CGArena

ISSUE 10 NOVEMBER 2006

Get Attention in Computer Graphics Community

GALLERY

Showcase of latest 3d inspiring art

INTERVIEW 3DSMAX
Ralf Stumpf

PHOTOSHOP
Transporter Effect

Digital Copyright Info

AFTER EFFECTS

3D CHALLENGE
Winter

X-ray Shader

contents

05 Interview
Ralf Stumpf

10 3d Challenge
Winter

15 Photoshop 8 3ds Max

Digital Copyright Info

19 After Effects 34 Gallery

Transporter Effect

X-ray Shader

Showcase of latest 3d art

Magazine Designed, Written & Edited: Ashish Rastogi, India Magazine Cover Image: Steven Stahlberg, Malaysia Challenge Sponsors: Craft Animations, Hyperfocal Design, ambientLight, Duber Studio, Daz3D, The Best 3d, RPManager, Vertus

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Issue 10 Nov 006

industry news
$90 million go down the drain on Flushed Away
Glendale studio provided no exact number, analysts estimated the movies loss could range from $40 million to about $90 million. So far, the $143-million Flushed Away, about an upscale rat in London flushed into the citys sewer system, has grossed only $47 million worldwide, according to the tracking service Box Office Mojo. The movies performance does not bode well for the continuation of the studios partnership with Britains Aardman Animations, with which it co-produced Flushed Away, Chicken Run and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Analysts expect better things in 007 when the studio releases Shrek the Third and Bee Movie, which are expected to be strong at the box office.
Source: www.latimes.com

Softimage XSI 6 Announced

SOFTIMAGE|XSI is most advanced 3D mation and character ation software for generation games & the anicrenext film.

The XSI Gigapolygon core, capable of handling massively detailed models with millions of polygons, is the number one reason why leading entertainment companies are switching their next generation projects to XSI. Built on the newest code base and designed for the way the artist thinks, XSI empowers you to bring your creative vision to life. With the worlds fastest subdivision surface modeler and intuitive tools that make 3D modeling feel like sculpting, XSIs non-destructive environment lets you focus on your art
source: www.softimage.com

Buzzword of the Month

Dynamation - Dynamation was the term created by stop
motion model animator Ray Harryhausen to define a process of 3D animation, which employed stop-motion models, as opposed to two dimensional animation or cartoons. Normally, a model would be placed in front of a rear-projection screen with a previously filmed live-action plate and animated to interact with another model, the environment on the screen, or a live-action character. The positioning of the model and animation table was fairly precise to ensure that the model both scaled correctly and appeared to interact with its environment in a physically realistic manner. The end result would look as if the model was in the same space as the elements in the plate footage. If done precisely, the models could be animated to make contact and even fight with human characters.

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interview

Q. Hi could you tell us a bit about yourself? I studied Design at the Folkwang Uni Essen/Germany. I was founder and partner of a design studio called Design Ahead, which creates packaging and corporate design for international companies like Metro, Procter & Gamble, Sara Lee and Karstadt. I left the company after more than ten years in the end of 005 to find a new challenge for my career. I won some prices and my work is published in many international Publications (Animago Award still/art 1998 and 001, 8th Runner-up Master & Servant Challenge 005, Expos4 and Exotique from Ballistic Publishing 006...for example)

Q. What first got you started in 3D, are you self taught or taken some training? The first touch with 3d I had with an Amiga and a program called Sculpt3d. In 1990 I bought an Apple Mac and I paused with 3d for five years and I learned Freehand and Photoshop. In 1995 I made a new try in 3d with Alias Sketch and Strata Studio. In 1997 I bought a Silicon Graphics bundle with Alias Power Animator and I was happy now. In 1999 I switched to Maya. In that time there was no training DVDs on the market, you had to learn from the Books, which were shipped with the program.

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interview

AN INTERVIEW WITH Ralf Stumpf

Q. What software program(s) do you use for your CG and why? I work with Maya since version one and with ZBrush for two years now. Maya is a good all-rounder. For some years it was the best on the market I guess. Now most of the big packages are equal from the quality and possibilities. ZBrush on the other side is one of the greatest innovation in CG ever. In the right hands it brings life to CG.

