Archive for the ‘Training’ Category

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Creating Unique Structures with the 3D Invigorator

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

In this tutorial, Joe Mason shows you how to create the unique structural look you often see in high impact broadcast graphics. Joe shows you from start to finish just how easy it is to make everything look great. He works in 3D Invigorator but the techniques apply to ProAnimator too. You won’t believe how simple it is to make high quality production graphics.

Topics discussed:

• Illustrator shape setup

• Customizing depth, bevel and edge offset settings in 3D Invigorator.

• Creating materials with different wireframe and reflectivity maps.

• Setting up splits in the Edge Profile editor.

• Alternating materials for each profile split.


Click on the image above, or the link below to watch the video tutorial.

Click to watch Joe Mason’s tutorial!

Posted in 3D Invigorator Pro, General, Tips, Training, Tutorials | 5 Comments »

Workflow In Zaxwerks ProAnimator By Rob Birnholz

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

In this tutorial, Rob Birnholz shows you the entire workflow for ProAnimator! He starts from the Illustrator File, all the way through to the animation process. This comprehensive two-part tutorial provides all the details so you can comfortably set up a logo, apply all the materials, and add all the final touches of a professional looking logo.

Topics discussed:

Part 1:

• Illustrator logo setup.

• Customizing depth, bevel and edge offset settings in ProAnimator.

• Adding a sense of depth to the look of the skyline.

• Creating Splits in the Profile Editor and assigning different materials.

• Setting up lights and shadows.

• Applying a camera animation.

Part 2:

• Integrating the ProAnimator project into After Effects.

• Adding a background in After Effects.

• Setting up Layer Maps for Reflections and Bump surfaces.

• Using the Composition Camera and Lights.

• Applying other filters and effects for the finishing touches.


Click on the links below to watch the video tutorials:

Click to watch Part 1 of Rob Birnholz’s tutorial

Click to watch Part 2 of Rob Birnholz’s tutorial


Posted in General, ProAnimator, Tips, Training, Tutorials | No Comments »

3D Warps Unwrapping a Baseball Tutorial

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

In this tutorial, we’re going in depth to create a baseball animation. One of the cool things you can do with 3D Warps is to create interesting reveals. So, we’ll go over how to create an animation where a baseball splits open to reveal a baseball player!

Topics discussed:

• Applying 3D Warps correctly.

• Mixing 3D Invigorator, 3D Warps, and After Effects 3D Layers together.

• Learn how to create an animation path with an After Effects 3D Layer, and use it as a tracker layer.

• Applying scaling and rotation for a nice ball animation.

• Casting shadows onto After Effects 3D Layers.

• Adding cool effects from Zaxwerks Easy Glow to enhance the looks.


Be sure to download 3D Layer Warps version 1.5.1 to have all the latest bug fixes!

http://www.zaxwerks.com/download/

Click on the image above, or the link below to watch the video tutorial.

Click to watch the 3D Warps Baseball Tutorial

Posted in 3D Warps, General, Training, Tutorials | No Comments »

Pivot Point Tutorial Part 1

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

In this tutorial, join Serge Hamad as he takes you alongside his pencil animation project. Learn how to adjust the pivot point correctly so that you can have your 3D Invigorator objects integrate the way you want with your After Effects objects. See how a good pivot point can allow your pencil to trace the path perfectly.

Topics discussed:

• Setting up the pencil animation.

• Importing the pencil into 3D Invigorator.

• Creating and setting up the null layer for the pencil to follow.

• Tips to set up a precise pivot point.


Click on the image above, or the link below to watch the video tutorial.

Click to watch the Serge’s new video tutorial!

Posted in 3D Invigorator Pro, Tips, Training, Tutorials | 1 Comment »

3D Warps Quick Start

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

3D Warps Quick Start is now available! Learn how to install the plug-in as well how to set up 3D Warps. Learn how to apply multiple warps together, as well as using the different presets.

