Want to create super-detailed sculpts in just seconds? You need to use VDMs!
Continue reading Using Vector Displacement Maps in Mudbox
All posts by James Taylor
Why should anyone hire you?
In my earlier post about portfolio sites, I addressed a few of the most common mistakes I saw on artists’ sites. But mistakes on a portfolio aren’t the biggest problem. The biggest mistakes happen before the portfolio is even created. Continue reading Why should anyone hire you?
3d printing
Being able to hold something in my hands that I made in Mudbox is pretty cool. Kinda like ‘TEA / EARL GREY / HOT’ but much slower and entirely plastic. Continue reading 3d printing
Environment UVs
Creating environment UVs isn’t hard, per se. It’s usually just planar UV projections on flat surfaces. The trick is properly creating UVs that take advantage of tiling textures. Here’s a short video that lays out what you need to know! Continue reading Environment UVs
Creating a simple level blockout
You know that creating a simple level blockout (aka greyboxing) is a necessity for video game artists. But this simple skill can also make you a better artist all around.
As for how it can do that – I like to compare a blockout to Cliffs Notes.
Continue reading Creating a simple level blockout
Quick portfolio site tips
I viewed a lot of portfolios when I was hiring artists – and I ignored most of them. So how can you avoid the mistakes other artists make? Continue reading Quick portfolio site tips
How to fix Maya
Now we know where to find our crash save files. But chances are good that whatever caused that file to crash once, will make Maya crash again. What causes these problems, and how do we deal with them? Read on to learn how to fix Maya when it breaks. Continue reading How to fix Maya
Where does Maya save crash files?
[New August 2017: see where Maya 2017 saves in Windows 10]Ha, the funny thing about this, is Maya saves this file where you’d never think to look. It’s not in your project folder, it isn’t on the desktop, it isn’t even in the prefs folder or somewhere else that makes sense. Continue reading Where does Maya save crash files?
1 Easy Trick to Improve your Portfolio
I hate those ads. But in all seriousness, this is a really easy way to improve your portfolio! Continue reading 1 Easy Trick to Improve your Portfolio
2 steps to win at school
There is one big problem with the way most art classes are taught – I’m a teacher and even I do this, because this is what most students expect. But if you know what to do, you can make art school work for you. Continue reading 2 steps to win at school