Q. Tell me in detail about your Scary Toons Series, from where you get the idea? I love Toons. As I come from the design side, I try to keep complex thinks simple (these are the rules for Corporate Design). I have worked on many Toons in my career in d and 3d. The Scary Toons Series are the try to make a new look, simple but with soul. Unique and a bit weird. The ideas come from movies, history and well known stories and fairy tales. Then I mix this in my brain to get a new result.

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interview

AN INTERVIEW WITH Ralf Stumpf

Q. Characters in your artwork are mostly scary or futuristic there is any reason behind creating these types of characters? Im a big Science Fiction and movie fan. Im also a fan of not all day storytelling.I like the movies from Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez and the books from John Irving. My characters are not scary at all, they are different I guess.

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interview

AN INTERVIEW WITH Ralf Stumpf

Q. If you could invent your dream job, where would you work & what would be your job title? I love to develop a project. My dream is to work on a movie project as a concept artist and character modeler. Q. Which area of 3d do your really enjoy doing? I have great fun to have an idea and then to bring it into a d sketch. After there is built a clean base mesh the real fun begins by bringing it into ZBrush, adding life and soul. Q. Whats the most useful thing you have learnt in 3d? 3d is a good education to think in three dimensions, in forms and volumes. Q. What have been your major influences over the years? Im a full time worker. If there is no job, I work on my own projects. Influences come from all sides (movies, jobs and personal life). One of the major influences for my 3d passion was pixars short movie Luxo Junior from 1986. Q. What is one piece of advice you would give to any artist looking to get into 3D? To develop not only the technical side. 3d programs are only a tool. Drawing and painting in d is important too. Look around on the net and learn from other great artists. Be different, be you.

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interview

AN INTERVIEW WITH Ralf Stumpf

Q. Are you working on any projects currently? If so, what are they? I continue the work on Scary Toons and I work on some projects to develop CG characters for real time. Thereover Im involved in a beta project. Q. Anything you like to add? It is your chance now to state your opinion about anything. I hope for me and for all the people in the world to live and work together in freedom. Thanks a lot Ralf for taking out sometime for CGArena from your busy schedule.

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challenge
CGArena is proud to present Winter Challenge (3D Challenge), 4 Nov - 15 Jan 007, sponsored by Craft Animations, Hyperfocal Design, Vertus, RPManager, ambientLight, The Best 3D, Duber Studio and Daz 3D. We want different ideas and approaches in a more creative way.

Your Mission
Create an image which shows Winter in a scene, and remember winter doesnt mean just add an ice in a scene. 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 5th Dec 006 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. The purpose is that everyone can learn from each other, offer feedback and critiques. 1. Enter the Challenge by registering yourself on CGArena forum. . Submit your work in progress images in forum on a regular basis. 3. Participate in the community by critiquing other challengers works in the respective threads. 4. Submit your final entry till 15th January 007, midnight 00:00 GMT. 5. There will be 3 winners in this 3D Challenge and CGArena, Sponsers decision will be final. 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 100 pixels wide and/or 104 high, JPG, 300 DPI. - Send your final image in zip format with your complete shipping address and telephone number on email address ezine@ cgarena.com with subject Winter Challenge Final Image.

First Prize - $48 USD

Craft Animations Bundle 1 - $1137 USD
This Bundle 1 includes Craft Car, Craft Trailer, Craft Extra Wheel and Craft ObserverCam plugins. Craft Animations AB produces, markets and sells real-time software to the 3D animation, VR and gaming industries offering Craft Director Tools, a series of plug-ins based on several years of development and research into neural networking, AI, and autonomous control systems.

Hyperfocal Design 10 HDRI Skies - $590 USD

Our sky HDRIs use only the best quality digital optics for crisp, clean images - we dont 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.

Carrara 5 - $249 USD

Carrara 5 delivers a robust suite of modeling, animation and rendering tools wrapped in an intuitive user interface that experienced 3D artists and novices alike will embrace. And this product is marketed by Daz3D. And DAZ strives to bring 3D art directly to the masses by delivering the highest quality digital 3D content and software at the most affordable prices. DAZ also offers premier 3D software programs such as Bryce 5 (a 3D environment package), Mimic Pro (a 3D lip-sync program), and DAZ|Studio (a 3D posing application) all at rock-bottom prices.

