The Gnomon Workshop has updated its website with new navigation, contests, forums, books and several hours of free training.
With a library of close to 200 DVDs on design, animation and visual effects, Gnomon has simplified the process of finding the DVD that suits your needs. The menu system previously organized DVDs into two categories: Analog and Digital. As the lines have blurred between these areas over the past couple years, Gnomon now allows customers to search by category, software, subject matter or instructor. Each of these classifications now has its own page that lists all of the related titles. For examples, you can click on ZBrush and see, on one page, all of the ZBrush titles. Or click on Feng Zhu and quickly view all seven of his design DVDs on one page. As most customers come to The Gnomon Workshop site looking for specific titles, these changes should greatly improve the efficiency and experience of browsing our library.
In 2004, The Gnomon Workshop partnered with Design Studio Press in the production of the Analog DVD library, specifically design, drawing, painting and sculpture. Founded in 2002, Design Studio Press is a specialty publisher focused on books that inspire and educate. Gnomon now brings DSP's books into its website.
Founder and director, Alex Alvarez, has put together the new free training section with more than 20 written tutorials and several hours of free video training. Over the years, his tutorials have been viewed by thousands of artists and linked to by many community sites such as Highend3D and Learning-Maya. With the launch of the new free training page, and new server, Alvarez has committed himself to producing new free content for the community. At launch, the page lists many of his written tutorials as well as three new video lectures: Creating Believable Eyes, Software Rendering Particles and Setting up Orthos. Over the coming weeks, expect to see many new free tutorials by Alvarez. Coming up next week: Introduction to Subsurface Scattering.
Gnomon has additionally launched a small forum to allow customers the opportunity to share their work, win prizes and discuss the free tutorials. Every month producers will select four winners from the 2D and 3D categories, who will receive up to 40 Gnomon Workshop DVDs.
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.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
