Comicon Challenge: Age of Legends

"Ravaged with time and victories of war, an aged man adorned with a red cape, glares at a crystal projected screen to witness flames and destruction rain over his beloved city. A great sentient evil is about to destroy all that he worked for and all that he loves. It has been many years since he has made an appearance on earth and many more since he has fought, but for him, there is no time for rest. Humanity is in desperate need of a hero, even if it is to be for one last time. Aged and tired, he slowly steps off his throne, and speaks to himself, to gather courage, and to gather strength – "If this is to be my end, then ..."  - Superman

"On the roof of a snow covered mansion, a young boy watches the sun set on a city he used to call home. It has been one month since his parents were brutally murdered in front of him, but for a young boy of 12, it still felt like today. Thugs and drug lords rule the streets now. Nobody is safe. Everyone lives in fear. It would take more than political words or the efforts of a corrupt police force to make things right. He needed a symbol, something that even criminals would fear, and then it came to him from the cover of darkness..." – Batman

Join us for our Comicon 2010 Challenge - The Age of Legends. In this challenge, you, the creator, are given the unique power to alternate the age of your "action-based" super hero or super villain. If your favorite character is middle aged, then you can make a young or older version of him. If your character is already young, then you can make a middle aged or older version of her. The word "can" is used because as always, this twist is purely optional. You are free to create an unaltered version of your favorite character, or, you can join in on the fun, be creative, and make this remake topic your personal challenge!

Remember, Archie is not an "action" hero and Garfield is not a super villain - they don't have weapons and they don't save or kill people. However, Wolverine, Battle Angel Alita, The Phoenix, Flash, Cyclops, Superman, Batman, Gambit, Daredevil, Electra, Joker, Magneto, G.I.Joe, Ninja Turtles, and many many more are all glorious examples of exactly what we are looking for during this challenge. The only restriction: one of your final images MUST include an original small comic book cover or page of the character you choose to create. Simply find a cover or page online that contains your character, and stick it on one of your final images to pay respect to the original character and/or creator.

All 1st to 10th place Champions will be commemorated with star icons to highlight their success during this challenge, and placed within our easily found Comicon 2010 awards' page to show the world, forever, your standing in this difficult challenge.

Good Luck to everyone who enters!!

http://www.comiconchallenge.com/2010/readbrief.php

Aerospace 3D Models Available from NASA

NASA is sharing some of their low res 3d models.  Some are better than others, but they do have a model of one of those $10,000 wrenches.  There are about 90 models available in three main formats, 3DS, FBX, and OBJ. They have been around for few years now, I remember using them for a planetarium project we were working on.  I just came across them again and figured I would share.  -- Cornell

These models are for anybody that uses a 3D software package. Most of the models are in the common .3ds format, which can be read by most 3D programs. Some models, however, are in their original .lwo, .fbx, or .obj formats to preserve details that would be lost in conversion.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/3d_resources/models.html

Autodesk's best of the best show reel 2010

Check this out, there is some really cool stuff.

Architectural Visualization Challenge II - HOVER

Here is a unique challenge for your students,  I just came across it and it looks really cool.  Most schools have just started, so I know timing is off, but it might work for you.   It started at the end of July and ends the end of October, so there is still time.  -- Cornell

 

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/challenges/architectural-visualization-challenge-ii-hover/

The Challenge

The model kit of parts will be provided for you. Using this kit, but not limited to it (more details about that later), you will have to create and submit at least one image. The environment in which you set your designed model is totally up to you and the end result can be either an interior, exterior or a mix of both. You can explore several viewpoints during the duration of this challenge and submit a maximum of two final entries for the judging.

The Mission: 21 July 2010 – 21 October 2010

In HOVER you will be given a set of premade model parts from which you will be able to derive your design base and visualize it. Serving as a visual set of rules the kit will allow you to start your design and later adding your own elements to it. There will be no limit of size or function, and much like in the previous challenge, the context is totally up to you.

You can create a small house hovering over an ocean facing cliff, suspended from trees deep into the jungle or smack in middle Manhattan protruding from one of the skyscrapers…

You are encouraged to think beyond the traditional or conventional interpretations and methods of architectural visualization. I would like to emphasize this time that photo-realness is not the aim, but certainly might be a mean to an end. One more important thing is that the design part of this challenge is second to the actual visualization process and and result.

