Disk Warrior X This utility is indispensable for restoring corrupted disk directories. It is a one trick pony, but nobody does it better. I carry this CD with me everywhere. Run it once a month on your system to keep things working the way you expect.

Tech Tool Pro (version 4.01). This system test and maintenance tool can help you spot trouble early

Macaroni. Runs key background Unix utilities run in a timely fashion after installation

Sponge Sponge is a tool to keep your Mac’s hard disk free of waste and junk temp files.

AppZapper, a software uninstaller tool

DiskInventory X, capable of showing the biggest files on your hard drive.

Other Tools

Oynx

Always pressing B to switch to the blade tool, or B B to switch to the Razor Blade All Tool and sick of always have to press A or whatever to switch back to your previous tool.  Save time by making cut in your timeline where your playhead is located by clicking on Ctrl V instead of BB to cut all layers.  Keep on cutting.

Bonus Tip!

Shift T – Cycle thru Layer Height Options.

An amazingly intuitive web 2.0 tool for designers / graphic artists / digital artist that utilize color schemes, principals and palettes in their projects. Kuler is free to check out and registered users are able to download custom swatches and save favorites to their own Adobe account page.

Pros

Cons

• Too Much Too Soon Plugins
• Genius DV
  • Final Cut Studio, Avid, Adobe, and Video Streaming Training
    News, Tutorials and articles related to Final Cut Studio, Avid, and other popular non linear video editing software packages.
• Windows Media Encoder / Player for the Mac
• Red Giant Software (FCP & AE Plugins)
• PixLock Software for Mac OSX (iStabilize, Effects Builder for AE)
• Title Exchange A unique tool to juggle subtitles in FCP

VIDEO TOOLS

Digital Video Repair - Small utility for repairing (fixing) AVI files. You can repair your AVI file in these cases:

• AVI file have not completely copied from CD, DVD or other source
• AVI file have not completely downloaded from the Internet (eDonkey, BitTorrent, etc)
• Video freezed when playing
• Video can’t be seeked (fast forwarded)

Video can’t be played DivFix- Fixes broken DivXs, AVIs, XviDs. DivXFix, AVIFix, XviDFix. If this wont work try the newer DivFix++ also.

DivFix++- This program designed to repair broken AVI file streams by rebuilding index part of file. This is very useful when trying to preview movies which has no index part, like some files are currently downloading from ed2k or bittorent networks. DivFix++ is complete rewrite of “DivFix” program due it’s bugs and low performance.

DivXRepair- Using DivXRepair, you can repair corrupt avi files and eliminate freezes. This program automatically detects and eliminates bad frames. Basically a front-end tool to VirtualDub for those who are not comfortable with VirtualDub.

FixVTS- FixVTS is a very tiny tool that allows you to adjust your DVD files into better DVD compliance, so they can be opened in DVDShrink, vobblanker or other DVD softwares. This is especially useful if your DVD had some kind of copy protection or recorded with a DVD Recorder that prevents DVDShrink, Vobblanker, etc from opening it. FixVTS can fix that for you. Development stopped. Hypercube Time Stretcher- This new freeware will help you to resynchronize any Wav file over any video. For example, you can resynchronize a French soundtrack taken from a videotape with a DivX Japanese version. The irregularity of the videotape can be easily corrected with this unique tool.

MPEG4 Modifier- Modifies a MPEG-4 ASP video (XviD, DivX) without re-encoding (change aspect ratio, edit userdata, remove or add packed bitstream, and change interlaced field order). It can also show information about the video such as the amount of I/P/S/B-VOPs used, whether or not QPel/GMC were used, etc.

PVAStrumento- PVAStrumento is a tool to convert files recorded with a DVB PC-card in PVA-format to regular MPEG2 program streams. It can also be used to “repair” existing MPEG2 PS for further processing.

Steeper- Steeper enables you to repair, modify, join and cut out fragments from ASF and WMV files. It is based upon and is using ASFCut, a commandline utility by RadioActive. Steeper requires Window Media Services at least with version 9.0.

SyncView is a free AVI/WAV alignment tool for MPEG video production. The software can be used to derive precise audio-video synchronization settings when muxing/ encoding material for VCD, and the optional SyncTest media download can be used to trace the source of most sync problems.

3ivx is an MPEG-4 toolkit that supports MPEG-4 Video, MPEG-4 Audio and the MP4 file format. 3ivx allows video and audio to be compressed to a fraction of its original size while maintaining high image quality.

Anime Studio (former called Moho) is a 2D vector-based cartoon animation application. Moho provides the complete set of tools you need to create an animated cartoon, from drawing and coloring to keyframe animation, multi-layer compositing and final rendering of QuickTime and AVI movie files.

Audacity is a free audio editor. You can record sounds, play sounds, import and export WAV, AIFF, Ogg Vorbis, and MP3 files, and more. Use it to edit your sounds using Cut, Copy and Paste (with unlimited Undo), mix tracks together, or apply effects to your recordings.

Avidemux is a free video editor designed for simple cutting, filtering and encoding tasks. Tasks can be automated using projects, job queue and powerful scripting capabilities. It supports most video formats like DVD, VOB, AVI, DivX, XviD, WMV, MPG, MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, DV, FLV.

BabyaTV is a easy to use but powerful audio/video capture application that saves to QuickTime format (.mov)-which is ideal for use in iMovie, iDVD, websites or other projects.

BitVice produces high-end MPEG2 videos, suitable for DVD products, commercial spots or wherever you need an MPEG2 video.

Capty MPEG Edit EX is a precise MPEG2 Frame by Frame Video and Sound Track Editing with Dolby Digital Support. Trim in frames as well as in GOPs. Save multiple ranges into separate files. Write edited files in QuickTime format. Write in MPEG elementary stream format. Combine multiple files into one MPEG-2 file.

Cinematize is a DVD extraction tool you can use to easily extract a clip or segment off of any DVD, even a complex one, and save it in a format compatible with standard movie and audio editing software. Save audio and video tracks separately, or together as MPEG-2 or QuickTime movie files.

Discreet combustion offers the creative tools, speed and interactivity that professionals need and artists crave. Paint, animation, editing and 3D compositing are combined in an integrated environment based on Discreet’s legendary user interface.

D-Subtitler is a little software which let you extract subtitles of your DVD and put it in a .srt file. To use D-Subtitler, you have to rip your DVD in your hard drive. You can rip it in VIDEO_TS folder or in a big .vob file. Open the result of the rip with D-Subtitler, choose the subtitle track to extract and click on the green button.

D-Vision is a Cocoa front-end to mencoder that can encode Divx 3, 4, Xvid and h264. Includes tools that can split and join .avi files, as well as join .vob files.

D-Volution is a little software based on ffmpeg and Quicktime API which can encode .mov and .dv files in Divx/Xvid or h264. You can create .avi or .mp4 files.

DiVA is a video re-encoder for Mac OS X 10.2 or later designed for converting between MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 video sources into MPEG-4 video. It utilizes special features in the 3ivx video codec to allow for high speed and high quality.

DivFix is a program designed to repair broken AVI file streams by rebuilding index part of file. This is very useful when trying to preview movies which has no index part, like some files are currently downloading from ed2k or bittorent networks.

DVD Media Inspector is a DVD media identifier program for Mac OS X. It retrieves the DVD+-R/W media code/ manufacturer id.

DVD2oneX DVD tool where you can make movie-only and full disk copies on single DVD-Recordable.

DVDAfterEdit is a professional application designed to augment and expand the capabilities of your existing DVD authoring system. Its unique feature-set offers a wealth of functionality at all levels of authoring complexity, from entry-level right up to Scenarist Pro and beyond.

DVDRemaster is an utility for Mac OS X to recompress large DVDs so that they fit on standard DVD5. DVDRemaster can work in two modes. It can either preserve all tracks or work in “Movie Only” mode where everything but the main feature is discarded. Advanced users will appreciate the Pro version, which lets you choose exactly which video and audio tracks you want to cop. FairMount(included in DVDremaster) is a tool that allows decryption of DVD content on the fly for a convenient access.

ffmpegX is a Mac OS X graphic user interface designed to easily operate more than 20 powerful Unix open-source video and audio processing tools including ffmpeg the “hyper fast video and audio encoder. iPod, PSP profiles.

FFusion- an update to Jamby’s alternative DivX codec for QuickTime. It can read MS-MPEG4v1, MS-MPEG4v2, DivX 3.11 alpha, DivX 4, DivX 5, 3ivx (Delta 4 or later) and XVID. Is optimized for all PowerPC and G4.

Forty-two is the definitive tool for MacOS X for converting a DVD into either an avi DivX movie, a folder of ready to burn bin/cues for VCDs and SVCDs or a ready to burn .iso DVD disk image. HandBrake is a GPL’d multi-platform, heavily multithreaded DVD to MPEG-4 ripper/converter. HandBrake was originally available on the BeOS, but now has been ported over to MacOS X (with GUI) and to GNU/Linux (CLI only) and to Windows (GUI and CLI/Console/Command Line)

iSquint is an iPod video conversion app for Mac OS X. It’s many times faster than QuickTime Pro, works with almost all popular video formats, and it’s infinitely free-er. It’s also really easy. Just drag in your file, and click Start. You can also choose “TV” or “iPod” size, set your quality, or even go all-out by playing in the Advanced drawer. On a 1GHz G4, iSquint can convert most video files to iPod-screen-sized videos in realtime. No longer developed.

iVCD Discover the easy way to author VCD, SVCD, DVD and more with this easy to use MPEG Encoder / Converter and VCD Burner for Mac OS X. Convert from .mov, iMovie, Quicktime movie, mpg, avi, divx, xvid to VCD, SVCD, DVD or generic mpeg and burn in just one step.

Jubler- Tool to edit text-based subtitles. It can be used as an authoring software for new subtitles or as a tool to convert, transform, correct and refine existing subtitles. Requires Mplayer for previewing video and Java runtime.

mAC3dec is a free Mac audio conversion utility. Handles various formats, including .ac3 audio to .aiff audio. Adjustable normalize and dynamic range compression make this a good tool for getting your MPEG or DVD to sound loud! Global option lets you normalize a batch of files without exceeding max level. Adjustable sample rate on output means you can quickly convert .ac3 at 48K to .aiff at 44.1K for burning to audio CD.

