VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3 APRIL 2007
CGArena
Get Attention in Computer Graphics Community
GALLERY
Showcase of latest 3d inspiring art
PHOTOSHOP
Removing flash highlights from textures
AFTER EFFECTS
Driving Effect Through Audio
INTERVIEW Pete Draper
3DSMAX
Making of Bobby Bubble
NIGHTMARE 3D Challenge
contents
05 Interview
12 3d Challenge
19 Photoshop
23 After Effects
26 3ds Max
32 Gallery
Pete Draper
Removing Flash highlights from textures
Making of Bobby Bubble
Nightmare
Driving effects through audio
Showcase of latest 3d art
Magazine Designed & Edited: Ashish Rastogi Magazine Cover Image: Patrick Beaulieu Challenge Sponsors: Corel, Realviz, Pixologic, Skymatter, The Best 3D, Kurv Studio, Daz3D, 3d.sk, Environment-textures.com, Zoo Publishing, Strata, Vertus, ambientLight, Hyperfocal Design, female-anatomy-for-artist.com, human-anatomy-for-artist.com and Its Art Magazine
Page
Issue 3 Apr 2007
industry news Gromit animators sign Sony deal The Bristol-based company had been looking for a new Hollywood partner after its association with US studio Dreamworks came to an end in January.
Malaysia to set up Animation Centre SCIENCE, Technology and Innovation Ministry will set up an animation centre in Cyberjaya by year-end to help young graduates participate in the animation industry, said its Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis.
Wallace and Gromit creator Aardman Animations has agreed a three-year deal with Sony Pictures. “We couldn’t be more excited about working with the entire Aardman team,” said Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal. Aardman co-founder David Sproxton said: “We are delighted to find a partner in Sony that shares our vision.”
“At the moment, they do not get many opportunities to get into the animation industry. The Government is still working on the cost to set up the facility,” Jamaluddin told reporters after launching the Malaysian Indian ICT conference organised by Multimedia Development Corp and MIC business bureau in Kuala Lumpur. Jamaluddin said the government was also considering giving start-up grants to the young graduates depending on their project proposals. “The grants aim to encourage their (young graduates) participation in the field and to develop the local animation industry,”
source: www.bbc.co.uk
source: www.bttimes.com.my
Buzzword of the Month Anaglyphic Process - The anaglyphic process is a method by which the eye perceives
two-dimensional film images as being three-dimensional, havind depth as well as width and height. To create this illusion, an image is superimposed on top of its own likeness, but one is printed in red and the other in blue green. If the viewer wears glasses with a red filter in one lens and a blue-green one in another, the image appears to be three-dimensional; without the glasses the audience sees no 3-D effect. Spy Kids 3D was commercially successful in theaters using anaglyph paper glasses in 2003. The DVD did not sell or rent well, due to video retailers not wanting to deal with the paper glasses. Polar Express, in 2004, used the superior IMAX polarized method for 3D. In recent years computer technology and professional skills have made it practical to convert still images, movies & video to 3D.
Page
Issue 3 Apr 2007
interview
AN INTERVIEW WITH Pete Draper Q. Hi could you tell us a bit about yourself and how long have you been in CG and what is your current job? Hello, I’ve been in CG since the late 1980’s to early 1990’s so roughly about 17 years or so… that really does sound like a long time when you think about it!! (What have I done with my life?! Hahaha!) My current title is “Director of Visual Effects” which covers the full gamut of CG production from concept, on-set supervision through to managing the animation team, animation and technical direction, and final delivery. Q. Were you trained in 3D or self taught and what software program(s) do you use for your CG and why? I’m 100% self-taught, the main reason for that there were very little CG courses around at the time I started getting into animation. I literally stumbled upon it when I was at university doing another (unrelated) course, and managed to bag my way into the animation lab and use their facilities. I think the only book I ever bought was one of the early New Riders’ “Inside” series for the DOS version of 3D Studio, which I still have to this day. I do envy the students going into higher education these days because of the amount of facilities available to them, yet I very much doubt I would get a job these days with the reel I produced off my own back in the ‘90s as the bar has been raised so high now, even for junior positions. You now really need to stand out from the rest as they’re churning out thousands of animation students each year and there simply isn’t the work for everyone as the industry reached maturity in early 2000. Software-wise, my weapon of choice is 3ds max, mainly due to the amount of exposure I’ve had with it. However I use other packages as and when necessary; once you’ve learned one, you’ve pretty much got it covered once you get to grips with the (unfamiliar) interface and workflow as they’re almost the same with regards to feature set… it all just depends on what pipeline the facility you’re working at is based on. Apart from animation tools, I tend to use Combustion, Photoshop, Painter & ZBrush… plus other animation plugins for 3ds max that boost its feature set beyond the core program, such as Afterburn, the excellent Particle Flow boxes and some inhouse custom tools I’ve developed over the years.
