The Gnomon Workshop has release three DVDs by acclaimed artists Taron, Zack Petroc and Keith Thompson, covering organic modeling, art direction and character design.
"Once again, we at the Gnomon Workshop have been privileged to work with some of the industries top talents," stated Alex Alvarez, director of Gnomon. "I have admired Taron's digital creations for over a decade, amazed by his technical and aesthetic virtuosity. His DVD highlights modeling efficiency and workflow, and while he uses LightWave, I found all his techniques to also translate directly into Maya."
"Zack Petroc is simply a pleasure to observe and listen to," continues Alvarez. "His first DVD on HUMAN ANATOMY WITH ZBRUSH was a milestone in digital sculpting education and has been widely hailed as a critical lesson for all to watch and absorb. This new DVD is no different in its depth, clarity and vision. Now using Mudbox, Zack gives us a thorough lesson on the software as well as his methods for box modeling a low-res cage in Maya. But the core beauty of the lesson is the focus on art direction and design: how to balance your forms, rhythm and anatomy while staying true to the narrative background of the creature."
"Keith Thompson, a wonderfully talented artist, has created a DVD that shares his sketching, design, drawing and digital finishing techniques," added Stephen McClure, producer for The Gnomon Workshop. "His unique style is bold and beautifully rendered with exceptional range. This DVD focuses on the design of a napoleonic zombie, rife with decayed flesh, exposed organs, rotting period costume and accessories. It is a joy to watch and learn from."
DVD Descriptions:
* THE SECRETS OF ORGANIC MODELINGLIGHTWAVE MODELING TECHNIQUES WITH TARONTHE SECRETS OF ORGANIC MODELING is a complete introduction to Taron's modeling methodology for subdivision-based geometry. His techniques allow for an extremely quick workflow and lead to a high level of control. Taron covers every step of the process in this head modeling demo including initial layout, adding details, controlling topology and fine-tuning proportions. Known as one of the fastest and most efficient modelers in the industry, watching Taron work will benefit both students and professionals alike.
* THE DIGITAL MAQUETTE, VOLUME ONEART DIRECTION AND DIGITAL SCULPTING WITH ZACK PETROCThis title presents an innovative and direct approach to 3D content creation. Petroc demonstrates a Maya-to-Mudbox workflow, outlining the advantages of digital sculpting and showcasing the benefits it can offer your design team. The workflow is presented with the artist in mind. It highlights specific tools and techniques focusing on how they add to the creative freedom of your design process. As Petroc creates two characters from the initial box mesh to final sculpted pose, he discusses how to define your character from both an art directing and digital sculpting perspective. This lecture is intended for art directors and production designers who are interested in discovering how digital sculpting can add to their creative process. Additionally, it presents information for artists who are interested in growing their skills as digital sculptors.
* CHARACTER DESIGN TECHNIQUESTRADITIONAL TO DIGITAL PROCESS WITH KEITH THOMPSONIn this DVD, Thompson reveals his process for taking a zombie creature concept from a thumbnail sketch to the finished drawing. He demonstrates each step, from idea development and creating the initial drawing using traditional media to scanning the drawing into the computer and then applying colored glazes in Adobe Photoshop. He also explains how to maintain the essential gesture and feel of the thumbnail all the way through to the final concept art. The entire traditional media to digital process is also applied to a collection of extra views of the character. He explains how these alternate angles and a set of orthographic rotations are designed to help the 3D modeler.
Since 2000, The Gnomon Workshop (www.thegnomonworkshop.com) has provided artists and students with the educational resources they need to succeed as artists in the entertainment industries. Whether they're interested in design, modeling, effects, animation, storytelling or matte painting, these DVDs provide a valuable educational resource for students around the world. The Gnomon Workshop is the sister company of The Gnomon School of Visual Effects, which provides professional caliber visual effects instruction to students and professionals in Los Angeles, California.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
