3D software developer MAXON has launched the first completely integrated professional CINEMA 4D module for the creation of hair, fur and feathers. Known simply as HAIR," this new module lets users quickly and easily add realistic-looking hair to objects. The hair can be styled using HAIR's extensive tool palette, and a custom 3D shader gives artists complete control over the appearance of the hair. HAIR is not only easy to use, it's very fast, offers excellent rendering quality, and requires very little memory. An average configuration can easily render millions of hairs.
Hair adds to MAXON's already impressive array of features for character designers. Characters will come alive through the combination of HAIR and the MOCCA module, which includes the cloth simulation tool, Clothilde. Naturally, all features work seamlessly together within CINEMA 4D. The editor view is updated in realtime and the preview quality can be adjusted as desired.
Much attention was given to achieving a high level of interactivity. An extensive and intuitive toolset was created with more than a dozen tools, such as brush, comb, curl and cut. The look of the hair is defined by a special HAIR shader. In addition to such properties as shine, frizz and thickness, a texture can also be loaded to define a color pattern for the hair.
Dynamic forces, including collision detection, can be used while styling and animating the hair. Forces such as gravity, wind, turbulence or twist can be used to create breathtaking animations. HAIR also offers an impressive cache functionality, which makes viewing the effects of dynamics or preparing a file for network rendering a breeze. Artists can even edit individual frames after they've been cached.
HAIR requires CINEMA 4D R9.5. Special introductory prices are available until Dec. 31.
MAXON Computer (www.maxon.de) is the developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions. Its award-winning products have been used extensively in the film, television, science, architecture, engineering and other industries. MAXON products have been used for and in THE POLAR EXPRESS, THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, HERO, VAN HELSING, KING ARTHUR, SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-MAN 2, HAUNTED MANSION, CAT IN THE HAT, CHARLIE'S ANGELS FULL THROTTLE, STAR WARS: EPISODE 11 THE ATTACK OF THE CLONES, THE MUMMY RETURNS, GLADIATOR, TOMB RAIDER, the new Columbia-TriStar Film Logo, the On-Air Packages for Comedy Central, MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL and more. MAXON has offices in Friedrichsdorf, Germany, Newbury Park, California, Bedford, U.K., and Tokyo.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