Check out the new video tutorial below:

Zaxwerks Video Tutorials

Posted in 3D Warps, General, Training | No Comments »

ProAnimator FX Tutorial Movie

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Embryo has released a new tutorial on Noise Industries Generators combined with the effects of ProAnimator FX. Watch Zak Peric’s tutorial on how to to create a news reel for a imaginary TV Station.

Zak Peric is a freelance artist and lecturer teaching for Creative Computing at Tower Hamlets College and London College of Communication.

You can follow more of his tutorials on his website:
Embryo

Watch the tutorial from the original source below:
Tutorial Movie

Watch the completed animation below:
Completed Tutorial Animation

Posted in General, ProAnimator FX, Tips, Training, Tutorials | 1 Comment »

3D Invigorator Video Training

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

John Dickinson from Motionworks has re-released his 3D Invigorator Pro training videos. If you use 3D Invigorator Pro or ProAnimator, it’s highly recommended that you watch the movies.

- These are the topics covered in his training videos:
- Creating Layer Maps (3D Invigorator Classic/Pro/ProAnimator)
- The Wireframe Material (3D Invigorator Pro/ProAnimator)
- The Absolute Color Material (3D Invigorator Pro/ProAnimator)
- The Cartoon Material (3D Invigorator Pro/ProAnimator)
- The Matte Color Material (3D Invigorator Pro/ProAnimator)
- 3D Object Tracking Part 1 (3D Invigorator Pro)
- 3D Object Tracking Part 2 (3D Invigorator Pro)

Be sure to click on the link to download all the videos and tutorial files!

Posted in 3D Invigorator Pro, General, Tips, Training, Tutorials | No Comments »

NAB 2009 and 3D Serpentine are here!

Monday, April 20th, 2009


Meet John Dickinson, and the rest of the Zaxwerks crew as we demonstrate Motion Graphic techniques and products to make videos look great.


Join Zax as he is demonstrating features for the TV crew.

If you are attending NAB, be sure to visit our booth at SL 2529G where we have all our products at NAB special pricing, and watch as we unveil our newest product, “3D Serpentine”.

3D Serpentine brings big-time 3D effects
to Motion Graphics and Video artists. Creating 3D noodles, also called path extrusions, is no longer difficult nor time consuming. Now you can do them live, right inside of Adobe After Effect

If you know how to make a 3D path in After Effects you can create fanciful 3D noodles with the 3D Serpentine plug-in.

Create cool 3D effects like moving film strips, shooting stars, animated marquee signs, swirling tubes, winding helixes, twisting extruded text, arrow pointers and self-tying ribbons.

Early reviews of 3D Serpentine have already started coming in:

“3D Serpentine will completely redefine how After Effects artists approach 3D motion graphics design. Dynamic 3D lines, extruded sweeping 3D text, and action-intensive 3D graphics no longer require animators to leave the After Effects environment that they already know so well … A MUST HAVE.”

- Ko Maruyama CREATIVEMAC.COM

For more information, check out:

Posted in 3D Serpentine, General, Tips, Training, Tutorials | No Comments »

NAB 2009 Motion Graphic Workshops

Monday, April 13th, 2009

Check out these new workshops from Jim Kanter!

Jim is a media specialist/trainer whose work takes him all over the world working with a wide range of clients. He specializes in Apple-based systems.

3D Motion Graphics with ProAnimator

Las Vegas Convention Center: N254
April 19 * 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Long considered a secret weapon of savvy motion graphics designers,
Zaxwerks ProAnimator has made creating eye-popping 3D text and logo
animations quick and easy. At the same time, it also allows tremendous
flexibility to create and customize sophisticated 3D text, objects and
animation. Available as a standalone application or plug-in that works
in After Effects, Motion and Final Cut Pro, you will learn how to use
this powerful tool to easily create great 3D elements in your
projects.

Audience: Motion Graphic artists just starting to learn about the
benefits of ProAnimator.

