Animate a Character in Zbrush

So, you want to add some weird things, like horns to your 3D animated character in Pixologic's Zbrush 3.1 sculpting software. Well, you've come to the right place. This video tutorial will teach you how to add Zspheres to your sculpt in Zbrush and why. Your 3D animated model w ...more

This Pixologic Zbrush 3.1 video tutorial shows you how to place eyes in your 3D animated character's head. You'll have to sculpt out those eye sockets out first and then grab a squirkle to work with, using a few tools. If you want to be a great 3D digital animator, learning th ...more

This tutorial shows you how to take your Zbrush character into Maya, pose it, and import the pose back into Zbrush. NOTE: This link is to a Flash version of the first 5 minutes of this hour long tutorial. A download link is provided on the page for the full WMP tutorial.

Use the Flash tools in Adobe Flash CS5 to create an animated character after you've already used the bone tool to create your character pose. Create several poses for your movie clip and then string them together in an animation using Flash!

This is the basic bone animation using a character set and the hypergraph within Maya. Geared for kids to learn 3D modeling and animating this video is great for beginners.

This tutorial shows you how to fix scaling issues you may get while trying to rig a character in Zbrush.

Learn how to make UVs in Blender and import the new UVs to Zbrush's High res model. This is important since Zbrush uses AUV's which are not recognizable by other packages or game engines. Once you have proper UV's, you will learn how to create the clothes (superhero costume) f ...more

THis video from accredited 3D art instructor Andrew Klein covers how to create symmetrical and asymmetrical blendshapes using the 3D sculpting program Zbrush. This is a fairly complex process, utilizing transpose masking features, move brush, smart resym, and morph target tool ...more

Check out this tutorial for a detailed tutorial for how to draw a rockstar type cartoon character using the program, Toon Boom Animate. These days, all animation is drawn on a computer and with this video, you can get started and join the digital revolution. This clip is well ...more

Character rigging is important. Advanced Rigging makes it easier to animate your character. View joints and nerves so that you may easily select parts of the character. Check out this Maya animation tutorial video from Sessions Online School of Game Art's "Character Animation ...more

Make your characters and objects move the way you want them to by mastering these basic animation techniques to display motion. This shows you how you can animate a character walking while also swinging their arms, and maybe even talk, all separate from each other. Part 1 of 2 ...more

If you want to demonstrate your 3D model on a turntable or create some other sort of short animation with your models without having to use more specialized software, you can render an AVI video inside 3D Studio MAX. This video will show you how to do this quickly and easily, ...more

If you want to model a character in 3DS Max and don't want them to be nude, you are probably going to have to work with 3D cloth. This three-part video will teach you how to create cloth in 3DS Max (without using Reactor), attach it to your character, and make it animate prope ...more

Using motion capture is one of the easiest and most effective ways to animate the motions of a bipedal character who is proportional to a normal human. When the character is not in proportion, like the World of Warcraft low-poly models in this video, it gets a little more comp ...more

Hey, want to make an animated movie, but you don't know how to start? First of all, you need a good idea. Good ideas are hard to find, but you could always steal one from someone more talented than you. Found a good idea? Very good. Now take good care of it, over time that ide ...more

Check out this Autodesk Maya 8.5 video tutorial on how to use the Trax editor for your 3D animated object. If you're 3D modeling, then this is a must know. So watch this three-parter to animate your character with Trax, in a series of poses that need looped. Part 1 of 3 - How ...more

This 5 part tutorial goes through the right steps to use when sculpting a creature or character in Zbrush. If you do things in the right order, it will be easier and create a better result. First, establish a workable base mesh, then make your bust, then part three is to creat ...more

I go over the basics of the new bone tool in Adobe Flash CS4. Learn how to animate quickly with this essential character animation tool.

