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“I've watched Alex Alvarez's
training DVDs on Dynamics... and they are
amazing! I've learned so much from the lectures, they have
helped make me a better visual effects artist. I started
using Maya for effects animation when I joined Square USA
for the film "Final
Fantasy" about
4 years ago. I wish I had these DVDs then. Well, better
late than never. ”
- Andy Chen
Effects Animator
Dreamworks Feature Animation
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In this lecture we begin a
four part series which delves into a myriad of softbody effects.
One of the most interesting aspects of Maya’s dynamic
engine is the ability to constrain vertices to particles. When
a surface is turned into a softbody, each point is locked onto
a single particle within a particle object. This allows the
surface to be deformed using all available techniques for controlling
particle behavior. By applying fields, goals, collisions, springs
and expressions, an almost infinite variety of effects can
be executed. The applications go far beyond the obvious creation
of cloth type objects, but this is where we must begin. Lecture
includes the creation of curtains, clothing, flames and inertia
driven character flesh movement.
Product Code: DYN08
Create Softbody
Springs
Fields
Emitters
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Make Collide
Component Editor
Attribute Paint
Dynamic Relationships Editor |
 01:
Introduction
02: Balloon
03: Curtain
04: Tablecloth
05: Candle Flame
06: Cape
07: Bloated Head
08: Credits
Click here to
view a sample clip from this DVD. Note that while this
clip is 640x480 the actual movie size is 720x480 with
higher quality compression. View the stills to the right
to see the actual resolution.
Alex is founder and director of The Gnomon Workshop
and of Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Hollywood. Alex has been published
in industry magazines, websites, and books - plus he has taught courses
at several major trade conferences. His character animation projects
have appeared on many computer graphics websites, on the cover of the ‘Maya
Character Animation’ book published by New Riders, and his 'Zufuhr'
project was commissioned by Alias for their Siggraph stage presentations.
Alex is president of the Los Angeles Alias Users Group and sits on the
Advisory Board for Highend3D.com. Prior to Gnomon, Alex worked for Alias,
as a consultant and trainer for studios in the Los Angeles area. Alex
is an alumni of the Art Center College of Design and the University
of Pennsylvania.
For more of Alex's work, visit:
www.alexalvarez.com.
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