This month's free tutorial was JUST posted and we can't wait to tell you about it! In this month's tutorial, you'll learn how vfx pros achieve a realistic smoke simulation. We’re talking about the heavy, ‘bubbling’, dry ice type smoke that covers the floor, creating another level of atmosphere within a shot. You’ve probably seen what we’re talking about in movies like ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’, a film where all the smoke effects were digitally generated.
Free Tutorial: Scarab Beetles!
This month's intermediate level tutorial shows you how to create a mass of scurrying scarab beetles similar to those you’ve seen in "The Mummy" films. Our VFX instructor Dan Shutt will demonstrate how to animate hundreds of scarab beetles using a combination of goal objects and particle instancing. It's a more advanced tutorial, but once you learn it you'll be able to apply the technique to other objects. And, once you show this mastery on your reel, your work will surely stand out from the rest.
A Chance to Win Free Maya or ZBrush Online Courses
We are very keen to find out what sort of video tutorials you like and which in particular you would like us to develop. So, in order to get as much feedback as possible, we have devised a very simple 5 questions survey. I takes less than a minute to complete and if you fill it in, you stand a chance to win 12-months access to our Maya Essentials online course or 12-months access to our ZBrush for 3D Artist course. Not bad for less than a minute's work!
Free Tutorial: Learning Dynamics in Maya
It’s been awhile since I last did a tutorial, but I made up for the long absence by preparing a little gem for you. It’s the ideal tutorial for people who have been dabbling with Maya but need to start delving deeper into all of its features. More importantly, it will give you a skill that all aspiring CG artists should demonstrate on their demo reel.
January's Free Tutorial: Exploring the Mechanics of Bird Locomotion (Part 2)
Escape’s animation tutor, Alex Williams takes us further into the exploration of the mechanics of bird locomotion. In the second session of this two-part tutorial, Alex further breaks down the apparently complex motion of animating a bird in flight into simple parts. He provides the pieces of the puzzle needed to:
November's Free Tutorial: Exploring the Mechanics of Bird Locomotion
Ever wonder how to make an animated bird fly? It does look complex - doesn’t it? Now is your chance to find out how to make that fluid motion of flight look real. Alex Williams, Escape Studio’s character animation instructor will walk you through the mechanics of bird locomotion in this two part tutorial.
Free Tutorial: Paint Effects in Maya
If you are looking for an introduction to paint effects and how to paint onto geometry, then you will be interested in registering for this month’s free tutorial.
July Free Tutorial: Layering Materials In Maya
Interested in learning how to enhance the realism of materials in your projects? Escape Studios’ July free tutorial developed by VFX instructor Mark Spevick, will address these matters looking closely at the mib_color_mix node.
Demolish A Brick Wall Using Maya's nCloth
Yep, that's right! Take a look into Maya’s nCloth Dynamic System with this advanced tutorial created and delivered by Mark Spevick.
May Free Tutorial: Effects in V-Ray for Max
If you are interested in taking a look into our soon to be released V-Ray for Max course, register now for Escape Studios’ free May tutorial. This 10-minute lesson is derived from major case studies in the course that demonstrate the power of V-Ray.
Free Maya Tutorial: Gimbal Lock and Rotation Order
Join Escape Studios’ Training Development Director, Lee Danskin for a free tutorial that takes an in-depth look at Gimbal Lock and Rotation Order.
Web GL Enabled Real-time Fractal Renderer Tutorial
Here is a nice tutorial for a Web GL enabled real-time fractal renderer. Check out the tutorial, then go to this site with your newer graphics card and render out some gorgeous imagery using your Firefox 4 beta or Google Chrome browser. Show us your results!
Free Tutorial: Volume Caustics for Experienced Maya Users
If you are an experienced Maya user, you should check out this month’s free tutorial. Escape Studios' instructor, Mark Spevick takes a look at a complex scene setup that can be used to generate more accurate lighting effects using volumetric materials.
Two Free Tutorials—Kinematics and Cloning in the SpotLight
Designed by Escape Studios' tutors to help enhance your skills, these two tutorials provide information taken directly from our Character Animation Foundation and ZBrush for 3D Artists Courses.
Two Free Tutorials: Car Lighting and MIA Material X Passes
Designed by our expert tutors to help your take your skills to a professional level, these two tutorials tackle complicated industry standard topics head-on.
Two Free Tutorials: Camera Tracking and Nuke
Camera Tracking Tutorial
Our Free Camera Tracking Tutorial will help you understand lens distortion and how to estimate focal length, how to spot it within the shot, issues that may arise and then how to remove distortion to ensure that the solution is accurate in the real world environment.
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