Tom's Tutorials @uploadtom-blog - Tumblr Blog

Snowy landscape by Tom

Hand setting each leaf on the branches of a Maple Tree. One with the tree!

#onewithnature #maya #3d #3d modeling #digital art

ProTools Pro Tip: Creating a looping sound effect.

SO! You’ve designed a sound effect and need it to loop do ya?

STEP 1:

Cut a little off the head and tail of your SFX. We’ll want a little extra room when apply a cross fade. MAKE SURE you apply your cut where the waveform meets the middle line. You can zoom in with: CMD & ] or T

STEP 2: Your clip should look like this. Does yours?

Go ahead and delete the two cut ends.

STEP 3:

Where going to create an additional cut about 4/5 of the way though the clip. MAKE SURE you cut this where the waveform meets the middle line. A.K.A the Transient. Your clip should now look like this. Does yours?

STEP 4:

Drag this new end bit to the front of your clip. Give it a little overlap.

Create a cross fade between the two clips. Click Adjust bounds if it pops up.

STEP 5:

Select the entire clip and merge it. Shift + OPT + 3

Would you look at that, were back where we started. Turn on loop playback (Options --> Loop playback) and listen to your clip. Always test your loops! There you have it! Looping SFX. Export your clip and it’s ready to be used and looped.

#tutorials #looping audio #loops #protools #how to #tips #game audio #game sound #tricks #avid

ProTools Pro Tips: Timeline Drop Order and Strip Silence

This little trick is great for creating fill for Dialogue Edits but can also be quite handy for effects. Lets say you have a clip like this.

You like the sound but don’t need the silence and would like to snap all the wave forms together. STEP 1:

EDIT --> Strip Silence This will bring up the Strip Silence Window. Move the Strip Threshold slider so that the vertical bars are touching the crest of the first wave in each audio section. Click “Strip”

STEP 2: Just like that we’ve removed all the silence from the clip.

Now to bring them all together! CLIP MENU If the CLIPS menu is not already opened. Select the Arrow at the bottom right of the ProTools window.

In the CLIPS menu select the down arrow.

Scroll over “Timeline Drop Order” and select, “Left to Right

STEP 3: When you select your clips in the Timeline Editor they will also be highlighted in the CLIPS menu. Select all the clips.

STEP 4:

Click and Drag the highlighted clips from the CLIPS menu to the Timeline Editor. You’ll notice they are all lined up! With the clips still selected press: CMD F This will bring up the Batch Fade Window. I recommend a length of 80 milliseconds.

Shift OPT 3 - Merges the multiple clips into 1. 4 Easy steps and you’ve got yourself a continuous sound effect.

A fantastic training series! Check it out on Lynda.com

Customize your Desktop Icons! (PC)

Ever want to change the default icons for things like folders, programs, or shortcuts. Here’s a easy tip to get your customization on! First off, icons use a special format called .ico. To successfully change an icon the new image must be in this format.

Icon Archive has tons of images already converted to this format. Simply download one you like and you’ll be ready to go! http://www.iconarchive.com/tag/ico-files

Step 1:

Once you’ve found an image, right click on the desktop icon you’d like to customize and select properties.

Step 2:

Click on the Customize tab.

Step 3:

Click Change Icon. Click Browse and select your new image. Click Open.

Step 4:

Click Ok in the Change Icon for “ “ Folder Window. Click Apply in the Properties Window.

There you have it! A customized desktop icon!

#desktop #icon #customize #tutorial #how to #tips and tricks

uploadtom-blog

Creating a Normal Map with CrazyBump!

CrazyBump provides users with a fast and effective way of creating different map types for your 3D models. You can download CrazyBump here: http://www.crazybump.com/ For this example we will be using CrazyBump to create a normal map for a texture of a brick wall. This will add dimension and depth to our 2D image. Step 1: Open Crazy bump select the folder in the bottom left corner and select “Open photograph from file”.

Step 2:

Select your image. CrazyBump will then provide you with 2 map type options. One map extruding out and the other inward. For this example we want to extrude out, so I’ll select the left option.

Step 3:

Using the sliders adjust the level of extrusion to your liking. General rule of thumb, the higher the Intensity the further out the extrusion will appear.

Step 4: When your happy with the settings click Save! Just like that you have a normal map!

This can be added to your model’s texture by placing in the Bump map slot in a 3D program like Maya. In Maya, open the Hypershade Window. Select your texture and in the Property Editor you’ll find Bump/Normal Mapping.

Example of Brick texture with Normal map.

Creating a Normal Map with CrazyBump!

CrazyBump provides users with a fast and effective way of creating different map types for your 3D models. You can download CrazyBump here: http://www.crazybump.com/ For this example we will be using CrazyBump to create a normal map for a texture of a brick wall. This will add dimension and depth to our 2D image. Step 1: Open Crazy bump select the folder in the bottom left corner and select “Open photograph from file”.