MacDVDBitrateParanoia is a DVD Bitrate Viewer for MacOSX, Features: See a graph of combined DVD bitrate, Change the colors of the graph, Choose which title to look at, Save the graphs to TIFF files, Have multiple windows open at once for comparing, Open either off a DVD or a hard drive (anywhere there is a VIDEO_TS folder, really).

MacTheRipper is a freeware DVD ripper for Mac OS X. It is dependent upon the open-sourced GPL libdvdread and libdvdcss libraries.

MainConcept MPEG Encoder Mac – By popular demand, MainConcept has released a Mac version of our popular standalone MPEG Encoder! This exciting new product includes most of the features that have made the Windows version so popular – including ultra-fast, high-quality encoding, two-pass encoding, easy presets, many advanced settings and many more features.

Media Calculator - A video bitrate calculator for DVD, SVCD and Streaming formats.

MovieConverter - MacOsX encoding software for DVD (and DV) managing telecine and interlaced. Convert PAL<->NTSC without jerk, encode iMovieproject whitout loosing half of the information, change your final aspect (crop or pad or none) without loosing interlacing. Batch mode, pause your encoding, output DV to iMovie or FCP, output MPEG2 to MovieGate/Sizzle/ffmpegX or DVDSP, etc MovieGate creates MiniDVD and DVD with chapter support, slideshow with transitions, animated menu and subtitles. Support for Theme using Quartz Composer compositions.

MPEG StreamClip - You can use MPEG Streamclip to: open most movie formats including MPEG files or transport streams; play them at full screen; edit them with Cut, Copy, Paste, and Trim; set In/Out points and convert them into muxed or demuxed files, or export them to QuickTime, AVI, DV and MPEG-4 files with more than professional quality, so you can easily import them in Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Toast 6 or 7, and use them with many other applications or devices. Requires Quicktime MPEG2 Decoder or Quicktime Alternative 1.81 installed for MPEG2/DVD decoding. MPEG2 Works- This 3 applications bundle will help You to author/ convert Your movies to MPEG2/ MPEG1 DVD/ SVCD/ VCD ready Audio/ Video files. MPEG2/MPEG1 conversions, ReplayTV MPEGs conversion, Mux/Demux/Split/Join, MPEG Info tool, Convert Your VOB’s from PAL > NTSC and NTSC > PAL

MPlayer / Mencoder- MPlayer is a movie player for LINUX (runs on many other Unices, and non-x86 CPUs, like Windows, MAC…). It plays most DVD, VCD, MPEG, VOB, AVI, OGG/OGM, VIVO, ASF/WMA/WMV, QT/MOV/MP4, FLI, RM, NuppelVideo, YUV4MPEG, FILM, RoQ, PVA files. Mencoder is a converter that supports many input video formats. Command line tools but several frontend/GUIs available like SMPlayer available.

myDVDEdit- myDVDEdit is a tool which allows you to understand and modify the content of a DVD, at the deepest level. Add, remove, modify, move any command in the DVD pre/post/cell command tables.

OSEx is a DVD ripper for MacOS X. It uses the DeCSS algorithm to decrypt DVDs to un-encrypted MPEG-2 -format.

Perian is a free, open source QuickTime® component that adds native support for many popular video formats, AVI, FLV, and MKV file formats. Finally a replacement for FFusion for an Intel Mac that just works!

PgcEdit is a DVD IFO and Menu editor designed to allow the modification of the navigation commands and parameters of an already authored DVD structure. PgcEdit is also an excellent tool to learn how a DVD works, with his powerful Trace function. PgcEdit is also the first program able to burn a Double Layer DVD-Video, with an interactive interface including a preview, to select the position of the layer break.

Plex Media Center- Plex bridges the gap between your Mac and your home theater, doing so with a visually appealing user interface that provides instant access to your media. Plex can play a wide range of video, audio and photo formats as well as online streaming audio and video. The real power of Plex is found in its library features: Organize your media into versatile libraries, automatically retrieve metadata from the Internet, and display your libraries using one of the visually stunning skins. Based on XBCM.

QT Sync is a little application for playing Quicktime Movies. You also can correct a possible offset between picture and sound while the movie is playing (”on the fly” syncing).

Quicktime Pro- Quicktime MOV video player. The Pro version also supports: Edit movies with the simplicity of cut, copy, and paste. Create Quicktime, MOV, H264, 3GPP, 3GPP2 and MPEG-4 content. Create slide shows. Import/Export media. Convert MOV to AVI.

REAPER is a powerful Windows application for multitrack recording and editing of audio. It will accept avi, mpg or wmv files & give you a video preview, thus enabling you to mix extra tracks in with your source audio!. You cannot perform any video editing within Reaper, but you can work on the soundtrack. You can edit the existing soundtrack, and/or add create new tracks and media items to be mixed with it.

RevolverHD - Now you can playback your edited high definition movies from iMovie08 on the Playstation3. RevolverHD does two things. Firstly, it converts your iMovie08 movie into AVCHD. AVCHD is the video format used on your AVCHD video camera and Blu-ray player. Next, RevolverHD can burn a Data DVD disk. Note that these are simple DVDs which you can easily burn yourself. These DVDs will not play on Blu-ray players, but will be recognised by the PlayStation3. Support for more Blu-ray devices coming soon!

Roxio Crunch- From site: “Roxio Crunch™ is the essential video converter for your Apple TVTM, iPod®, and iPhoneTM. Take your video in to the living room or the palm of your hands fast and simple. Roxio Crunch is a one-stop shop for all of your video conversion needs. Batch export will make your life even simpler: converted video will be automatically added to iTunes for syncing. Don’t just convert it, Crunch it!”

Roxio Popcorn- helps you easily make high quality copies of your DVDs and movies. Powerful Fit-to-DVD™ compression technology fits an entire 9 GB DVD video onto a standard 4.7 GB disc. Back up a full DVD, or create your own Director’s Cut and choose the individual DVD video, audio and languages to copy. Convert your movies to watch on an iPod, PSP, 3GP mobile phone, DivX handheld, and more.

SageTV gives you more features than any standard Personal Video Recorder without subscription fees. It’s also the only PVR solution for the PC with a full-screen Interface for live TV viewing and video (or music) playback on any PC on your network! HDTV Support. DVB-T, DVB-C Support.

SimpleMovieX- The Happy QuickTime Pro Replacement that Does MPEG. Features: Imports and Exports files from many types, Imports also DAT (VideoCD), MPEG-2 is supported( QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Componen required), Exports to MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats, Supports additional codecs like DivX or 3ivx, Basic editing covered by Cut, Copy, Paste, Add, Add Scaled and Trim operations, Frame-accurate editing and more.

SlideshowMovie- Render beautiful slideshows with real-time effects packaged in a single self-contained movie file. Render beautiful slideshows packaged in a single self-contained movie file. One-click publishing using .Mac. Automatically generates a Web page embedding yourlideshowMovie ready for publishing. Choose from hundreds of combinations of real-time transitions between images.

SmallDVD is a simple DVD authoring utility for MacOSX that will take ready-encoded MPEG2 files and create a DVD image from them that can be burnt using Disk Utility. It is an AppleScript front-end for dvdauthor and a variety of other existing command line tools.

Submerge- Merge your subtitle file with your movie. Then you can easily watch the subtitled movie on your iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, in iTunes or in Front Row. Make subtitled movies that are playable on your iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, in iTunes or in Front Row. Add subtitles to almost any visual format like mov, avi, mp4 etc. Supports the major subtitle file formats like SubRip (.srt), SubViewer 1 & 2 (.sub) and MicroDVD.

Tele2DVD will help you putting on DVD your mpeg TV recordings made with either iTele or EyeTV; it can requantize your video if its length exceeds the target media size and it can also authoring DVDs with more videos and one menu.

Traverso DAW is a GPL licensed, cross platform multitrack audio recording and editing suite, with an innovative and easy to master User Interface. It’s suited for both the professional and home user, who needs a robust and solid DAW.

ViddyUp! is the easy way to load up your iPod or Apple TV with home movies or content from around the web. Just drag your clips to the ViddyUp! window, tweak a setting or two (if you want), then let ViddyUp! get to work. iPod or Apple TV-friendly versions of each clip show up in a special playlist in iTunes, ready to sync.

VideoSpec is an AppleScript studio app making use of MPlayer, FFmpeg, mpgtx and MediaInfo binaries to display informations on video files.

VisualHub - Easily convert video to DVD, iPod, PSP, TiVo, AVI, WMV, FLV and back again. Convert any file in three steps. Click, drag, click. Fit up to 18 hours of video on one DVD. Play it in any standalone DVD player. Xgrid support. Use the power of every Mac on your network for batch encoding. QuickTime Pro or special plugins not required. VisualHub has been discontinued.

VLC (initially VideoLAN Client) is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, XviD, mp3, ogg, mkv, mp4, flv, mov, wmv…) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It can also convert and capture video and be used as a server to stream video.

VoltaicHD is a video converter that allows you to edit footage from an AVCHD camera in Movie Maker. VoltaicHD converts your highly compressed AVCHD (.mts) files into the AVI format which Windows Media Player and Microsoft Movie Maker can handle. So what? Well, if you have just bought a new AVCHD camera and want to edit the footage, you are usually stuck with having to fork out for a new editing package.

XBMC is a free software cross-platform media player and media center entertainment hub/jukebox. XBMC is capable of playing back almost all known video, audio and picture formats from a computers harddrive, DVD-ROM drive, a local-network, and the internet. Supports XboX, Mac, Windows(Experimental), Linux.

ZS4 is video editing and compositing software which aims to provide media experts with a facility to combine a variety of media types. ZS4 can be used like an object oriented photo-manipulation program with a timeline: things that can be manipulated in a photo (workshop) program can be manipulated in ZS4 using parameters which alter over time.

4 Tools That Convert M2T files

GearShift by VASST. GearShift can convert your m2t files to a file format with minimal loss.

This is really the only option. If you convert to mov you will lose quality. You can also try renaming the file to .mpg and see if that helps any.

Three more conversion tools:

For The Mac:

ClipWrap converts m2t files to QuickTime HDV. With most Hi-Def cameras recording in m2t transport streams, and few video applications capable of handling m2t, ClipWrap attempts to bridge the gap, converting the streams to QuickTime movies. The software is a rewrapping tool, moving video and audio streams to a QuickTime container. In theory this avoids generational loss through re-encoding, and saves hours of encode time.