Page
Issue 3 Apr 2007
interview
AN INTERVIEW WITH Pete Draper Q. Tell us about your book “Deconstructing the Elements”, do you planning any other book? It burns really well on a fire :-) Hahahaha! Yeah, it came about purely by chance after I was approached by Focal Press (my publisher). I was freelancing at the time, so the original idea was a book on just that – Freelancing with 3ds max, though after submitting the initial proposal and having it approved I had a change of heart and decided a different approach was needed. The way I tend to work is to grab reference material and inspiration “on the fly” by working out in my head how I’d create something in CG when I’m out and about, for example a nice cloud formation, an interesting texture or object, how certain things move or deform and so on, and then break it down into its core components in my head, what procedurals I could use, what modifiers and other features, and if I could simplify or automate the process. So from the get-go, the book became one about teaching people to become more observant and to be more critical of their reference material and more intuitive about the construction process; in fact I intended it to be less of just another tutorial book and more about the reference analysis which I feel very strongly about. I’m currently considering writing a third edition after being approached by the publisher to update it for the final time before a new volume is written. I haven’t made any official decision yet due to my schedule, but it’s definitely on the cards. I’ve also got ideas and initial conceptual scenes for some heavy video tutorials along the same lines, so that may become a set later on if I decide to develop things further…
Page
Issue 3 Apr 2007
interview
AN INTERVIEW WITH Pete Draper
Q. How much it is difficult to achieve natural effects in comparison to other effects and give some important tips to the readers on how to achieve realistic looking effects in 3ds max and which things to remember? They’re one, if not the most difficult type of effects to produce as virtually everyone is a critic when they see something like this on the screen. The reason behind this is that we see these types of effects every day in our daily lives, from the flame that heats your breakfast, to the cup of tea before bed, so were are used to how they appear. Anything to the contrary stands out as being fake. The key to getting the effect right is to be observant, studying tons of reference material and breaking down the effect into its core components. Ensure your visual scale sizes are correct, especially when it comes down to texturing and lighting as these dictate scale and can immediately make or break a scene. Take care when compositing; even the basics such as matching your black and white levels can make a ton of difference. I could go on and on (and on) but there are only so many hours in the day…!! I think someone wrote a book about it once… hahaha!
Page
Issue 3 Apr 2007
interview
AN INTERVIEW WITH Pete Draper Q. Do you find that people in the industry said…Max is for games and Maya is for movies? How much you think this is true. I don’t really find that it’s true to be honest; it all depends on which company you work for and what you feel most comfortable with. Personally, I prefer 3ds max as it’s the software I used when I first started out in the industry, that’s pretty much it. The majority of 3D software apps out there nowadays are so similar they are all pretty much generic apart from a few separate tools, so it could be said that Maya is for games and Max for movies as both are making good headway into “each other’s” territory…
Q. What qualities or education required becoming a Visual Effects Director / Lead Visual Effects Artist? Experience mainly, knowing exactly what you and your artists will need when it comes to wrangling with the assets in post, ensuring you’ve got everything noted down with respect to camera settings, position, on-set lighting, tracking & lighting helpers etc, clean plate passes, advising how vfx shots should be filmed so it makes life easier for everyone back at the facility, and advising of how a stage should be lit to complement an effect that isn’t (currently) there, which
Page
Issue 3 Apr 2007
interview
AN INTERVIEW WITH Pete Draper can be the most challenging to explain! Oh yeah, and trying not to get in everyone’s way on set! Away from set as the lead effects artist I’m designing tools and visual styles for key / hero shots, ensuring that the style and quality of work is maintained throughout and liaising with other key HoD’s. Again, experience really comes into play with this mainly having a good eye for detail, especially when replicating natural phenomenon, knowing the tools you are using inside out and spotting any problems early on so you can advise a solution; again, it’s simply about experience…
Page
Issue 3 Apr 2007
interview
AN INTERVIEW WITH Pete Draper Q. Which area of 3d do your really enjoy doing? I tend to do a lot of particle & fluid work more than anything these days, yet I do find material & shader development enjoyable to be honest. But then there are days where I find that modeling is my thing and I am perfectly happy building stuff. I guess that’s the way I’ve developed my skills over the years as I’ve always been a bit of a generalist as I worked for small companies and did the occasional bit of freelancing when I started out which I think, for me anyway, is a good thing as I’ve been able to cover the majority of the software so can mix and match features from all corners to get the result I need. Saying that, I’m also starting to get back into 2D work and find that thanks to an old friend’s new site (www.happytoast.co.uk) he’s given me the inspiration to put pen to paper once again for fun for the first time in years and develop a new style which I may take further as a personal project. I’ve also had the opportunity to meet some key 2D designers including JAKe and trusty friend Curtis Jobling who have added to the inspiration.
