Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Updated to 3.5.25G

3.5.25A:
  • Enabled materials/masks painting (still slow on big maps, will be resolved very soon)
  • UI improvement - you will be able to exclude almost any UI elements that you are not using - http://t.co/4Uimmq6h (see [Customize] button).
  • New voxel export option - "File->Export projected quads" - alternative high quality quad only voxel export
  • Enabled "VoxCleanup" command in retopo menu just for experiment - it is tesselation that works like "dynamesh" in zBrush (done many months ago). Probably it is better to remove it from there and place just in export, but Andrew will consider it later.
  • Fixed problem of painting with big brush near symmetry plane, using material.
  • Important instability issue in Paint room solved
3.5.25B:
  • Dependence parameters restored, CustomizeUI button moved to main menu point: "Windows"
  • Serious problem related to Res+ fixed
  • Ignore back faces will work correctly with eraser.
  • When a 3B file will be saved, 3DC creates a jpg with a preview in the same folder. When opening, the JPG-s will be visible too. Clicking on them will open 3B file.
3.5.25C:
  • Painting over big materials/masks will be fast now. Optimization done.
  • Even if UI element is hidden with new "Customize UI" mode it will be accessible through the hotkey.

    Version updated to 3.5.25G to solve names problem
      • You will be able to edit spline points position & radius - http://t.co/cjEhOWp1 
      • File open/save with preview and dots problem solved
      • Fixed problem of fill tool preview scale, when you are filling with pattern in "UV mapping" mode.
      • Important impovement to simplify baking process: There is new option in Retopo menu to bake retopo layer only over voxel layer of the same name. There is also a "Check correspondence" button in retopo menu to simplify finding correspondence.
      • Baking memory consumption decreased a lot.
      • Holes in LC fixed, but no major update there, please wait until version 3.5.26 
      Download the current beta here: Wanna have it...

      Monday, September 26, 2011

      3D Coat BETA Update - Version 3.5.25

      Updated to 3.5.25

      • LC updated. All tools are still in very beta stage. Some of them may be removed or essentially changed later
      • Andrew made the possibility to point over materials and masks directly in 3D-Coat - http://bit.ly/oY8ojw
      • Andrew created a realtime preview for Sketch tool. You will see summary volume immediately while painting. It works without any lag or slowdown. It is still not fully optimized, so painting over the really big images may be slow. It will be resolved very soon.
      • A smarter edge picking algorithm for retopo room were implemented. If an edge is under surface, it will be picked. But backface edges will not be picked. Simple illustration of the changes - http://bit.ly/o9U17Q 
      • Autopo improved - manual strokes will only partially influence edgeflow - only areas close to stroke bound sphere will be affected. It is important because previously adding even one stroke was discarding all original curvature surface info. So correcting autopo results was really annoying in some cases. Now strokes will have local influence.
      • Transform gizmo issue fixed - http://bit.ly/n1ru6U 
      • FBX export issue solved - http://bit.ly/qTkrlB 
      • Important change: perspective center will be on the center of viewport, not on whole window center as it was before.http://bit.ly/owqPie
      • Smooth & freeze issue fixed - http://bit.ly/oXc5cQ 
      • The problem of pose tool over non voxelized object resolved - http://bit.ly/pwIkv9
      • Solved problem of incorrect showing of the symmetry plane in Voxel room.
      • Rendering issue solved - http://bit.ly/mZBzog 
      • Pose tool with "Through all volumes" issue solved - http://bit.ly/qYZI1I 
      • fixed: drawing with E panel modes was hanging sometimes on very close look to model.
      • fixed: grow & smudge brushes was incorectly working with masks and symmetry.
      Download the current beta here: Wanna have it... 

      Insider news: liveClay development infos

      Farsthary has published some information about the current status of live Clay. One of the very interesting features is to avoid polygon melting while sculpting. Yes, you are reading right, Polygons are NOT intersecting and melting together while you are sculpting. This is something really new and a great feature for sculpters. With avoiding intersections, there comes some more tools to heal intersections or melt them partially, at any time! So you will be able to switch between melting(intersecting) or nonmelting.

      The development of this feature is in an early stage,  but already shows the improtant possibilities of this method. Here an example video:

      Nonmelting sculpting:


      You will find more hot new videos on Farstsharies blog: Wanna see it...

      Friday, September 2, 2011

      Insider-News: Paint masks and projections directly in 3D Coat

      Did you ever wished to paint or modify your masks and projections directly in 3D Coat? This will be possible soon:


      What is this good for?
      • You can paint your masks or projection images directly inside 3D Coat.
      • You can modify existing masks or projections.
      • You are are not forced to move into a 3rd party painting tool to make any mask or projection changes.