The program supports all m2t files, working with variations for each brand and camera. It offers timecode support, recombines spanned files, and additionally handles format recognition, choosing proper outputs for framerate, image size and other presets. ClipWrap costs $50, and requires Final Cut Studio due to the codecs needed. ClipWrap costs $50, and requires Final Cut Studio due to the codecs needed.

For the PC:

AVCHD M2T Converter- allows you to convert m2t to avi, m2v, mp4 and other formats.

If you want to convert m2t to avi files, convert m2t to m2v or other formats, AVCHD M2T Converter is a good choice. It is not only a professional conversion software to convert m2t files, also a powerful m2t file connection tool to join or merge multiple m2t files into one convert to another format.

HDTVtoMPEG2 This program converts HDTV MPEG2 transport stream files to standard MPEG2 video files playable (mostly) by media player, many software DVD player programs, and readable by video converter programs like FlaskMPEG and Vidomi.

CONVERT FLV w PERIAN Plugin for OS X

Perian is a free download app that installs as a preference in Mac OSX so that you can play FLVs inside of the Quicktime Player and save them into any format you like. This video will show you how to use quicktime pro and the Perian plugin to convert and flv into a mov or many other popular formats.

MAC VIDEO CONVERTERS

1. iSquint: Mac iPod users who want a way to convert videos to something that works for their device will be happy to find iSquint. This tool converts videos to the correct format and also optimizes their resolution.
2. Tube Sock: Tube Sock is for Mac OSX users who want to download, convert, and copy YouTube videos to their iPod, Mac, or PSP.
3. HandBrake: HandBrake is a free, open source application that rips DVDs to a number of different formats, including those supported by Apple TV, PS3, Quicktime, and more.
4. Video Converter for Mac is powerful versatile video and audio conversion software for Mac users specially. It can convert between almost all video and audio formats like MOV, AVI, WMV, MPEG1/2/4, 3GP, ASF, MP4, MP2, MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, M4A, WAV and AC3 etc.
5. Xilisoft Video Converter for Mac- can be Mac users’ dream tool to convert among multiform video and audio files like AVI, MPEG, WMV, DivX, MP4, H.264/AVC, RM, MOV, MP2, MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, M4A, WAV and AC3. Also batch capturing pictures from videos and creating video from pictures are both available.
6. MPEG Streamclip - You can use MPEG Streamclip to: open most movie formats including MPEG files or transport streams; play them at full screen; edit them with Cut, Copy, Paste, and Trim; set In/Out points and convert them into muxed or demuxed files, or export them to QuickTime, AVI, DV and MPEG-4 files with more than professional quality, so you can easily import them in Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Toast 6, 7, 8, and use them with many other applications or devices.
   Supported input formats: MPEG, VOB, PS, M2P, MOD, VRO, DAT, MOV, DV, AVI, MP4, TS, M2T, MMV, REC, VID, AUD, AVR, VDR, PVR, TP0, TOD, M2V, M1V, MPV, AIFF, M1A, MP2, MPA, AC3, …
7. ImTOO Video Converter for Mac is a versatile Mac video converter to convert video on Mac, such as AVI, WMV ASF, MPEG1/2/4, 3GP, MP4, MOV, iPod video, Apple TV video, and PSP movie, even High-Definition video. The Mac video converter also acts as an audio converter to convert audio formats among MP3, WMA, WAV, AC3, OGG, etc., swiftly and perfectly on your Mac OS X.
8. Perian – not really a converter but if you have a bunch of Flash video files that you would like to play, but don’t have a Flash Video player, Perian is a free download app that installs as a preference in Mac OSX so that you can play FLVs inside of the Quicktime Player and save them into any format you like. This video shows you how
9. Visual Hub -Visual Hub is the nearest Mac users can get to the fantastic Windows-only Super. Providing an incredibly easy-to-use, super-speedy solution to quickly encoding your videos, it also has extensive advanced options for those who want to go beyond the presets. Visual Hub manages to outperform Quicktime Pro in terms of both speed and the formats it will comfortably process.
10. MPlayer This Mac front-end to the popular cross-platform MPlayer gives you an easy-to-use graphical interface for the quick conversion of your video files in a number of popular formats

PC VIDEO CONVERTERS

1. Koyote: This tool can covert FLV, DIVX, AVI and other formats to an iPod video format. That means you can download YouTube videos and put them directly on your video iPod.
2. MediaCell Blackberry Video Converter: If you want to view videos on your Blackberry, check out this tool. It converts all popular video files to Blackberry video while maintaining a high standard of quality.
3. Videora: With Videora, you can convert pretty much any video file into an iPod format. The tool includes an auto-resize feature that chooses the best resolution for you.
4. VidDownloader: This simple tool allows users to save streaming video and convert then to DivX AVIs.
5. Avi2Dvd: Avi2Dvd is a freeware program that converts AVI files to a format that works for DVDs, VCDs, and SVCDs.
6. Any Video Converter: Using AVC, you can convert any video format to any other video format. The tool supports AVI, DIVX, FLV and more. You can create custom profiles that for devices like the iPod and PSP.
8. SUPER: This aptly-named tool offers a simple and efficient way to convert any multimedia file to any format you need. You won’t need to download any additional codecs or deal with any time or function limitations.
9. Gearshift: GearShift can convert your m2t files to proxy and CineForm at the same time, which is very useful for slower machines. If you have a fast machine then you might find the CineForm-only workflow to be satisfactory.
10. Mplayer: Mplayer is an open-source video player, but it also has an interface called mencoder that allows users to convert between lots of formats, including TiVo’s tystream.
11. PodTube: Mac YouTube enthusiasts will love the convenience of PodTube. It allows users to point to a URL, then let the program get to work by downloading, converting and adding the file to your iTunes library.
12. iTube: iTube is just like PodTube, but it’s made for Windows users.
13. MediaCoder: MediaCoder is a batch media transcoder. It can be used to convert to and from different formats as well as compress files.

ONLINE VIDEO CONVERTERS

1. Vixy This service allows you convert a Flash Video / FLV file (YouTube’s videos,etc) to MPEG4 (AVI/MOV/MP4/MP3/3GP) file online. It is using a compressed domain transcoder technology (outline in Japanese). It converts FLV to MPEG4 faster and less lossy than a typical transcoder.
2. Zamzar: Zamzar does all sorts of conversions, ranging from documents and images to music and video. In addition to its versatility, this tool boasts the ability to do all of your conversions without downloading software.
3. Media Convert: This tool is another great all-around converter. It can take files from your computer or a webserver and convert them into pretty much any format. The tool is web based and full of versatility.
4. Media Converter Multi-file type converter and splitter supporting video, sound, ringtones, images and documents: not just of popular audio / video files such as mp3, wmv, 3gp, flv, swf, mov, avi, mpg, mp4, divx, ipod, psp and ogg but also picture formats like jpg, psd, doc, pdf, rtf, txt, odg and even abandoned formats as WordPerfect (…?). Check File mode, click Browse, choose the file and hope for auto-detection to work. If auto-detection fails, select input format and output format, submit the form. To convert a file from the Internet check URL mode, enter the file URL, select input and output format and go.
5. Hey!Watch: You can upload videos from your hard drive or online video sites to Hey!Watch, then use the tool to convert the files to pretty much any format you’d like.
6. Movavi – Free Online Video Converter. No software to install. No ads to interrupt.
7. VideoCodeZone – Convert Flash video files from Youtube, MySpace, Google Videos, IFilm, Break, Dailymotion and Metacafe to popular formats and download them to your computer. Copy and paste the URL of the video, select the output format and click Convert/Download. To convert local Flash video files select the file and click Convert/Download.
8. Mux – With a somewhat over-texted design but still simple and easy to use interface Mux is a new beta service allowing you to convert media files from major player websites such as youtube, dailymotion and google and download to your computer. Here you can also share it privately with friends & family or send it to your mobile phone.
9. Convert Direct - Online flv converter for Flash video files such as those used by Youtube. Supported output formats include avi, 3gp, mp3, mp4, wmv, mpeg, mov and psp. You can watch your vids on PC, iPod, Zune, PSP and various mobile phones.
10. FlvIX- Youtube Google Video dedicated online flv converter. Flvix comes from the folks who do Pingoblog, a cool ping service for bloggers. Very simple yet efficient interface. Converts Youtube and Google videos and serves them for download in avi, mov, mp4, 3gp and mp3 formats for PC, Mobile phones, iPod and PSP.
11. All2Convert - Online video converter. Copy video link, paste it in the URL video box, choose video format and press Convert. Wait for your converted video link to show up and download. Supports 3gp mobile phone format as well as iPhone and Zune videos, iPod, PSP and popular PC formats as dvd, mov, mp4, vob, rm and wmv.
12. Convert Tube - Youtube dedicated online flv converter. Allows you to convert Flash video files as used by YouTube to popular PC, iPod, PSP, iPhone and mobile phone formats such as wmv, mov, mp4, mp3 and 3gp. Same as Vixy, this service also claims to be doing its job faster and less lossy than a typical video transcoder.
13. You Convert It - Convert any Youtube and other Online Video to popular formats.
14. Mux.am - Here is an online video conversion service that supports “mobilizing” your video content to .3gp and .mp4 formats. Unfortunately, no .flv (yet)! … however, I imagine it wouldn’t be hard to add, and they really should get on that, don’t you think? One cool feature … it conveniently sends you an SMS once the conversion process is done, and your mobilized video is completed, so you can view it from your supported mobile device (which is a majority of devices these days that can playback .3gp and .mp4).

