering options still limited?</li> <li>Not a true 64-bit application??</li> </ul> <p><strong>A speedy solution for pre-viz but hampered by limited content options, basic render settings, and lack of true 64-bit support</strong></p> <h4>About the author</h4> <p>?Paul Champion is the demonstrator for undergraduate and postgraduate 3D and VFX courses at the National Centre for Computer Animation, Bournemouth</p> <h3><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/02/06/win-a-copy-of-reallusions-iclone5-pro/">Win a copy of Reallusion’s iClone5 Pro</a></h3> <p>Enter our <a href="http://http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/02/06/win-a-copy-of-reallusions-iclone5-pro/">iClone5 Pro prize draw</a> for your chance to win one of four packages featuring Reallusion’s real-time animation suite, <strong>worth $1,352 in total</strong></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d5d1225/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Software+review%3A+iClone5+Pro&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F12%2Fsoftware-review-iclone5-pro%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dsoftware-review-iclone5-pro" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Software+review%3A+iClone5+Pro&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F12%2Fsoftware-review-iclone5-pro%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dsoftware-review-iclone5-pro" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129168239143/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d5d1225/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129168239143/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d5d1225/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/129168239143/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d5d1225/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/FfSl8XDXlLw" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Mass_effect_3_trailer.jpg" rel="lightbox[35052]"><img alt="Mass Effect 3 trailer" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-35053" height="325" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Mass_effect_3_trailer.jpg" title="Mass Effect 3 trailer" width="580" /></a> <p class="strap">Remember the phenomenal CG trailer that Bioware released a few weeks ago? Don’t worry if you missed it: as Mass Effect 3 goes on sale in the UK, we take a look at Bioware’s cinematic for the final installment of the massively popular RPG</p> <p>We’re so lucky that big budget games can’t be released without an accompanying cinematic teaser to go alongside the standard gameplay trailer, as the animations produced are truly stunning. </p> <p>Bioware’s Mass Effect 3 trailer is a fine example - the teaser features children, aliens and devastating lasers. The cinematic action really gets your adrenaline pumping. </p> <p>One YouTube user commented that if the video keeps going like it does, [the character you play] Shepard has only got about 30-35 minutes to take back Earth, tops, before it’s completely annihilated!</p> <h3>Watch Bioware’s Mass Effect 3 trailer online</h3> <p></p> <h3>Want to learn how Bioware created the cinematic?</h3> <p>So do we, that’s why we’ve asked Bioware to contribute a ‘making of’ article for 3D World magazine. So look out for that in the next issue!</p> <h3>Want more like this?</h4> <p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/2012/03/09/platige-images-witcher-2-trailer-and-making-of-video/">Watch Platige Image’s Witcher 2 trailer and making of video</a></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d4c5888/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Bioware%E2%80%99s+Mass+Effect+3%3A+Take+Earth+Back+trailer&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F09%2Fbiowares-mass-effect-3-take-earth-back-trailer%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dbiowares-mass-effect-3-take-earth-back-trailer" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Bioware%E2%80%99s+Mass+Effect+3%3A+Take+Earth+Back+trailer&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F09%2Fbiowares-mass-effect-3-take-earth-back-trailer%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dbiowares-mass-effect-3-take-earth-back-trailer" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698767040/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4c5888/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698767040/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4c5888/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698767040/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4c5888/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/NvLT8p93M8g" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Scene-2.jpg" rel="lightbox[35045]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35047" height="244" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Scene-2.jpg" title="Scene-2" width="580" /></a></p> <p class="strap">Find out how this new short about a fascinating sensory condition was created using a combination of Maya, After Effects and Photoshop. Watch the film here too</p> <p>Synaesthesia tells the life experience of a synaesthete; a person with a condition where two or more of the five senses that are normally experienced separately are involuntarily and automatically joined together. Synaesthetes can experience sounds, tastes, smells, shapes, or touches in almost any combination. Synaesthesia features a character as a small boy, an adult worker and a retired man, who can see and feel shapes and depicts his different reactions to the phenomenon.