FridgeMonsters : Animation Tutorials

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	Introduction

	Fundamentals

	Modelling
	Animation
	Lighting
	Compositing
	Materials & Textures
	Rigging
	MEL Script
	Python
	Dynamics
	Effects
	Rendering
	Tips and Tricks

	Animation History
	Storyboarding
	Animation Principles

Animation Art


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Tips and Tricks

Bridge Curve Resolution
You can increase the number of CVs on the Curve created for the Bridge tool simply by Rebuilding the Curve with a higher number of of Spans.

Surface > Edit Curves > Rebuild Curve

Announcements

New Publications

The Illusionist : DVD

The Illusionist is one of a dying breed of stage entertainers. With emerging rock stars stealing his thunder in the late 1950s, he is forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theatres, at garden parties and in bars and cafés. However, whilst performing in a village pub off the west coast of Scotland, he encounters Alice, an innocent young girl, who will change his life forever.

The Illusionist is a love letter from a father to his daughter. For Sophie Tatischeff, the daughter of Jacques Tati, comedy genius and French cinema legend, this touching correspondence could not be left undelivered.

click to order dvd

3D Artist : Issue #24

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Under the Covers

	For a full listing of recommended Books and DVD's, visit our book store by clicking here.



	Please leave all references to the author intact in all documentation and tutorials.
	Terms of Use

Lastest Tutorials : Gears: Rigging/Expressions [ view tutorial ]


This tutorial covers an in-depth practical approach to developing a completely automated gear system. The tutorial will show you how to do everything from modelling gears that successfully interlock, to coding (MELScript) the system. view tutorial		One of the many powerful features of Maya is the ability to animate the location and properties of an object’s pivot point. In this lesson, you will use the animatable properties of a primitive cube’s pivot point to animate it rolling on its edges. This process will involve the use of the Channel Control window (window > General Editors > Channel Control) to make certain attributes Keyable. view tutorial


Gears : Rigging
		This tutorial covers an in-depth practical approach to developing a completely automated gear system. The tutorial will show you how to do everything from modelling gears that successfully interlock, to coding (MELScript) the system. [level intermediate] view tutorial

Curves Plus : Modelling
		The objective of this tutorial is to create a profile Curve with a series of curve and straight lines, extrude the Curve into 3d Geometry and then clean-up the Geometry. [level intermediate] view tutorial

Playblast : Rendering
		For students and professionals alike, fully rendered animation is not always necessary or required, especially during the development stages of a project. Whether it’s for testing animation, feedback, a rigging showreel or modeling showcase, being able to render the viewport as Playblast has its advantages. However, it has come to our attention that Playblasts are often not rendered to their full potential. This tutorial will cover how to make the most of your Playblasts. It will cover how to setup the viewport, the rendering options available and how to save/output the Playblast with the best settings. [level basic] view tutorial

Rolling Cubes : Animation
		One of the many powerful features of Maya is the ability to animate the location and properties of an object’s pivot point. In this lesson, you will use the animatable properties of a primitive cube’s pivot point to animate it rolling on its edges. This process will involve the use of the Channel Control window (window > General Editors > Channel Control) to make certain attributes Keyable. Once they are Keyable, they will be available in the Channel Box for you to set keys and edit their value. Also in this lesson, you will also use the Graph Editor to refine the animation curves to get exactly the kind of motion that you need. [level advanced] view tutorial

Soft Body Ears : Rigging
		Meet Gus..!! Gus is small FridgeMonster with no arms or legs. To make matters worse, Gus has large rabbit like ears. Consequently, Gus isn’t taken very serious by his fellow FridgeMonsters, which has resulted in a low level of self-esteem. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to rig Gus’ ears, so that they have a level of elasticity and create an overlapping motion as he moves around. [level intermediate] view tutorial

Converting DV-PAL to Square Pixels : Compositing
		This tutorial explains how to prepare a DV-PAL video, using Adobe AfterEffects, for use with Autodesk MatchMover. Pixels on a computer monitor are square. They are the same width and height and can be described as having a pixel aspect ratio of 1:1. DV-PAL video has 720x576 pixels. However, these pixels are not square. Instead of having an aspect ratio of 1:1 (same width as height) the pixels have an aspect ratio is 128:117, or about 1.094:1. Consequently, when you display DV-PAL footage on a computer monitor is appears to be squashed. This tutorial explains how to un-squash DV-PAL video. [level intermediate] view tutorial

Right-Click Rendering : Rendering
		When you install MAYA on your computer, Scene files automatically get a right-click option to Render the scene files (.ma and .mb files). This default Render option will render the scene according the settings set in the scene itself. In this tutorial you will add your own right-click Render option for MAYA .ma files. You will then learn how to customise the right-click Render option with different render settings. For example you could create a high-res render option and a low-res option.. [level intermediate] view tutorial