Audio Converters

1. Audacity: Audacity is a great tool that can be used to convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs. Check out their site to see what else this audio powerhouse can do.
2. RM to MP3 Converter: If you’ve got a bunch of Real Media files, but want to be able to listen to them on other players, check out this tool. It will convert RM files to MP3s individually or in batches. You can even save them with space-efficient VBR.
3. OSS Audio Converter: This tool is an audio format converter with a high level of customization. Using the OSS Audio Converter, you can select the coding method for VBR compression, fine-tune settings, and choose a range of frequencies to filter.
4. All Converter: Use All Converter to switch your files between popular formats like MP3, APE, AAC and many more. Files can be converted in batches, even if they’re not the same media or convert-to type.
5. Audio Converter: Audio Converter has lots of formats for conversion, including AIFF, Vorbis OFF, MP3 and more. You can convert files one by one or do them in batches, all while editing options like volume normalization and silence removal.
6. Intelliscore Polyphonic WAV to MIDI Converter: With IntelliScore, you can convert MP3, WAV, and WMA files to MIDI. It has lots of additional features, like vocal track removal and sheet music.
7. Free WMA to MP3 Converter: With this tool, you can take any Windows Media file and turn it into an MP3 that can be used with a variety of different players.
8. Zune Multi-Extension Support Mod: With this hack, Zune users can covert formats that the player doesn’t normally recognize, like AAC, DVR-MS and MPEG.
9. FreeRIP: This freeware application allows users to convert files between MP3, FLAC, WAV and more.
10. dBpoweramp Music Converter: The dBpoweramp can be used to rip CDs and convert audio files to pretty much any format you might need. This can all be done without altering tags.
11. Acoustica MP3 to Wave Converter Plus: Acoustica’s converter makes it easy to convert MP3 files to WAVs so that you can create custom CDs or edit audio.
12. Direct Audio Converter and CD Ripper: Music lovers can use this tool to convert music files to popular formats while keeping folder structures and tags intact.
13. VidToMP3 is a brand new site that allows you to download the audio from none-copyrighted video clips on video sites! We support all of your favorites, Myspace, Youtube, Google video and more. Remember to bookmark our Video to Sound converter for all your vid to mp3 needs!

Compilation CD/DVD with Descriptive COVER & CD Label.

CD TITLE SHOULD BE YOUR NAME AND THE YEAR

EXAMPLE : JOHN_DOE_2006 or JANE_DOE_2006

FOLDER STRUCTURE

• P1/JD_PROJECT1 Title.PSD
  • JD_PROJECT1 Title.PDF JD_PROJECT1 Title.JPEG
• P2/ SELF PORTRAIT
• P3/ LOGO DESIGN
• P4/ POSTER DESIGN
• P5/ GIF ANIMATION
• P6/ BONUS PROJECT!

• WEB IMAGES/

You will be graded based on all of the projects being completed and located in the correct folders. If you are missing project files it will affect your grade negatively. I only need flattened Tiffs, JPEG, or PDFs, but if you want to include your master .PSDs that would be encouraged.

Proper File Management and Organization is essential to a project’s sucess. This is the most important part of this class. These organizational skills and ability to manage and archive your files will be essential to your success with digital projects both during school and afterwards.

Create One Compilation DVD for yourself and One DVD for CIA.

PLEASE NOTE : CD Size <=650 MB(700 MB) DVD Size <=4.3GB (4.7GB)
In Addition to JPEG / TIFF / PDF versions of your Projects please also include the following Commpressed and Resized versions.

• [Compressed 2d Files]
  • A. MEDIUM size file (.tif format/ 72 dpi/ rgb mode)
    • Pixel dimension- h 768 pixels- w not to exceed 1024 pixels
  • B1. SMALL size file for WEB archive (.jpg format/ 72 dpi/ rgb mode)
    • Pixel dimension- h 240 pixels
  • C. THUMB-NAIL file for web archive- cropped view (.jpg format/ 72 dpi/ rgb mode)
    • Pixel dimensions- 120 x 120 pixels

• [Published 4d Movie Files]
  • A. UNCOMPRESSED movie files (.mov format/ 720 X 480/ NTSC DV/ best quality)
  • B. COMPRESSED file for WEB archive (.mov format/ 360 x 240/ NTSC dv/ H264 CODEC)
  • C. 5 VIDEO STILLS (.jpg/ 72 dpi/ 360 x 240)
  • D. THUMB-NAIL of still (.jpg format/ 72 dpi/ rgb mode)
    • Pixel dimensions- 120 x 120 pixels

[Project Description and Title]

• a. (.txt/ rtf/ doc files) Title : Author : Project Description : Medium : Print Size : Additional Info

• What is the story about in 1 line?
• What are the key elements of the story?
• Who is the hero of your story?
• Who are the antagonists?
• What is the conflict?
• What is the story climax?
• What is the order / sequence of your story?
• How can you tell a story with just pictures, or a collage of pictures.
• How can time interact with the page composition?
• Use either your own creation or recreate a well known movie/book storyline into a visual story.

Tip!http://www.mckeestory.com/outline.html

Option 1 : Digital art storyboard. (A comic book view of a story)

Create a Storyboard, similar to a movie storyboard that a director uses to establish the flow of the story. Due to nature of project keep in mind the amount of shots needed to convey your story. (Approx. 10 to 20 different key scenes ) Walt Disney studios developed the storyboard in the 1930s to provide a visual map thru the cameras eyes of the events that tell the story. Shortly after live action directors began to utilize storyboards to pitch their ideas in addition to the written script. Today storyboards are often used on any number of narrative project since it allows the flow and ideas to be refined and planned out.

Option 2 : Visual Metaphor/Narrative storytelling.

How can time be expressed in one single image. The challenge of this option will be to show progress/evolution or change over time primarily through the depiction of images. Visual metaphor series. Combine Photographs with other assets that have visual metaphors associated with them. Imagine the descriptive adjectives, verbs and nouns that can be conveyed with images.

Metaphors tell us much about those who use them. They provide insight into how these individuals view the world.

“the atom is like a solar system.”

Option 3 : Photography Series.

Develop a consistent series of work, similar to artist’s series that would be found in a museum or gallery. Often a series will share similar colors, contrasts, and overall appearance. Often series will focus on a singular topic that can be explored thru a variety of images.

Examples. Time. Emotions. Feelings. Places. People.

Problem Solving. Digital Tools offer improvements to capabilities and speed, but often digital artists and designers are forced to think creatively in order to meet project demands. By presenting yourself with a narrative challenge you will be more prepared for future time or story based projects. This final project will build on all of the previous skills and techniques.

Creative ways to show a story or visual narrative. Installation projects are possible, including Light boxes or interesting framing or arranging of design elements.

References :

• Visual Metaphor, Cultural Knowledge & the New Rhetoric
  http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/LIB/LIB8.html
• http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0941188108/
  Film Directing Shot by Shot : Visualizing from Concept to Screen
• http://www.thestoryboardartist.com/tutorial.html
  The Storyboard Artist’s Website

Create a 15 or 30 second GIF Animation utilizing Adobe ImageReady and Photoshop. NEW FEATURE: Photoshop CS2+ has animation pallette available in that program also. ImageReady works directly with Photoshop to provide additional tools to create and publish content for the web and add animation to your designs and layouts.

• Part 1 : Research 5 or more GIF Animations on the web and share with class.
• Part 2 : Develop sketches (characters, objects, etc.) that you wish to animate in sketchbook to work out any design or animation challenges. Utilizing Tracing Paper is highly encouraged to work with Onion Skinning techniques. Thumbnail sketches are required, and will be graded.
• Part 3 : Create finalized images of the same proportion and import these assets into separate layers of a Photoshop document. Utilize proper layer naming conventions and transfer the image to ImageReady.
• Part 4 : Animate Background & Foreground Elements position, scale, effects, opacity and other key frame-able attributes.
• Part 5 : Complete 15 to 30 seconds of Animation. Review the Timing and Visual Attributes. Decide if you could make any adjustments to make the animations more dynamic.
• Part 6 : Export smaller resolution / compressed GIF files from ImageReady to preview the animation in a web browser to ensure the playback smoothly and meet your artistic demands. Save optimized as a .GIF and Goto File>Export>Save HTML. To preview the document in a web page.

: Class Exercises :

• Transfering Media from Photoshop to ImageReady with the P.S.>I.R. Button (located in toolbar).
• Utilizing Photoshop Actions to batch process opened files, folders and speed up your workflow.
• Combining multiple images to create panoramic backgrounds.
• Simple Animation Exercise.
• Adobe ImageReady Techniques.
• One on one help | Class worktime.

: Project Challenges :

Project Technical Specifications.

Work with standard video resolution (720 x 480 w 0.9 pixel aspect ratio for TV or 640 x480 w 1.0 pixel aspect ratio for Computer)

Your final animation can be in proportion to this original dimension. Working at a standard TV resolutions will provide the creative possibilities that you will demand. The Frames per Second (fps) or Frame Rate does not need to exceed 12 frames. Film = 24 fps. TV = 29.97 fps. Extra info : Sport shows are shot up to 60 fps, but only some HD TV sets can play 60 fps in either progress or interlaced playback.

Preview & test the animation and your optimization settings in a web browser, (Firefox). Test with the default optimization settings but save an optimized version of your project in addition to the ImageReady Master PSD.

Project Artistic Specifications

Utilize Key Animation Components. Frame Sequences & Timing & Frame by Frame Animation. (Turning On & Off Layers at Specific Times)

Position Tween (Artwork changes position in between key frames)

Opacity Tween. Layer Effect Tween.

Animating Masking. Blending Pixel Data.

Selecting Multiple Frames. Duplicating Multiple Frames (Drag onto New Frame Icon) Work Gestural if the animation will be illustrated. Consider the benefits of creating a looping animated GIF. Could a looping animation be used for the web or TV?

Animation is currently undergoing a number of changes. 2D animation is being replaced by 3D animation. Flash Animation is approximately 10 years old. Aardman Animations clay animation “Wallace & Gromit” has turned into sucessful motion pictures. While animation is a changing field, characters and excellent storytelling are still King! While all of our previous projects have been designed to work as Prints this project will focus on final delivery thru a computer monitor.
Think outside of the box: The principals of animation can apply to a variety of project types ranging from web banners to TV text based animations. Timing, Composition and Forms are the key differences between a successful / expressive animation and a run of the mill animation. Students are encouraged to develop animation techniques that utilize a variety of methods including, hand drawn animations, photography based animations, stop motion based animations.

1. Project 5 : Part 1 (11/13/06 )
2. Project 5 : Gif Animation. Intro
3. Overview of Last assignments. GIF animation Intro 2.
4. ImageReady Introduction. Onion Skinning. Working with Animation.
5. Assignment 5: GIF Animation Part 1 Due.
6. Assignment 5: Part 2: Create your GIF animation. (11/20/06 )
7. GIF Animation Concepts & Ideas must be finalized and approved by instructor.
8. Gif Animations Work Week.
9. Final Project Discussion : Part 2 : Brainstorming ideas..
10. Discuss Final Project & Review Project Sheet.
11. Project 5 : Part 2 (due 11/27/06 )
12. Critique : Project 5 : Gif Animation.
13. Final Assignments: Work time. Meet with Greg about project ideas for final project.
14. Final Assignment : Visual Poetry / Narrative Design Focus Project.

