Basic Tools
Before you can run, you must walk, before walking you must crawl, so. We take you through the necessary steps through out the video in order to achieve a better final result in your real world project. Whether it's realistic or cartoon, this video will get you started with the look development that is desperately needed in CG today.

UV Layouts
3D Modeling is certainly not the beginning or end of a film, broadcast or gaming production pipeline. After the character design team creates the look of the character and the modelers create the initial 3d digital asset, it is crucial to layout each polygon for proper projection mapping in a UV set. BodyPaint 3D makes this process extremely easy compared to many CG applications. You can model your geometry in any application like Maya, Houdini, Max, Lightwave, Silo, Modo or anything that you can think of without messing with one UV. Then bring it into BodyPaint for a complete work over. We show you how!

Detailed Modeling From Painted Displacements
Often times in order to keep animators happy, the modeling team will create lower resolution poly models that can be subdivided at render time. BodyPaint allows the use of a HyperNurbs subdivision tool for this exact purpose. You can then create a painted displacement map that deforms this geometry in great detail. This technique has been the industry standard for several years now, and all technology in the near future is leaning on the same principals for detailed and deformed paint weighted geometry. Confused still? Hit the buy now button and lets get into it right now!

Why cmiVFX Training is Unique
We take training to a level its never been before. We do this because we have to do it first. Ever seen a full length BodyPaint training video? Of course not. That is why we stand alone when it comes to High End Visual Effects Training. We understand the need for our customers AND other training companies to get the results they need. We support many training companies and software vendors in training their employees. In this regard, we have no competition. (Mainly due to the nature of our content, nobody else is as insane as we are to tackle these projects!) We are proud to announce that every major and most minor VFX and CG training companies are utilizing our training to help them in theirs. We will continue to support them with the least amount of content overlap to help our customers reach a more complete learning destination.

Color Texture Map Creation From Displacement Maps
Still reading? Wow your a tough customer! Ok if that wasn't enough, our next step in the process is to generate our color textures by modifying our displacement maps. This way you get the look of occlusion and natural "dirtying" that occurs in creveces and corners. Use the displacement map layer to help further define color periods in your current UV structure.

Normal Maps and Execution
Normal mapping takes off where displacement mapping stops. Normal mapping can help create post lighting effects in 3rd party compositing applications, and can also help fake displacement mappings in CG renders. We show you a few tricks to keep in mind while using them. (Its a pros and cons kind of thing)

Rendering Notes
Once you have something manageable, you can start doing some render tests. many times people jump into test renders way to soon. Fortunately BodyPaint 3D has RayBrush technology and keeps you current one what it might look like during a final raytracing. We take it one step further by explaining a few tips about rendering and time management.

Final Words
When it comes to texture painting, or any kind of painting, the artist only knows when its truly complete. We work our videos in real time. You see at an accelerated pace that we achieve fantastic results in extremely little time by using proper techniques and the proper software for the task. We encourage you to enjoy this video to its full extent today. Why wait another day?

About the Author
After studying film and sculpture at the San Francisco Art Institute, Greg Kulz began working full-time as an artist in the SF Bay Area. Always interested in experimenting with new techniques and methods, Greg turned to 3D motion graphics as his new medium in 2001. Since that time, he has worked on such projects as the Team America and WWE video games, Ironman, various short films and a number of product modeling contracts for corporate clients including Sony, Panosonic and Frito-Lay. Greg's first love remains character creation, but he also enjoys working with motion graphics, texturing, and modeling.