This Flash tutorial gives detailed steps for creating and animating a character. Use Flash to draw and animate. Click through to watch this video on acrobat.com

So you want to make your own video game using Flash CS4 and Actionscript 3. We applaud your chutzpah. This video will walk you through what should probably be your first steps: importing a sprite character, making them move around in response to keyboard inputs, and making the ...more

Drawing eyes is often the most difficult part of nailing down a comic book or manga character, but also the most vital part. Eyes really animate a face, so it's important to master all types of eyes if you wish to become a good artist. This tutorial will teach you how you can ...more

Do you work with 3D graphics? Have you ever wanted to have one character that you've modeled destroy hordes of tiny other characters you've made? Well want no more. This video series will show you how to model and animate a small army of little models that will walk around and ...more

Making a Flash animation character walk one step is pretty easy. Making them walk the same way over and over using a walk cycle is more challenging. This video will teach you how to animate a walk cycle in Flash CS4 or CS5, making use of the Bone Tool that was a big new additi ...more

Dissect the object of its parts. Select the curves to rotate, model or scale the whole character. The Maya hot keys are as follows: W translates, R scales and E rotates. Check out this Maya character animation tutorial video from Sessions Online School of Game Art's "Characte ...more

Code a retro style video game using old school sprites or other animated .gifs. This tutorial shows you how you can take a small character and animate him to walk across the screen. Make your own homage to Mario or a nostalgia-fueled video game or animation!

This shows you how to create a custom character in Mugen (the custom PC game engine), it shows you how to make one with a hand drawn character, but the same method applies for using ripped sprites. You'll also see how to animate your character. Programs used are MSPaint and Fi ...more

In Blender, you can build up a library of Actions, Poses, and IK Target motion based on real-world motion capture sessions. These session files are freely available and cover hundreds of everyday motion. Use these libraries to study and augment your hand-animation skills, or u ...more

Do you find it hard to make your 3D characters walk naturally? In this 3-part video tutorial Larry Mitchell teaches the basics of true character animation showing how to animate a walk cycle in Poser 7. Check out how to create a good pose for your characters. Make sure to watc ...more

This Zbrush tutorial shows you how to make a biped character out of Zspheres. NOTE: This link is to a Flash version of the first 5 minutes of this 30 minute tutorial. A download link is provided on the page for the full WMP tutorial.

This tutorial shows you how to export a character out of Maya and into the generic browser to animate it in Unreal Engine 3.0 for Gears of War.

These Houdini 9 software lessons illustrate a means of animating a surface without keyframes and/or character tools. Learn how to animate using the Spring SOP in Houdini 9. Part 1 of 2 - How to Animate with the Spring SOP in Houdini 9. Part 2 of 2 - How to Animate with the Sp ...more

In this video tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz introduces you to the Per-Character 3D Text animation feature in After Effects CS3. Previously, you could only animate characters individually in x and y, but with this new tool you can do it in z as well. Create pe ...more

A tutorial on character animation in Flash that teaches you how to create a walking stickman or stick figure. You'll also learn how to mulilate him and create blood effects. Part 1 of 2 - How to Animate a walking stickman with Flash. Part 2 of 2 - How to Animate a walking sti ...more

Once you've made a 3D model of a character, you are going to have to make them do something. This video is about that. It will teach you how to animate basic motions on a bipedal 3D model in 3D Studio MAX, allowing it to do anything from armwrestle to hug. The video is pretty ...more

Check out this Autodesk 3ds Max video tutorial on how to animate a basic biped. This 3D graphics application will have your digital character walking in no time. Creating multiple footsteps in 3D Studio Max is a cinch. So, if you're a beginning 3D modeler, than this would be ...more

Making a 3D model bipedal character walk is one of the most basic and necessary things that you can do to them. If you are going to use them in a movie or game, chances are they will have to move themselves from one place to another right? This video will teach you how to crea ...more

