If you're a master at Autodesk Maya 8.5, then great, but if you are feeling a bit rusty, maybe this review on cleaning up your geometry will help. This video tutorial will help your animated character come to life in Maya by doing a little geometry cleanup. So, for great 3D mo ...more
The silent film era ended long before anyone had conceived of something like machinima, so your machinima movie had better have some talking! This movie will teach you how to use morph target in 3DS MAX to give your imported World of Warcraft characters facial expressions and ...more
Causing World of Warcraft characters to do what you want them to do in your machinima film can be a major challenge. Motion capture is one useful tool that you can use to solve the problem. This video will teach you the basics of using the Biped plugin for 3DS Max to animate W ...more
If you want to make a hybrid machinima movie using WoW characters, you are probably going to have to import them into 3DS MAX at some point. Unfortunately, you cannot just do this straight away. This video will teach you how to use a program called Milkshape 3D to prepare a ch ...more
Rigging low poly character models with vertices and physique is one of the most important parts of animating a character in 3DS MAX. This four-part video series will show you how to vertex rig a World of Warcraft low-poly character model, allowing you to use them in your hybri ...more
This Blender tutorialc overs the creation of a game-friendly model (i.e. low-polygon), texturing, rigging, animating, and bringing it into the game engine with basic forward and back controls, as well as turning left and right, and running. Whether you're new to the Blender Fo ...more
This video illustrate us how to draw a manga animated angel. Here are the following steps: Step 1:First of all take a sheet of paper and pencil and start drawing the character. Step 2: Now draw a oval representing the face of manga and then draw two circles within the face r ...more
Who is the hottest animated female character of all time? We're sure there are lots of differing opinions on that, but we think Jessica Rabbit must be at the top of the list of viable options. With curves so, well, curvy, that they enter the room before she does and eye-catchi ...more
Learn how to create a character rig when animating 3D models in Blender. Specifically, this clip addresses the following topics: Bone creation, splitting and re-parenting. Weighting with bone heat, mirrored weight painting and posed weight painting. IK setup, bone roll, and po ...more
Check out this Autodesk Maya 8.5 two-part video tutorial on how to move objects around. You'll learn about the channel box and how to use your mouse to move around those animated 3D characters. You'll see how to rotate and flip objects and be the best 3D Maya modeler around. Y ...more
Check out this two-part video tutorial on learning some components and polyprimitives of vertices in Autodesk Maya 8.5. You'll get the best info on geometry for 3D animation in this 3D modeling video. See how to scale, rotate, and move vertices of your built animated character ...more
If you've started bending your 3D animated character around in Autodesk Maya 8.5 and came across a broken bone sticking out that needs to pivot, then you've got a huge weighting issue. Check out this three-part video tutorial on how to correctly weight objects down in Maya. So ...more
Say you want to bring two objects together so they automatically flow from one piece to the next in Autodesk Maya 8.5, well, then you're going to have to bridge them. Check out this video tutorial on how to do just that. Combine them, then bridge them. It's that simple. So, fo ...more
If you're in a 3D modeling class, then you might want to check out this Autodesk Maya 8.5 two-part video tutorial. These videos cover how to do a duplicate mirror merge. So, if you want to build an animated character in Maya, just watch for these tips on a dup mirror merge. Pa ...more
Having a little trouble putting skin on your 3D animated characters in Autodesk Maya 8.5? Well, check out this five-part video tutorial on how skinning is done for your animation. You'll need those bones built, a nice skeleton structure to put some skin on, so get started. In ...more
Pixel Perfect is the "perfect" show to help you with your Photoshop skills. Be amazed and learn as master digital artist Bert Monroy takes a stylus and a digital pad and treats it as Monet and Picasso do with oil and canvas. Learn the tips and tricks you need to whip those dig ...more
Cartoon characters are invading Facebook this weekend, with members quickly switching out their normal profile pictures with that of their favorite animated childhood memory, but why? Child abuse. That's right. Facebookers are changing their profile pics to images of cartoon ...more
Syncing the lips of animated characters to dialogue is one of the most painstaking tasks that any animator has to perform, especially when working on the localization of foreign animated films. This video will teach you the basics of how to sync the lips of animated characters ...more
After you've created an animated character in Flash CS4, one of the first things that you are probably going to want to do is make them walk. This video will show you how to do so quickly and easily using motion tweens. Whether you are making a banana man or a model of Barack ...more
Creating really cool animated characters in Flash is an art form that can take years to master. This video tutorial will teach you how to use shading to make your characters looks more dynamic and interesting. The more effects you know, the more that you can do in Flash, so wa ...more
