[gggraphx]

A surprising number of our ranks showed up despite the short notice--this month's meeting was the 2nd Saturday for reasons too mysterious and arcane to go into here--and our presenters had us ooing and ahhing away.

Lamont showed us his setup for a special effect involving encasing an object in a blast of ice. He used morph objects and hypervoxels and got the group talking. The "correct" way for making glass using refraction and air layers was also discussed. These presentations always result in somebody learning an easier way of working in LightWave and show the power that is the User Group. Thanks Lamont!

Next up was Joe from Allegorithmic (say it three times real fast and you summon the devil). He showed us demos of MapZone and MapLine. MapZone creates tileable textures that are res independent. We didn't actually see a texture created but the email everyone got for the PS Users Group has a link for a free download. Check it out. It works on Mac too.
Thank you Joe.

Steve showed us a way of creating terrain from images created in Photoshop. Despite plugin trouble, (Discovery anyone?) the technique of painting with texture points is pretty cool.

Will was going to show the merits of .png versus other formats but time ran out. Maybe next time, Will.

News from this meeting:
Will has resigned his post of Vice President and picked up the mantle of VP of Fun. Cruise Director. Julie to Steve's Captain Stubing. (come on admit it, you've seen Das Luv Boot) Will had to abdicate due to too much work. May we all have the same problem. Good Luck Will. Paul has picked up the gavel of power and promised to rule with an iron fist. The first thing he did was tell Steve how to run things and was promptly whisked off to an undisclosed location. Soon all will cower before the force named Paul.

Paul has also volunteered to help put up the website. (sucker) Just kidding Paul, if you need anything from the group just ask.

Sign up for Digital Art Week. Dates are Wednesday and Thursday, December 8 and 9. Last year was awesome and this year will be no exception. The venue is high-tech and very nice. All workshops are free. Big names will be there including but not limited to: Larry Schultz (SplineGod), Dave Jerrard (I won't eat any weird food), Jennifer Hachigian Jerrard (Celshader Goddess and cool LW personality) and more. Check it out here http://www.sdphotoshopusers.com/
Hurry, space is limited.

The next meeting will be a Christmas party at Steve's. The theme this year is "Christmas." It will be the third Saturday in December, the 18th. Probably in the evening. More details to come but save the date now.

As usual lunch after the meeting was a high point. After playing demolition derby in the parking lot of Crywolf I joined the crew at Applebee's in time to order. Discussion ranged from "Why are there no women in our group?" to other subjects which made it abundantly clear why there are no women in our group. The Incredibles was deemed incredible and dessert was shared (thanks Joe) I forgot Joe's t-shirt again and officially suck. I'm putting it in the truck tomorrow, I promise.
Does all this sound intriguing? Stupid? Want to find out more? Come to our next get together and find out what you've been missing as the San Diego LightWave Users Group saga continues....

[gggraphx]

January Meeting


The San Diego LightWave Users Group will be meeting at Crywolf Computers this Saturday, January 15th at 11:00am until 2:00pm.

_
The address is 7320 Convoy Court, San Diego. Phone number is (858) 277-9653

_
For directions follow the link below.


Map

_
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...rch=++Search++
_

Details on the next meeting is as follows:

_
Roger Cotton will give us a presentation on character modeling and animation:


PART ONE - Modeling a Variant of Jonny Gorden's "Morfi"


Roger will demonstrate most of the character modeling methods illustrated in the book, "LightWave 3D [8]: Cartoon Character Creation Volume 1. The presentation covers: modeling the body, adding surfacing, and applying weight maps. Roger will then create skelegons and apply the weight maps to them. Time permitting, Roger will also model a number of Phoneme vmaps for the character's expressions and dialogue.

_
PART TWO - Rigging "Morfi" and Creating His Walkcycle


Roger will first rig the character's eyes for "cartoony deformation." He will then set up IK for the character's legs. Then, he will create a walkcycle for Morfi. Time permitting, Roger will import a .wav file into Layout, and use MorphMixer sliders to lipsynch a snippet of dialogue for Morfi to speak as he walks.

_
We'll see you there,

_

Stephen M. Burns

chrome@ucsd.edu

(760) 436-9921

www.chromeallusion.com

[gggraphx]

San Diego LightWave User's Group will be
meeting Saturday, February 19th at 11:00am. Details are as follows.

The San Diego LightWave Users Group will be meeting at Crywolf
Computers Saturday, February 19th at 11:00am until 2:00pm.