Jump start your imagination and create something original. Try your best to evoke our emotions when viewing your visuals, making us feel what hovering is like

*You can use any kind of software to create your project

Ultimate Team Painting - Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Art

One of my students came across this new trend in digital painting.  A team of four artists painting in real-time  on the same digital canvas - iScribble.net .   An individual image is not the final result, but more of an ongoing process as it evolves.   It is not really a game experience, but kind of . . .  Hmmm, it is more about the experience.  -- Cornell

“The paintings metamorphic process was unplanned and free form. The artists took cues from each others actions and interpretation of various shapes/colors. Communication was made possible by text chat. The total elapsed time was 4 hours.”

 

They used iScribble.net  to create that video.   I have not played with it yet,

“iScribble is an online art and drawing website where people from all over the world can work on a drawing at the same time. Our interactive canvases allow users to draw pictures using a mouse or graphic tablet. Finished drawings can be published to our gallery where they are commented and rated by the users in our community.

iScribble is a great place for beginners to learn drawing but also features advanced drawing tools for more demanding users.”

http://www.iscribble.net/

www.3DTeachers.com is on Facebook Now!!!

 

I just added 3DTeachers.com to Facebook, so please become fans and help spread the word. 

3DTeachers.com has been very successful and now we are taking it to the next level.  There are still tons of tweaking that needs to be done, but it is almost there.  If you have any ideas and/or suggestions, please contact me.   Or just let me know what you think of the site. Later  -- Cornell

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

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

Dr. Grordbort’s Raygun Shootout 2010 – Latest Competition

About a year ago, I came across Dr. Grordbort’s Raygun Shootout and I thought it was a cool project to get your students involved in, but at the time it was only for Blender users.  I just came across the 2010 August-September challenge and now there are two categories, Blender users and an open category.  The deadline for the August-September category and the whole competition is 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on September 31st, 2010.  So you still have time!!!  Also to keep in mind that Weta will own all copyright of your submitted designs.   It definitely looks like a fun competition  --  Cornell

Competition Concept

Dr Grordbort needs your help in the fight against the moon men!

Help him by using your digital design skills to design new Rayguns to ensure his men are better equiped for their fight.
Design your Raygun in whatever 3D content creation suite you want and then simply submit your entry into either the Blender, or Other Application content section. The Blender submissions will be rendered via GreenButton, whereas all other submissions will need to be rendered prior to submission on the users own PC. The folks at GreenButton are hard at work developing GreenButton plugins for other content creation suites so they will hopefully have other applications GreenButton enabled soon!

The competition has been running for four successful months and now has two months to go. The category for the last two months will be to design Ray Rifles - large guns in other words!

The judgment criteria are:
The most ostentatious example of personal Ray Armament. Two-handed operation is a must in this category and your contraption must have the power to dissolve at least 7/9th's of an African elephant in two blinks of an eye.  Approved materials are cast iron, wood, bakelite, porcelain, brass, copper and tremontium. So get designing and you could win some very cool prizes!

Copyright Ownership:  Weta will own all copyright of your submitted designs.

Free Autodesk Webcast: Demystifying Smoke for Mac - Part 3

 

Date & Time: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PDT
Keynote Speakers: Dean Schirm and Lee Fraser

Description:

Autodesk® Smoke® is just one of the 64-bit native Autodesk creative tools now available on the Mac, and in this webinar, you’ll see a real-world example of how Autodesk® Maya® and Smoke form an unbeatable 3D editorial finishing workflow. 3D is more than the latest buzzword in post – it’s a powerful design tool you need to deliver your best work, and 3D is at the core of all Autodesk products.

Join Autodesk Technical Specialists Dean Schirm and Lee Fraser for a real-world demonstration of how you can use the Autodesk® FBX® interchange to bridge editorial finishing in Smoke and 3D design in Maya – all on the Mac. Dean will also be answering more of your questions about Smoke from the Final Cut Pro community as well as demonstrating how Smoke can easily work with side by side with other applications on the Mac like Adobe After Effects and Photoshop. Don’t miss the latest installment of “Demystifying Smoke for Mac”.

