Creating Orthographic Reference Images For 3dsmax

Posted a new video discussing my technique for creating orthographic image planes for 3dsmax to use as templates to build 3d models. Check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZobMeFBTxo

Soulburn Education Section Revamp

I've done some major spring cleaning and revised all 172 of the art lessons on my website with modern info! Also added 20 Blender tutorials. See this short intro video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCIWCBIfc0Y and then see the new tutorials here: http://www.neilblevins.com/art_lessons/art_lessons.htm

Thumbnailing Tutorial

For students learning concept art, this lesson discusses the purpose of thumbnailing, the different techniques you can use (silhouette, line, 3d, color and photos), and under what situation a certain kind of sketch might be more appropriate. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDEOUteE9g0

Course For The Workshop Academy

In collaboration with The Workshop Academy, I'm teaching a 6 class zoom workshop on creating Art Bibles. By the end of the course, each student will have their own art bible based on their own fictional world. Check it out, and happy to answer questions https://www.theworkshopacademy.net/

New Video: Converting 3D Geometry To A Displacement Map

Finally got the chance to record a video on a simple technique I use to convert 3d geometry into displacement maps. Check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-TXtIA07Bg 

Making Alien Terrain In Gaea

Going along with my game demo teaser yesterday, just posted a quick tutorial showing how I made the landscape for the demo using quadspinner's gaea. The software is tons of fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p0BKDl4fD0

Reaction Diffusion

Little clip from my video on create reaction diffusion patterns using photoshop CS6 and above, love playing with this technique https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Vh_NOy70M

3dsmax to Blender

While I still use 3dsmax, I may need to leave it behind one day, and so am exploring blender as an alternative. Here's 3 videos on youtube I made discussing my tests, hope they help other people like me interested in making the switch http://youtube.com/artofsoulburn

Wiremaker Timelapse

One of my first big scripting projects 20 years ago in 3dsmax and still one of my favorites, Wiremaker (aka Wirejumble, aka Wirebundler) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pciLlHxf0Ww

New Video: The Digital Collage

Professionals know this, but you'd be surprised how many students don't fully understand the 3d+photo+painting workflow to much of modern concept art. Here's a quick intro, even if you know this, may be worth checking out for the trip down memory lane :) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-j3Q7hOOqo

New Video: Support Layers Clipped To Groups

Hey affinitybyserif ! You are 1 feature away from me moving over to Affinity Photo for good. Please watch this short video where I make my case for "Support Layers Clipped To Groups".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3OkoC0wRO0

Painting In Perspective

A short clip showing the painting process for Megastructures: Krasnikov Tube 1. You can see the full tutorial video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0_lgNBaZac

Painting Starship Hulls In Photoshop

Just posted a video tutorial on how I create the panels in my starship hull images. While the full images involve lots of techniques, this is the one technique that does 90% of the work, so hopefully you find it interesting & try it yourself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL42sQzd_OQ

Lightbox Expo 2023 Talk On Youtube

So LightBox Expo just posted on their youtube channel the talk I did last year on creating art bibles. Given at LBX23 to a packed room, hopefully this helps people who were turned away at the door and people who couldn't attend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9voncg56qo

CCA Class Blog

My co-professor Apurva Shah just posted a blog showing off the projects our CCA students did for our Building The Metaverse class. The amount of work the students managed to pull off in just one semester was pretty crazy, check it out! https://apuzinio.medium.com/empathy-and-coexistence-in-the-metaverse-2f2b27303232

Timelapse

Gonna post a short timelapse or two this year. Here's me painting a robot design in Photoshop. If you want to see more of the video, including instructional voice over, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyFtgLkLnSQ

CCA Class

Yesterday was the last class of the semester at CCA where I've been teaching adjunct, the students presented their capstone projects which were virtual experiences made in Unreal. All the projects were fantastic, the students did a great job. Congrats to all, you learned so much in such a short period of time! A few pics!

New Video: Drawing A Spaceship Using Traditional Ink

Here's a demo of drawing one of my spaceship doodles with traditional ink and paper, similar to the doodles in my new sketchbook. Let's all take a digital break and get back to some old-school penmanship!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR8_OfI2UaU

Lightbox Expo 2023 Done For The Year

Had a great time at Lightbox Expo 2023 First thanks to the students who came by for a portfolio review. And big thanks to everyone who came to my talk on creating art bibles. It was a full house, I am truly overwhelmed with your support. And from your questions I have some good ideas on how I can focus the talk even further in the future. And plenty of great chats in the hallways with old Pixar friends and other industry vets. Thanks everyone, hope to see you next year. 

Lightbox Expo 2023

At Lightbox Expo 2023 this Fri-Sun. Please note the room and time change for my talk, they've moved me to a larger room (thanks everyone for all the interest!) Hope to see you soon!