Animation References :

http://www.animationlibrary.com/
http://www.animationfactory.com/

Learning Resources * Links:

http://www.insidegraphics.com/image_ready/default.asp
http://www.photoshoproadmap.com/Photoshop-tutorials/Animation-and-Interactivity/Most-popular/1/
http://www.graphicaddicts.net/forums/index.php/topic,550.0.html
http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/animation/animation.htm
http://www.virtualartroom.com/animation_IR_layers.htm
http://www.webreference.com/graphics/column9/index.html
http://www.greycobra.com/tutorials/making-an-animation-in-imageready/page-1.html
http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=37

: Project Focus :

Design Challenge : Poster Design : Magazine Cover Design : CD Case and Booklet Design.

Conceptualize and Design (1) Poster or (1) Magazine Cover for Fictious or non-fictious magazine (1) CD Case & Booklet & CD Label for actual or fictious Band or Singer.

Themes :

Political (Humor, Relevant, Historical, Futuristic) Realistic (Movie Posters, Magazine Covers) Stylized (Vector based art, strong use of color and form) Abstracted.

Style : Abstracted Style. Modern. 18th Century. 1960′s compared/contrasted to 1930s.

Posters Should be Focused on a single message. Use Graphics and images to tell the story; uses text only where clearly needed.

• An effective poster operates on multiple levels … source of information
• conversation starter
• advertisement of your work
• summary of your work

Many ineffective posters suffer from easy-to-fix problems, including … objective(s) and main point(s) hard to find

• text too small
• poor graphics
• poor organization

Planning…

What’s my message? (Develop a carefully crafted message. Main points and conclusions clearly.

Your poster should have a good visual balance of figures and text, separated by white space. Balance occurs when images and text are reflected (at least approximately) across a central horizontal, vertical, or diagonal axis. This axis is know as the axis of symmetry.
Headings – including the title, section titles, and figure captions – should …

Summarize. Use headings as opportunities to summarize your work in large letters. A hurried reader should be able to get the main points from the headings alone.
Organize Good headings are part of the visual grammar that helps move readers through your poster.
Be Hierarchical The more important the point, the larger the type.
Be Bold Make the strongest statements your research allows.

Technical & Artistic Guidelines.

SIZE REQUIREMENTS : minimum (11*17) (24*36) 18*24

• Use color to attract attention, organize, and emphasize – but don’t overdo it.
• Use a light color background and dark color letters for contrast.
• Avoid dark backgrounds with light letters – very tiring to read.
• Stick to a theme of 2 or 3 colors – much more will overload and confuse viewers.
• If you use multiple colors, use them in a consistent pattern – otherwise viewers will spend their time wondering what the pattern is rather than reading your poster.
• Overly bright colors will attract attention – and then wear out readers’ eyes.
• Consider people who have problems differentiating colors, especially when designing graphics – one of the most common is an inability to tell green from red.

Getting Started Ideas…
Movie Posters. Circus Posters. Political Ad Poster
Movie Poster Artists Gallery – Internet Movie Poster Awards.
http://www.impawards.com/designers/artists.html – Movie Posters.

Project Technical Specifications

This project must include vector/bitmap based artwork. Mixed Media is encouraged.
The project must be converted to CMYK color space before Critique.
Instructor will review all sketchbook entries for project. All logos must be scalable from Business card size to Billboard resolution. Logos must be on Transparent Background for reusability. Logos must be easily identified on both color and black and white print outs.

Project Artistic Specifications

Challenge yourself.

Project 4 : Part 1 (due 10/30/06 )

Research Five Posters, CDs, Magazine Covers, and be prepared to talk about what design elements make these pieces stand out.
Have all of your developed poster composition ideas in your sketchbook. Finish your color pallets selection.

Font Choices and Gather appropriate symbols.

SKETCHES WILL BE REVIEWED AND ARE REQUIRED ON ALL PROJECTS!

Project 4 : CRIT (due 11/13/06 )

• Finished Posters, CD Cases, Magazine Covers.
• File management / Archiving of digital assets & final piece.

: Project Focus :

Create Logos / Branding that meets the demands of today’s graphic design standards.

Letterhead, Logo, Envelope, Business Cards, Brochure, Postcards, Product Packaging, Box Design, Billboards, Websites, Video Clips, Product Packaging, Web Banner
Design. It’s when form meets function, when art greets science, and when marketing works together with communications that design becomes a truly effective, incredibly worthwhile tool for your business or organization. Your logo is an expression of your organization’s image and personality.
Create designs for a fictious design business, restaurant, club, t-shirt designers, band, store, corporation, agency, entertainment group, theater group or organization.

Ideas to think about: How important is product branding in our society?

DEVELOPING YOUR LOGO

SYMBOLS : Symbols are easy to recognize designs that have general meaning. The most successful symbols are simple and easy to understand. How can symbols represent Knowledge and Wisdom. How can symbols represent speed? How can symbols represent strengths or weaknesses. Danger? Lazy? Friendly? Steady?
FORM:
COLOR:
FONTS:
FINISHES:
PROPORTIONS :
CONTRAST:
REPETITION :
CONCEPTS :

Part 1. What elements will be incorporated into this logo and design?
Part 2. Overall Color pallets and Font Preferences.
Part 3. Explore Form, Color themes, contrast and images thru concept phase.
Part 4. Establish your Identity to help the organization attract new customers and keep existing ones. Reinforce this brand my making sure it meet the demands of color printing, grayscale printing, web graphics and large format versions.
Part 5. Develop Slogan or corporate message.
Part 6. Choose which elements your organization requires. (Stationary, Business Cards, Posters, Packaging, etc.) Choose 3 to 5 elements.

: Project Challenges :

Writing / Sketches and concept development is required in your sketchbook. By developing your ideas first on paper you will be able to work more efficiently and creatively.

Develop Sketches & Explore logos and branding identity. List descriptive words that your organization is founded on. List interests, market, long term goals. Choose an appropriate Color pallet for this project. Determine the correct dimensions and scale of commercial identity elements (Part 6).

Explore possibilities while building layers / Color / Text / and different elements that you want to incorporate into your design.

Work Requirements

: Applicable Tools :

Create Designs and Branding for a fictious organization. Create Designs and Branding for an existing organization, with instructors approval only.

Project Technical Specifications

This project must include vector/bitmap based artwork. Mixed Media is encouraged.
The project must be converted to CMYK color space before Critique.
Instructor will review all sketchbook entries for project. All logos must be scalable from Business card size to Billboard resolution. Logos must be on Transparent Background for reusability. Logos must be easily identified on both color and black and white print outs.

Project Artistic Specifications

Be creative and true to your self. Push the boundaries and think outside of the box.

• 1.A successful logo is usually very simple in design.
• 2.The logo is easy to understand, usually 2 or 4 colors are used.
• 3.Typography is presented simply and easy to read.
• 4.Drawing or symbol is often used.

Project 3 : Part 1 (due 10/16/06 )

• Research 5 organizations in your imaginery organization’s field and document their designs, font choices, color choice and design symbols.
• Develop your logo ideas in your sketchbook. Finish your color pallets selection. Font Choices and Gather appropriate symbols.
• File management / Archiving of digital assets & final piece.

Project 3 : CRIT (due 10/23/06 )

• Finished Logos.
• Logos and Color Choice
• File management / Archiving of digital assets & final piece.

http://www.form.uk.com/newsite/welcome.html
http://www.oswd.org/
http://www.shamplade.com/
http://www.design-agency.com/project/main.html

YourFullName_Project#_Part.fileextension ( .psd .tif .pdf .jpg .png )

• EXAMPLE: JaneDoe_P1_A.pdf = GREAT NAME.
• EXAMPLE: Shorty My Coolest new #$#$# artwork = BAD NAME (Too long, nickname useless to me, bad characters, no file extension)

File Save As .TIFF or PDF file using the following naming conventions.Please Place all Projects for the Critique in the following Network folder.

S32-18/Shared Network Storage Drive(STORAGE)/FNDDA1/P1Critique/

Go to My Network. Find General_Labs or My Network and locate the following machine. Log into the machines shared network volume and find the P1 Critique Folder.

What is a critique?

A critique is an oral or written discussion strategy used to analyze, describe, and interpret works of art. Critiques help students hone their persuasive oral and writing, information-gathering, and justification skills.

“Although I am not a painter, I think that the reductive quality of the spatial relationships verges on codifying the substructure of critical thinking.” – Critique Sample Quote

DESCRIBING THE WORK

• Describe the elements of the work (i.e., line movement, light, space).
• Describe the technical qualities of the work (i.e., tools, materials, instruments).

• Describe the subject matter. What is it all about? Are there recognizable images?

ANALYZING THE WORK

• How is the work constructed or planned (i.e., acts, movements, lines)?
• Identify some of the similarities throughout the work (i.e., repetition of lines, two songs in each act).
• Identify some of the points of emphasis in the work (i.e., specific scene, figure, movement).
• If the work has subjects or characters, what are the relationships between or among them?

INTERPRETING THE WORK

• Describe the expressive qualities you find in the work. What expressive language would you use to describe the qualities (i.e., tragic, ugly, funny)?
• Does the work remind you of other things you have experienced (i.e., analogy or metaphor)?
• How does the work relate to other ideas or events in the world and/or in your other studies?

EVALUATING THE WORK

• What qualities of the work make you feel it is a success or failure?
• Compare it with similar works that you think are good or bad.
• What criteria can you list to help others judge this work?
• How original is the work? Why do you feel this work is original or not original?
• Does this work meet all technical guidelines?
• Does this work meet all artistic guidelines?

************************************************************

Self-Critique Questions

1. What do you like best about your artwork?
2. What do you like least about your artwork?
3. What specifically would you revise on this project to improve it?
4. What techniques from the class lectures are you still having problems understanding?
5. Is your project stored in 3 locations? If so, please list the locations.
6. How many hours did you work on this project?
7. What letter grade would you assign to your project? Based on the syllabus & other student work.
8. How could the instructor improved this project?

: Project Focus :

Create 1 mixed media (Illustrator/Photoshop) self portrait, or two self portraits 1 with vector based art and 1 with raster based images.
Since the Renaissance, artists have used self-portraits to explore a basic question:
Who am I? While a mirror or a photograph can tell a person what he or she looks like, that physical image does not reflect the whole self. Self-portraiture insists the artist embark on a journey of self-exploration in order to make decisions about how to represent him/herself authentically.