The address is 7320 Convoy Court, San Diego. Phone number is (858)
277-9653

For directions follow the link below.

Map

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?
country=US&countryid=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=ad dress&searchtype=add
ress&address=7320+Convoy+Court&city=San+Diego+&sta te=ca&zipcode=&searc
h=++Search++

Details on the next meeting is as follows:


Presenter 1 – Setting up the walk cycle

Roger Cotton will give us a presentation setting up and executing a
character walk cycle:

Roger will give us an understanding of the most effective work flow
for setting up and keyframing the walk cycle of a character._



Presenter 2 - Organic UV Layout & Work Flow



Jeff Norombaba is a freelance 3D artist that has worked in the fields
of_ real time web content, game asset creation, as well as medical and
oceanography illustrations._ He will be giving a two part presentation
on UV mapping in 8.2 from the basics to more advanced topics including
organic UV layout._ The second part will cover general and dynamics
work flow tips, explaining how to use dynamics to create complex
animation on the smallest calculation budget.
http://jnorombaba.com/


These two presentations ones not to be missed._ I hope to see everyone
there.

Stephen Burns

[gggraphx]

San Diego LightWave User's Group will be
meeting Saturday, April 16th at 11:00am. Details are as follows.

The San Diego LightWave Users Group will be meeting at Crywolf
Computers Saturday, April 16th at 11:00am until 2:00pm.

The address is 7320 Convoy Court, San Diego. Phone number is (858)
277-9653

For directions follow the link below.

Map

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?
country=US&countryid=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=ad dress&searchtype=add
ress&address=7320+Convoy+Court&city=San+Diego+&sta te=ca&zipcode=&searc
h=++Search++

Details on the next meeting is as follows:
Just show up...it'll be fun. Don't forget--bring your demo reels and images for all to gaze in wonder there upon.
Join us for lunch afterwards and discuss meaningful topics such as George Bush's politics OR who would win in a cage match--Yoda, or Mr Incredible?

[gggraphx]

San Diego LightWave User's Group will be meeting Saturday, May 21th at 11:00am until 2:00pm.

The address is 7320 Convoy Court, San Diego. Phone number is (858) 277-9653

For directions follow the link below.

Map

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...rch=++Search++

We'll have a Worley theme, with demos of FPrime, G2, and Sasquatch!
Just show up...it'll be fun. Don't forget--bring your demo reels and images for all to gaze in wonder there upon.
Join us for lunch afterwards and discuss meaningful topics such as Sam Rockwell's Bush impersonation in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy vs. Hayden Christensen's Bush impersonation in SWROTS.

[gggraphx]

The San Diego Lightwave User's Group will meet this Saturday, July, 18 from 11:00 am to 2:00pm.

Dirctions are as follows:

We will be meeting at Crywolf Computers at 7320 Convoy Court, San
Diego. Phone number is (858) 277-9653

For directions follow the link below.

Map

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...rch=++Search++

The presenters are:


1) Carmen Rizzolo is currnetly working on a commercial project that he
would like to share its concept and progress as well as the modeling
techniques that he used in in LightwAve 8.3.

For more information on Carmen go to http://www.carmen3d.net


2) Paul Hartsuyker will demonstrate the use of ZBrush to create
displacement maps. In addition he will give a demonstation on the
effect he created in LIghtWave that is included on the front of the
website.

For more information on Paul Hartsuyker go to http://www.hartworks.
net.

[gggraphx]

For anyone who is interested in trying their hand at 3D, the San Diego
LightWave Users GRoup meets at Crywolf computers this Saturday, August
20th from 11:00am to 2:00pm.

This month we have two great presenters that should not me missed.
Details are as follows:

1) Industry special effects secrets by Josh Mcguire (http://www.joshmcguire.com/Gallery.htm )or (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0570227/ )


AT Siggraph I ran into Josh Mcguire who use to be the the president of
a previous San Diego LightWave Users group that I firt attended when we
were all using version 5.0. He is now one of the leading special
effects animators in Los Angeles to have worked on films such as:

a)Enterprise
b)Dan Dare
c)Roughnecks - Starship Troopers Chronicals
d)Max Steel
e)Star Trek: The Experience - Borg Invasion 4D (2004) (digital effects
artist)
f)Sin City (2005) (digital artist)
G)Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) (post-production) (digital effects
artist)
h)The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D (2005) (digital
effects artist)

He will give us a presentation on the special effects tricks in the
industry used on some of the films he has had the honor of working on.