Introduction to MEL : MEL Script
		I'm currently writing an introduction to MEL script for my students. You're welcome to take a look. As I'm pretty new to this myself, all constructive feedback is welcome through the contact form above. [level intermediate] view tutorial

Controllers : Rigging
		In this tutorial I'll show you how to create your own custom Controllers and connect them to a simple rig using Set Driven Key. At the end of the tutorial I'll show you how to create a simple MEL Script utility to create your own custom Controllers for future use. [level basic/intermediate] view tutorial

Modelling Frank : Modelling
		[level intermediate]

Rigging Frank : Rigging
		[level intermediate]

Toon Renderer : Rendering
		[level intermediate]

Mental Ray : Rendering
		[level intermediate]

Bouncing Ball : Animation
		[level basic]

Robotic Arm : Rigging
		The objective of this tutorial is to Rig a robotic arm. [level intermediate] view tutorial

Pick Up/Put Down : Rigging
		[level intermediate] view tutorial

Rendering from Command Prompt : Rendering
		coming very, very soon... [level intermediate] view tutorial

IK/FK Switch : Rigging
		The objective of this tutorial is to Rig a set of arm Joints that can switch (transform) smoothly from IK to FK and back again at any point in your film, depending on the requirements of the animation. [level advanced] view tutorial

ToeTap : Rigging
		In this tutorial you will create and rig a simple leg with custom Attributes to allow more efficient animating. You will then create a copy of the leg, and rig it and create another set of custom Attributes.. [level advanced] view tutorial

Curves101 : Modelling
		This tutorial introduces the anatomy of the NURBS curves in MAYA and the tools available for creating and modifying the curves. [level basic] view tutorial

Teapot : Modelling
		This tutorial introduces a range of basic modelling techniques using NURBS curves to Loft, Revolve and Extrude. [level basic]

Fly Thru : Animation
		In this tutorial you will create a simplified city, a motion path and then fly a camera through the city along the motion path. [level basic] view tutorial

Camera Control : Rigging
		In this tutorial you will learn how to control the camera using Constraints. You will also be introduced to the Animation Editor and learn how to affectively manipulate the Curves. [level intermediate] view tutorial

Text101 : Modelling
		In this tutorial cover introduction to creating 3d Text in MAYA. This tutorial specifically looks at the options available for bevelling and optimising models. Learning Outcome The objective of this tutorial is to introduce you to the following : 1. Creating 3d Text. 2. Bevel Plus (Surfaces). 3. Creating Polygon Text. 4. Reduce (Polygon) Tool. 5. Optimised Text. 6. The various Bevel options available. 7. Separating Objects. [level basic] view tutorial

Fundamentals 101 (online soon)
		This tutorial covers the MAYA Basic. If you are new to MAYA, read this tutorial first and use it for future reference. [level basic]

Robotic Arm : Rigging (online soon)
		This tutorial introduces the basic concepts of Constraints. In this tutorial you will model a simple robotic arm, together with hydraulic pistons and claw grip. Then animate the robotic arm picking up and putting down an object. [level basic]

UV Mapping 101 : Textures (online soon)
		This tutorial covers basic UV mapping techniques in MAYA. [level basic] view tutorial

Lighting 101 : Lighting (online soon)
		This tutorial covers basic Lighting techniques in MAYA. [level basic]

Rendering 101 : Rendering (online soon)
		This tutorial covers basic Rendering techniques in MAYA. [level basic]

Animation 101 : Animation (online soon)
		[level basic] view tutorial

Particles101 : Particles (online soon)


Dynamics and Constraints101 : Dynamics (online soon)


Hypershade : Materials & Textures (online soon)


Render Nodes : Textures (online soon)


Outstanding Notes : HyperShade, UV Mapping (breakfast cereal), Lights, Kitchen Scene, Complete Robot, Robot Rigging, Robot Walk/Run/Jump,

New Notes : Paint Effects, MEL, Rigging1 (Ridged Body), Rigging2 (Skinning), Cloth, Fluids, Modelling Humans, Paint Weights, Illustrator to MAYA curves, Toon Rendering, Modelling a Vehicle, Modelling/Texturing Urban - Lighting (based on Gnomon), Mushroom City, Rolling Cubes, Notes on Blocking (Accuracy and Efficiency are key to blocking), Mental Ray, Expressions,

Additional Notes : Photographing Textures, Three-Point Lighting, Environment Maps, Decal Textures, Glass, Fog, Lens Flare and Glow, Focus, Rain,