For each self-portrait, the artist must ask: What expression, posture, clothing, background, colors, texture, and style best express the real me? Might those answers be different at any given time?
Artists have always had practical reasons for making self-portraits; for instance, they get a model who is always available and works for free; self-portraits are a good way for an artist to practice rendering different expressions and moods; and they can serve to advertise the artist’s skill to potential customers. Self-portraits may also represent an artist’s quest for immortality, as a way to leave behind an image that will outlive the artist. Additionally, a self-portrait can preserve a memory, serve as a gift, and even help an artist further understand him/herself.
Artists have often used art to examine themselves, their own experience and their identity. In the 21st century, thanks largely to digital technology, identity has become more fluid and has had an increased role in today’s society. We have chosen digital technology as the family of tools which can best express the structure and spirit of our modern identity ideas.
How has digital technology flared, perhaps frayed, the concept of identity in the new millennium. How can you addresses the evolution of identity by revealing the lies, and the
truth, in the image. How does our identity relate and differ from modern stereotypes of identity. What does it mean to be an artist during this time period? How will digital work be
valued and perceived by future generations of space invaders?

Ideas to think about:

How does time affect one’s identity? How does identity change based on perception. How can your values, or lack of values be shown? How does society mold your individual identity?
Why do Artists create Self Portraits?
How does Popular Culture relate to your identity?
Andy Warhol http://www.warhols.com/
Chuck Close http://calendar.walkerart.org/canopy.wac?id=1528
Van Gogh http://www.vangoghgallery.com/
Frida Kahlo http://www.fridakahlo.it/
Leonardo DaVinci http://www.mos.org/leonardo/

1. How do stereotypes affect your identity?
2. How does gender affect identity?
3. How does identity relate to technology.
4. What are the distinctive things that make me “me”?
5. How do I want people to see me?
6. How can I express my many different sides?
7. How can I reinvent myself for various purposes or times in my life?
8. How am I changing from day to day or year to year?
9. Who do I want to become?

: Project Challenges :

1. Writing / Sketches and concept development is required in your sketchbook. By developing your ideas first on paper you will be able to work more efficiently and creatively.
2. Develop Sketches & Explore personal identity.
3. List descriptive words that you associate with yourself.
4. List interests & goals.
5. Choose Color pallet for project.
6. Determine dimensions and scale.
7. Gather Photographs, items from nature or surroundings, build library of multimedia for use on this project. Magazine / Newspaper / Found Objects / Ink splatters
8. Explore scanning and imaging concepts, Scan your head. Take Macro Photographs of your head or your interests.
9. Revisit Sketches & Begin to revise your work either in your sketchbook or on the computer.
10. Compile ideas and elements, textures, patterns, designs, sketches, etc into Photoshop Master file.
11. Explore possibilities while building layers / Color / Text / and different elements that you want to incorporate into your design.
12. Group and Organize your layers to add complexity and overall

Work Requirements

: Applicable Tools :

• Scanners – wacom tablets – digital cameras
• traditional tools and mediums -ideas developed in sketchbook
• Text / Typography | CMYK Printing

( http://www.sutterprinting.com/sutterprinting/offset_printing.html )

Project Technical Specifications

This project must include vector/bitmap based artwork. Mixed Media is encouraged.
The project must be 8.5×11 or larger (larger is encouraged) and be able to print at a minimum resolution of 300 DPI.
The project must be converted to CMYK color space before Critique.
Instructor will review all sketchbook entries for project.

Project Artistic Specifications

Be creative and true to your self. Push the boundaries and think outside of the box.

Project 1 : Part 1 (due 10/02/06 )

• Initial Self Portraits due for 10/02/06. All traditional Materials must be scanned and
• incorporated into your master design document by today!!

Exercise P2E1: (due 10/02/06 )

• Examine & Document 5 Artists of the Past how have expressed their own identity in their work.
• Be prepared to present & discuss Images of these works to the rest of the class.

Exercise P2E2: (due 10/16/06 )

• Photo Restoration Exercise.

Project 1 : Part 2 (due 10/16/06 )

• Print for Critique DUE. Photo Restoration Due.
• File management / Archiving of digital assets & final piece.

************************************************************************

Who Am I? Where Am I? What Am I? Why Am I? How Am I?
Maybe the question was not as difficult to answer in traditional, village societies, where roles and responsibilities, beliefs and customs were rarely questioned. In today’s multiculural society this question raises some unique and important questions.

IDENTITY QUESTIONS QUICK START

• Male / Female
• Birthplace
• Race
• Nationality
• Beliefs
• Past History
• Present Experience
• Future Ambitions
• Internet ID
• Hobbies
• Academic Interests
• Personal Life
• Classmate Similarities
• Good Traits (Honest, Good Listener)
• Bad Traits (Lair, Ignorant)

CHARTING YOUR IDENTITY

Imagine that you are at the center of a series of rings. Each ring is a level of the relationships you have with others. Draw three concentric circles with a dot, representing you, in the middle.

The Family Circle

In the inner circle, list the people in your immediate family and your relation to them. For instance, you are a son or daughter to your mother and father, a sister or brother to each of your siblings. In addition, write down words that describe your relationship with each member of this ‘inner circle’. You may be loving and also rebellious to your parents. Maybe you are helpful, but also teasing to your brother or sister. See how well you can describe your identity within the family group. Grandparents and very close uncles, aunts, and cousins might be part of this inner group.

Think about roles that you play in this inner circle. Are some of them influenced by cultural traditions that are passed down through the generations? Do you treat your parents in ways that are expected of you because of those traditions? Are you expected to act in certain ways because of your position in the family?

A Circle of Friends (and Peers)

In the next circle, list friends and other peers. Some in this circle will be individuals, and some might be groups, like teammates, co-workers, or classmates. For each, find words to describe how you think you appear to them. What is your identity in these relationships? Are you a joker? A confidant? Do you think that you are trusted? Would some call you cool, a nerd, a leader?

How do the relationships in this circle affect your sense of personal identity? Do you feel any pressure to shape your identity to fit into this circle by what you wear, how you act, or what you say?

The Entire Universe

In the last circle, list the different ways that strangers might look at you. To some, you might appear as a typical teenager. What do you think that might mean to some people? Maybe you wear certain clothes or appear in ways that ‘define’ you in the big world as part of a subgroup, like a goth or a jock. What might some strangers think of you by your appearance? What words might they use to describe you?

What part does your racial or cultural identity play in the way strangers view you? Do assumptions that others have affect the way that you see yourself? Do you adjust your own behaviour and appearance because of judgements by people in this outer circle? Do they strengthen your sense of identity, or threaten it? Do you feel an increased pride in your cultural inheritance, or do you feel a little defensive about it – or both

: Project Focus :

: Develop Personal Style : Exploration into Media : Conceptualization : Composition : Repetition : Use of Color : Technical Merits : Artistic Merits : Use of Tools : Sketchbook : Critique & Public Speaking :

Creative Designs for the 21st Century. How does today’s art reflect the tools of the time? What does it mean to create artwork with a computer? Learn how to think creatively while approaching challenges as problem solving opportunities. Original and well executed ideas and explorations will be taken into account during grading.  These projects will allow you the freedom to further explore specific areas of interest and mixed media approaches are encouraged. The final piece will be an artistic exploration of 2D paint, image manipulation, and vector based artwork. This piece will be a Illustrator intense project, but you will never be limited to not using other tools and applications.

Writing / Sketches and concept development is required in your sketchbook. By developing your ideas first on paper you will be able to work more efficiently and creatively.

: Project Challenges :

Meaningful work
(What is art? What does art mean to you? Develop an understanding of why you create art?
How does technology influence art?)

metaphors

(Literal, Figurative) How does a picture say a thousand words?
Aristotle in Poetics: “[T]he greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor.” It is “a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars.”
-Examples of Metaphors

Consciousness

http://www.museumnetwork.com/features/07_06_highlight_warhol.asp

Personal experience

Use your sketchbook to gather your thoughts.

Art Styles

(Abstract, Futurism, Surrealism, Modernism, Calligraphy, Dada, Surrealism, Digital Art, Computer Graphics, Expressionism, Fantasy Art, Grafitti, Impressionism, Photography, Religious, Sculpture)
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/links/artstyles.html
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/
Why is Art History important to a modern artist?
Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.

Composition
http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=3275

What is Art?

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company states that art is:

• The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. states that art is:

• The fine arts are those which have primarily to do with imagination and taste, and are applied to the production of what is beautiful. They include poetry, music, painting, engraving, sculpture, and architecture; but the term is often confined to painting, sculpture, and architecture.

Source: WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University says art is:

• n 1: the products of human creativity; works of art collectively [syn: fine art] 2: the creation of beautiful or significant things; “he was a patron of art” [syn: artistic creation, artistic production] 3: the superior ability that is attained by study and practice and observation; “he had mastered the art of a great craftsman” [syn: artistry, prowess, superior skill] 4: photographs or other visual representations in a printed publication [syn: artwork, graphics, nontextual matter]

How can I generate ideas for creating art?

Learn about yourself and try to understand what you want to convey to your audience. What are your likes/dislikes? The sooner you learn about what drives you to make art the sooner you will be able to learn the meaning of your art.

Work Requirements

Tools Used

• scanners
• tablets
• digital cameras
• traditional tools and mediums
• develop ideas in sketchbook
• Text / Typography

Project Technical Specifications

• This project must include Vector based artwork! Mixed Media is encouraged.
• The project must be 8.5×11 or larger (larger is encouraged) and be able to print at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
• The project must be converted to CMYK color space before Critique.
  Instructor will review all sketchbook entries for project.

Project Artistic Specifications

• Choose a style to explore.
• Develop a concept and ideas to explore.
• Choose a color theme and create a color pallete
• Develop specific brushes and tools
• Explore unconventional methods and approaches to creating art

Project 1 : Part 1 (due 09/18/06 )

Project 1 : Part 2 (due 10/02/06 )

• Large Format Printing / CMYK color space / accurately matching monitor and paper color space
• File management / Archiving of digital assets & final piece.

1. Develop Sketches and begin to explore ideas that interest you in your sketchbook.
2. Take Photographs of everything for Project
3. Bring in materials and things to scan.
4. Bring in Digital Cameras to next class.

