The World's First 3D Sensor for Mobile Devices – COOL!

 iPad-3dscanner

Now that I have an iPad and have become an addict, I am have come across a bunch a very cool apps and tools related to digital arts, particularly 3D.  I am seriously considering get one of these and seeing what we can do with it. My only concern is the scan quality, I have used a number of scanners and have found the scans to be sub par.  I have also used the Kinect as a 3d scanner and although thought it was very cool, was disappointed in the quality of the scan.  *The people who design the Kinect also also has designed the technology for this device.  Either Way . . . Very Cool and I still want one . . . ~Cornell

 Also Check this interview out – THIS IS SO COOL!!! 

My First iPad Painting - Wacom Creative Stylus

My wife gave me an iPad Air for Christmas and it is AWESOME!!!  I also got a Wacom Creative Stylus which works with the iPad.  I am still exploring the stylus’ potential, but this is my first tablet, so I am still just playing.  The first App I downloaded was Sketchbook Pro which I use the regular version in my classroom and painted a simple apple  . . . that kind of looks like a tomato. 

MyFirst-iPad-Painting-sm2So here is my review of the Wacom Creative Stylus in action with pressure-sensitivity!  It didn’t seem to work right out of the box, or so I thought.  Let me clarify, it functioned as a stylus, but I could not notice any pressure-sensitivity either in Bamboo Note or Sketchbook Pro.   The manual states that pressure sensitivity works though Bluetooth, so I tried to connect it to Bluetooth.  No Luck.  I am very new to the iPad, in fact I hadn’t connected it to anything yet.  I  tried to connect my iPad  to the sound system – no luck.  I assumed that my Bluetooth was not working, since it would not connect to anything??? I did a bit more research and couldn’t find muc h that would help.  Eventually, I got my iPad to connect, but it still wouldn’t connect to the Stylus. 

OK, this is what I was doing wrong. First the stylus doesn’t show up on the Bluetooth device list, no matter what you do and this threw me off qui a bit.  Second you have to tell each application what stylus you are using.  For Sketchbook Pro, got to ‘I’ symbol  for information on the top menu, then preferences, and change 3rd Party Pen Connection.  Even after setting it up correctly, the pressure-sensitivity still didn’t seem to work.  I was frustrated needless to say.  Then I played with pen setting and voila, it worked.  I was about to return the $99 stylus.

After I got it going . .  I was sold, but I really wanted to test it and painted an apple.  Hmm, so is it worth $100?  At this point, I would say, “Hell Yea!”  I have had almost every generation of Wacom’s Intous line, including the Cintiq.  Honestly, the (iPad or other) tablet will replace the drawing, tablet there is no question; this is the future.  It is not completely there yet, limited resolution, memory, high-end 3d capabilities, but this is the future.  What I really want to see is a high-end 3d application like Mudbox or Zbrush, on the iPad.  That will be an industry changer.   Or even a wireless connection to your main workstation so that it works like a Cintiq.  Now that would be awesome!

The Creative Stylus.  I read a few blogs out there and a lot of people complaining about the tip . . . I don’t have a problem with it. The flow is smooth enough, not as smooth as the Intous line, but certainly not a deal breaker.  The rubber is soft and they only give you a few, so I will predict that I will be buying a few more down the road; I will let you know how long they last.  They also sell a harder tip for writing, but I think I will just buy a cheap stylus for that, as opposed to switching the tip  and possibly loosing it.   Keep the Creative just for drawing!!!

Another blogger was complaining about the fact that the pen was not rechargeable, well it lasts for over 150 hours and batteries are about $1.50 each???  Rechargeable devices that small never seem to last very long, so I bet it would be more frustrating to find that your battery is out again than just popping in a new one.

Comparing to the Intous line . . . The stylus’ feel is completely different and I have frequently pressed the buttons when not wanting to changing brushes.   The Length is about two inches shorter then the Intous  stylus, but a lot heavier feel which I like.  It is not as thick either, which I feel gives it a bit less control.  There are 2048 pressure levels with +/- 45 Degree tilt recognition, almost the  same as the Intous  which has 2048 pressure levels with +/- 60 Degree tilt recognition. 