RPManager - $200 USD

RPManager is an extension for discreets 3dsmax 5.1, 3dsmax 6.0 sp1, 3dsmax7, 3dsmax8 and 3dsmax9 (3bit) which makes the task of managing multiple render passes from a single scene file efficient and user-error free. RPManager is not just for those managing complex multi-pass setups. If you have ever wanted more than just two render setup slots - the default production and draft - then RPManager can save you time.

ambientLight Multibay Texture Bundle - $130 USD

Multibuy Offer includes our entire range of Texture Packs. All of our packs are at a minimum of 104 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.

Duber Studio Portrait of a Girl 3 DVDs Set- $83 USD

These DVDs that sets its goal to finally teach you in-depth how to effectively model, map and texture your meshes. Duber training didnt want to create an ordinary, average training DVD, we decided we would like you to actually understand what modeling, UVs and texturing are and how they work! More than 3 hours of exclusive training.

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. Its a great companion to your existing popular paint shop or photo image editor. This project is promoted and marketed by thebest3d.com. Here you will get various softwares at great prices including free tutorials of various softwares.

Second Prize - $1661 USD

Craft Animations Bundle 2 - $1187 USD
This Bundle  includes Craft Helicopter, Craft SphereCam, Craft SteadyCam, Craft ObserverCam. Craft Animations AB produces, markets and sells real-time software to the 3D animation, VR and gaming industries offering Craft Director Tools, a series of plug-ins based on several years of development and research into neural networking, AI, and autonomous control systems.

Hyperfocal Skies 2 - $219 USD

Hyperfocal Skies  features 51 photographic, hemispherical sky textures averaging 1000X4000 pixels. No 180 degree panoramas or single row panoramas, just full hemispherical sky textures with enough resolution to allow completely unrestricted camera movement in all directions. Hyperfocal Skies  includes a wide range of times of day and weather conditions to suit any scene. Sky textures are mappable onto a hemisphere, cylinder or background.

Vertus Fluid Mask 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. A key feature is the new Edge Overlay showing object edges within an image. Suddenly masking become a whole lot easier - its now possible to select, group and mask objects in images to make great cut outs.

Duber Studio Portrait of a Girl 2 DVDs Set- $56 USD

These DVDs that sets its goal to finally teach you in-depth how to effectively model, map and texture your meshes. Duber training didnt want to create an ordinary, average training DVD, we decided we would like you to actually understand what modeling, UVs and texturing are and how they work! More than 3 hours of exclusive training.

Third Prize - $1035 USD

Craft Animations Bundle 3 - $988 USD
This Bundle 3 includes Craft ObserverCam, Craft HumanizerCam, Craft SteadyCam, Craft ZeroGCam. Craft Animations AB produces, markets and sells real-time software to the 3D animation, VR and gaming industries offering Craft Director Tools, a series of plug-ins based on several years of development and research into neural networking, AI, and autonomous control systems.

Duber Studio Portrait of a Girl DVD - $28 USD

These DVDs that sets its goal to finally teach you in-depth how to effectively model, map and texture your meshes. Duber training didnt want to create an ordinary, average training DVD, we decided we would like you to actually understand what modeling, UVs and texturing are and how they work! More than 3 hours of exclusive training.

PD Particles - $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.

Except Duber DVDs all titles available as download from the sponser website.

SPONSORS

photoshop

Digital Copyright Info

You cant stop people downloading your images from the internet because your files are automatically downloaded to the visitors computer in order for them to be able to view the page that the image is on. Once the image is on their computer you cant stop them keeping a copy. What you can do is to make it obvious that the image is yours and has been taken from you either with or without your permission. One way to do this is to place a copyright notice into the image in such a way that it does not interfere significantly with the image but makes it obvious to anyone looking at the image that its yours. The another way is apply digital copyright watermarking system so you can also sell the images so anyone can utilize in own presentation, website design or somewhere else. But still your copyright information system is there. Digimarc is one service like this which Track your covertly watermarked photos on millions of pages across the public Internet, Access reports online showing where your images are being used. Step 1: Open a photo for digital watermarking. The embedding should take place right before you save the file, so do all your color correction, retouching, sharpening, and special effects before you get ready to embed the watermark. And also flattened the image. Step 2: Goto Filter > Digimarc > Embed Watermark. This appears at the bottom of the Filter menu. This brings up the Embed Watermark dialog.