• Digital Art & Design 1 : Monday 2:15PM – 5:00PM / 6:00PM – 8:15PM
• Gund Building S32 computer lab, next to classroom 303
• Instructor : Gregory Wilson
• cell: 412.398.3656 (voice mail, VZNwireless)
• Contact form on wilgory.com : http://learn.wilgory.com (Online Class Resources : Papers)
• Office : FND Office/S32 Lab. Available by appointment. Send email.

__________________________________________________________________________

Foundations : Digital Studies 1 :

The first of two required computer arts courses in the Foundation program. This course focuses on developing confidence, skills and concepts for the visual exploration of digital media; basic instruction in computers and labs; design tools such as raster graphics, vector graphics and typography. Photoshop, Illustrator, and ImageReady are used extensively in this class. This course serves as the foundation for your future digital media projects by focusing on increasing technical and artistic knowledge in regards to contemporary issues related to Digital Arts and Design.

Course Goals & Objectives.

• Primarily focusing on technical proficiency and understanding new tools & programs.
• Develop confidence, skills and concepts for visual exploration of digital media.
• Developing computing basics & organizational skills. Using Computers as a tool as well as a medium.
• Develop sensitivity to use of color, typography, photography.
• Utilizing Vector & Raster based graphics with Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, & ImageReady).
• Integrating art theories and concepts with mixed media projects.
• Developing problem solving skills.
• Working within project guidelines and deadlines!
• Enhancing critiques & public speaking abilities.
• Learning how to work w/ teams & effectively collaborate on large projects
• Creating a foundation for future growth and specific areas of interest.

Attendance Policy

Since classes are held only once a week, attendance is critical, required and important. While I am more then willing to assist students outside of classes, I will not reteach lectures that were missed.
Attendance and participation in class critiques for all major projects is mandatory.

• 3 late arrivals and/or early departures = 1 absence.
• 3 unexcused absences will make your grade go down by one full letter grade.
• More then 3 unexcused absences will result in a failing grade.

Assignments for Digital Art/Design Classes

This class will have a variety of assignments. Some assignments will be writings, sketches and working on parts of larger assignments. These smaller assignments are graded, and are required to be due on time! For larger assignments, the design idea and concept of the project as well as the technical aspects of the project make up the grade.
This is a studio class, so be prepared to spend as much time outside of class on projects as you do in class.
Any assignment that is never turned in will receive a F. Late work will be graded, but will be penalized for being late.

Revisions to assignments are encouraged and will be at midterm, and the week before Academic Exam Week.

GRADES

Evaluation will be based on each student’s progress, assignments, classwork, homework. Your attendance, participation, and attitude during class discussions are also considered. Each assignments, and all assignments as a whole will be considered when determining your grade.
Key evaluation elements related to assignments.

• Concept / Idea
• Technical Aspect of the project
• The Aesthetics of the piece
• Class and Critique participation
• Attendance to all lectures
• Attendance to classes / studio time
• Participation in class & critiques
• In progress work, part of assignments.
• Your progress throughout the semester.

Grade Description

• A Outstanding work throughout all parts of the class
• B Good performance in which there has been a high level of achievements in most phases of the class.
• C Adequate performance in which a basic understanding of the class is demonstrated.

REQUIRED SUPPLIES

Books:

• 8.5x 11 sketch book required!!!
• Currently no Textbook is required.
• Folder for handouts, notes, etc..
• ruler, pens & pencils.
• Data & Media Storage (CD’s, DVD’s, Disks)
• Blank CD/DVD CD-R, DVD-R
• Zip Disks, External Hard Drives, Flash Drives, etc.
• All final projects must be archived and submitted on CD/DVD at the end of semester!!!

Please NOTE: You are responsible for backing up all projects and work for this class. I recommend having final pieces on more than one zip disk, and also on CD-r, DVD-r.
I cannot grade projects that have disappeared or have been erased. Please make multiple copies and test the integrity of the disks. You can count on a hard drive crashing, your CD getting stolen and your dog eating you flash drive. Back up often! This work will be essential to future Digital Arts and Design Studies classes and portfolio reviews required for acceptance into specific areas of focus.

Homework & Digital Art/Design Class

Where can I do my assignments?

G110 when there are no classes present. You can also work in room S-32 on 3rd floor (this room). Third option is to work in room 204K, which is in the McCullough Factory near the Art History Lecture rooms.

I highly recommend planning ahead, and check out the open lab schedule to see what open lab times work best for you.

Tutoring will be available if needed. Please contact me by email or phone as early as possible so we can schedule one on one time. Ask me questions, I’ll give you answers.

CRITIQUES

A portion of this class will be set aside for presentations and critical review of student work. The class will be given an opportunity to view the work produced.
Discussion will touch on conceptual, technical and aesthetic issues. Come ready to participate in the critiques and discuss all aspects of the work.

FINAL CRITIQUE WEEK

You must come to the final critique of this class and complete the final project to pass this class. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

Struggling with a Topic. HERE IS A GREAT WAY TO THINK ABOUT LEARNING!
Practice. Research. Explore. Ask questions. Watch Video Podcasts. Read Learning Books. Find inspirational artists online. Ask questions on Creative Suite web forum. Email instructor with plenty of time for response. (not day before it is due, won’t be answered on time)

Art & Design & Computers

Practice makes perfect. You will have to practice using the computer, using a program or learning quick ways to do things. The computer is a tool. We will be mastering our tools every class.
Computers are also a reality of today’s business and design worlds. We will explore ways that artists and designers use digital technology. Approach this class with an open mind, and explore how you can use this tools on projects and in future jobs.

Software & Programs utilized
Focus on preparing students to be ready for new challenges and new technologies.

1. Adobe Creative Suite
2. Scanner Software
3. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Applications & CD/DVD AUTHORING Tools
4. Operating System : File Navigation. Files Management. Lab Networking.

Best approach to learn a new program

• Help menus
• Manuals
• Web Materials
• Tutorials
• Ask Questions, participate in discussions. (Required learning techniques)

Experimentation Required. Play with design & animation programs. Experiment. Try new things. Open Applications and browse the web.

Safety

Students should be aware of eyestrain and fatigue resulting from sitting in front of the computer for too long. Take short breaks if you feel eye or wrist strain. It is a good idea to do hand and finger stretches before and while working.

RECOMMENDED TEXT BOOKS

View LIST OF BOOKS on class website (http://3d.wilgory.com)

CALENDER (As of 8/28/06 : SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

08/28/06

• Intro. Syllabus. Contact Questionnaire.
• Illustrator Basics.
• Coping files. Organizing Projects.
• Making PSD’s. .A’s. JPEG’s, etc..
• Assign Project 1: Exploring Shapes, Lines & Digital Design Possibilities. Start project.
• Assign Research 1 : Document 10 Digital Artists that utilize Creative Suite Applications.
• Assign Research 2 : Document 10 learning resources WWW, books, tutorials, podcasts, community forums, etc.

09/04/06

• Labor Day Weekend. No class.

09/11/06

• Illustrator Overview.
• Text / Illustrator / Pen Tool / Shapes
• Photoshop Basics.
• Intro to digital cameras.
• Intro to scanners.
• Intro to bitmaps, resolution, Color Modes
• Assignment: Finish Project 1 for following Week. Bring Print!

09/18/06

• Photoshop Overview. Illustrator Overview
• Layers, Groups, Shapes, Blending, Adjustments
• Brushes, Masks, Paths. Making Selections
• Critique Project 1
• Assignment 2: SELF PORTRAIT

09/25/06

• Photoshop in depth.
• Photography & Photoshop
• Panoramic Images
• Layers / Masks / Adjustments / Retouching / Tips / Filters
• Visiting Illustrator : Chris (3rd year Illustration Dept.) – How Digital Tools fit into his process.
• Assignment : Photo Restoration.

10/02/06

• Printing output : Intro to printing on transparencies, regular paper, and card stock.
• Combining Illustrator & Photoshop
• Live Trace. Smart Objects.
• Creating Selections.
• Work Week.
• Assignment 2 : DUE next week. For this CRITIQUE: bring a color print.

10/09/06

• Critique of Project 2 : Self-Portrait
• Student requested Topic Lecture.
• Project 3: Part 1
• Bridge. Templates. Color Printing.
• Student Requested : Reviews.
• Work Week

10/16/06

• Project 3: Part 2
• Assignment: Photo Restoration Due.
• Work Week.
• InDesign Intro. Creative Suite Tips & Tricks.
• Midterm grades are due at Registrar’s Office.
• Project 3 : DUE next week.

10/23/06

• Critique of Project 3.
• Assignment 4: Poster / DVD:CD Design.
• Overview of Poster Design / compilation CD design

10/30/06

• Project 3 Print Due.
• Assignment 4: Part 1
• WORK Week
• Create CD, Burning Audio CDs, creating CDs & designs.
• Advanced Topics and Techniques.

11/06/06

• Student Requested Lecture Series.
• Assignment 4: Part 2.

11/13/06

• Critique Project 4. CD compilation assignment.
• Overview of Last 2 assignments. GIF animation & Final Assignment
• Assignment 5: GIF Animation Part 1

11/20/06

• Gif Animations.
• ImageReady Introduction. Onion Skinning. Working with Animation.
• Final Project Discussion : Part 2 : Brainstorming ideas..
• Assignment 5: Part 2: Create your GIF animation.

11/27/06

• Critique : Project 5 : Gif Animation.
• Final Assignments: Work time. Meet with Greg about project ideas for final project.
• Final Assignment : Visual Poetry /Individual Design Focus Project.

12/04/06

• Work week for Final Assignment.
• Academic Examination Week.

12/11/06

• CRITIQUE Final PROJECT 6 : Visual Poetry /Individual Design Focus Project.
• Studio Critique Week.
• CRITIQUE & Turn in all Semester projects on CD,DVD.

Photoshop Paradise
Provides actions, books, filters, tips and techniques, and links to other good sites.

