Hot Software How-Tos
How To: Create a basic hand rig within MAXON Cinema 4D
This tutorial covers the C4D rigging system, applying it a model of a hand. It goes from start to finish covering all the different aspects of the technique. Whether you're new to MAXON's popular 3D modeling application or are just looking to get better acquainted with Cinema 4D and its various features and functions, you're sure to enjoy this free video software tutorial. For more information, and to get started using this trick in your own Cinema 4D projects, watch this 3D modeler's guide.
How To: Use borders in MS Word 2007
To use borders in Microsoft Word 2007, you begin by clicking on the Page Layout tab. Next, click on Page Borders. This will open a window. Page borders will border the entire page. You are able to custom choose the width of the lines, the style of the border, or the color of the border. The color drop down menu will allow you to choose automatic colors or custom colors. You can also choose to remove one or more of the sides. You can decide which pages to add borders to, as well. There are als...
How To: Merge channels to create an alpha channel in Photoshop
One of the oldest, most abstruse, downright incomprehensible commands in Photoshop, Calculations lets you merge two channels to create a new alpha channel. Learn it: It's the backbone of masking. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular raster graphics editing software or a seasoned professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-ste...
How To: Reset and purge in Adobe Photoshop CS4 or CS5
Deke gets things started with a pair of options that can clean out Photoshops plumbing when things get clogged up: Reset and purge. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular raster graphics editing software or a seasoned professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.
How To: Stroke keylights in Adobe After Effects CS4 or CS5
This quick After Effects video tip will show you how to stroke a bitmap using Keylight and Solid Composite. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular vector editor or a seasoned graphic arts professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.
How To: Use Biped to do motion capture in 3DS Max
Causing World of Warcraft characters to do what you want them to do in your machinima film can be a major challenge. Motion capture is one useful tool that you can use to solve the problem. This video will teach you the basics of using the Biped plugin for 3DS Max to animate WoW characters with motion capture data. Give your models the realistic stride that they've deserved all along.
How To: Import an object from one scene to another in Maya 7
Learn how to import objects from one scene into another in Maya 7 or later. Whether you're new to Autodesk's popular modeling software or a seasoned 3D artist just looking to better acquaint yourself with application and its workflow, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed instructions, watch this free video guide.
How To: Create and edit Shape Keys in Blender 2.49b or 2.5
This clip offers a few quick tips on how to create, edit and otherwise manipulate Shape Keys when using Blender 2.49b or 2.5. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular 3D modeling program or a seasoned graphic artist just interested in better acquainting yourself with the application, you're sure to be well served by this free video tutorial. For more information, including detailed instructions, take a look.
How To: Use the IPO Curve Editor in the Blender 2.49 sequencer
Here's a quick tip on using the IPO Curve Editor in the Sequencer in Blender 2.49b or 2.5. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular 3D modeling program or a seasoned graphic artist just interested in better acquainting yourself with the application, you're sure to be well served by this free video tutorial. For more information, including detailed instructions, take a look.
How To: Create fog and clouds in After Effects CS4 or CS5
This clip covers an easy method for creating semi-realistic fog inside of After Effects with nothing but a Photoshop document! Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.
How To: Create simple animated text with a mask in Flash CS4
Creating Flash animation is one of the most popular ways for beginning digital animators to cut their teeth. This video will teach you how to animate one fairly basic effect in Flash CS4, making text write itself out using a mask layer. For Flash beginners, this is a great way to make your text appear more dynamically until you become advanced enough to record dialogue.
How To: Create a 360 view using Flash CS3
360 degree panoramic viewers are a staple of all kinds of websites from real estate to auto sales. This video will teach you how to create a a 360 degree view that will display on your website using Flash CS3 and Actionscript 3. Don't restrict your users to just one photo, let them see all of whatever you're showing them with the tools your learn in this video.
How To: Highlight dates falling within a given year in Excel
New to Microsoft Excel? Looking for a tip? How about a tip so mind-blowingly useful as to qualify as a magic trick? You're in luck. In this MS Excel tutorial from ExcelIsFun, the 633rd installment in their series of digital spreadsheet magic tricks, you'll learn how to create conditional formatting that will highlight the dates within a given year using the Year Function and Mixed Cell References in a logical TRUE-FALSE formula.
