Cool, Affordable 3d Printer

Check out the kickstarter video for this 3d printer.  This thing does really nice work, plus it is very affordable.  You can get everything for under $500.  I am thinking about getting one, mostly because I think I could have a ton of fun with it, but I also think it could be useful for companies like mine or yours to have one.  I am in the architectural industry, and my thought was that it could be used to easily make physical models of building masses.  Has anyone used 3d printers for this sort of thing?  If so, what has been your experience?

Vue 6 - (PLE) Personal Learning Edition - Free Download

The new realease is Vue 6, and it is a software used to create extremely detailed environments in an efficient way. You have to watch the demo video on the website to see how amazing of stuff it can create. The learning edition is free for download. It is worth learning for an CG artist. Visit the site here.

-There is a version that works directly inside of your 3d program, or a stand-alone.

Print For Sale

Okay...so it doesn't really fit into the description of this site, but here is a really cool print for sale. I can ordered up to a size of 34 X 36. Makes a great poster. Click the image to view the larger size or order a print.

This is the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles California.

If you like it - Vote to see this image in the next JPG magazine here.

Creative Gift Ideas For Christmas

Free CG has some great gift ideas for Christmas, particularly for all of you out there who own a computer and are itching to create images with it.

First and foremost...a tablet mouse! This is essential for every digital artist, so if you don't have one, get one for Christmas, you won't regret it. I recommend this one for beginners. I own it, and it's great (no complaints). Plus, it is relatively cheap compared to some of the others (I know it's not free, but unfortunately WACOM doesn't offer any "free samples").



I wouldn't recommend going any smaller then the 6X9 for any serious tablet use. Of course, if it's just for fun and that's all the money you got, there are plenty of other options as well.

If you have a few more Christmas bucks, or you already owned your own tablet, you have got to get this book:



It is an essential resource for all tablet artists, just check the reviews. I have to agree as well...it's really useful stuff! There is no better book for teaching you how to make your tablet really shine. The techniques are great!

Merry Christmas

Quest 3d - a realtime renderer

There is a new release of Quest 3d. If you haven't seen this before you need to check it out. It is a realtime renderer that can do some amazing things. Imagine your animations becoming completely navigable, just like a video game. There are many possibilities. Go here and make sure and check out the demos. You'll be amazed at the quality of images. Download the free demo and try it out.
http://quest3d.com/index.php?id=201

SpaceBall 5000: Steps Up Your Game

Step up to a new level of productivity with our best-known navigation device for CAD/CAM/CAE and animation/game development. The SpaceBall 5000 is proven to enhance your performance in even the most demanding 3D software applications.

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Draw Naturally On Your Computer - Only...You've Got UNLIMITED Tools!

Almost everyone involved with Computer Graphics in any way know that WACOM is the leader in tablet mice and other systems for drawing naturally in a digital format. Their ultimate product is the Cintiq Monitor, a monitor that you can draw directly on with a WACOM pen. The pen's pressure sensitivity makes it feel just like drawing the traditional way, and when combined with software that is designed specifically for use with these kinds of tools there is simply no better way to bring your images to life digitally. The tools are endless!

Not all of us can afford the Cintiq, but WACOM offers several other, more affordable, solutions. I use the Graphire 4 and I am completely satisfied. The only thing I would say about a tablet like the Graphire is that it is hard to draw naturally on a surface that has less friction then paper, and is relatively stationary. The Cintiq (or a tablet PC) takes care of this problem. You can rotate it, tilt it, or lean over it to draw on it just like you would with a canvas. It feels totally natural!

Check out all the products on Wacom.com. They even offer free tutorials for how to use their products with photoshop and corel painter to create natural looking paintings with your computer. Here is the link to the tutorials.
http://www.wacom.com.au/sitemap/sitemap.html

To purchase a Wacom tablet simply click on the Wacom links on this page. Their are products available for every skill level and every budget.

Great CG DVD - Exterior Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of a 3d rendering...espeically if you are trying to photorealistic.

For architectural visualizations like the ones I do, the best program for this in my opinion is Vray. You can get beautiful results in relatively small rendering times. The fairly new Maxwell render (www.maxwellrender.com) seems to be a very competitive renderer as well, although there has been some complaint of long render times. The end results of Maxwell are fantastic.

Vray is made by chaos group, and it is pretty cheap. You can even download a limited version for free.

With my renderings I use Vray almost exclusively for the lighting and rendering of my scenes. All my materials are usually Vray as well.

For those not familiar with Vray, I would recommend downloading the free version from chaos group, then purchasing the Vray tutorials from the gnomon workshop. The link for gnomon is in the sidebar of my page. The DVDs are by Christopher Nichols, and my favorite one is the "Exterior Lighting" tutorial. You won't be disappointed. With Vray free and this DVD, you will be ready to have photoreal lighting in no time.

Coming up soon I will post my presets for Vray renders and lights, plus some other lighting basics.