Intro to Xpresso in Cinema 4D

Posted on November 15, 2011 and filed in Chris Schmidt, Cinema 4D, Tutorials, Video

In this video, Xpresso wizard Chris Schmidt guides you though a gentle intro for Xpresso in Cinema 4D. From set driver/set driven all the way through making your own custom user data and controlling everything in a single Xpresso tag.

Posted in Chris Schmidt, Cinema 4D, Tutorials, Video | 64 Comments

How To Model, Texture, and Light A Gumball Machine

Posted on November 14, 2011 and filed in Cinema 4D, HDRI Studio Pack, Texture Kit, Tutorials, Video

In this tutorial I show you how to model, texture and light a simple gum-ball machine using primitive shapes and deformers. I also set up a dynamics system to fill the machine with gum balls and light the machine using HDRI and the Sky Sampler. Then, we head in to Photoshop to do some final color correction.

Final Render

Posted in Cinema 4D, HDRI Studio Pack, Texture Kit, Tutorials, Video | 85 Comments

Five Second Project Winner for “Monster Bash”

Posted on November 10, 2011 and filed in Five Second Projects

Winner

I’m picking this great winning stop motion entry from António Silva as the winner for the latest Five Second Project. There were so many great animations. New project announced soon.

Honorable Mentions

Posted in Five Second Projects | 53 Comments

How to Use Sketch & Toon with Particles in Cinema 4D

Posted on November 8, 2011 and filed in Chris Schmidt, Cinema 4D, Tutorials, Video

This is a fun tutorial all about playing around with Cinema 4D’s particle system and using Sketch & Toon to create the final look. Here is what Chris has to say about it.

Tinkering around with the simple particle system in C4D. Very basic setups can give very cool looking end results. With just an emitter, a turbulence, a few deflectors, and a tracer we end up with this fun render below. – Chris Schmidt

P.S.
Chris Figured out that setting from the end he promised, how to kill the funky clipping on the edges. In the S&T texture, enable strokes, then uncheck “clip strokes to screen” in Render tab.

Example Render

Posted in Chris Schmidt, Cinema 4D, Tutorials, Video | 44 Comments

How To Create a Glowing Text Effects in Cinema 4D

Posted on November 4, 2011 and filed in Cinema 4D, Tutorials, Video

I loved this splash screen over at Nylon.la so I decided to have a go at it. I didn’t get it perfect, but it’s pretty close I think. Follow along in this tutorial to see the trial and error on how I tried to figure this out. Hope you like the tutorial. Keep having fun!

With Help From Nylon
Bryan From Nylon was nice enough to drop by the comments and let us know they built the original.

We made an object with luminance inside of another outer object to create the effect. We also made an entire rig of lights pointed outward.

Example

Posted in Cinema 4D, Tutorials, Video | 62 Comments

Pinball Glow: New Tutorial Coming Soon

Posted on November 3, 2011 and filed in Cinema 4D

I loved this splash screen over at Nylon.la so I decided to have a go at it. I had the hardest time with that internal glow feel of their text. It’s almost like there is ambient occlusion from within the inside of the type. Anyway, mine isn’t perfect, but I like the result. I’ll have the tutorial up soon about how I made this one. I love trying out little projects like these. Why not give it a try on your own before my version comes out.

Posted in Cinema 4D | 31 Comments

Greyscalegorilla Podcast: More About School and Pinball Designers

Posted on November 3, 2011 and filed in Podcasts
Play

Podcast: Play in new window

Show Notes
FXPHD
Gnomon School
Animation Mentor

Subscribe to the Greyscalegorilla Podcast

Posted in Podcasts | 11 Comments

I’m A Guest Editor At Coudal Partners

Posted on November 2, 2011 and filed in Design, News

I’m honored to be a guest editor over at Coudal Partners for the month of November. Look for random design links and other fun stuff in their Fresh Signals feed from me and the rest of the team at Coudal.

So, What Is Coudal?
Coudal is an imposibly tough place to describe, but I’ll give it a try anyway. Coudal is a creative company based in Chicago that makes useful, well designed products and fun short films. They host and curate the always entertaining Layer Tennis, and the founder Jim gives great talks on how the company continues to make a living for designers by doing fun, creative projects and trying random ideas. They also created a non-crappy ad network that allows smart guys like John Gruber, Merlin Mann, Dan Benjamin, and dozens of other artists to do continue what they love doing without worrying about stuffing their site with ugly ads.

Trying Ideas for Fun And Profit
Coudal has always been my ideal example of a group of designers having fun, exploring different things they love to do, and making a living doing it. Their ad network even allows other artists to do the same. It’s exactly the kind of thing that I have tried to structure my career around and to talk to young designers about. Through Coudal, I saw that It was possible to make a living by trying all the random, disparate things I love to do. They seem to take their silly ideas and actually try them instead of just talking about them. Some ideas succeed, and some fail spectacularly. But, that really isn’t the point. To have the opportunity to try something else fun the next day is what they were all about. I love that about Coudal and am happy to be a small part of it.

Posted in Design, News | 13 Comments

4 Different Ways to Make A Dynamic Chain in Cinema 4D

Posted on November 1, 2011 and filed in Chris Schmidt, Cinema 4D, Tutorials, Video

“In this tutorial, I create 4 different ways of creating a dynamic chain to demonstrate that there not a RIGHT way of doing something, there are multiple solutions for everything. First method is with Joints, second directly applying the IK tag to the links, third with spline dynamics, then as a last second bonus I put it together with full dynamics!” – Chris Schmidt

Example

Posted in Chris Schmidt, Cinema 4D, Tutorials, Video | 37 Comments

Five Second Project “Monster Bash” – Closed

Posted on October 27, 2011 and filed in Five Second Projects

What Are Five Second Projects?
We all want to make original work for our demo reel or portfolio. But, sometimes you just need a theme to get you started… Some rules to fight against. Here is your chance. Use the theme “Monster Bash” to make a five second motion piece and enter it into the form below. If your new to five second projects, why not check out the Five Second Projects Archive to see all of the past themes and winners.

Rules
Watch a Video about the rules

1. Submissions must be Five Seconds Long!
2. Any animation is accepted. Video only submissions will not.
3. The animations has to do with the theme in some way.
4. Original Work only. Don’t cut out 5 seconds of already made work.
5. Link back to GSG on your Vimeo Post

Why Should You Enter?
Watch The Video about why to enter

1. Try new techniques or software
2. Limitations help get the mind working.
3. Make short, awesome pieces for your reel.
4. Get critique from your peers.
5. Promote yourself.

How Do I Enter my Video?
1. Create a five second animation based on the theme.
2. Upload your video to Vimeo. Don’t forget to add a link back to this blog post.
3. Submit your link to the form below and I will add it to the channel
4. Deadline is Sunday, Nov 6th.

SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED. Thanks for entering.

Now What?
Watch all the entries at the vimeo channel, or check out old Five Second Projects in the FiveSecondProjects Archive

Posted in Five Second Projects | 118 Comments