How To: Use text as a mask in Photoshop CS3
Photoshop is the photo-editing software of choice for just about everyone these days. It is very complex; but you're in luck! We have many videos here on site dealing with how to use Photoshop's many functions. This video will teach you how to display a picture inside of text by using masking. The effect is very cool, and sure to zest up your website or film.
How To: Create and use Light Groups in LuxRender and Blender 3
This clip presents detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to work with Light Groups in LuxRender and Blender 3. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular open-source 3D computer graphics application or are a seasoned digital artist merely on the lookout for new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this free video software tutorial. For more information, including step-by-step instructions, take a look!
How To: Use World of Warcraft model viewer with After Effects
World of Warcraft, or Wow as it is affectionately known, is the most popular MMORPG of all time. In the wake of all of this popularity, WoW characters have become a popular subject for machinima, movies made within video games. This video will teach you, the budding machinima filmmaker, to use a piece of software called WoW Modelviewer with Adobe After Effects to incorporate your favorite WoW characters into a video.
How To: Make a slideshow using Fireworks CS4
Adobe Fireworks is a powerful vector graphics editing tool for creating Flash websites. It has many powerful functions, just one of which you will learn how to use here. This video explains how to make slideshows (or image galleries for the web-savvy) that will display on your website. Making slideshows in Fireworks is easier than doing so in some other programs, so if you're lucky enough to have it watch this video and then get those photos organized!
How To: Achieve a 2.35:1 aspect ratio in Final Cut Pro
When it comes to filming a great movie, having a great creative vision is just as important as more practical aspects of cinema, like how to employ film editing programs for the perfect widescreen shot or a camera jamb arm for stunning overhead shots.
How To: Create, align, and sync 3D image planes in Maya
This video from accredited Maya 3D instructor Andrew Klein is a part of his wonderful series of videos covering different aspects of 3D digital art. It covers how to use Photoshop and Maya together to create, align, and sync image planes properly. Take some pictures of your cell phone and get started!
How To: Set up and manipulate action constraints in Blender
This Blender tutorial discusses how to set up action contraints, where you can use a bone to control things like finger curl/expand, or something more advanced, like facial expressions. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular open-source 3D computer graphics application or are a seasoned digital artist merely on the lookout for new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this free video software tutorial from the folks at CG Cookie. For more information, including ste...
How To: Use interaction presets in Blender
This clip presents a general introduction to Blender's useful built-in interaction presets. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular open-source 3D computer graphics application or are a seasoned digital artist merely on the lookout for new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this free video software tutorial from the folks at CG Cookie. For more information, including step-by-step instructions on how to use these presets in your own Blender projects, take a look! ...
How To: Model the topology of a human head in Blender
Arguably the single most important aspect to modeling is topology. This overview tutorial takes a look at the topology of the human head, examining each of the main edgeloops, poles, etc. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular open-source 3D computer graphics application or are a seasoned digital artist merely on the lookout for new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this free video software tutorial from the folks at CG Cookie. For more information, including s...
How To: Model interiors using Maya
Maya is one of the most powerful 3D asset creation programs in the world. It is also fantastically difficult to use. This seven-part video will teach you how to model an interior environment using Maya. All this video covers is modeling, nothing on lighting or any of the other features in Maya, but it is very detailed and should have you modeling like a pro!
How To: UV unwrap a full human body in Blender
In this Blender 2.5 video tutorial, you'll see how to UV unwrap a full, stylized female character. The tutorial covers creating seams, unwrapping, pinning and techniques to reduce stretching. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular open-source 3D computer graphics application or are a seasoned digital artist merely on the lookout for new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this free video software tutorial from the folks at CG Cookie. For more information, includi...
How To: Create threaded models with Blender's screw modifier
In this quick Blender 2.5 video tip, you'll see how you can use the Screw modifier to quickly create threaded objects or springs. This method is non-destructive and very quick to use. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular open-source 3D computer graphics application or are a seasoned digital artist merely on the lookout for new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this free video software tutorial from the folks at CG Cookie. For more information, including step-...
How To: Combine two rigs into one in Blender
This clip offers a trick for combining two rigs into one and demonstrates how to adjust the settings in the new rig to conform to the settings in the original rig. Whether you're new to the Blender Foundation's popular open-source 3D computer graphics application or are a seasoned digital artist merely on the lookout for new tips and tricks, you're sure to be well served by this free video software tutorial from the folks at CG Cookie. For more information, including step-by-step instructions...