To register for this webcast, simply fill out the form below.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/oc/offer/form?siteID=123112&id=15440214

And check out their other On-Demand webcasts:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/oc/index?siteID=123112&id=9078754

Computer Graphics World - FREE

Sign up for your free digital copy of CGW Magazine, I have been receiving a paper subscription for at least 5 years or so, maybe more???  Now with digital copies, it makes it a lot easier to share with your students.  -- Cornell

CGW magazine explores graphics techniques, including the 3D modeling, animation and visualization are used in such applications as CAD/CAM/CAE, architecture, scientific visualization, special effects, digital video, film, and interactive entertainment. 

http://www.omeda.com/cgi-win/cgw.cgi?ADD

CGW Education and Recruitment Special - 2009

Check out CGW magazine’s annual Education supplement, which addresses industry news that is relevant to educators.  Check out the 2009 issue, the 2010 is not out yet; I am assuming it will be out at the end of the year.    For some reason I have missed this all these years; I have a paper subscription, but have not come across this before.  Either way, check it out.  -- Cornell

This is a digital PDF  version - 16 Meg file.

http://www.cgw.com/documents/pdfs/EducationSupplement09_LoRes.pdf

PSD Photoshop Magazine - FREE

Here is another great resource for your students to check out.  PSD Photoshop Magazine has released the last four issues digitally and has offered them as free downloads.  Check it out, there are some great articles and tutorials.  -- Cornell 

Free Issues to Download

2010-07	2010-06	2010-05	2010-04

Original Link: http://psdmag.org/

What is Previz or is it Previs?

"Previs is a collaborative process that generates preliminary versions of shots or sequences, predominantly using 3D animation tools and a virtual environment. It enables filmmakers to visually explore creative ideas, plan technical solutions, and communicate a shared vision for efficient production." *

*Definition formulated by the ASC-ADG-VES Joint Technology Subcommittee on Previsualization.

At SIGGRAPH I attended the Autodesk Education Summit,  educators were invited to discuss key industry trends and best practices, connect with industry professionals, network with their peers and learn about Autodesk products and programs and it was a great event.  One of the speakers Brian Pohl (Previsualization Society) put on a great presentation and educated us on what ‘previs’ is today and where it is going.  He shared a great documentary which helps to better define previs.  It can be found at the Previsualization Society’s website.  It is a great resource that can be shared with your students.  - Cornell

Previs Documentary - Part 1 from Previsualization Society on Vimeo.

The Creativity Crisis

Here is a must read article.  There is a present and future decline in creative minds emerging from our educational institutions.  Our students creativity is disappearing at a time when  they need it most – the ‘conceptual Age.’  This Newsweek article published July 2010 our creative history and leads us to the future.  you got to read it.  - Cornell

 

For the first time, research shows that American creativity is declining. What went wrong—and how we can fix it.

NewsWeek  July 2010

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html

Experts assess 10 drawings by adults and children for signs of out-of-the-box thinking. View gallery.

How Creative Are You?

Back in 1958, Ted Schwarzrock was an 8-year-old third grader when he became one of the “Torrance kids,” a group of nearly 400 Minneapolis children who completed a series of creativity tasks newly designed by professor E. Paul Torrance. Schwarzrock still vividly remembers the moment when a psychologist handed him a fire truck and asked, “How could you improve this toy to make it better and more fun to play with?” He recalls the psychologist being excited by his answers. In fact, the psychologist’s session notes indicate Schwarzrock rattled off 25 improvements, such as adding a removable ladder and springs to the wheels. That wasn’t the only time he impressed the scholars, who judged Schwarzrock to have “unusual visual perspective” and “an ability to synthesize diverse elements into meaningful products.”
The accepted definition of creativity is production of something original and useful, and that’s what’s reflected in the tests. There is never one right answer. To be creative requires divergent thinking (generating many unique ideas) and then convergent thinking (combining those ideas into the best result).
In the 50 years since Schwarzrock and the others took their tests, scholars—first led by Torrance, now his colleague, Garnet Millar—have been tracking the children, recording every patent earned, every business founded, every research paper published, and every grant awarded. They tallied the books, dances, radio shows, art exhibitions, software programs, advertising campaigns, hardware innovations, music compositions, public policies (written or implemented), leadership positions, invited lectures, and buildings designed.