        Thursday, September 1, 2011

        Featured artist for september: Pavel Lazovskiy



        A warm "Hello" to all readers of my small blog!

        Today we travel to the eastern europe, not far away of one of the world biggest metropoles: Moscow! My interview partner Pavel Lazovskiy is living in Pravdinskiy, not far from the Russian capital. Some of you may know Pavel under his nickname "Palsan".

        But enough words, let's start the interview.

        Yours
        Chris


        The artist
        Pavel, how old are you?
        I am 32.

        Where are you currently living?
        Now I live in Russia, city Pravdinskiy, Moscow region

        What are you doing, when you switch your PC off? Do you have other hobbies?
        It happened that 3D is a job and hobby at once, so I spend a lot of time with PC. Recently I began to devote more time to painting. I am relaxing on the sofa with drawing tablet in the hands and painting new sketches. As well I got involved with photo. It's an incredible thing. So many beauties around us.
        I started not long ago and recently have bought my first reflex camera Nikon D3100. As well I like instrumental music and am engaged in kundalini yoga. Yoga is something special. It's not a secret that long work with computer affects health. Yoga helped me with my old sports injuries and maintains my health now. In this mad world it gives a chance to be alone sometimes. I recommend it to all 3D artists and office workers as well. :))

        About the work
        Pavel, how did you get the idea to be an digital artist, why digital?
        I got acquaintance with digital media in 2003. That time I worked for a company selling Italian furniture.
        It was a difficult time for me. I dealt with furniture during 5 years and that work annoyed me. I began to think about something new. Once I remembered that I saw “knowledge of 3D MAX” demand in the application form of some company. So I bought a book ”3D MAX 4” and began my first study 4th February 2003 (Even now remember :) ). Then I realized that it will be my future. In a couple years I left my furniture company and began to work with architectural visualization first like freelancer then in a design studio. It took 5 years. And now I like to create characters. It’s cool!! To invent it, to make an image and to give him a temper… It has much more sense for me than just a simple modeling. I am excited to create from scratch for myself though at work I usually use references.

        As well I think that a 3D artist should have not only painting talent but some technical eye as well. My mam has artistic talents, she played in a theatre and wrote poetry. But my dad is a technical man. So I have both – humanitarian and technical skills and this helps me a lot.

        In general digital media – is excellent! I have possibility for creation anywhere and any time (even now, while my daughter is sleeping in the hotel :) )


        Do you have a special aducation in arts?
        In my youth years I finished Child Artistic school and later Professional Artistic lyceum. After the military service I graduated from Russian International Tourism Academy. As well I finished 7 different design and animation courses with a study time from a week till 9 months and I have 3D-Coat Certified Instructor status.

        Are you employed or do you work freelance?
        I worked as a employee in a game and architectural studios and created advertising content and animation. Now I am a freelancer.

        Which recent projects were the most important for you?
        One of the most important project for me was "Orc". I made it from scratch. There were a lot of mistakes during the process but I understood what I SHOULD NOT do. The more difficult task you create the more professional skills you gain as a result. So now "Orc" is one of my favourite characters.


        Which project was a particular challenge for you?
        The current project I am involved :) I promised my wife to win the competition :)) That character is a woman in steampunk style. If I will not win I should buy a new dress for my wife :))

        Where do you get your ideas from?

        I have a see of ideas in my head and they are constantly arriving more and more.. Usually I take them from books, movies and works of different artists . I like a lot historical and fantasy films on HBO channel. As well “Spartak. Blood and sand” and others serials. It’s a fantastic reference supplier.

        Are you working with references or is all your work from imagination?
        First I start from imagination. Then I collect references, photos, images, movies frames. I like historical authenticity of the character, weapon and clothes.


        What are your plans as an artist for the future?
        I have some plans for the future development:

        1) To improve my knowledge in anatomy of people and animals.

        2) To improve eye attractiveness of characters, to make bright and memorable images

        3) To perfect my animation knowledge and skills.


        Which software are you using for your work, and which hardware?
        Usually I have I5 processor, GeForce 570 video card and 8Gb 1333 cash. As well 22” monitor and drawing tablet Wacom Bambo Fun A5. My working soft is Softimage for modeling, Zbrush for sculpting and 3D-Coat for retopo, texturing and UV mapping.

        Which tool do you like the most and never want to miss?
        I like all Apps above. They manage their correspondent tasks perfectly!

        The portfolio
        If you have a personal website, please give us the weblink.
        pavellazovskiy.com - portfolio
        pavellazovskiy.blogspot.com - blog