Breath some life into your animated scene by watching this 3ds Max video tutorial to see how to use keyframes for basic digital character animation modeling. Autodesk's 3D Studio Max is a customizable and scalable 3D modeling and rendering solution for games, film, and televi ...more

A video that demonstrates the use of Adobe Flash for creating sprites for use in animation in games. In this video, a game character is shown doing various actions which range from simple stance's to complex combo's The video explains the use of sprites and keyframes to be u ...more

The bouncing ball animation is a classic beginning point for animating in every 3D software package. This tutorial shows you how to do it in Maya. Part two will concentrate on keyframes. Part three will turn the bouncing ball into a character set. Part four will cover using th ...more

Cinema 4D is an amazing program, but not a one-stop source for animation needs, especially if you're planning on making a 3D video game, for which you'll need Unity 3D. This three-part video covers the process of rigging a character in Cinema 4D and transferring to Unity 3D. ...more

This Adobe CS4 software tutorial shows you how to animate characters in After Effects CS4 using the puppet tool. Learn how to use the puppet tool to apply pins to control movement, and record movements. Also preview the puppet overlap and puppet starch tools in After Effects C ...more

UncleTom of Azerothian Super Villains fame introduces the first episode of How 2 Machinima. This series of tutorials is aimed to introduce both the fundamentals and advanced techniques of WoW machinimaking. In this episode you'll learn about the basics of WoW Model Viewer.

This animated video shows you how to do an Ollie from Munkii.

Jason Welsh shows you how to use polygroups in Pixologic's Zbrush 3.1 3D sculpting software and explains the difference between a subtool in a polymesh structure, when combining. So, for all you 3D modelers out there, if you want to make great animated characters, this is a go ...more

Are you fed up using Zbrush? Are you just not cut out to be a 3D digital sculptor? Nah, all you need is a little practice. Check out this three-part Pixologic video tutorial on how to use the basics when sculpting a head. You'll see how to make the perfect 3D animated head, an ...more

Blinking is one of the most basic things that mammals do, and making your animated characters do it properly will make them look much more natural and expressive. This Flash CS5 tutorial video will show you how to make an animated character blink using movie clips. Trust us, t ...more

If you've designed the perfect 3D animated character in Autodesk Maya 8.5, then you might need to learn how to pose him correctly, right? Well, this video will show you how to pose the animated character correctly and in an easy way, watching out for the skin and bones and wit ...more

If you need to create an animated character, Maya is the software program for you. If you don't know how to make that character you've dreamed up, then maybe you should check out this Maya video tutorial on an important step -- creating a skeleton structure. Creating bones cou ...more

Learn how to animate sprites (like characters from video games) that you can download using Adobe Flash

Okay, make some bones with no orientation and watch this Autodesk Maya 8.5 video tutorial. This video will show you the industry standard IK Handle tool and how to use it with your character's animated bones. So, if you're a wannabe 3D modeler, then you should probably watch t ...more

Check out this video for how to character set in Autodesk Maya 8.5. You should already have everything set up, everything's weighed, the bones are working properly, the skin is on right, and everything moves smoothly, then this is the next step for an awesome 3D animated chara ...more

Give your animated characters realistic looking hair by using MoGraph Physics with Cinema 4D! You can use the same principles to animate fur, grass or anything similar. This is a pretty simple technique that anyone reasonably familiar with Cinema 4D can pick up.

Time Remapping is a feature of Adobe After Effects used for rigging your animated characters, which can be most useful when trying to make your lip syncing look realistic. This is a quick tutorial on how to use this feature for your next project.

Spraycans filled with paint have been the graffiti artist's chosen medium of artistic creation since the street/urban art form began. Graffiti artists utilize spray cans daily to create sociopolitical commentary and to animate their work, so why not give these important tools ...more

If you think you have all the essential tools figured out in Autodesk Maya 8.5, you probably don't. So, if you want to create awesome 3D animated characters, then maybe you should watch this Maya video to make sure you know how to keep faces together after you already know how ...more