2)Workflow For Modeling a Realistic Chartacter by Joe Philips( http://www.joephillips.com )

Our second presenter is an outstanding modeler and animator.

Joe Phillips owns his own animatin studio and comic book company. In
addition he is producing his own series of DVD 3D animated stories.

Joe will share the techniques and workflow for properly modeling a
realistic human character so that it responds well to extreme animated
poses and movements.


Dirctions to the meeting are as follows:

We will be meeting at Crywolf Computers at 7320 Convoy Court, San
Diego. Phone number is (858) 277-9653

For directions follow the link below.

Map

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?
country=US&countryid=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=ad dress&searchtype=add
ress&address=7320+Convoy+Court&city=San+Diego+&sta te=ca&zipcode=&searc
h=++Search++

[gggraphx]

Meeting this week Saturday, 17th same time, same place.
Details...none yet.
This meeting is not to be missed!
Why?
Because that's what Steve always puts in his emails.
Show up and be dazzled. If we can't find someone to do a presentation, I'll bring tutorial CDs we can watch. Bring the popcorn.

[gggraphx]

We have a great meeting coming up this Saturday, September 17th from
11:00am to 2:00pm._ Details are as follows:

1) Industry special effects secrets by Josh Mcguire (http://www.joshmcguire.com/Gallery.htm )or (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0570227/ )


AT Siggraph I ran into Josh Mcguire who use to be the the president of
a previous San Diego LightWave Users group that I firt attended when we
were all using version 5.0. He is now one of the leading special
effects animators in Los Angeles to have worked on films such as:

a)Enterprise
b)Dan Dare
c)Roughnecks - Starship Troopers Chronicals
d)Max Steel
e)Star Trek: The Experience - Borg Invasion 4D (2004) (digital effects artist)
f)Sin City (2005) (digital artist)
G)Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) (post-production) (digital effects artist)
h)The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D (2005) (digital effects artist)

He will give us a presentation on the special effects tricks in the
industry used on some of the films he has had the honor of working on.



2) Continuation of last months Workflow For Modeling a Realistic
Chartacter by Joe Philips( http://www.joephillips.com )

Joe Phillips is an outstanding modeler and animator and will continue
where he left off from last month's meeting with the techniques and
workflow for properly modeling and animating a realistic human
character so that it responds well to extreme animated poses and
movements.

Joe Phillips owns his own animatin studio and comic book company. In
addition he is producing his own series of DVD 3D animated stories.


Dirctions to the meeting are as follows:

We will be meeting at Crywolf Computers at 7320 Convoy Court, San
Diego. Phone number is (858) 277-9653

For directions follow the link below.

Map

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp...rch=++Search++

[gggraphx]

Well the holidays and a drive crash knocked me down but not out. Your Director of Propaganda is back!

Here's some new announcements for you.

1) There's a meeting for the short this Saturday, the 4th at Wyvonne's house. To find out more info join the SDLWUG Yahoo Group.

2) Someone's coming to San Diego. Check the Yahoo Group for more info. Can't talk about it here.

3) Next meeting is probably February 21 at Crywolf.

[gggraphx]

Still more laptop problems but the Minister of Propaganda is back. So here's the scoop on the latest meeting.

Hello,

Our next San Diego LightWave Users meeting is this Saturday, October
21st from 11:00am until 2:00pm.

Directions:

The San Diego Lightwave Users Group meets at the Crywolf Computer
Center in Clairemont. Located on Convoy Court, the road that runs
parallel to Clairemont Mesa Blvd. on the North side, just off of the
805 freeway.

Form 805 south Take the Clairemont Mesa Blvd offramp East, then left
at the first corner where the Kaiser Permanente is located. One block
to Convoy Court, turn right half a block to their building. 7320
Convoy Court., S.D, . Their phone number is (858)277.9653

The Meeting:

We have two great presenters for this Saturday that should not be missed!

1 ) Modo Application as Part of the LightWave 9 Pipeline by Paul Hartsuykeer (www.hartworks.net)

Paul will present his techniques for integrating Modo files into Layout for animation. You will find this to be quite interesting.


2 ) Architectual Applications LightWave by Jeff Broz

Our newest member, Jeff Broz, will present his way of creating cities and sky scrappers for LightWave. He uses a very interesting program called "Sketchup" (http://www.sketchup.com/) to assist him then he imports them into LightWave to finish the job.

This is a not to miss meeting.