Computer Arts (Christmas 2003)

124 Pages·2003·11.533 MB·English

0870 333 0919
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[email protected] www.webfusion.co.uk
AFTER EFFECTS 6
New tutorial • 3 full plug-ins
THE WORLD’S BEST–SELLING CREATIVE MAGAZINE
FIRST EVER ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS TUTORIAL!
THE CREATIVE
SUITE REVEALED
Get to grips with Photoshop CS and create
this cover image with our expert tutorial
ILLUSTRATOR CS
Explore the new features
in our exclusive tutorial
FLASH MX 2004
Master this powerful tool
21 PAGES OF REVIEWS
Vue 4 Pro, combustion,
Studio MX and Panther
Printed in the UK Outside the UK and Éire £6 C$ 19.95
No CD? Please see
your newsagent CHRISTMAS 2003 £6
1 3
9 771360 537024

INTRO
W
e can’t hide the fact that improved functionality of the Professional
atComputer Arts we’re version on page 38. Plus, to accompany
suckers for upgrades. the PC and Mac demo of After Effects 6,
Getting the new products we ask pro film-maker Chris Kenworthy
in for review, testing out the features and to show us exactly what it’s capable of in
getting our illustrator contributors to put our six-page tutorial, starting on page 74.
the packages through their paces is great. And that’s not all. We talk to Digital
The market is so competitive right now Vision about its new illustration
that almost all upgrades we’ve seen catalogue, and interview the artists
over the last couple of years are worth involved about their styles, techniques,
considering, especially where companies and whether stock illustration is a real
have listened to user wish-lists. money-spinner for both young and
ILLUSTRATORS RAY
The Adobe Creative Suiteappeared in experienced artists alike. And with
SMITH AND JASON shops sooner than announced. We still Christmas almost upon us, we interview
ARBER PUT PHOTOSHOP expected to be twiddling our Healing a handful of design studios about what
brushes with version 7, but now the seasonal magic they’ve got planned for
AND ILLUSTRATOR CS
products have appeared, we can provide their clients and users this coming Yule
THROUGH THEIR PACES our first ever PhotoshopandIllustrator CS – hopefully giving you some great ideas
tutorials. Many of the new features are in the process.
superb, the integration is a huge boon It’s going to be a busy couple of
and, hey, even the new box art got our months, but don’t forget that we’re
creative taste buds going. So we asked always interested in what you think and
illustrators Ray Smith and Jason Arber to what you want to see in the pages of
put these new products through their Computer Arts, so drop us a line at
paces, trying out the new features along [email protected].
ILLUSTRATORS the way. Witness their fantastic and
diverse efforts on pages 24 and 64. VICKI ATKINSON
We’ve also got the second part of our Editor, THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING
We take our illustrations seriously here at Computer Arts, and this month
Flash MX 2004 series, looking at the CREATIVE MAGAZINE
showcase some superb, award-winning illustrators from both the USA
and Britain. We’re always on the lookout for new talent – so if you’re
interested in contributing, contact [email protected]
ROSSMAWDSLEY
Well known as the designer of www.simian.nu, we COVER ILLUSTRATOR EDITORIAL
asked Ross, currently based in New York, to design the
illustration for our laptop Group Test on page 102.
WWW.SIMIAN.NU RAY THE CA TEAM
VICKI ATKINSONEDITOR
JASONARBER SMITH
[email protected]
Pixelsurgeon pioneer and Computer Artsregular
RODDYLLEWELLYN ART EDITOR
Jason Arber wields the power of Illustrator CSand
Thick, woolly jumpers, [email protected]
finds out just what it’s capable of… on page 64.