</p> <p>The short was a final year project created by four students - Tien Hee, Kasumi Saito, Leo Chida and Nikko Hull - of <a href="http://www.massey.ac.nz">Massey University</a>, New Zealand. The quartet had to think of an idea to suit the brief of the school, which had a self-driven component as well as a pre-defined part. “This was basically to pick a topic and find a need or something that needs changing etc,” says Hull. “We chose Synaesthesia.”</p> <h4>Things shaped up nicely</h4> <p>In order to tackle such a complicated condition, the team spent a lot of time researching Synaesthesia and how it was going to affect their characters and set designs. “We decided during the research stage what we were going to do,” says Chida. “Each character was associated with a shape as were the environments. These were contrasting, for example, the first scene the kid was a circle, round and innocent and the environment was a triangle, sharp, scary and alert.”</p> <p>The team also used many sources of inspiration to achieve the look and style they were after. “For the environments, I looked at lots of animations, <a href="http://www.studio4c.co.jp/english/">Studio 4°C</a>, <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2825043">Team Cerf</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0831888/">Tekkonkintreet</a> etc and mixed them all together to get the end result,” says Saito. “It was hard to simplify the forms to get it right. We ended up mixing all of these with our own ideas to get the style we came up with.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Scene-1.jpg" rel="lightbox[35045]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35046" height="247" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/Scene-1.jpg" title="Scene-1" width="580" /></a></p> <h4>Added Layers</h4> <p>With set and character designs completed, the team began creating the film’s assets in Maya and UV layout tool, <a href="http://www.uvlayout.com/">Headus</a>. “This software is pretty awesome, I was really happy with how Headus sped things up,” says Chida. They also adopted a rendering technique which helped with production times.</p> <p>“The process was quite simple, which also helped in a way,” says Hull. “Each layer was kind of easy, it was just a matter of putting it all together in After Effects. We found the technique demonstrated (kind of) on <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/">Deviant Art</a>, I can’t remember the specific artist, but then we tried to figure it out in Maya and it worked quite well. But we didn’t choose that because of its ease, we chose it because of the style.”</p> <p>The scenes were separated to make the whole process more manageable. “The old man walking down the hall is a good example,” says Hull. “We had the walls, which were all on different render layers. The background and walls were a single layer and frame. Then anything which was moving, so the phone and the character, were on their own layers and were the only sequences. There also had to be a sequence for the shadows so they could cast on the walls. Then we had diffuse, shadows, highlight, AO and particle layers. This all went into After Effects with some lights and colour correction.”</p> <p>After two semesters worth of work, the student team completed the film and are pleased with the final result considering their prior experience in animation. “Up until the end, you have no idea what it’s going to turn out like,” says Chida. “But it was so rewarding finding out that all the effort wasn’t wasted and the film actually looked OK. I mean, some was wasted but we’re learning so it’s all good. Our degree consisted of lots of general design and even fine art so we’ve only really had about a year of animation training (in total). With this in mind, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.”</p> <p></p> <p>Like this film? <a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/category/showcase/shorts/">Check out the selection of other awesome animations in our shorts section</a></p> <p><em>Make sure you visit next week for more Friday Animation Fun!</em></p> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d4bec67/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Friday+Animation+Fun%3A+Synaesthesia&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F09%2Ffriday-animation-fun-synaesthesia%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dfriday-animation-fun-synaesthesia" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Friday+Animation+Fun%3A+Synaesthesia&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F09%2Ffriday-animation-fun-synaesthesia%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dfriday-animation-fun-synaesthesia" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698680485/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4bec67/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698680485/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4bec67/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698680485/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4bec67/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/_jN_z2Gm7AM" width="1" />