How To: Use particle flow in 3D Studio MAX
Particles are tiny images in 3D graphics that are essential to creating clouds, fire, and various other effects. This three-part video will teach you how to use particle flow in 3D Studio MAX to create particle images in your 3D graphics. Expand your repertoire of effects by watching this video.
How To: Make a waving flag animation in Apple Motion 4
Learn how to make a rippling flag animation in Apple Motion 4. Whether you're new to the Apple's popular motion graphics editor/compositing application or simply wish to get a little bit better acquainted with Motion 4, you're sure to find value in this tutorial. For more information, including step-by-step instructions, take a look.
How To: Format reports with the Layout view in MS Access 2010
Learn how to use the Layout view option when working in Microsoft Access 2010. Whether you're new to Microsoft's popular database management application or a seasoned MS Office professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the Access 2010 workflow, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, and to get started using the Layout view in your own Access projects, watch this free video guide.
How To: Creating data-entry forms in Microsoft Access 2010
Learn how to create data-entry forms when working in Microsoft Access 2010. Whether you're new to Microsoft's popular database management application or a seasoned MS Office professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the Access 2010 workflow, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, and to get started using data-entry forms in your own Access projects, watch this free video guide.
How To: Change the pitch & formant of your voice with Audacity
Want to disguise your voice? With Audacity, it's a simple process. And this clip will show you precisely what to do. Whether you're new to computer recording, new to the Audacity DAW (digital audio workstation) or just looking to pick up a few new tricks, you're sure to benefit from this video software tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video Audacity lesson.
How To: Convert an mp3 file to wav format with Audacity
Want to convert an MP3 to a WAV? With Audacity, it's easy! And this clip will show you just how it's done. Whether you're new to computer recording, new to the Audacity DAW (digital audio workstation) or just looking to pick up a few new tricks, you're sure to benefit from this video software tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video Audacity lesson.
How To: Create an "Annoying Orange" in Adobe After Effects
Create an "Annoying Orange" to call your very own with this digital video guide. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.
How To: Create Sherlock Holmes-style movie titles in Cinema 4D
Want to recreate the look of the titles used in Guy Ritchie's 2009 adaptation of Sherlock Holmes? See how it's done with this Cinema 4D lesson. Whether you're new to MAXON's popular 3D modeling application or are just looking to get better acquainted with Cinema 4D and its various features and functions, you're sure to enjoy this free video software tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this 3D modeler's guide.
How To: Use corner pinning in Holomatrix for After Effects
Many science fiction feature films and TV shows feature holographic communication and interfaces. Specifically, this video addresses how to use corner pinning within Holomatrix. Red Giant Holomatrix allows you to easily recreate that effect with just a few clicks. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with Red Giant Holomatrix, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial...
How To: Draw vector graphics with MXML in Flash Builder 4
Learn how to create vector graphics using MXML when working within Adobe Flash Builder 4. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular Flash IDE (previously titled Adobe Flex Builder) or simply wish to become better acquainted with the program, you're sure to find benefit in this free video software tutorial. For more information, including specific, step-by-step instructions, take a look.
How To: Make a song acapella using Audacity
Highly produced and vocoder-heavy songs are the musical signs of our time, but there's nothing that beats the raw power of an a capella tune. If you want to make a song you recently recorded (or a song you like) a capella, then watch this tutorial.
How To: Apply transparency to objects in AutoCAD 2011
See how to apply a transparent texture to design objects in AutoCAD 2011. Whether you're new to Autodesk's popular 3D drafting application or a seasoned professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the newest iteration of the program, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.
How To: Animate growing vines in After Effects CS5
Learn how to use After Effects CS5 to create a simple growing vine animation. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with CS5's new features, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, and to get started using this neat effect in your own AE projects, watch this free video guide.
How To: Create template-based web pages in Dreamweaver CS5
Learn how to save time by generating custom templates in Dreamweaver CS5. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular WISYWIG HTML editor or a seasoned web developer just looking to better acquaint yourself with the Dreamweaver CS5 workflow, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, and to get started using templates in your own Dreamweaver projects, watch this free video guide.