snow and the Adobe ROB CARNEYDEPUTY EDITOR
WWW.PIXELSURGEON.COM
Creative Suiteinspired [email protected]
illustrator Ray Smith RACHEL ELLIOTTOPERATIONS EDITOR
ROBCHIU to create our cover [email protected]
Rob Chiu is at home with both 2D illustration and video. image, plus the first JON ALONGICD EDITOR
This month, he goes to town with After Effects(page 74), everPhotoshop CS [email protected]
and we take a look at his new movie in News (page 16). tutorial. Smith’s clients
WWW.THERONIN.CO.UK (E) [email protected] includeThe Telegraph, The Observerand C4. We CONTACT
wanted something in his distinctive style that Computer Artsmagazine,
TADO represented the integration of the Creative Suite. Future Publishing, 30 Monmouth
In the concluding part of our Flash MX 2004tutorial, The finished image is fantastic, detailed and Street, Bath, BA1 2BW
Mike Doney and Katie Tang wrap up an illustration that colourful, and Ray demonstrates exactly how he PHONE[phone]
incorporates both video and Web applications (page 38). did it in our exclusive tutorial, starting on page 24. [email protected]
WWW.TADO.CO.UK WWW.RAYSMITH.BZ SUBS0870 444 8455
ComputerArts_Christmas2003 3
Contents
FULL LIST OF CONTENTS SUBSCRIBE TODAY
ANDSAVE40 PER CENT
NEWS FEATURES REVIEWS RMEASKOEL UA TNIOENW… YEAR’S
1124SNteawte G o4f piBlaoyoks 3444FCioosngar oHveew Hitatl pl Froilmfiles 8834Fcoumll lbisutisntgion 3 INSESVUEER– MTUISRSN A TNOO PTAHGEER 70
16The Ronin’s Dimensions 52Taking stock 88Studio MX 2004
22Guest font showcase 58Season’s e-greetings 96G5 Dual 2GHz
80Clarissa Tossin profile
TUTORIALS REGULARS
SHORTCUTS
24Photoshop CS 10Your letters
38Flash MX Pro 2004 50Cinema 4D CE 33Win one of six copies of the brand
64Illustrator CS 56FreeHand newDVD Workshop 2
74After Effects 6 63Photoshop 70Save 40 per cent on the price you
73Dreamweaver pay in the shops when you subscribe
108Back issues
116Exposure
122Retrospective
ON THE COVER
24THE CREATIVE
SUITE REVEALED
Top illustrator Ray Smith reveals his expert
Photoshop CStechniques, guiding you through
the process of creating our fantastic cover image
64ILLUSTRATOR CS
Pixelsurgeon’s Jason Arber shows you the brand
new features in Adobe’s vector graphics tool,
creating a stunning illustration in the process
38FLASH MX
PROFESSIONAL 2004
Master one of Flash’s most powerful features –
Forms-based development
24
8321 PAGES OF
NEW REVIEWS
Tried and tested: brand new version of
combustion,Studio MX 2004, Panther,
and five of the best widescreen laptops
74AFTER EFFECTS 6
AEexpert Christopher Kenworthy shares his
64 38 secrets: create an epic sci-fi scene in Adobe’s
compositing tool, just using ordinary footage!
Illustration by Clarissa Tossin Turn to page 80
Have your work featured here – email [email protected]
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
44 58
44
COSGROVE HALL FILMS
It’s amazing, it’s fantastic! We talk to the creators
ofDangermouseabout their latest projects –
including the new, animated Doctor Who
102 102
WIDESCREEN LAPTOPS
Five of the latest widescreen laptops from
36
Apple, Fujitsu and Toshiba, put to the test
50
SHORTCUTS
Take a ten-minute tutorial with our Shortcuts –
quick techniques on all the major creative apps
58
SEASON’S E-GREETINGS
50 It’s Christmas time, and there’s no need to be
afraid of promoting yourself. Here’s how to do it
FULL LIST OF CD CONTENTS
ESSENTIAL RESOURCES PC + MAC^
MASSIVE CREATIVE
RESOURCE
We bring you a CDbursting with essential creative
We’ve got a bumper CD for you this
month! First off, exclusive full Text materials – from DirectorXtras to Photoshopfilters
Anarchyplug-ins for After Effects.