Page 10
Issue 3 Apr 2007
interview
AN INTERVIEW WITH Pete Draper Q. What are your hobbies and where you see yourself after 5 years? I’m starting to get back into running after several years sat on my apse in front of a computer and am looking forward to getting back onto a bike. Apart from that, the usual… socializing, meeting new people and boring them to death with CG speak, traveling to far-flung climes and boring them to death too. You know the usual...! I like my movies – the more abstract, thought provoking and challenging the better, plus those which are shot differently with good composition and editing; Children of Men immediately springs to mind – have a look at the cinematography, grading, composition and length of shots and try to envision the amount of prep and planning that some of the shots took, especially towards the end of the film. I must admit though going to the movies can be more of a critical experience than an enjoyable one as I tend to still be in VFX mode where I tend to look for matte lines, bad keying and tracking problems which is wrist-slappingly wrong and it ruins the experience. I really need to stop doing that, but it’s a force of habit that a lot of effects artists I know suffer from too…! Q. On which projects you are working these days, and which project you enjoying the most. At the moment I’m working on numerous (undisclosed, sorry!) projects including a clean-up VFX job on a feature, documentary, titles & commercial work and we are ramping up for production on a vampire horror-comedy feature slated to be shot in April which I’m looking forward to as the script calls for some really interesting and challenging shots of various people being taken out in various gory ways! Should be a fun shoot to work on! Thanks a lot Pete for taking out sometime for us from your busy schedule. No problem :-) it makes a change from working through my lunch break…!
Page 11
Issue 3 Apr 2007
challenge CGArena is proud to present “Nightmare” (3D and 2D Challenge), 21 Mar 2007 - 15 May 2007, sponsored by Corel, Pixologic, Realviz, Skymatter, Hyperfocal Design, 3d.sk, ambientLight, Zoo Publishing, Strata, Vertus, TheBest 3D, Kurv Studios, Daz 3D, Environment-Textures.com, Femaleanatomy-for-artist.com, human-anatomy-for-artist.com and ITs Art Magazine. We want different ideas and approaches in a more creative way.
Your Mission Create an image which justify the theme of Nightmare in Image. This Challenge is a Work-In-Progress Challenge -- all contestants are required to post their work-in-progress images for community to critique/comment in order to qualify. Last date to enter in this challenge is 20th April 2007 after this no registration for challenge will be allowed.
How the Challenge will be Run This challenge will be a WIP (Work in Progress) Challenge. Each challenger is required to submit Work In Progress (WIP) images, from the initial concept sketch to the final render. to the post production on regular intervals. The purpose is that everyone can learn from each other, offer feedback and critiques.
1. Enter the Challenge by registering yourself on CGArena forum. 2. Submit your work in progress images in forum on a regular basis. otherwise will be disqualified. 3. Participate in the community by critiquing other challengers works in the respective threads. 4. Not allowed to change the concept once decided or posted the sketch in the forum and no image will be allowed to removed from the forum once posted. 5. Submit your concept sketch within 15 days from the date you register for this challenge. 6. Submit your final entry till 15th May 2007, midnight 00:00 GMT. 7. There will be 3 winners in the 3D category and 1 winner in the 2D category. CGArena, Sponsers decision will be final and no participant allowed to contact sponsors regarding the challenge or asking reasons for disqualifications. 8. You can use any software that you like but no premade models or softwares like Poser, Bryce are allowed to use (3D) in the challenge. 9. You are allowed to use any type of post -production in the final image to make image better and richer. 10. You are allowed to enter into one category (3D or 2D) and after entering cant be changed.