Here is my brush pressure-sensitivity testing. Very Cool!!!

Wacom_Creative_Brush_Stroke_Testing

Is it worth saving a few bucks for the Pogo Connect with all the extra tip options?  They look really cool and I want to try them.  I almost considered getting a second stylus, just to try it . . . But I have heard that it does not work with the iPad Air.  

Conclusion:  I am sold and will recommend the Wacom Creative Stylus to my students.  If anything changes I will let you know.  Also, if the Pogo Connect I am buying one and will report back.

~Cornell

MakerBot Wants You to Buy a Teacher a 3D Printer

Did you register your program to get a 3D Printer?  I did . . .   Here is the link: http://www.donorschoose.org/blog/2013/11/12/makerbot-announces-a-mission/ 
~Cornell


MakerBot is a on a mission to bring a 3D printer into every public school in America.  Starting today, any public school teacher in the United States can request a MakerBot Academy Bundle and their project will qualify for Almost Home funding provided by MakerBot and its partners.

Each MakerBot Academy bundle contains a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer, three spools of MakerBot PLA Filament, and a full year of the MakerBot MakerCare Service and Protection Plan.  MakerBot will also support teachers with the development of ongoing 3D printing curriculum that teachers can participate in and utilize in the classroom.

- See more at: http://www.donorschoose.org/blog/2013/11/12/makerbot-announces-a-mission/#sthash.DFT5f9Wk.dpuf


Bre Pettis was the first kid on his block to get an Apple II computer. The device was intriguing, and all his neighborhood friends tinkered with it endlessly even though it served little practical purpose. Pettis went on to start 3D-printing company MakerBot Industries (SSYS), and he sees its products in the same light: They may seem silly at first, but the kids will figure them out.

To get kids playing with 3D printers, Pettis is emulating Apple (AAPL) in another way. On Tuesday the company announced an ambitious plan to . . . <<  More  >>


RELATED LINKS:


Will 3D Printing Change the World?

Digital Paper Cut-Out Software

About a month ago, just came across the Pepakura Designer and man it is really cool.  Basically, it will convert your 3d file to a paper foldable model, just as if you were making a box.  It reduces the poly count into a workable file and then unfolds it with all the textures.  I ordered a plotter cutter just to be able to cut them out.   This software is open to the public as shareware so you can download and try it freely although some advanced features are limited until you purchase a license key.  I will let you know how it goes.  here are some examples I cam across. ~ Cornell


 
  

Check out these models, they actually move . . .

THIS IS HUGE!!! Autodesk offers 3-Year Licenses to Students

THIS IS HUGE!!! Autodesk has just released their product line-up to students. With the economy the way it is, less and less of my students work on Maya at home, tend to spend more time in the lab, and over all less time using Maya overall. This will have a huge impact on my students skill set, and the quality their work.
Despite the fact that majority of my students want to work for “Pixar” and probably would pay to work there, only about 3% of the 3d industry is entertainment related. There are so many careers out there from bio medical sculpting to archeology. With over 25 products available to download, students have a chance to explore other applications that they would not necessarily have the opportunity to use. Thirty day trials just don't cut it, I don't even bother downloading them anymore.  It is just not enough time to really get into an application.  Eliminating the initial costs, and offering three years to explore is HUGE!!! --- Cornell

Autodesk_Logo_Software[1]
Start the academic year off right by downloading 2011 Autodesk software that professional architects, engineers, and digital artists are using to push the boundaries of design. More than 25 software products are available for free* download at the Education Community—all with a new, extended 3-year license.

Update Your Software License Now 
If you already have free* Autodesk software from the Education Community, follow these easy steps to renew your license to a 3-year term.
  1. Log in to the Education Community
  2. Get a new serial number from the Software Download section
  3. Update serial number in your software Product License Information Screen.
For more information on the 3-year license terms, please see our frequently asked questions (FAQ).
It’s that simple. Once you’ve renewed your license, you may want to explore the new features and highlights in the Education Community. You can access exclusive lessons from today’s top industry leaders, learn about the latest design trends, and see how professionals are applying their skills and knowledge to turn global challenges into opportunities. There’s even a place to share how you are turning innovative ideas into real designs.
*Free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies download of the software. The software is for personal use for education purposes and is not intended for classroom or lab use.