Courtesy of our friends at Digital Anarchy, these
T
excellent tools enable you to create outstanding his issue, Computer Arts has teamed player. See the CD interface for contributors.
text effects in Adobe’s top motion graphics up with some of the best developers in We’ve also included 600 Photoshopbrushes
app. For details, see page 8. We also cram in the business to bring you hundreds of from Cybia, great filters from Andrews Plug-ins
a plethora of useful resources, from 99 Director creative resources. Whether you’re and 18 free Mac and PC plug-ins from Hydro74.
Behaviours to 600 Photoshopbrushes… Enjoy! intoDirector, typography or the omnipresent
INFOwww.mediamacros.com, www.mods.com.au,
Photoshop, there’s something here for everyone. www.d5games.net, www.cybia.co.uk,
First up, there’s a huge number of Director www.sapphire-innovations.com, www.hydro74.com
CD91 CONTENTS
Behaviours, Xtras and sample Lingo files. These
resources will make your multimedia creations
run even more smoothly – we’ve even provided
you with a Directormovie to create an MP3
TEXT ANARCHY
(PC + MAC)
FULL PRODUCT:Three full After EffectsandFinal
Cut Proplug-ins from the Text Anarchy set. See
page 7 for details; page 74 for our AEtutorial
ANDREWS PLUG-INS
(PC + MAC)
FULL PRODUCT:Add gradient and colour effects
with these superb Photoshop-compatible filters
600 CYBIA BRUSHES
(PC + MAC)
PHOTOSHOP PLUG-IN:Ready-made custom
Check out Cybia’s 600 customised Photoshopbrushes.
brushes for Photoshop, courtesy of Cybia
IMAGESOURCE
STOCK IMAGERY:A collection of royalty-free
imagery, worth over £1000, from ImageSource. VIDEO TUTORIALS^
See page 7 for details VIDEO TRAINING
FLASH AND DIRECTOR
NEW VIDEO TUTORIALS:Exclusive video training Become an expert in Flash MX 2004andDirector MX
tutorials from Quixel Video and MediaMacros
with Quixel and MediaMacros’ excellent video tutorials
AFTER EFFECTS 6
(PC + MAC)
NEW DEMO:Take Adobe’s fantastic motion These exclusive video
graphics tool for a test drive. See page 74 tutorials from Quixel
and MediaMacros
DIRECTORRESOURCES
(PC + MAC) provide valuable insight
EXCLUSIVE:Check out these fantastic Director into two of Macromedia’s most
resources, ideal for multimedia designers popular creative tools: Flash MX
Professional 2004andDirector
HYDRO74 TYPEFACES MX.The subjects covered
(PC + MAC)
includeFlash MX 2004
This month, 18 free Mac and PC fonts from our
components, Behaviours
friends at Hydro74 (www.hydro74.com)
and Timeline Effects, plus an
overview of the Flash MX’s new
TUTORIAL FILES
features, and how to use video.
You’ll find all the files you need to complete this OurDirectorvideo tutorials
month’s tutorials on Flash MX 2004andAfter concentrate on Director MX’s
Effects 6 in the Software/Tutorials folder on the CD imaging Lingo ability, showing
you the code and techniques
BOOK CHAPTERS required to create a game in
Free sample chapters from the latest Friends Macromedia’s application.
of Ed titles:Flash 3D Cheats Most Wantedand INFOwww.quixelvideo.com,
Photoshop Most Wanted 2 www.mediamacros.com Watch and learn: the ideal way to master Flash MXProfessional 2004.
6 ComputerArts_Christmas2003
On the CD
PC & MAC PLUG-INS^
DIGITAL ANARCHY PLUG-INS
Free on this month’s coverdisc: three full plug-ins from the acclaimed Text Anarchyset for
After Effects andFinal Cut Pro – worth $59 (£35). Here’s your chance to go text crazy…
The exhilarating Font Changer tool in action – create your own Matrixintros here… Add whirling and spinning text effects to your video and animations with the help of Text Spiral.
