The Digital Resource Center

Here are links to a wealth of further reading and resources on computer graphics, care of Animation World Magazine and Visual Magic Magazine.

While Animation World Magazine highlights a facet of computer graphics or related fields almost monthly, Visual Magic Magazine is dedicated to it each and every month.

The Magazine Archives:

Visual Magic Magazine Article Archives

Animation World Magazine Article Archives

Previous SIGGRAPH '98 Coverage:

Dig This!

SIGGRAPH is coming with a host of eye-opening films. Here's a sneak peak.

Previous SIGGRAPH Coverage:

SIGGRAPH: Past and Present

Super hip SIGGRAPH was founded in the world of academia and military tests, far before visual effects were even considered. Joan Collins traces the growth of computer animation through the organization's conferences.

SIGGRAPH '97: Too Much to Do, See and Think in a Week Our SIGGRAPH review includes: an online version of the Computer Animation Festival, complete with Quicktime clips; a review of the Electronic Theater by Avi Hoffer; news of the week's most important announcements; and an industry survey.

The Films of SIGGRAPH '97: A Coming of Age

Avi Hoffer reviews this year's groundbreaking films from the Electronic Theater.

News from SIGGRAPH '97

Newshound Wendy Jackson brings us a comprehensive report on all of the new and exciting products and events that were announced throughout the week.

AWN Gallery of SIGGRAPH '97s Computer Animation Festival

We are also presenting as an extra special treat, our very own sampling of images, Quicktime movies, and notes from more than 30 of the films presented at SIGGRAPH's Electronic Theater.

Related Digital Reading:

E3: It's An Animated Year

What's new in the gaming world? Joseph Szadkowski gives us the lowdown on the new animation related games from 1998's E3.

Below the Digital Radar

Kit Laybourne muses about the evolution of independent animation and looks "below the radar" for the growth of new domains of digital animation.

How to be Furrific!

Bill Fleming takes us back in time and traces the history of computer generated fur and hair creation techniques through to today's sophisticated plug-ins and tools.

Rotoscoping in the Modern Age: Titanic

How did they create Jack and Rose's frosty breath? Marian Rudnyk describes the rotoscoping process that was used to bring the Titanic experience to life.

In Peril: France's 3-D Industry

Georges Lacroix's open letter to the French Minister of Economy, Finances and Industry and French Minister of Culture and Communication alerts us all to the peril that France's successful 3-D industry is currently facing, especially Lacroix's Fantôme which is in danger of closing. Available in English and French.

SGI: Simulating A Lot More Than Dinosaurs

Silicon Graphics, Inc. is the leader in simulation animation. From the military to medicine, Thor J. Mednick discovers how broad the applications are.

Animation in the CAVE

Josephine Anstey and Dave Pape describe the CAVE, an entertainment prototype that can best be described as a Star Trek HoloDeck precursor.

Simulation Animation: The Tools

We asked three companies, Magic Lantern Limited, Transom Technologies and Liquid Light Studios, to describe how they are utilizing animation in unexpected places and for unexpected purposes.

IMAGINA '98: Digital Becomes Integral

Stéphane Singier relates the events of IMAGINA '98, Monaco's digital showcase. Available in French and English.

Cruddy Sketches and a Red Pen: Pre-Production on Lucas Arts' The Curse of Monkey Island

Gaming pre-production is explained by Russell Bekins who spent a day visiting the dreamlike LucasArts Entertainment in California's Silicon Valley.

Who's Data Is That Anyway?

Gregory Peter Panos, founding co-director of the Performance Animation Society, describes a new frontier of dilemmas--the politics of performance animation.

Performance Animation: Behind the Character

Heather Kenyon goes behind the scenes of Medialab Studio LA to meet the people who create real-time animated characters by using a technique the studio calls "computer puppetry."

Digital Cinematography: A Good Place to Start Bill Fleming reviews Ben de Leeuw's Digital Cinematography, a book that discusses the art of storytelling in 3-D animation.

The New Maya Sets Sail

On February 1, 1998, Alias|Wavefront is beginning to ship their latest animation software, Maya and Maya Artisan. Max Sims is here to tell us how it compares and what we can expect from this new tool.

Liquid Light Studios Says, 'Olé!' to Mexico's Pronto

Julie Pesusich, of Liquid Light Studios, discusses the formation of a startup CGI company and their current project with Mexican director Jorge Ramirez-Suarez.

Writing for Visual Effects: It's the Story

The worlds of live-action and animation are colliding in today's effects-driven blockbusters. Christopher Zack goes on location to see how this is influencing the craft of screenwriting.

Digital Illusion: Entertaining the Future with High Technology What can we do to gain some much needed perspective on the dizzying world of digital entertainment? For starters, Dan Sarto reports on a book we all need to read.

Tools of the Trade: What Do I Need to Create Interactive Games?

Interactive producer Tim Samoff describes his favorite tools for making interactive games.

The Digital Studio Challenge: A Catch 22

Take a look to see what representatives from Rhythm & Hues, Fantôme, Neurones Animation and Pacific Data Images have to say about staying on the cutting edge.

Animation and Visualization of Space Mission Data

We have all been glued to our television screens, amazed by the images of Mars that are being beamed thousands of miles through space. How do they do that? William B. Green and Eric M. DeJong from the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory explain.

Don't Believe Your Eyes

It is real, or is it animation? Bill Hilf explores the aesthetic implications of our new digital realm.

Going Digital and Loving It

Traditional animator Guionne Leroy describes her first digital experience. Currently working on a new clay short, she is shooting it with a digital camera and having a blast with the new opportunities.

Computer Animation 101: A Guide for the Computer Illiterate Hand-Animator

Jo Jürgens answers everything you ever wanted to know about basic computer animation but where afraid to ask. Think you don't know enough to hired? Think again.

2-D and 3-D: Together For The Better

Sean MacLennan Murch describes how companies are integrating 2-D and 3-D animation in order to obtain the best of both worlds.

John Whitney, Computer Animation Pioneer

William Moritz profiles the career of John Whitney and his significant contribution to computer animation.

CGI: A Rich Country's Toy

Computer animation is prevalent in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France and Japan, but what about the rest of the globe? Olivier Cotte investigates...

Digital Animation Programs: Three School Profiles

With digital animators being the hottest commodity on the market, AWM profiles three schools that have recently received major donations from leading corporations. Mike Scroggins profiles CalArts. Dr. Richard Weinberg discusses USC's program, while Robin King describes the Sheridan College experience.

The Whitney Archive

Michael Whitney relates a few of his father's ideas and achievements and his own hopes to fulfill his father's dream of creating an official archive of films and materials.

On A Desert Island With...Digerati

Computer animators Steve Williams, Webster Colcord and Doug Dooley reveal their top ten animated films.