Terms and Conditions 1.) Entrants agree to give permission to all the sponsors to use all or any part of the artwork entered in this contest, (hereinafter, the ‘Work’) in the Company’s demonstration tapes (reels), promotional materials (ads, PR, etc.), booth graphics and presentations for the promotional purposes. 2.) Entrants will retain all rights to the Work. In addition, the Company will not sell for profit any materials or demo reels containing images or animations submitted by the Entrant. 3.) The Company, in exchange for this release, will provide a credit for the Work within the material in which the Work is used. 4.) Submissions must be the sole Work of the entrant and not require approval of any other entity. 5.) Entrants will not receive financial remuneration for their Work. Note: You are required to submit work in progress images, obtain feedback and give feedback to other challengers.
Final Image Size - Your final image dimensions should be print resolution. Do not send in a low-resolution. - A guideline is minimum 1200 pixels wide and/or 1024 high, JPG, 300 DPI. - Send your final image in zip or rar format with your complete shipping address, telephone number in a text file on email address mentioned below with subject “Nightmare Challenge Final Image”.
[email protected] - 3D Challenge Participants
[email protected] - 2D Challenge Participants
3D Category First Prize - $3850 USD Strata CX Suite - $1784 USD
Includes all four Products: Strata 3D CX 5.1,Strata Live 3D,Strata Live 3D PDF, Strata Foto 3D . Strata is used by a veritable who’s who of clients and some of the most talented artists in the world. And Strata 3D technology has been used for industry changing projects such as MYST and MTV.com, and by corporations such as Sony and Warner Bros.
1 Year Corporate Membership at 3d.sk + Environment-Textures.com and One month corporate membership at Female-Anatomy-for-Artist.com + Human-Anatomy-for-Artist.com- $551 USD
Save thousands of dollars on human photo references every month. Gain the access to huge source of more than 72.600 photos updated 29 x per month. Average photo is 3000 x 2000 pixels so there is enough detail for the production of 3D characters for cinematic sequences as well as next generation game characters. Texture Source Photos, Modeling Reference Photos, Animation Reference Photos and Movies, Details of Eyes, Faces, Hands etc. you will get everything here.
Pixologic Zbrush 3.0 - $499 USD
Create models with unparalleled detailing capabilities. Even medium to high-resolution models respond instantly to sculpting actions, constantly rendered and shaded in real time. ZBrush 3 offers revolutionary new modeling, surfacing and texturing techniques.
Hyperfocal Design Night Skies Collection + 5 HDRI Skies - $394 USD
Our sky HDRIs use only the best quality digital optics for crisp, clean images - we don’t use mirror balls or distorted, low quality fisheye lenses. Due to the huge resolutions achieved, these images are amongst the only HDRIs available that can be used for background images & reflections as well as lighting. They provide maximum flexibility for your virtual camera and scene, allowing long zooms and extreme detail in reflection close-ups.
Kurv Studios Gift Coupon- $300 USD
Dedicated to quality in video training KURV studios were formed to fill a void in the computer graphics and game development industry. No matter who you are, from student to Hollywood visual effects guru, if you are interested in learning to create mind blowing 3D graphics you have come to the right place. Under this prize you can choose any training DVD’s of your choice from the Kurv Studios store.
Skymatter Mudbox 1.0 (Educational Version)- $299 USD
Mudbox is the first advanced, high resolution brush-based 3D sculpting software that is built from the ground up to address the needs of the professional digital sculptor. Designed by production artists for production artists, Mudbox introduces new ideas and combines familiar concepts in fresh ways to offer a unique solution for high-end commercial modeling and design.
6 months 3D Creative Magazine Subscription - $24 USD
A Downloadable PDF Magazine CG creatives around the globe. 3DCreative Magazine will focus on techniques, tutorials, interviews, articles, project overviews and galleries.
Second Prize - $1853 USD Realviz MatchMover SD 4.0 - $680 USD
REALVIZ MatchMover SD is the professional way to track 3D camera data and motion from videos and film sequences, providing the ease of automatic tracking, with the precision control matchmoving professionals demand.
Daz 3D Carrara Pro 5.1 - $549USD
Sporting an elegant and simple-to-use interface, Carrara 5 provides multiple 3D modelers, an advanced terrain module, high-level texturing, ultra-fast hybrid rendering, and a complete animation toolset. Whether employed as the centerpiece or as the 3D workhorse within the designer’s creative suite, the highly-affordable Carrara 5.1 lavishes speed and power that enables users to create more freely and deliver high-caliber results under even the tightest deadlines.
