3d studio max is turning 20.
how fast is years passing by. my life turned around from the point i was introduced to this software.

http://area.autodesk.com/maxturns20

by Gustavo Capote, Studio Manager/Art Director, Neoscape

Venue – Grand Hyatt Hotel , Dubai, UAE.

Get more info from ifi2009 workshops & Master Classes

This master class will be divided into two main topics:

1. Creating interior / architectural environments using a 3D package
2. Rendering approach for interior / architectural environments

The first half of the master class will cover:

• 3D software and its elements
• Approaching interior / architectural scenes in 3D space
• Key elements for smoother and more reliable 3D setup

The second half of the master class will include:

• Lighting moods & techniques
• Materials and mapping
• Composition and optimal render settings
• Post production

Important information:
This session will use 3ds Max and VRay software. Students are required to have intermediate skill level with this software. Computers will be provided.

Limit of 20 students for this master class.

READ

Renderings from last few months are added to the gallery, check it out.

LINK

*Credit to Roji for his support and assistance.

Thanks.

Credit – www.frameworkanimation.com

The Basics of Resolution:

Many people struggle with the term ‘resolution’, both with it’s meaning and with how to properly use it. The basics are not that complicated once a couple things are understood. First off, what is resolution? I would define it as the visual density of colour information within an image, measured in dots-per-inch, or dpi, as typically seen on your computer screen, on TV, or on a sheet of paper. Most of the discussions I have on resolution are to do with image files destined for print.

There are two types of resolution involved in this:

• For your printer, the number of dots of ink counted in a straight line within the space of one inch gives the dpi value.
• For your computer screen, the number of pixels in a straight line intended to be printed within the space of one inch gives the dpi value. This is the value that most people are concerned with as they create and request graphics.

In both cases, the higher the dpi value, the higher the resolution.

When describing the resolution you need in a rendering (or any other image), a dpi value alone doesn’t actually provide a complete picture (pretty punny eh?!) This is because to fully describe resolution, it needs to be paired with dimensional information. For example, a 4″x6″ image at 300dpi is quite different than a 2″x3″ image at 300dpi. The former contains approximately 4x the amount of information of the latter. Correspondingly, the file size is also 4x larger. But they are both 300dpi!

When you need to request an image at a specific size you should give a dimension, in at least one direction, and a dpi. i.e. “I need the finished rendering to be 36″ wide at 150dpi.”

We try to make this easy for you by providing renderings in at least three different sizes to suit most common purposes. Descriptions of these sizes and their suggested uses can be found on your page in our ClientZone.

Some further detail for those who really want to understand this kind of thing:

So, what resolution do you really need for various things? Well, that varies with the purpose of the image.

First, let’s look at a couple physical limitations of printers:

• A printer always prints out at it’s specified dpi, regardless of the resolution of the image you fire at it. If you send two images to a printer, one at 300 dpi and another at 100dpi (sized to the same physical dimensions), a 600dpi printer will print them both using 600 dots of ink to an inch. The difference will be that the 100dpi image will appear fuzzier or less detailed than the 300dpi image.

• Suppose your standard CMYK colour printer claims to print at 300dpi. Would you be surprised to learn that sending it an image over 150dpi is actually overkill? This is because the printer actually requires 2 dots of ink stacked horizontally and 2 more stacked vertically on the page to represent one colour. To simplify things, let’s only think in terms of the horizontal (left-right) travel of the print head. The printer can place 300 dots of ink within one inch. But it actually requires 2 dots to represent one colour. This effectively halves the image resolution required to max out the quality the printer is capable of. Half of 300dpi is 150dpi. A printer that can do 1200dpi would max out with an image at 600dpi. If you know a little more about printer technology then you’ll realize this is a bit simplistic, but it’s basically valid.

OK, is that all there is to it? Sorry, no!

One could say that a higher resolution is always better than a lower resolution so just ‘give me everything you’ve got!’ The problem is that higher resolutions equal larger file sizes and, speaking in terms of creating renderings, longer production times. Doubling the resolution of an image actually quadruples both the file size and the production time. Very large files can also become much harder to work with in programs like Photoshop and to transfer via the Internet or on disk of some kind. It makes sense to settle on a resolution that balances the specific need for image detail while maintaining a reasonable production time and file size.

So what is the specific need for detail? It’s a bit subjective, but as a rule the closer the viewer is likely to be to the print, the higher the resolution should be. In my experience, very few people can tell the difference between resolutions in colour images over 300dpi. So I always consider this to be the absolute max value required for anything. Here are some specific examples:

• Hand-held prints are most likely to be closely scrutinized by the viewer at distances as close as a few inches. A letter-sized print can certainly be produced at 300 dpi with excellent results while maintaining a production time/file size balance. Even here though, you can get away with lower values; 200dpi is not unreasonable.

• Display boards for presentations commonly range from 24″ to 36″ wide. These are usually viewed from at least a few feet away. I’d aim between 200dpi and 100dpi in these situations.

• Sales centres often have very large wall prints and require that a balance be reached between resolution and production time. A wall print can be viewed as closely as a presentation board, but to produce the same resolution on an image that could be 8′ tall might be prohibitive. Of course, to really ‘take in’ an image that’s 8′ tall, you do need to stand back from it, and that works in our favour. I’ve done renderings that were printed 16′ wide and 8′ tall at 75dpi and was actually shocked at how great they looked, even relatively close up.

• Images for hoarding fences or billboards are quite forgiving since they are meant to be viewed from a distance. Images for hoarding signs can easily handle 75dpi, 50dpi or even lower. Billboards are often designed at 30dpi, but you’d never know it as you drive by on your way home from work!

One last recommendation specifically about printers. When producing images for close viewing, don’t use a printer with a resolution less than 600dpi. 1200dpi or more is ideal and easily done these days. Note: this is not the image resolution, it’s the resolution of the printer itself as explained above. This will ensure the best results, regardless of the resolution of the image you send to it.

I hope this has helped you understand how to strike a balance between the factors involved in determining the ‘right’ resolution for an image. Hopefully the next time the junior assistant at your printing service company tells you he needs 1200dpi for a 20′ billboard because that’s the resolution of his printer, you’ll know better!

Chaos Software released V-Ray 1.5 Service Pack 3

V-Ray 1.5 Service Pack 3 is compatible with Autodesk 3ds Max 6.xx/7.xx/8.xx/9.xx/2008/2009 as well as Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2009. Both 32-bit and 64-bit OS are supported.

New features included:
- VRayFastSSS2 sub-surface scattering material
- Linear Workflow
- Mesh-based lights
- V-Ray light material as direct light
- V-Ray Fog environmental effect
- Vector Displacement
- Import Proxy as mesh
- Support for Max Arch & Design materials
- Region Rendering directly in VFB

DOWNLOAD VRAY 1.5 SP3

“All my life I had the choice between hate and love. I choose love and here I am”

A proud day for me as my fav musician/composer bags 2 Oscar. im Bringing sweets to my office .

Congrats to all SDM team. ofcouse Danny is one of my fav director … hats off to him, i enjoyed Trainspoting more than SDM though.

Jai Hoo…………

3DATS and CGarchitect.com have partnered to bring you a one time exclusive training event in Dubai for Architectural Visualization Artists. Featuring industry experts Brian Smith, Pete Draper, and Jeff Mottle.

When – May 30-June 4, 2009

Where- Dubai, UAE

# 18 hours of intense instruction over two days
# Lunch and refreshments each day
# Access to a private party on March18th.
# A current or future 3DATS book.
# A special gift to be provided during class.
# Exclusive discounts from industry vendors.
# Indefinite access to a private forum.

Read more HERE

Thanks