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Updated Articles and Resources

By Justin Slick, About.com Guide

Free 3D Software List Created: Friday, May 17, 2013 Updated: Friday, May 17, 2013
A list of useful 3d software packages that are available free of charge for beginners to modeling, animation, and rendering.
What is the Uncanny Valley? Created: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 Updated: Friday, May 10, 2013
Coined in 1970 by Japanese robotics professor Masahiro Mori, the term "uncanny valley" describes the negative emotional response often experienced by human observers when viewing attempted photorea...
What is Rigging? Created: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Updated: Friday, May 10, 2013
Before a 3D model can be animated, it must be passed to a character technical director (TD) for a process called rigging. When rigging a model, the mesh is bound to a digital "skeleton" made up of...
3D Consumer Electronics Guide Created: Friday, May 20, 2011 Updated: Friday, May 10, 2013
With 2011 has come rapid expansion in the 3D consumer electronics market. From televisions, to handheld devices, there are more opportunities than ever before to bring the 3D experience home.
Why Doesn't 3D Work for Some People? Created: Friday, November 30, 2012 Updated: Friday, May 10, 2013
3D doesn't work for everybody, and I don't mean in the philosophical sense—in some cases it really doesn't work. Why is that?
What is Subsurface Scattering? Created: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 Updated: Friday, May 10, 2013
We take a look at a common material phenomenon known in the CG community as subsurface scattering, and explore how it can be applied to your images to make them more lifelike.
What is 3D Printing? - Exploring Additive Manufacturing Created: Saturday, October 22, 2011 Updated: Thursday, May 09, 2013
Ever wanted to turn your 3D models into real world objects? The falling cost of 3D printing technology is beginning to make that dream a reality. We'll explore the basics of 3D printing (also kno...
Best Cities to Start a Career in 3D - Part 2 Created: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 Updated: Thursday, May 09, 2013
A list containing 10 of the top places to start a career in computer graphics. From the obvious (Los Angeles) to the not so obvious (your bedroom), these are the places you want to be if you're lo...
Best Cities to Start a Career in 3D - Part 1 Created: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 Updated: Thursday, May 09, 2013
A list containing 10 of the top places to start a career in computer graphics. From the obvious (Los Angeles) to the not so obvious (your bedroom), these are the places you want to be if you're lo...
Common Pitfalls of CG and Game Development Students Created: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Unfortunately, not everyone who tries makes it to the professional level as an artist. Lets take a look at some common pitfalls that CG and game development students fall into, and how you can avo...
Knald Open Beta - First Impressions Created: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
We take a first look at Knald's open beta, and delve into the software's capabilities as a GPU based map extraction tool
Allegorithmic Substance Designer 3.5 - Software Review Created: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
We go hands on with Allegorithmic's procedural texturing framework, Substance Designer 3.5, and see what the software is capable of.
3D Recap April 2013 - The Month's Top CG Artwork and Industry News Created: Sunday, April 28, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
A summary of some of the CG industry's top news stories and visuals from March 2013.
List of Texturing, Surfacing, and UV Map Generation Software Created: Sunday, April 28, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
A comprehensive list of software for texturing, baking normal maps, and laying out UVs for your 3D models.
Interview With CGTrader's Dalia Lasaite Created: Thursday, April 25, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
An interview with Dalia Lasaite covering CGTrader's recent site relaunch, and their plans for the site's future.
20 Mindblowing CG Studio Showreels - 2012 & 2013 Created: Thursday, April 25, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Here are twenty incredible studio showreels that showcase some of the most impressive CG work from 2012 and 2013.
The Ten Principles of 3D Printing by Hod Lipson & Melba Kurman Created: Friday, April 19, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Hod Lipson & Melba Kurman discuss how and why 3D printing will change the world, in an excellent overview excerpted from their recent book "Fabricated: the New World of 3D Printing."
Marvelous Designer 2 For Digital Artists - Software Review Created: Sunday, March 31, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
We go hands on with Marvelous Designer 2, explore its utility as a tool for digital artists, and talk about some of our first impressions with the software.
Finishing a 3D Render – Color Grading, Bloom, and Lens Effects Created: Sunday, March 31, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Your raw render should never be your finished image! In this article we take a look at all the ways you can use post processing to bring your finished work to an entirely new level of polish and r...
Finishing a 3D Render – Passes, Compositing, and Touch Ups Created: Sunday, March 31, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Your raw render should never be your finished image! In this article we take a look at all the ways you can use post processing to bring your finished work to an entirely new level of polish and r...
Why are Film Effects So Much Better Than Video Game Graphics? Created: Sunday, March 31, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Film effects and video game graphics are two sides of the same coin, but they share as many differences as they do similarities. We take a look at why film renders are so much more realistic than ...
Rendering Terminology Explained Created: Sunday, March 31, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
We take a brief look at some of the terminology and jargon related to 3D rendering and rendering software, specifically the difference between biased and unbiased rendering.
A List of Popular Stand-Alone Rendering Solutions Created: Sunday, March 31, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
The past few years have seen a ton of relatively new rendering solutions emerge for 3D artists, ranging from immensely powerful packages like Vray and Arnold to highly specialized tools like Keysho...
3D Recap March 2013 - The Month's Top CG Artwork and Industry News Created: Sunday, March 31, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
A summary of some of the CG industry's top news stories and visuals from March 2013.
Upcoming 3D Movies - Fall 2013 Created: Sunday, March 31, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
A comprehensive guide to upcoming 3D movies for fall 2013. There are (number here)--- 3D films scheduled for September, October, and November.
Modular Character Design for 3D Computer Animation, Illustration, and Games Created: Thursday, February 28, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
We explore the concept of modularity in game development and see how we can apply it to character design.
How Important are ZBrush / Mudbox to the Gaming Industry? Created: Thursday, February 28, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
In or latest FAQ installment, we examine how important it is to know a digital sculpting app if you plan to pursue a career in game development.
Developing an Original IP – Why You Ought to Start Right Now Created: Thursday, February 28, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
If you're smart, you'll start developing your own intellectual property as soon as possible. Here's why:
3D Beyond Entertainment – Jobs in Computer Graphics Outside of Film & Games Created: Thursday, February 28, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
We look at ten different job markets outside of entertainment where CG artists can look for work.
15 Indispensable ZBrush Resources Created: Thursday, February 28, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Fifteen resources to help you make the most of your sculpting experience--from brushes to materials, to alpha sets, these free downloads will help you streamline your workflow and step up your scul...
15 Free ZBrush Tutorials to Help You Level Up Created: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
A selection of 15 free ZBrush tutorials from around the web to help you take your digital sculpting skills to the next level.
3D Recap February 2013 - The Month's Top CG Artwork and Industry News Created: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
A summary of some of the CG industry's top news stories and visuals from February 2013.