In this video, we learn how to make an animated dialogue in CrazyTalk6. Once you are in CrazyTalk6, face fit your character then click on "script". You can re-name your characters as you wish. Once you have their names picked out, you can create a script for them. Press the re ...more
If you just made a mesh character, it's not going to be very interesting or fun to use until you can start animating it. To start animating, you'll need to add a biped structure to your character - this tutorial shows you how. Part 1 of 3 - How to Add a biped to a mesh charact ...more
Maybe it's just us, be we think that graffiti characters that aren't in some way colored or shaded in just look like drawings from a coloring book. Of course, if the coloring book were rated R. True art spawns, though, when these interesting, animated graffiti characters are ...more
Once you've created a walking animated character in Flash, if you want them to look realistic you're going to have to give them a shadow. This video will show you how to do just that using the same movie clip as your character, which is the easiest way to do it. Don't let your ...more
If you're a fan of Italian animated television series, Winx Club, here's your chance to bring the characters to life! In this video, learn how to draw Bloom from the series with help from Drawing Now. Search WonderHowTo for more videos from Drawing Now to learn how to draw a v ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to draw the character, Shunshui Kyoarku, from the anime series Bleach. Follow the step-by-step drawing tutorial, and you can learn these techniques too. The animated instruction can be paused, slowed down, or replayed at any time, so y ...more
In this video tutorial you will learn to use Posemixer Tag in CINEMA 4D. PoseMixer Tag is a morphing tool. It is especially useful for animating a character’s mouth, where each mouth shape is a separate morph pose.
What if James Franco was Wile E Coyote and he got his hand caught by a boulder. Here this animated mashup shows up how a cartoon character might have solved this dilemma.
As many of you stop-motion animation practitioners out there have probably realized, Legos are a great material for that medium, allowing for great diversity while being relatively easy to work with. Can they fly though? This video features a British boy explaining how to use ...more
In this Photoshop video tutorial, see how to make an animated dancing GIF picture in Photoshop. With Adobe Photoshop, you can do virtually anything, and with one single photograph, you can create a dancing animation of your character. After a little manipulation, save it as a ...more
This 3D software tutorial will show you how to use the cloth reactor in 3D Studio Max. Learn how to animate a cloth swinging over an object in 3ds Max. This concept can be used to create a table cloth spread over a table, clothes for characters and much more. It's best to view ...more
Making an animated film? This short and easy animation tutorial provides beginners the bare minimum to begin creating a claymation or stop motion animation film. This instructional video shows how to move claymation characters, how to control the lighting, and how to create a ...more
In this tutorial you will learn how to setup a basic rig in Maya. Animation rigs are the bone and muscle structures used to animate and move characters and objects made in Maya. If you plan to make anything you model in Maya come to life, you will need to learn the basics of r ...more
This series is easy enough for kids and adults but should be alot of fun for both that want to learn how to build and animate 3D characters. Jason Welsh teaches how to get all your software for free and setup for the students workflow for his tutorials..
The Xbox 360 is America's video game system. It was designed in America, it has better market share in America than anywhere else, and it has the most overtly macho game catalog of any console. For many Xbox fanboys, gaming heaven is shooting hordes of really well-animated thi ...more
Learn how to generate basic character rigs for animating your 3D models within 3ds Max 2010 or 2011. Whether you're new to Autodesk's popular modeling software or a seasoned 3D artist just looking to better acquaint yourself with the application, you're sure to be well served ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to draw the animated character, Edward Elric. Begin by drawing the guidelines of the character in 30% black pencil lines. The head is drawn as an oval shape. The shoulder is guided by a large circle and the elbow by a smaller circle. C ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to draw anime women with weapons. Users will needed paper and a pencil. Begin by sketching the basic form, how you want the character to stand. Then draw the weapons that the character will be holding. Now add in the facial features an ...more
Jek and Rhys are two of the named Arc Trooper characters from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. Have you ever wanted to have your own pocket-sized likenesses of these two bit characters from the show? Now you can. This video is a demonstration of building Lego min ...more
Pretty convincing, but no flesh or blood necessary here. Hongkiat posts 21 stellar examples of animated 3D models, all created with programs like ZBrush, XSI, 3DMax, Maya and Photoshop. Get your 3D CG fix below. Warhammer Rider by Joe Deng Demonic Prince by Rami Ali Backst ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers will learn how to draw the Disney cartoon character, Ariel from the Little Mermaid. Ariel from the Little Mermaid movie makes a great fantasy art subject, when learning how to draw. You can draw your own mermaid, complete with fins and tail, by ...more