Step 2:

Select your image. CrazyBump will then provide you with 2 map type options. One map extruding out and the other inward. For this example we want to extrude out, so I’ll select the left option.

Step 3:

Using the sliders adjust the level of extrusion to your liking. General rule of thumb, the higher the Intensity the further out the extrusion will appear.

Step 4: When your happy with the settings click Save! Just like that you have a normal map!

This can be added to your model’s texture by placing in the Bump map slot in a 3D program like Maya. In Maya, open the Hypershade Window. Select your texture and in the Property Editor you’ll find Bump/Normal Mapping.

Example of Brick texture with Normal map.

#maya #crazybump #3d #tips #tutorials #normal map #textures

After Effects Logo Creation!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuaBg1agd70

I followed this tutorial and was able to make an animated logo for my Sound Design reel! Great video!

Build an Oil Drum in Maya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y0bpRFThTc Put my own spin on it and made this!

My First 3D Model. Made in Maya 2016, UV mapped in Headus UVLayout V2, and textured in Photoshop.

#maya #3d modeling #headus #photoshop #texturing #post-apocalyptic #render #game design

Illustrator: Fill Text/Type With an Image in 3 Easy Steps

STEP 1:

Select your text with the “selection tool”.

Click on the “draw inside” button.

This will place a dotted border around your text.

STEP 2:

Choose the image you would like to place inside your text.

Go to File -> Place

Select your image and hit “Place”.

STEP 3:

Scroll over the text and click to place the image.

*The text will turn blue.

You can drag or resize the image to fit as you like!

Message if you have any questions! I’m happy to help!

Tom

#adobe illustrator #tutorial #design #text #image #background #graphics #how to

Combine Multiple Images into a Single PDF (Mac)

Ever need to combine several images or documents into a single PDF? Here’s a handy little trick for doing just that!

STEP 1:

Create a new Folder [Shift + CMD + N] and place all the files you’d like in your PDF into that folder.

*Here I have a few images I’d like saved in one PDF.

STEP 2:

Select all the images in your folder [CMD + A] or click an drag.

STEP 3:

Right click on one of your selected files. Select “Open With” -> Preview

STEP 4:

If “Thumbnails” is not already displayed, click the drop down box at the top right of the preview window.

STEP 5:

Select all your file Thumbnails [CMD + A] or click an drag.

*Remembering your computer’s shortcut keys will increase your computer speed and help you learn to make the computer work for you; not the other way around.

STEP 6:

On the top Tool Bar select “File” -> Print.

*Were not actually going to print anything but this will help us finalize the PDF.

STEP 7:

At the bottom left of the print settings window click the PDF drop down menu.

Select “Save as PDF...”

*Make sure your images are rotated properly using the “Orientation Vertical or Horizontal” option.

*The remaining default settings should work just fine but feel free to make any changes before saving your PFD.

STEP 8:

In the Save As box appropriately name your PDF.

*I recommend using the same name for the Title box below.

*Make sure you know where your PDF is being saved to! I’d put it in the same folder we created earlier for your documents and images.

Click Save !

You have successfully created a multi-file PDF!

Open it up and double check that everything is working properly.

Message if you have any questions! I’m happy to help!

Tom

#pdf #tutorial #combine pdf #how to #images #mac

Creating a Digital “Banksy” Stencil.

In this tutorial you will learn how to turn any image or photo into a “Banksy” stylized stencil.

Skill Level: Beginner - Intermediate

Programs needed:

*This tutorial uses the CC(Creative Cloud) version of these Adobe products. (Process is similar in previous and updated versions)

Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator

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*The higher the quality of your original image, the better your final trace will be. Something to keep in mind.

STEP 1: “Removing the Background from your image.”

Open a saved image in Photoshop.

STEP 2:

Using the “quick Selection Tool”, select the area surrounding the image you wish to use as your stencil. Click and drag to select or option click to deselect.

STEP 3:

Once your image has been completely selected, go to “Select” in the top Menu Bar and click “Inverse” in the drop down menu. This easily selects complex shapes.

STEP 4:

With your image selected click “Refine Edge”.

These setting will vary from image to image. I recommend a low smooth and medium contrast value.Your goal is to create a clean outline.

STEP 5: Expanding the Canvas.

“Image” -> “Canvas Size”.

Increase the values.

This will give us some room to work.

STEP 6:

You should now have an image that resembles this. Looking good?

Next lets go to “Image” in the Menu Bar.

Image -> Adjustments -> Exposure.

The goal here is to smooth the skin and enhance the lines throughout the image. This will help Illustrator make a more accurate “Image Trace” and will give you a better looking stencil.