Plugins.com
Site providing lists and links to lots of plugin resources
http://conceptart.org

Photoshop Tutorials and Training
http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/tutorials/index.html
Photoshop and Illustrator Help
http://www.productdesignforums.com/index.php?showtopic=3985
Vecpix: Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, etc.
http://www.vecpix.com/tutorials/illustrator/
Marks Photoshop Tips
http://www.marksphotoshoptips.com/
Tutorial Outpost
http://www.tutorialoutpost.com/
Graphic Design Software Tutorials
http://www.designertoday.com/Tutorials.aspx
Adobe Illustrator Tutorials
http://www.huntfor.com/design/tutorials/illustrator.htm
Adobe Illustrator Tutorials, Essential Tecniques
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/illustratortutorials/
Photoshop Tutorials
http://www.sketchpad.net/
http://www.theispot.com/ – Illustration gallery, fine art illustration, fine art illustrators
http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/Illustrator/1 – Adobe Illustrator Tutorials
http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/Photoshop/1 Adobe Photoshop Tutorials
http://creativesuitepodcast.com/ Adobe Creative Suite Podcast
http://www.photoshopkillertips.com/ - Adobe Photoshop Killer Tips Podcast
http://www.totaltutorial.com/ – Total Tutorials
http://www.ndesign-studio.com/ – Design & Illustrator Resources
http://studio.adobe.com/search/main.jsp Adobe Resource Center / Tips & Tutorials
http://www.blinklist.com/codearachnid/illustrator+illustration/ – Discover the best illustrator sites!
Adobe Photoshop Killer Tips & Tricks Podcast
Adobe Creative Suite Podcast
http://www.sketchpad.net/illustrator.htm Mike’s Sketch Pad
http://www.ndesign-studio.com/resources/tutorials/ N. Design Studio
http://www.techtutorials.info/drzadill.html Computer Technical Tutorials
http://tutorialoutpost.com/ Tutorial Outpost Vecpix
http://www.vecpix.com/tutorials/illustrator/
http://www.huntfor.com/design/tutorials/illustrator.htm Hunt for Tutorials
http://www.khulsey.com/student.html Biorust
http://www.biorust.com/tutorials/browse/10/added/desc/1/
http://realdesignnetwork.com/blog/?cat=2 Real Design Network
http://photoshoptips.net/ Photoshop Tips
http://www.photoshopdigest.com/ Photoshop Digest
http://www.tutorialstreet.com/index.php Tutorial Street
http://www.artworld.si/articles-and-tutorials.art artworld
http://photoshoptutorials.ws/index.php Photoshop tutorials
http://tutorialarea.com/index.php Tutorial Area
http://andreibilan.blogspot.com/ Graphic techniques
http://www.sketchpad.net/illustrator.htm Illustrator Tutorials
http://tutorialoutpost.com/ Tutorial Outpost
http://Photoshop101.com
http://Photoshopsupport.com
http:// webmasterproject.com
http://photoshoptutorials.ws
http://www.codeorgy.com/tutorials.php
http:// tonguetied-designs.co.uk
http://design-core.net
http://tutorialman.com
http:// purephotoshop.com
http://idigitalemotion.com
www.graphic-design.com/photoshop
www.photoshopcafe.com
www.adobe.com/products/photoshop
www.planetphotoshop.com
Photoshop CS2 For Dummies by Peter Bauer.
The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices that Matter) by Scott Kelby.
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/illustrator/ss/sflivetrace_3.htm
http://www.2ginc.com/tutorials/illus01.html
http://www.deviantart.com/view/24762812/
http://www.designertoday.com/Tutorials/Illustrator/700/Bending.Reality.Adobe.Illustrator.Tutorial.aspx
http://www.creativecow.net/articles/kantorski_kevin/signature/
http://www.marksphotoshoptips.com/
http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/29314
http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/default.html
http://www.layersmagazine.com/
http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials.html
http://studio.adobe.com/search/main.jsp
http://www.phong.com/tutorials/
http://www.cyberinkdesign.com/tutor.htm
http://www.learning-offer.com
http://www.ndesign-studio.com/resources/tutorials
http://www.photoshopsupport.com
http://www.totaltraining.com
www.cbtplanet.com
http://apex.vtc.com
http://www.softwaretrainingtutorials.com
http://www.graphicsoft.about.com/od/photoshop
http://www.futurastudios.com
http://www.creationengine.com
http://www.graphic-design.com
http://www.digitalmediatraining.com
http://www.carijansen.com/tips/index.php
http://www.sketchpad.net/illustrator.htm
http://faystudios.com/illustrator/index.cfm
http://www.video-tutes.com/index.php – Video Tutorials
http://tutorialoutpost.com/ – Vector Drawing
http://www.vexels.net/tutorials.php
Big List of Tutorials and Resources
http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/graphics/graphics-software/graphicssoftware-adobeillustrator/listresourcesillus.html
Different Icons to Make
http://www.illustratortutorial.org All Adobe Tutorials
http://www.good-tutorials.com/top
http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/Photoshop/1
http://www.bellaonline.com/site/digitalartdesign
http://www.answers.com/topic/vector-graphics
http://www.digitalartmasterworks.com/
http://www.gorgeousgeorge.com/home.html
http://www.sculpture.org/documents/webspec/digscul/smith/smith.shtml
http://www.digitalartsource.com/index2.shtml
http://www.coroflot.com
http://www.portfolios.com Alisa Fung-graphic design
http://www.davidcarsondesign.com David Carson-graphic design
http://www.designtaxi.com/

I’ve had the pleasure to work mostly with both organized and unorganized artists and designers. I noticed that the later often realize the have to keep things simple by reducing chaos thru organization when it is too late, or near completing a project. In my opinion organization is first and throughout the project, not at the end or not just the beginning.

Organize your media (reels & bins) & master (reels & projects & DVD assets)
Develop a system that all of your editors and camera operators understand for archiving projects from intial shoots to b-roll to storage of master tapes.
Before/After a shoot label all of the footage in a systematic method.

[year]_[month (MM)]_[date (DD)].[Camera (A,B,C)_Reel (1,2,3)].[project name]

EXAMPLE : 2006_02_28.CAMA_R1.Filmname

When you Log and Capture you can enter these settings, and then the project files can be restored 6 months later, when the client wants their phone number changed or something similar. When you are working with a team you can easily reference a scene, or a shot number and everybody is one the same page.
Develop a folder structure for your organization, I have specific organized folder presets saved depending on the type of project I am working on. 3D animation and compositing project, has a slightly different structure then an editing project.

Organize your independent/small Production or new video departments just like the pros and you’ll be one step ahead of the competition. When project original reels and data DVDs are correctly labeled, stored and organized it will make your organization prepared for whatever challenges the future offers. A great example is the BBC’s web based video depository, where meta tags and great organize really allow for easy access.

Hopefully you enjoyed this mini-lesson. I find these core concepts to be essential in developing as an artist / editor. By combining a strong technical knowledge with great project managability, you can easily transform yourself from a FCP technician to an editor who focuses on the craft of storytelling. Which is what this is all about, “go imagine the possibilities.”

So let me remind you that I am not a programmer, just someone who is technically saavy and willing to read directions and posess a solid understanding of file systems and basic unix commands, MEL, LScript and perl. I will also point out that I do not work for a large VFX company that develops advanced pipelines, configurations and workflows that will never see the light of day or reach the ears of the public. With this said, I do understand the importance of technical knowledge and the power of scripting or even interface customization for any 3D artist. Finally, and most importantly, I have worked in production environments that were terribly designed and far from reliable or streamlined. While I invested personal time and energy to improve these issues, the final results were still far from what I originally envisioned, but better then before. The combination of strict deadlines and the fact that I would work on 2 to 3 projects at a time, made pipeline development a pipe dream. But I recently spent a week in January integrating additional tools and hopefuly time saving scripts to my own workflow. While my own developments are nothing compared to DD, Pixar, Dreamworks, etc… they are a step in the right direction. Hopefully this blog will discuss some of the benefits to enhancing the technical end of any production from independent to commercial as well as acting as a personal road guide to avoid potential problems.

The first part of this series revolves around Open Source, or free plug-ins, lightwave scripts, Mel Scripts, and Perl Scripts. Often these 3rd party items were created to overcome a pipeline inefficiency, so they are our friends.

Lightwave 8.5

I went to http://www.flay.com and did a search for Free Plugins and Lscripts for Modeler and Layout that were available for both Mac and PC. While my primary workstation is a Powermac, I understand that my next employeers workstation will probably be a PC. Therefore if there was a plug-in that was only avaible for the PC, or just available for the Mac it was passed up. I want to create a system that is streamlined and not full of bugs and potential downfalls. If I use a plug-in on a PC and when I have to render the scene on a mac and I am missing a plugin and the scene won’t load properly then I just wasted time.

While not everything is free, I don’t know what I would do without LW IFW Shaders for the Mac and PC ($89). IFW shaders really open up the possibilities of Lightwave’s procedural texturing system and procedural textures in general.

Modo

Go to http://vertexmonkey.com This site is the one stop place to get a hold of every 3rd party plugin, or perl script that will work with Luxology Modo. The author, (Steve) has everything organized into great categories and most of the scripts have a .gif animated thumbnail, making it easy to see everything in action! So far the beautiful thing about Modo scripts is that they appear to be platform independent. Hooray, finally someone figured that out!!! Thanks Lux!

Maya

Go to http://www.highend3d.com Maya is very robust when it comes to scripting and interface customization, so I tackled a specific part of my workflow that I wanted to enhance with the help of free scripts and tools. The area that I focused most of my attention on was Maya TD and Rigging scripts and tools. I also integrated a large shader collection, paint FX brushes and some custom tools, plug-in and Mental Ray Shaders. Mental Ray ROCKS!!

under construction….. link, revision and more to come soon. (i’m working on this blog for about an hour each morning I get a chance)

Hopefully this blog will showcase some of my own pipeline stregnths and intrigue future employeers who are interested in adding an artist to their team that is aware and knowledgeable of the current technical limitations and the solutions that are available. I find this to be important, because I don’t want to do tedious work or have to spend long hours just to get a project done, when it could have been completed already if I had a better workflow. Each of these programs have their own stregnths and weaknessness and hopefully some initial planning can set me on the road to focusing only on creating stunning digital art, storytelling, sculpting, drawing, movie scriptwriting, girls and life.

This blog is currently on hold until the official release of Lightwave 9, I want to document how I use multiple application’s strengths on any given project. Until then…

The topics covered in this website will all relate to my own experiences and professional and personal work.

Digital Content Creation Topics will include:

• 3d modeling (featuring Modo)
• Animation | character Rigging (feature Maya)
• Video Production
• Video Post Production | Motion Graphics (featuring Final Cut Studio, Adobe CS3 MC, Shake)
• Photography + Photo Workflows (Lightroom)