Animation is Taking the Edge Off of Political Correctness - Laughing At Ourselves Considered

Generally speaking animation and cartoons help us reflect and laugh at ourselves, not taking things so seriously, and generally that is a good thing right? Surely, consider the Dilbert Series if you will. Still, sometimes folks can't take a little joke, and throw a fit, for instance the Danish Cartoonist who showed the "Great Allah" in less than a favorable light, and had people rioting throughout the world of Islam and calling for his head.

The other day, there was an interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal which discussed "self-mockery" and "commentary" with the use of animated videos on YouTube and in the Media. The article was titled; "Animation Nation" with a subtitle of "Quickly Generated and Produced Computer Cartoons Bring Forth Millions of Views Online" and then the article noted the benefits for advertisers and the tremendous number of advertising executives, corporate marketing departments, and famous Hollywood animation movie programmers were more than intrigued and indeed, planning more.

While many of the jokes are and animation characters out there do a good job of laughing at all the sound and fury throughout our society and civilization, animators must be careful not to offend or be willing to take the heat when they do. Take "Family Guy" for instance, heck they make fun of everyone, me and my own family heritage included, which is fine since they spread the wealth so to speak. Nevertheless, we must not forget the purpose of cartoon or political animation, or the often emailed, yet seldom spoken critique on stereotypical observations.

Over all, animation can do a very good job with such things, and we should be using it more often, rather than getting all angry across political, ethnic, generational, and economic class lines. It serves no real purpose to getting overly upset to no avail. But if we are to impose political correctness on cartoons, and animation, then we will fail to get the maximum benefits from the world's best animators and cartoonists.

Specifically, as the coordinator for a think tank, these issues often come up, and it has been our contention that we should use all the tools in the animator's toolkit to help us better understand ourselves. Perhaps, you agree, or disagree, maybe you have something to add in this regard. If so, it would be sure nice if you will email me your comments, questions, or concerns. Indeed, I hope you please consider all this and think on it.

About 3D Animation

Computer animation, where there is 3 dimensional anime, it is possibly the most used form of animation technique brought into usage especially by the media fraternity. Ever since the introduction of it in the market, it has been able to change the face of movies, television, video games, internet and other methods of entertainment. Its capability to create amazing 3D animation was at a certain point in time restricted to costly and high-powered work stations however with advancement seen in the field of technology the cost of using the technique downsized by a good level. This made it easily accessible for various people to utilize this in their work.

Although high end systems tend to remain as the ones that are brought into usage so as to create the most professional looking images but with quality animation creation technology this is possible to create work even on home computers. Given that you have no knowledge and experience relating this form of animation then you could think of assuming it as a hybrid of a classic technique and live action movie. The basic principles applicable when creating something cannot be overlooked and are still applied. The best of the animators start working as cel or stop-motion animators in the industry.

The traditional methods to infuse expressions and liveliness into characters allow professionals to work in a far superior way so as to come up with something that is eye popping and striking. Knowledge of film production is as well one key factor that helps in the creation of high quality 3 dimensional work. Like you have seen how a director gets the setup of camera, lights and actor placed, so similarly you as an animator would need to get your stuff.

Just because there is the help of computer available, thinking that the technique is easy and fast to create 3D computer animation is not right. Although there is no denying that the machine does most of the work, draws frames needed for a final creation but the overall procedure is multifaceted and it does take time for an individual to get used to utilizing it. Just like any other artistic and articulate work, in this too there is a need to keep a lot of patience. There are software products that you can get easily by spending a tiny amount as they would help you create realistic and stunning imagery, encapsulating your own world of dreams that everyone else would be able to see.

Hire A Flash Developer

Hire flash developers - ActionScript 3.0 is the most recent iteration of the ActionScript language and is incorporated into Flash CS3. ActionScript is the basis of creating interactivity in Flash and a strong foundation in the basics of the language is necessary to create useful Flash applications. ActionScript 3.0 is an object oriented programming language allowing far more control and code reusability when building complex Flash applications. This version of the language is intended to be compiled and run on a version of the ActionScript Virtual Machine that has been itself completely re-written from the ground up (dubbed AVM2). Actionscript 3.0 is a subset of the ECMAScript which adds various capabilities for XML. This changes XML into a native data type thus making XML processing straight forward and easy.

ActionScript 3.0 is more disciplined than its predecessors in a similarly helpful way. ActionScript 3.0 is simply the latest version of the Flash programming language that lets you control graphics, animation, sound, and interactivity. However, ActionScript 3.0 represents a significant change (some may say revolutionary) from the previous versions because in many ways it is conceptually and architecturally different. ActionScript 3.0 is much better than its predecessor in terms of simplicity and performance. It lets developers write programs without always consulting an instruction manual and to build complex applications that run smoothly and efficiently.