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photoshop

Step 3: Now click on the Personalize button. If you have a Digimarc account then enter your ID and Pin. But hopefully you dont have the Digimarc account otherwise you dont read this tutorial. If dont then click on the Get Info button and it will launch your Web browser and take you to Digimarcs website, where you can choose which subscription plan best suits your needs. Minimum annual subscription price is $79 and in this you can convert upto 1000 images and get 51 MB for online image backup & secure sharing.

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photoshop
Step 4: After subscription return to the Embed Watermark dialog after enter ID and Pin. Fill the fields like Copyright year, Target Output, Image Attributes. Target Output helps determine how strongly the watermark will be applied to your photo. Click the Verify checkbox at the bottom left of the dialog if you want to check the strength of the watermark immediately after you apply it.

Final Step: When you click OK (with Verify turned on), Digimarc immediately verifies the strength of the watermark, and whether it was successful. Click OK in this dialog, and the process is completea copyright symbol appears next to your files name when viewed in Photoshop. Also, your website URL, your contact info, and your copyright info are embedded into the file. You can check the watermark manually by going under the Filter > Digimarc > Read Watermark.

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i n f o @ d u b e r. c z w w w. d u b e r. c z

I n t e r m e d i at e

t r a i n i n g

DV D s

fo r

3 d

a r t i s t s !

Testimonials:
A must buy for everyone.
- Ashish, CGArena

Portrait of a girl is an excellent set for those who are interested in seeing how to create and texture a human head from scratch.
- Wes Burke, CG|Underground

This is the best head modeling dvd out to date!

- Chris Maddos

The DVDs should buy anyone who wants to create organic models!
- Leo Sniffer Janek, Pixel magazine

Organic modeling DVD - $27.80 USD UV Mapping DVD - $27.80 USD Texture Painting DVD - $27.80 USD Postage & Handling included! Shipping worldwide within 7 days! 10% off when purchasing all three!

after effects

Transporter Effect
This is a very simple effect just require a fractal noise to dissolve the character and any particle effect which you can create in any 3d program, compositing program or create from the Wondertouch Particle Illusion and little bit knowledge about the keying. If you dont know about keying then look for tutorials on CGArena website. Step 1: First drag a background and then a character/object which you shoot on the green background.

Source Footages: Cafefx from movie Sincity

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after effects
Step 2: Apply Keylight filter on the character layer and select green or blue in Screen Color according to your shooting background. Now you have to refine few options like Clip Black, Clip White, Screen Pre- Blur, softness and shrink as per footage. This is an academy award winning plug-in from Framestore CFC, which available in the AE Pro version.

Step 3: Now above the character layer. Create Layer > New Solid and choose any color. Name this Noise.

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after effects
Step 4: Apply Filter > Noise & Grain > Fractal Noise on the solid layer.

Step 5: In the fractal noise window you have to play with brightness and contrast setting. Remember where the surface is white the character is opaque and where is black character is transparent. Step 6: Set a keyframe for brightness setting according to the requirement. If you want to show the character first opaque then keep the brightness higher in positive level and then on another keyframe take the brightness into negative. Step 7: Change the track matte of chroma (character) layer to Luma matte noise.

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after effects
Step 8: Now you can play the timeline and if you have done everything as said then character is dissolve according to the fractal.

Final Step: Now on top add any effect which you have created. Like I have created an effect through Particle Illusion Demo version software and change the mode of the layer to add to remove the black background of the particle effect. So, now you have seen how much easy to create this effect which used in many TV soaps

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your mission
In Sep-Oct, your mission was to create a image on Garden theme and sponsored by GPUTech, Corel, Realviz, Hyperfocal Design and ambientLight. These are the winning images...

...........................................................................................................................