6 month Corporate Membership at 3d.sk + Environment-Textures.com and One month corporate membership at Female-Anatomy-for-Artist.com + Human-Anatomy-for-Artist.com- $395 USD
Save thousands of dollars on human photo references every month. Gain the access to huge source of more than 72.600 photos updated 29 x per month. Average photo is 3000 x 2000 pixels so there is enough detail for the production of 3D characters for cinematic sequences as well as next generation game characters. Texture Source Photos, Modeling Reference Photos, Animation Reference Photos and Movies, Details of Eyes, Faces, Hands etc. you will get everything here.
ambientLight Multibay Texture Bundle - $130 USD
Multibuy Offer includes our entire range of Texture Packs. All of our packs are at a minimum of 1024 pixels square and are hand edited so that they tile perfectly, whatever application you use them in!. This pack includes Plant & Trees, Natural, Sky, Architectural, Roads textures. These textures are beautiful and of high quality. They do tile seamlessly and they, together with the included bump maps, are a great help in making images look more realistic.
Hyperfocal Design Night Skies Collection - $99 USD
Our sky HDRIs use only the best quality digital optics for crisp, clean images - we don’t use mirror balls or distorted, low quality fisheye lenses. Due to the huge resolutions achieved, these images are amongst the only HDRIs available that can be used for background images & reflections as well as lighting. They provide maximum flexibility for your virtual camera and scene, allowing long zooms and extreme detail in reflection close-ups.
Third Prize - $407 USD 3 month Corporate Membership at 3d.sk + Environment-Textures.com and One month corporate membership at Female-Anatomy-for-Artist.com + Human-Anatomy-for-Artist.com- $259 USD
Save thousands of dollars on human photo references every month. Gain the access to huge source of more than 72.600 photos updated 29 x per month. Average photo is 3000 x 2000 pixels so there is enough detail for the production of 3D characters for cinematic sequences as well as next generation game characters. Texture Source Photos, Modeling Reference Photos, Animation Reference Photos and Movies, Details of Eyes, Faces, Hands etc. you will get everything here.
Hyperfocal Design Night Skies Collection - $99 USD
Our sky HDRIs use only the best quality digital optics for crisp, clean images - we don’t use mirror balls or distorted, low quality fisheye lenses. Due to the huge resolutions achieved, these images are amongst the only HDRIs available that can be used for background images & reflections as well as lighting. They provide maximum flexibility for your virtual camera and scene, allowing long zooms and extreme detail in reflection close-ups.
1 Year Subscription for CG Gallery + 6 months Its Art Magazine - $30 USD
Wonderful Magazine which available in the English and French Language. And CG Gallery is a computer graphics orientated pictures portal where You choose what gets on front page. It’s completely maintained by its members. Registered members, have ability to publish and make their own Gallery, add friends, write comments and publish their work and synchronise their CG Gallery Portfolio with their own website.
TheBest 3D PD Particle - $19 USD
PD Particles is a software program for sketching, doodling, painting and drawing with particles. It is loaded with features made for professionals, yet priced low enough for artists, students and hobbyists at all levels. If you like to draw, this is for you.
2D Category Prize - $1052 USD Corel Painter X - $419 USD
New Corel® Painter X—the world’s most powerful Natural-Media painting and illustration software—features unique digital brushes, art materials and textures that mirror the look and feel of their traditional counterparts. Setting the standard for digital painting and illustration, the Corel Painter X digital art studio introduces new composition tools, unparalleled performance, and the all-new RealBristle painting system that models traditional brushes like never before—right down the individual bristles on the brush!
Kurv Studios Gift Coupon- $200 USD
Dedicated to quality in video training KURV studios were formed to fill a void in the computer graphics and game development industry. No matter who you are, from student to Hollywood visual effects guru, if you are interested in learning to create mind blowing 3D graphics you have come to the right place. Under this prize you can choose any training DVD’s of your choice from the Kurv Studios store.
Vertus Fluidmask 2.0 - $199 USD
Fluid Mask is a highly advanced software tool designed to make life easier for everyone who creates cut outs. Built as a plug-in to Adobe Photoshop, Fluid Mask is the new next-generation cut-out tool. Behind the product is breakthrough technology that mimics the way the eye, optic-nerve and brain perform visual processing. It offers an intuitive, accurate and fast approach to cut outs.
