Digital-Tutors Releases MotionBuilder, Toxik, modo, After Effects, and 3ds Max Titles
October 27, 2009

Digital-Tutors Releases MotionBuilder, Toxik, modo, After Effects, and 3ds Max Titles

Oklahoma City, Okla. - Digital-Tutors, a provider of video-based training for emerging digital artists, announced the availability of five new titles, including Using MotionBuilder's FBIK Control Rigs, Introduction to Tracking in Toxik, Getting Started with Fur in modo, Introduction to Tracking in After Effects, and Retopologizing Meshes in 3ds Max. Developed for new and experienced artists, these interactive training solutions explore popular industry topics and were created to make learning new software a unique, self-paced experience, says a company representative.
Providing 45 lessons, Digital-Tutors' latest releases cover step-by step approaches to creating complex, appealing character animations with MotionBuilder's FBIK rig; exploring essential tracking techniques in Toxik; quickly adding realistic fur details to organic models in modo 401, easily constructing keyframes from real-life footage with time-saving tracking tips in After Effects; and optimizing the topology models in preparation for adding normal maps in 3ds Max.

Using MotionBuilder's FBIK Control Rigs
Key topics include: creating and working with the FBIK rig, pinning to limit the movement of body parts, isolating FBIK movements using the keying mode, reach to control the FK/IK blending, auxiliary pivots to create a heel rotate pivot, auxiliary effectors to parent body parts together, additive rotate mode to quickly rotate fingers, and the floor contact system to control the feet.

Introduction to Tracking in Toxik
Key topics include: one point tracking, creating a two point track, four point tracking, editing tracking data points, color correction techniques, Edge Node to clean a four point track, compositing reflections onto the four point track, and using the CC_Basics Match features to dim reflections.

Getting Started with Fur in modo
Key topics include: basics of fur material, modulating fur with gradients and weight maps, adding fur to a creature, defining fur density using weight maps, modifying fur length with texture maps, defining fur direction with maps, adding and styling longer hair tufts using guides, and using gradients to enhance and modify fur looks.

Introduction to Tracking in After Effects
Key topics include: one point tracking, connecting tracker data to layers, creating a two point track, four point tracking, Channel Blur to clean a four point track, compositing the reflection onto a four point track, editing tracking data points, color correction techniques, and stabilizing footage using the tracker.

Retopologizing Meshes in 3ds Max
Key topics include: preparing the base geometry, drawing out the mouth area, adding the face and brow, building the ears, finishing the head, setting up UVs, and creating the normal map.