Animating characters in Poser is amazingly easy. In this video tutorial you will learn how to make characters walk in Poser. You'll see how to use the walk designer, create a walk path, and walk the character along the path. Make sure to hit "play tutorial" in the top left cor ...more
Dual nurses? Random transformer shirt guy? White collar fighter? Fatso macho man? Super Mario? Ah, you must be playing Dong Dong Never Die! Dong Dong Never Die is a free fighting game for the PC. It parodies games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter with a universal humor, ...more
Sonic the hedgehog is the titular character of the media franchise of the same name which has spawned numerous games, animated movies, comics and TV series. This video demonstrates how to draw Sonic the Hedgehog using nothing but your pencil and paper (and a liberal use of an ...more
What do you get when you comebine graffiti, a spray can, and a lean and mean street urchin? Well, according to graffiti artist Wizard, you get a very gangsta looking spray can with an arrow-shaped goatee. Watch this tutorial to learn how to animate a plain old graffiti spray ...more
Spray cans are to graffiti artists what paintbrushes and paint are to artists. As a graffiti artist a spraycan is efficient because it allows you to quickly slather on a tag and then run away before the Po Po come, and also offer a sleek, rough finish. Watch this tutorial to ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to draw an animated shirt collar. Users will need a sheet of paper and a drawing utensil. Begin by drawing the neck of the figure and attach the head to the neck by connecting it with a chin. Add some lines on the neck for details. At ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to draw Homer Simpson from the animated shot, The Simpson's. Begin by making a light outline of where the top of the head, sides of the head, ear and neck will be. Then do a light sketch of where the mouth, nose and eyes will go. Make ...more
This movie is a silent animated account of how you draw the final picture (which is shown at the beginning of the clip) of two kids flying a kite. The lines are sketched roughly using pencil, and then over-inked. The original lines are erased and leaving outlines. Then you beg ...more
There are few animated characters more iconic than Disney’s Cinderella. Her tale is one of wonder, and her likeness is easy to recreate through a simple process. This video tutorial demonstrates how to draw and color Cinderella. Start with a basic line sketch of the princess h ...more
This is a video posted by a happy emo girl, like its nickname says, which describes how to draw Dib from the well-known American animated television series, Invader Zim. The drawing is very simple if you watch the video carefully. She starts drawing the head, then the haircut ...more
Animation controls run on the bottom of the screen. The time slider is the most important control for designing frames in Maya. Playback is exactly intuitive. This is a basic overview of Maya animation protocol and a lesson in using Maya tools. Check out this Maya animation t ...more
This short construction tutorial video shows how to build a small, simple stage from scratch specifically for animating a claymation or stop motion animation project. Construct the ideal world for your claymation characters or stop motion animation armatures and puppets. All y ...more
Multi mesh objects can be a pain to pose. But this video tells you all you need to know to look out for in order for it to be painless. This is good workflow advice for moving and posing characters with lots of armor and tools in Zbrush. NOTE: This link is to a Flash version ...more
Animating character walk cycles is easy! This free online video lesson about animation will teach you everything you need to know, from work areas to keyframes and more and is taught by animation expert Cable Hardin. Part 1 of 16 - How to Create a character walk cycle animatio ...more
What's the geekiest way to propose to your girlfriend? Make a robot do it for you. As a self-declared dork, RangerX52 wanted to take a simple task like proposing and make it as utterly complicated as possibly—by having a DIY robot do it for him. With knowledge of his lady's i ...more
If you're not familiar with the animations of Jan Švankmajer, you're in for quite a trip. The Czech artist and filmmaker is known for his metaphorical, captivatingly surreal stop-motion and claymation films, and is God to many (including talents such as Tim Burton, Terry Gilli ...more
Shot with a Nokia N8 cell phone equipped with a 50x CellScope microscope, Dot is the world’s smallest stop motion animated film. Created by the makers of the Wallace & Gromit series, the figures were made with a 3D printer, each hand-painted with the aid of a microscope. Watch ...more
Hack Ninja Saga. The flash-based game Ninja Saga is a role-playing game involving… you guess it… NINJAS! Check out this video tutorial so you can learn how to hack Ninja Saga (06/17/10). Unlearn various jutsu to take them off your character sheet so you can learn other jutsu ...more
Steps to make Sprite animation in Photoshop are:1. Open a spreadsheet of your own choice; in this case we are going to take running animation.2. Once your spreadsheet is loaded, zoom-in until you get a four page, for ease of use.3. Zoom-in to the required movement, after zoom, ...more