1 month Corporate Membership at 3d.sk + Environment-Textures.com and 1 month corporate membership at Female-Anatomy-for-Artist.com + Human-Anatomy-for-Artist.com- $132 USD
Save thousands of dollars on human photo references every month. Gain the access to huge source of more than 72.600 photos updated 29 x per month. Average photo is 3000 x 2000 pixels so there is enough detail for the production of 3D characters for cinematic sequences as well as next generation game characters. Texture Source Photos, Modeling Reference Photos, Animation Reference Photos and Movies, Details of Eyes, Faces, Hands etc. you will get everything here.
1 Year Subscription for CG Gallery + Its Art Magazine - $40 USD
Wonderful Magazine which available in the English and French Language. And CG Gallery is a computer graphics orientated pictures portal where You choose what gets on front page. It’s completely maintained by its members. Registered members, have ability to publish and make their own Gallery, add friends, write comments and publish their work and synchronise their CG Gallery Portfolio with their own website.
TheBest 3D PD Artist - $39 USD
PD Artist is a paint toolbox, powered by Project Dogwaffle. The current version 1 is based on a subset of PD Pro 3. It’s a great companion to your existing popular paint shop or photo image editor.
6 months 2D Artist Magazine Subscription - $24 USD
A Downloadable PDF Magazine Concept Art, Digital & Matte Painting creatives around the globe. 2DArtist Magazine will focus on techniques, tutorials, interviews, articles, project overviews and galleries.
SPONSORS
3D Category Judges
http://forum.cgarena.com/viewtopic.php?p=21110#21110
Steven Stahlberg
Sushant Dholakia
Lukasz Szeflinski
Anselm V. Seherr - Thoß
2D Category Judge
http://forum.cgarena.com/viewtopic.php?t=2146#21958
David Revoy
photoshop
Removing flash highlights from textures Using digital cameras to grab textures from real life introduces a whole new set of problems. Let’s say you find a wonderfully filthy concrete wall in a dark parking garage, which would work perfectly in the gritty urban setting of your game, and want to take a picture. The problem is, that due to the lack of light (and a tripod), you need to use the flash. Knowing that the flash may cause bright flaring reflections if you take the picture facing the wall straight, you shoot at a slightly odd angle. While the results are now bright and crisp, there is still a very visible gradient-like highlight in the middle of the picture, reducing the usable area of the texture. What many people would think to do in this situation, would be to: * Create a selection with a gradient tool, and adjust the luminosity of the selected area, or * Painstakingly Dodge the edges of the picture, until the overall luminosity of the texture is evened out However, both these approaches mean a lot of work, and do not always provide perfect results unless you’re willing to spend hours. This is where the High Pass filter comes in handy. Which is underrated by many 3d artits and today we will remove the flash highlights from our textures or digital photos using Filter > Other > High-Pass
Page 19
Issue 3 Apr 2007
photoshop Step 1: Open an effected image/texture, duplicate the image and apply a High Pass filter with a large radius on duplicate image. The rule of thumb is that the radius of the filter should be larger than any detail you want to preserve. Since in this case the detail to be removed (the highlight) is almost the size of the whole picture, feel free to use a radius well above 70. Note that the larger the radius, the longer it takes to process - just as with Gaussian Blur.
Step 2: As you can see, the High Pass filter not only reduces brightness differences, it also reduces the contrast of the image, paling the colors. Please choose Edit > Fade High Pass and select Luminosity in the mode. If you find the effect of the high pass filter too drastic, you can reduce its Opacity.
Page 20
Issue 3 Apr 2007
photoshop
Step 3: Since a lot of contrast was lost in the process, finalize the picture by increasing the contrast (or adjusting the Levels, depending on the case) until it looks good, then Fade the contrast effect once more with Luminosity to retain the coloring of the original image. See the difference? Feel the difference of not having had to do extra work?