Introduction to Illustrator for Motion Graphics

Las Vegas Convention Center: N254
April 20 * 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Now part of the Production Premium bundle, Adobe Illustrator has
become an important tool for video. New users will learn about the
many tools and techniques that will allow them to easily create paths,
shapes, blends and complex gradients. Master the pen tool, text
manipulation, creating paths, shapes and masks, preparing outlines for
building 3D objects, converting photos into vector art, and how to
integrate these elements into After Effects, Motion and Zaxwerks
applications.

Audience: Motion graphic artists and editors new to using Adobe Illustrator in video.

Posted in General, Tips, Training, Tutorials | No Comments »

ProAnimator FX Quickstart Movies

Thursday, March 5th, 2009

ProAnimator FX Quickstart Movies

ProAnimator FX video tutorials are now available!

These two tutorial movies show the basic setups of how to work within Motion and Final Cut Pro.

The Motion quick start movie will guide you as you create a Color Solid Generator and apply ProAnimator FX to the Color Solid. You’ll learn the basics of creating a 3D text, how to apply an animation preset, apply a material to the 3D text, and also seeing your animation in the Motion interface. You’ll also learn where to change your render settings to improve your workflow.

The Final Cut Pro quick start movie will show how to apply a Color Solid from the video generators and how to apply ProAnimator FX from the video filters. This introductory movie will show you the general layout of the new interface as well as where the basic controls are located. You’ll also learn how to change interfaces to improve your work flow. In addition, this movie will guide you on how to apply preset animations, object styles, material swatches, and also how to work with the animation controls and the timeline. Finally, when you are finished applying all your changes within the ProAnimator FX interface, you will see how to change rendering settings for ProAnimator FX.

After watching these two tutorial movies, you’ll be ready to create 3D animations inside of Motion and Final Cut Pro!

Posted in General, ProAnimator FX, Tips, Training, Tutorials | 2 Comments »

Introducing Making It Look Great: 4!

Wednesday, September 24th, 2008

Making It Look Great 4

Strap on your motion graphics black belt!

Making It Look Great 4 Design and Production Techniques for Adobe After Effects, Zaxwerks ProAnimator and Zaxwerks 3D Flag.

Work side-by-side with senior broadcast designer, After Effects expert and Zaxwerks demo artist John Dickinson, to create the powerful Northstar Martial Arts animation from start to finish.

Topics include:

  • The key design decisions
  • Background creation and modification
  • Creating graphic elements in Adobe Illustrator and After Effects
  • Logo preparation in Illustrator
  • Logo modelling and texturing in ProAnimator
  • Preparing JPEG files with Illustrator Live Trace
  • Getting the most out of mini-dv footage
  • Creating 3D banners with 3D Flag
  • Tricks for isolating glows to logo bevels
  • Simulating refraction and depth of field
  • Finishing touches to add mood

This new training DVD is available for $59. In addition, we now offer bundle deals for the Making It Look Great series!

Posted in ProAnimator, Training, Tutorials | No Comments »

Making It Look Great 3 for ProAnimator

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Great news. Harry Frank has just released a free video tutorial that teaches you how to use ProAnimator rather than 3D Invigorator in his fine Making It Look Great™ 3 video workshop. So those of you who use ProAnimator can take advantage of this great training.

Posted in 3D Invigorator Pro, General, ProAnimator, Training | 2 Comments »

Presenting Making It Look Great 2 and 3

Monday, March 17th, 2008

Ever wondered how the pros get their work looking so sharp? The popular and proven Making It Look Great™ video workshop series has been designed to answer that question. Throughout these in-depth DVD workshops, professional motion graphics designers demonstrate techniques essential to their daily work and give the design decisions and rationale that support them. The featured projects are demonstrated step–by–step from start to finish, giving priceless insight into what it takes to design and produce professional broadcast motion graphics.

Presenting Making It Look Great™ 2 and Making It Look Great™ 3, two brand new, full length video workshops available soon on DVD and by download.