(The rest of the article) http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html

3D Animation Program Survey

A survey is being conducted on US schools that have 3D Animation programs. The purpose of this survey is to collect data on schools, programs, their curricula and sustainability issues.

A similar survey has been conducted among Japanese schools earlier. The survey result will be published as academic papers and used to help educational activities of public organizations, such as CG-ARTS, Japan and the ACM SIGGRAPH Education Committee.

To fill out the survey, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5385N3H

The survey is being conducted by:

• Miho Aoki
  Associate Professor of Computer Art, University of Alaska Fairbanks
• Wobbe F. Koning
  Assistant Professor of Animation, Montclair State University
• Takahito Kamihira
  Associate Professor, Senshu University

RenderMan FREE for Educators

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

Sign Up for Free Artist's Guide to RenderMan for Maya 3.0, Digital-Tutors

Free Artist’s Guide to RenderMan for Maya 3.0

Created in close collaboration with Pixar, Digital-Tutors is proud to present you with a new course to learning RenderMan for Maya 3.0. The Artist’s Guide to RenderMan for Maya is a special edition training course dedicated to providing you with time-saving techniques and exclusive tips for creating cinematic-quality imagery using Pixar’s world renowned technology.

Graduates: The Future of EA

I just arrived in LA to attend SIGGRAPH 2010 and I am psyched.  

I have always have been know to “fish for conversation”, I guess I got that from my mom.  Either way, during the Super Shuttle ride from the LAX to Downtown, I started talking with a guy from EA - Florida.  I don’t recall his name but was a cool guy and one of the software engineers in charge of EA’s proprietary render engine.  His job is to develop and maintain the rendering engine on Tiger Woods PGA Golf, something like that. 

He told me about the student resource site. https://jobs.ea.com/students/

Check it out,  he mentioned that one of the main things that the look for is PORTFOLIO.  - Cornell

 

Internships and Co-Ops

What better way to get into the game industry than by working as an EA intern or co-op? EA offers paid internships or co-op positions (pay ranges vary depending on experience and skills), so you can actually get paid for working on games. We will also include your name in the game credits - how cool is that? We'll even throw in some free EA games, too. Better yet, an EA internship or co-op just might lead to a career in games after your graduation.

An EA internship/co-op is a great way to get real-world experience in the games industry. You get hands-on experience working on actual projects, and the EA team you're working with benefits from your fresh perspective. We are confident that once you've sampled life at EA you'll want to come back after graduation.

https://jobs.ea.com/students/intern_and_co-op/

Recruitment Advice

Some great advice from the recruitment team on how to improve your chances of success in getting that job you have always wanted.

• Part 1: Students & Graduates
• Part 2: A great cv
• Part 3: A Killer Showreel
• Part 4: Delving deep into Animation Showreels
• Part 5: Maximising your chances
• Part 6: Positive Mental Attitude
• Part 7: Working in gaming
• Part 8: Lying on your cv/resume

Lagoa Multiphysics - Dynamic Simulations

Check this physics engine out, Lagoa Multiphysics 1.0 . . . The details on the simulator have not been released yet, the company says it will publishing more info soon.  I am assuming it will be announced and showcased at SIGGRAPH.   Either way watch the teaser.  - Cornell

FROM THE MAKERS: There’s a lot of buzz out there about what’s this tool and etc…
All I can say is that soon I will be publishing more information on the website of the company www.lagoatechnologies.com

 

Lagoa Multiphysics 1.0 - Teaser from Thiago Costa on Vimeo.

Another VERY COOL iPhone App – Storyboard Composer

Cinemek’s Storyboard Composer is a bit pricey for an app ($20), but what an awesome tool to have in your pocket to quickly pull together a storyboard. Now I did not buy it yet, so i do not know first hand, but the whole idea of it looks very cool.  You just have to check the video overview, it will blow your mind and it is all in your pocket.  - Cornell
VIDEO -http://www.cinemek.com/storyboard/index.php

Storyboard Composer is the worlds first mobile story boarding application. No need to know how to draw, no complicated programs to learn. You can have your first story board up and running in a matter of minutes. Storyboard Composer allows professionals and students to portray their vision to others in an easily controllable and transportable format.