To accompany After Effects 6 on by inputting or importing a .txt file, set THE THREE EFFECTS ARE SCREEN TEXT, FONT
our coverdisc, leading plug-in the scroll speed, and you’re good to go. CHANGER AND TEXT SPIRAL, AND THEY’LL WORK
maker Digital Anarchy has Second,Font Changer is an easy-to-
WITH BOTH AFTER EFFECTS AND FINAL CUT PRO
kindly provided us with three use plug-in that enables you to create a
full plug-ins from the Text Anarchyset, string of text and then animate the font.
for use on both PC and Mac. The three You can select up to five different fonts, to have different values – change the plus demos of the full range of Digital
effects are Screen Text, Font Changer and set the text string change from one start and end font sizes, colour, and Anarchy products, including Psunami,
andText Spiral, and they’ll work with to the other either in order or randomly. rotation values for fast and interesting AuroraandText Anarchy 2.0 – plus an
bothAfter Effects andFinal Cut Pro. Finally, Text Spiral enables you to animation. Try animating text that trails in-depth tutorial on Text Anarchyby
Working with text is an important but set up text on a path – we’ve used this off into space or flows down a drain, Jim Tierney, head honcho at Digital
often overlooked aspect of video plug-in as part of our After Effects and other pseudo-3D effects, without Anarchy. If you like what you see, why
editing and compositing, and these tutorial, starting on page 74, so you can multiple layers or keyframing. not upgrade to the full version ofText
three filters provide some original and see just what it’s capable of. You can set You’ll find these three plug-ins on Anarchy 2.0– details below.
pro effects to video and animations. the attributes at either end of the path your disc in the Digital Anarchy folder, INFOwww.digitalanarchy.com
First up, Screen Textimitates text
scrolling up a screen – Matrix-style, or
UPGRADE TO TEXT ANARCHY 2.0
however you want it. Screen Textcan
be set to generate random numbers,
characters or words, or scroll your own
Save £30 on your upgrade with this exclusive offer!
text by setting up a simple text scroll;
set down a solid, supply the text either
Digital Anarchy is offering Computer Type 1 font, including Dingbats. Visit
Artsreaders the chance to upgrade the Digital Anarchy Website to find
to the full Text Anarchy plug-in set for out more about the full Text Anarchy
just $99 (approx £59), instead of the set, and gain access to sample movies
usual $149 (approx £89). and other free resources.
Text Anarchy 2.0 is a set of eight To take advantage of this special
filters for After EffectsandFinal Cut offer, exclusive to Computer Arts
Pro– and includes Cool Text, Type readers, please use the following
On, Text Matrix andText Hacker, each coupon code when purchasing Text
of which provides a range of ways to Anarchy 2.0via Digital Anarchy’s
animate text in motion. The filters can online store: CA50. Offer ends
use almost any TrueType or PostScript Thursday 15 January 2004.
Experiment with some new ideas for text
effects using the excellent Screen Text flyer.
ComputerArts_Christmas2003 7
ESSENTIAL RESOURCES^
ROYALTY-FREE IMAGERY
£1000-worth of images, courtesy of Image Source – free on this month’s CD!
You’ll find these four
royalty-free photographs
and one more on your
coverdisc this month, in the
Stock Image Library folder.
O
n your CD this month you’ll
find a selection of royalty-
free images for your own
commercial or personal use,
worth over £1000. These five images
are courtesy of stock photography
group, Image Source, and they can
be used for illustrations, Websites,
compositions, video, or just practising
with your favourite image editor. Four
of the images are pictured here, and
can be used creatively as backgrounds
and textures, converted to vectors, or
used as buttons on a Website.
Visit the Image Source Website to
see its full photography range and
selection of themed CDs. Categories
include lifestyle, children, animals and
technology, and prices range from £49
for 72dpi to £249 for super hi-res (A3
plus). The company also offers a free Visit the Website
image search by its own staff, to save www.imagesource.com
to see the full range
you the effort.
of stock photography,
INFOwww.imagesource.com starting at £49.
8 ComputerArts_Christmas2003