<p><a href="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/witcher2_09032012.jpg" rel="lightbox[35048]"><img alt="Witcher 2" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-35049" height="317" src="http://www.3dworldmag.com/files/2012/03/witcher2_09032012.jpg" title="Witcher 2" width="580" /></a> <p class="strap">Watch the jaw-dropping animation in the trailer for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Then catch Platige Image’s ‘making of’ video too… </p> <p>In January, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and CD Projekt RED released the epic and impactful CG intro trailer for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, produced by the award-winning animation studio, Platige Image. </p> <p>We were simply blown away when we watched this four-minute cinematic online at the start of the year. Directed by Tomek Bagi?ski and produced by Platige Image, this trailer is packed with stunning animation and effects. Watch it below.</p> <p>Now Platige Image has produced a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the trailer, from the early renders and mocap sessions to the final clip. You can also watch this three-minute video below.</p> <h4>Behind the scenes of Witcher 2</h4> <p>“The idea of the script came from CD Projekt couple years ago, right after the premiere of ‘The Witcher’. It was so called ‘soft’ version and we used it as basis for the work. In spite of vast changes we made, the project went on hold for almost two years until it was brought back to life in Xbox 360 version.”</p> <p>“As it turned out these two years gave both parties necessary perspective. Once we started working on the script again we were able to create new, better and richer version very fast.”</p> <p>“What was left from the original is the ship and main characters. All the rest has been changed. For example in the first version a hornet’s nest was used in the attack. The ship was turned into chaos - all crew started running around. They looked like a group of crazy or electrocuted people. Well… we got rid of this ‘dance’ but left the chaos and add a lot of steroids. It helped,” says director Tomek Bagi?ski.</p> <p>“It was one of the most demanding projects in Platige Image history. The script set up very high standards. As for such a short movie there were a lot of main, detailed characters, difficult face close-ups, very dynamic action full of special effects: cloth and particles simulation and hard slowmotion shots.”</p> <p>“The ship also became one of the main characters. First our graphic artists created a fantastic scenery and most of all great, very detailed sailing ship. Then the particles simulation team went rough with it. They created a vast interaction system covering the whole construction with milions of ice crystals and they smashed the whole thing,” adds CG Supervisor Maciek Jackiewicz.</p> <p>The team of 40 graphic designers and animators was involved in the project for couple moths.</p> <p>The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is due on on Xbox 360 on 17 April. The Windows version is shipping now.</p> <h3>Watch the Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings trailer:</h3> <p></p> <h3> Watch the making-of video for the cinematic:</h3> <p></p> <p><a href="http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/the_witcher_2_cinematic">Read a longer interview with CG supervisor Maciej Jackiewicz on CGSociety</a></p> <h4>If you liked this, look out for our ‘making of’ Mass Effect 3 cinematic, due in the next issue of 3D World</h4> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://3dworldmag.com.feedsportal.com/c/33151/f/538495/s/1d4b9af0/mf.gif" width="1" /><div class="mf-viral"><table border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://share.feedsportal.com/viral/sendEmail.cfm?lang=en&title=Platige+Image%E2%80%99s+Witcher+2+trailer+and+making+of+video&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F09%2Fplatige-images-witcher-2-trailer-and-making-of-video%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dplatige-images-witcher-2-trailer-and-making-of-video" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign="middle"><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Platige+Image%E2%80%99s+Witcher+2+trailer+and+making+of+video&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dworldmag.com%2F2012%2F03%2F09%2Fplatige-images-witcher-2-trailer-and-making-of-video%2F%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dplatige-images-witcher-2-trailer-and-making-of-video" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://res3.feedsportal.com/images/bookmark.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698762514/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4b9af0/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698762514/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4b9af0/a2.img" /></a><img border="0" src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/127698762514/u/49/f/538495/c/33151/s/1d4b9af0/a2t.img" /><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/3dWorldrss/~4/b7YwnVrsgeA" width="1" />