The same rules apply for so called detail textures (a fine example of them can be found in games that use the Unreal engine.) Since the very purpose of detail textures is to add small, sharp details to textures up close, they are obviously ideal targets for the High Pass filter. Because the details needed are indeed very small, feel free to use High Pass quite harshly with small radius values. - Andy Halls
[email protected] Page 21
Issue 3 Apr 2007
www.cgarena.com CGArena brings you latest news and happenings 24 hours a day. Plus, join in our interactive forums to showcase your work, and get attention in the computer graphics community
Email:
[email protected] after effects
Driving Effect through audio If you are trying to get the effect to blink on and off or increase or down repeatedly. Doing this repeatedly gets rather boring after a couple of minutes and trying to get the blinks to correspond to instruments from theaudio track can be very difficult. It can be done, but you have to drop a ton of Markers and make sure you’ve got rhythm. But you can do this very easily through After Effects Convert Audio to Keyframes feature. Convert Audio to Keyframes does generate keyframes based on an audio layer, and while those keyframes can be tied to other layer. Using the audio levels from a specific layer, you can link and control various parameters from effects within After Effects. Step 1: In After Effects import your video file and add it to your Timeline. Step 2: Right click on your video footage and select Keyframe Assistant > Convert Audio to Keyframes.
A Null Object with the name ‘Audio Amplitude’ will appear. Select the Null Object layer and press ‘U’ on your keyboard to show the changed parameters of that layer.
Page 23
Issue 3 Apr 2007
after effects
Step 3: Now you can apply any effect to your video footage layer. Like I applied a Trapcode Starglow effect on the video. Choose the settings you are looking for... outside the scope of this tutorial.
Step 4: We can now decide which parameter we want to link to our audio. I chose to let the Streak Length react on the audio. To do this we need to set an expression for the Streak Length.
Page 24
Issue 3 Apr 2007
after effects Step 5: To set an expression for the Streak Length or whatever parameter you want to use, just ALT + Click on the stopwatch icon in the timeline which is located at the left of the parameters name.
Step 6: Now the way to link this parameter to the audio is click on the ‘Pickwhip’ icon (the icon which looks like a Twirl) and hold it and drag it to ‘Both Channels’ slider parameter. The screenshot below will explain it better.
You just linked the Streak Length parameter to the audio of your video footage. So if the volume of your video footage increases, so will the Streak Length. Of course you could also apply this same technique to the Boost Light parameter and so on.
- Suzane Smith
[email protected] Page 25
Issue 3 Apr 2007
3ds max
Making of Bobby Bubble By- Patrick Beaulieu, Canada Email:
[email protected] Page 26
Issue 3 Apr 2007
3ds max Introduction Hi everyone, my name is Patrick Beaulieu, (AKA squeezestudio) here my making off Bobby Bubble. You will find below several details on the creation of this small a little insane character. Without waiting more, here’s the making off!!! Concept My idea principal for the creation of Bobby Bubbles was to make a clam in an oyster. After several test and small fast sketch, I finally decided to make a small beast in the place. The sketch being a pretty very important of creation... I have to try to determine the majority of the elements in my sketch. My principal interest was the silhouette of the person. Bobby being very simplistic like character, the silhouette is very important to arrive as a beautiful result. Thus I have to try to find an installation interesting, to stress the large mouth and his facial expression. Its merry look was also an element which I wanted to integrate in my image. Just like the majority of my other characters, I tests always to make pass an expression in my character. For most of the time of the funny expression or `’ crackpot’’. I have also work on my sketch in only one catch of sight, that is to say the catch of sight of my final image. I have to create this character to make still image and not an animation thus the creation of all the sight, the model sheet and all was not at all necessary for me for the realization of this character.
The modeling was a very fast phase, my small sketch was just enough precise to indicate all the elements to me to create for my character. I have to model the whole starting from an eye, like has the practice. I work for most of the time in symmetry or with one to mirror in authority. I have to start with the body, thereafter the teeth, the tongue and I have to finish the whole with the bubbles.
Page 27
Issue 3 Apr 2007
3ds max For the bubbles, I have to use spheres with which I made Booleans to withdraw the interior when the bubbles were penetrated. As regards the tongue, I did it enough low poly, and in second headlight, I have to bring it in Zbrush to make displacement. I have to use those quads for my modeling, question of making a modeling cleaner. I have also to model the dribble which runs top of its mouth. My technique to model is very simple, I quite simply extrude the edges of cage of polygon. The edges that I selected to make my cage of polygon are the lines principal of the character. (The turn of the eyes, it tower of the mouth, profile and the silhouette of face). Once all my extruded polygons made for the character, I can easily adjust the proportions of the personage very easily with a minimum of vertex has to manage.