Autodesk and AutoCAD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

SketchUp 8 Released

Check out the new version of SketchUp and it is still free.  It has a lot of cool new features, but particularly the inport /export settings.    The DWG and DXF import and export features now support 2010 versions of AutoDesk software. - Cornell

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What's changed in this release of SketchUp 8

Google SketchUp 8 contains the following enhancements and new features:

Add Location dialog box
A new Add Location dialog box makes it easier to find and capture location information from anywhere in the world (Google Earth is no longer required) - and in color!

Image Igloo tool
A new Image Igloo tool allows you to view thumbnail images, in the form of an igloo, used to model a structure. Select an image to enter the photo matching sketch mode.

Foreground and background photo
The Modeling Settings panel of the Styles browser now contains foreground and background photo settings for Match Photo modeling.

Outer Shell tool
A new Outer Shell tool allows you to create a shell of outer faces from a group of overlapping groups or components. This feature is particularly useful for removing internal geometry from 3D buildings.

Scenes Manager improvements
The Scenes manager has been improved to show scene thumbnails and allow multi-scene editing of scene properties.

Sketch axes
The axes can now (optionally) be aligned with component axes while editing a component.

Push/Pull tool pre-pick mode
The Push/Pull tool now includes a pre-pick operation mode.

Geo-Location interface changes
The Model Info dialog box contains a new Geo Location panel containing location information for the current model. An additional Geo-location menu item on the File menu organizes all the Geo-location tasks.

DWG/DXF import/export
The DWG and DXF import and export features now support 2010 versions of AutoDesk software.

Back edges
A new Back Edges checkbox allows you to display hidden back edges as dashed lines.

Launch Building Maker from SketchUp
Geo-Modeling got a whole lot easier! The Google toolbar (Microsoft Windows) and tool palette (Mac OS X) contains a button to launch Building Maker from SketchUp. Building Maker appears in a web dialog box directly within SketchUp. You can also export Building Maker models from this dialog directly into SketchUp.

Calculate volume
The Entity Info dialog box displays volume for any solid in your model.

Download Google SketchUp

Bryce 7 a 3D Landscaping and Animation Software (Free)

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I have not used Bryce in like 8 years or so now, I actually did not think it was still around.  Well it  is back from Daz 3D and has been updated.  If you are not familiar with Bryce, It is basically 3D landscaping and animation tool.  Also with this release they are offering a PLE version, which is not a typical PLE, the only restriction is that you may only use it for personal, non-commercial projects.  This PLE version provides a fully-functional, non-watermarked (MAC or WIN OS) that will NEVER expire.  We used to use Vue, but as the economy dried up, so has our budget and we had to let some software packages go.  Bryce is not Vue, but it is a great option particularly at the price.  Check it out.  -- Cornell

 


Download Here from CNET.com
http://download.cnet.com/Bryce-7-Personal-Learning-Edition/3000-6677_4-75219820.html

RenderMan FREE for Educators

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I am a big fan of Mental Ray and have been using it for years now.  It was accessible and there were  tons of resources.  I am still a big fan of it, but it was also the only render engine I had access to and honestly all I knew.   RenderMan has just been released free for educators to work with.  Check it out and get rendering; I will.  - Cornell   
 Pixar's RenderMan for Maya 3.0 (Instructor License)
JourneyEd Item No: 100965128
Manufacturer Item No: JEM-IE-RFM30-NL


 Pixar's RenderMan Studio 2.0 with Embedded Renderer (Instructor License)
JourneyEd Item No: 100965135
Manufacturer Item No: JEM-IE-RMS20-RER-NL

 
Pixar's RenderMan Pro Server 15 (Instructor License)
JourneyEd Item No: 100973954
Manufacturer Item No: JEM-IE-RPS15-NL


 Pixar's RenderMan Classroom Kit (Educators/Staff only)
JourneyEd Item No: 100965320
Manufacturer Item No: CLASSROOMKIT


http://www.journeyed.com/dept/Brands/Pixar/RenderMan%20for%20Instructors/291839?qk_srch=JEM_PIXAR_INSTRUCTOR