2nd winner

Floroiu Claudiu, Romania floclau@yahoo.com

Silvia Palara, USA silviapalara@comcast.net

Raul Fabian, Romania raulfabi@yahoo.com

Bernardo Arroyo Mexico bernardo@3db.com

Ist winner

2nd winner

Leslie Pere USA lpere1@verizon.net

Joy Chakraborty India annabaudi@gmail.com

3rd winner

3ds max

X-ray Shader
Creating X-ray shader is not a difficult task. But just adding a falloff map in the opacity doesnt serve the purpose or doesnt make a texture which works in all environments & lighting. So I decide to create a x-ray shader without using any renderer feature so can be easily render with any renderer you used. Hope you will learn something from this tutorial. Step 1: Open your model in 3ds Max, I am using a free fish statue model from Evermotion Vol. 34 which contains some wonderful sculptures. Step 2: Now open a material editor and apply a normal default texture to the model and lets start changing the parameters of the material. Step 3: Select any color you like in the Ambient, check lock diffuse and ambient button is pressed. By default this is pressed. I used R=17, G=18 and B=197 for the color. Also check the  sided box on the top of basic parameters Step 4: Check the color box in Self illumination and copy the same color in the self illumination box. Change the Specular and glossiness level to 0.

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3ds max
Step 5 : In the Extended parameters change the Falloff type to Addictive.

Subtractive

Additive

Step 6: Apply a falloff map in the opacity parameter and inside falloff parameters in the white color box where none is written select noise. And change the noise setting to around 10. So its get little dimmer and light around edges also little irregular.

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3ds max

Step 7: Now texturing main work is over just apply an Effect Id 1 to this texture in the material editor and close the material editor.

Step 8: Now open Rendering > Video Post and press Add scene event (from which viewport you like to render) in my case I choose perspective because camera was not set in the scene.

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3ds max
Step 9: Then press Add Image Filter Event and select Lens Effects Glow from the drop down box. Press Ok.

Step 10: Double click on the Lens Effects Glow in the video post left panel and press Setup button. Under Lens Effect Glow window press Preview, VP Queue and then check Effects ID (which is already 1).

Step 11: Your object will be glowing a lot so go into the preferences tab and reduce the Size and if color chooses as a pixel or user then also reduce the Intensity according to your scene requirement. I recommend using user and choose the same color as the material. In user you dont get the glow outside the character edges thats look more realistic. But this is on your personal preference which type of effect you like or suits your needs.

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3ds max

Step 12: Thats it. Add image output event and press the Execute sequence button in the video post window. And your X-ray is ready. Oh, sorry I mean your X-ray shader is ready.

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3D Objects, Textures, E-books, Free digital Art Magazines, you will always find a way to be inspired in the : ITS ART STORE

Gizelle for Miki by ExpressImage

Buy, sell, affiliate, there are so many ways to earn money with our Store

http://www.itsartmag.com

gallery

Sarrah Morrison Steven Stahlberg, Malaysia stahlber@yahoo.com Maya, Mudbox, Photoshop Page 34 Issue 10 Nov 006

gallery

Wonded Ork Dorian Bushi, Albania dorian_cga@yahoo.com 3ds Max, Zbrush, Digital Fusion Page 35 Issue 10 Nov 006

gallery

Ruins Lukasz Szeflinski, Poland lukx@alpha.net.pl 3ds Max 9, Zbrush, Vray, Bodypaint, Photoshop Page 36 Issue 10 Nov 006

gallery

Aleprechaun Ilan Cohen, Israel cilans@gmail.com 3ds Max, Vray, Photoshop

Staircase David Newton, USA sales@paperraincoat.com 3ds Max, Brazil, Photoshop

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gallery

Fiat 500 Niao Ping, China xp_s@tom.com Softimage Xsi

Train Dave Davidson, UK dd@max3d.org Cinema 4D, Maxwell Page 38 Issue 10 Nov 006

gallery

Adidas Shoes Jakub Goda, Slovakia jakubgodeee@yahoo.com 3ds Max 9, Mental Ray

Village Luis ramos, Brazil luishrs@gmail.com 3ds Max, Vray, Photoshop

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gallery

OldDays Serkan Celik, Turkey xsekox@gmail.com 3ds Max 9 64 Bit Page 40 Issue 10 Nov 006

gallery

Old Guy and Soldier Wesclei Barbosa, Brazil wesclei@hotmail.com 3ds Max, Zbrush, Photoshop

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submission

How to send in your images...

We showcase the cream of reader images in E-Zine and on website - heres how to get yours noticed

BY EMAIL
Send the images on ezine@cgarena.com 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: contact@cgarena.com