Page 28
Issue 3 Apr 2007
3ds max Once the shape of the character was adjust perfectly, I close again my modeling quite simply, finally having a clean mesh. For certain areas like the dimensions of the mouth, and the edge of the lip I have to place several edge to bring more closer to give an effect more sharp in my modeling. As regards the installation, after having to close again my modeling and having made the complete character, I then made the final improvement to make it more symmetrical. Lighting The lighting was one of the fun phases; my intension was to create a beautiful environment to light and alive. For my lighting, I have to use the render passes. First of all with Vray, I made a passes of GI, therefore a very simple passes of lighting giving tone of shade here and it all depend on the modeling. Thereafter I made a passes with a spot (Vray) place behind of the character to make an edge light all the back of Bobby. The option to use the passes is very simple, I often lost too much time parameterize my lighting and the intensity of my lighting whereas with the render passes, I do not have to find ideal place or to place my spot, just adjust the whole in compositing. Really faster and gives a perfect control on lighting. Texturing, Rendering, Post Production
The largest stage of production for the creation of Bobby Bubbles was the compositing. I have to use the render pass to their maximum; I have to use several layers to get the final result. All the process was done in Photoshop.
Page 29
Issue 3 Apr 2007
3ds max
Page 30
Issue 3 Apr 2007
3ds max I have to create alpha for each part of my character, (body, interior of mouth, tooth, tongue, dribbles, bubble). Once in Photoshop, I have to use each one of these alpha to make my selections in Photoshop to adjust each one of the part to select separately. To texture the character, I have to use that procedural texture coming from 3Ds max. (falloff, noise, etc). I render each one of his passes with an ambient shader, therefore no light affected texture was intact. Once in first, I have to composite all these passes from beginning by the passes of GI, thereafter the passes of texture procedural in multiply, software light and screen. Then with the wire I have to use shag fur to make a light layer of hair on the character. I put some hairs to dirty the character and to add a little detail. For the majority of all render pass, I render in Scanline. Only the pass which required one render in Vray are the GI and my principal light. All the others passes, specular, bump, color, etc… Scanline! (As regard the question of speed). I render the tongue through the skin shader of mental ray, with some adjustment here and…) I always make my render of large quality when I make a personage, the whole in order to take part has review or books, therefore render at 5000 pixel by 7000 pixel. For this reason I tests to optimize my times of renders for the passes which does not require a more simplistic lighting. I have to work on the colors in Photoshop much on my principal passes of colors, I also used brightness contrast to get the desired result. As regards the colors, I wanted to have colors for my background very different from my character for seeing the silhouette. The background was entirely created in Photoshop. Conclusion I hope that you will appreciate the making of bobby Bubble. If you have question concerning the making of or any other question, do not hesitate to mail me on the following address:
[email protected]. To see my other work, go on www.squeezestudio.com
By- Patrick Beaulieu, Canada Email:
[email protected] Page 31
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery Warrior Vaclav Krivanek, Czech Republic
[email protected] 3ds Max 9, Mudbox, Photoshop
Page 32
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery Fury Robin Benes, Czech Republic
[email protected] 3ds Max, Vray, Zbrush
Page 33
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery
Locke Eduardo Oliden Hermida, UK
[email protected] 3ds Max 9, Vray, Photoshop Page 34
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery Another Warrior Akira Hanzo, Romania
[email protected] 3ds Max
Page 35
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery
Blue Dream Ali Jalali, Iran
[email protected] 3ds Max, Vray Page 36
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery Hagakure Ales Zvolanek, Czech Replblic
[email protected] 3ds max, Vray, Photoshop
Page 37
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery
Damned Flesh JAKC, Spain
[email protected] 3ds Max, Brazil, Photoshop
Page 38
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery
Leon Lautaro Gonzlez, Argentina
[email protected] 3ds max, Vray, Photoshop
Page 39
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery
Pelican Karen Abramyanc, Israel
[email protected] Modo, 3ds max, Vray
Page 40
Issue 3 Apr 2007
gallery
Kakashi Fabio M. Silva, Portugal
[email protected] 3ds max
Page 41
Issue 3 Apr 2007
submission
How to send in your images... We showcase the cream of reader images in E-Zine and on website - here’s how to get yours noticed
BY EMAIL Send the images on
[email protected] and include the following details in the email. a) Name, Image Title, Software Used, Your Country, Image Description b) JPEG format at 300 dpi (if possible) and any other detail you like to add.
Upload Images through Website Follow this link http://www.cgarena.com/submit.php
This is by far the quickest and easiest way to send your images to us.
To Advertise:
[email protected] 