Making It Look Great™ 2: Design and Production Techniques for Adobe After Effects and Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro.
In this full–length video workshop, sit with freelance artist and After Effects pro Alan Shisko as he walks you through his favorite techniques, tips and tricks for creating a stunning broadcast news animation sequence.

Topics include:
• Learning how to think like a designer.
• Secrets of effective project workflow.
• Pro-level modeling and texturing with Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro.
• Advanced techniques for transforming and deforming 3D Invigorator objects.
• Building dynamic transitions using text.
• Beyond–the–ordinary background design.
• Creative color grading with Blend Modes.
• Quick and easy lower third design.
• Mastering the After Effects Graph Editor.
• Tips and tricks for taking control of masks.

Making It Look Great™ 3: Design and Production Techniques for Adobe After Effects, Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro, Trapcode Particular and Form
In this in–depth video workshop sit side–by–side with motion graphics designer and After Effects expert Harry Frank as he guides you step–by–step using real–world techniques, tips and tricks for creating a beautiful and organic broadcast promotion.

Topics include:
• Understanding and working with consistent color palettes using Adobe Kuler.
• Advanced animation and texturing with Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro.
• Generating realistic clouds with Trapcode Particular and light emitters.
• Creating life–like 3D grass with CC Hair.
• Animating with expressions to save time.
• Using gravity and turbulence to create realistic 3D falling leaves.
• Advanced type animation plus an in–depth study of After Effects’ type animation tools.
• Addressing critical details such as type weight, tracking and kerning.
• Creating organic, flowing design elements.
• Finishing touches to add color and mood.

Both titles will be available from early April for $49.95 each.

Posted in 3D Invigorator Pro, Training, Tutorials | 2 Comments »

3D Invigorator Training

Wednesday, December 5th, 2007

Serge Hamad, one of the leaders of the Zaxwerks User Forum, has released a new training DVD. The DVD goes into great depth on modeling 3-D objects using the 3D Invigorator plug-in. In his colorful style, Serge walks you step by step through the process of building objects that are *not* the standard titles and logos that you usually see in Invigorator.

The DVD is called “Zaxwerks Invigorator Training” and is part of the Creative COW Master Series. For more information click HERE

Posted in 3D Invigorator Pro, Training | No Comments »

Making it Look Great 1: ProAnimator Training Available Now

Saturday, October 20th, 2007

Making it Look Great 1: Design and Production Techniques for Adobe After Effects and Zaxwerks ProAnimator is Available now. You can pick it up immediately by download from Toolfarm, or order a DVD here at Zaxwerks.

Throughout the lessons you’ll learn the techniques John Dickinson uses every day as a broadcast designer, and get insight into many of the design decisions behind the techniques. By the end of this training you’ll have a solid understanding of Zaxwerks ProAnimator and how it integrates with Adobe After Effects and 3rd party plug-ins such as Knoll Light Factory, Trapcode Starglow and Trapcode Shine.

Over 2 hours of training including:

* Making backgrounds with ProAnimator, Fractal Noise and other effects.
* Using ProAnimator primitives and textures to create the planet Mars.
* Using After Effects’ versus ProAnimator cameras and lights.
* Enhancing your work’s mood and “watch-ability factor”.
* Secrets to getting faster workflow.
* Preparing Adobe Illustrator files for the smoothest workflow.
* Modeling, texturing and animating logos in ProAnimator.
* Using ProAnimator for beyond-the-ordinary text animations.
* Workflow tips for creating multiple versions.
* Design and production tricks for integrating logos and text using effects such as Trapcode Shine & Starglow and Knoll Light Factory.

以前予告致しました”Making it Look Great 1: Boom”が本日発売となりました。DVDのご購入はZaxwerksから、ダウンロードはToolfarmから既に取り扱い開始となっております。ぜひご覧ください。

Posted in ProAnimator, Training, Tutorials | 1 Comment »

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