ActionScript 3.0 is a different animal from previous versions, and Learning ActionScript 3.0 teaches everything that web designers, GUI-based Flash developers, and those new to ActionScript need to start using the language. ActionScript 3.0 is based on the EcmaScript 4th edition language specification. This specification can be viewed on the wiki of the Ecmascript Organisation. ActionScript 3.0 is much more powerful than previous versions, allowing Flash developers to produce robust object-oriented applications.

ActionScript 3.0 for Flash 8, provides you all you need to delve into the world of OOP with confidence, whether you are using the Flash IDE, Flex builder, or even command-line tools for your development work.

Flash is the perfect way to spice up your site.

Anime Reflects Female Domination

Female character in various anime appears less submissive than their male counterparts or even dominates the male leading characters. Even in a "shounen" type of anime, female portrays a greater role not just by being a subject of love interest by the male characters but as well as to serve as a contrast or compliment to their skills. Let us begin by citing some popular shounen type anime that contains female character who often dominates the male leading characters.

Who would never know about Tsunade of "Naruto", the grandniece of the First Hokage and she herself became the Fifth Hokage of Konoha. She portrays as a fierce woman in her 20's though her exact age is already in 50's. She possesses an earthshaking strength in battle that scares her opponents to death and not just that she also possesses a healing ability which could heal a person even if it is in his/her dying state. Tsunade portrays a woman who could freely do what she wants; she appears to be more powerful than the other respected ninjas in Konoha that enables the people to respect her and follow her decisions. Given the title as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, Tsunade shows female domination. And take note even her assistant is also a female named Shizune and even her apprentice is a female who is Sakura Haruno.

Another is the infamous female character of a popular shounen anime "One Piece", Nami the navigator and also an incredible thief of "The Straw Hat Pirates." Nami is portrayed as a strong-willed female character in the anime, among others she is the most organize person in the group and her ability of weather forecasting and navigating is incredible that when she was a child she became a slave to a cold-blooded pirates in order to save her village. Her determination and being smart with the help of the straw hat pirates soon help her to save her village as well as her adopted family. Nami is like a "mother figure" in their ship Going Merry, she keeps everything organize and often times take control of the ship when their captain Monkey D. Luffy is being useless. She could even make the fierce swordsman Roronoa Zorro to follow her orders, also Sanji an amazing chef who is infatuated with her is willing to be enslave by her. Nami showed here her girl power the power to dominate men even in a simple way.

Last one to portray her domination is C.C the immortal witch of "Code Geass" who possesses a mind controlling power of geass. From the means of her power it meant domination over others. And because she makes a contract with Lelouch the male protagonist of the story and gives him the geass to control others, domination over people's mind widens. C.C is characterized as a beautiful, witty, selfish and sometimes creepy person who does everything for her own benefit. In the anime, C.C's past shown in a vague way like bits and pieces. And because the Britannians especially the Britannian emperor discover her power they become blinded by it blinded by C.C and her power. C.C's geass create a psychological turmoil towards the characters especially to the main character Lelouch, who become a murderer to attain her goal to revenge the death of his mother and his blind sister. This kind of domination she portrayed in this anime brings disaster and tragedy to the characters.

These are some example of anime that I think contains female domination, prior to my own observation. Female domination by being a leader, female domination through doing simple ways like what our mother does and female domination through destruction. It is sometimes amazing how women can dominate everything and anime give us an idea how wonderful and sometimes scary a so-called female domination.

Animation and Game Design Courses - Kids Love Taking Part

A lot of people belong to the world of anti-technology and they feel it is completely having a negative impact upon kids of today. Parents are scared that their kids would die sitting in front of their computers and not because of just sitting but putting on pounds of extra weight. However the truth is all about touching the extremes but it has definitely been seen that video games have been helping in numerous ways to come up with something productive. The kids of today are not merely interested in playing video games but even the way they are designed. Many programs are coming up relating Animation or game designing that is very useful for younger kids to learn and use. Every year, some new gaming systems are introduced by the developing firms and the number is growing at a rapid speed. There does seem to be quite a potential in this field for businesses to make money. Kids or teens are no more satisfied with just playing such TV games but they are keen on knowing how they are developed the way they are because they look so tempting and interesting. There are in fact many training houses that specialize in providing animation courses relating animation techniques. The term of various computer animation courses might range depending upon the levels and background of pupil.

One of the popular programs belongs to the field of robotics and it is catching up with the posterity even on a wider scope. The evolution of games has been quite rapid and this is rather obvious that for hardcore gamers there is no certain level of satisfaction since they are always yearning to create or come up with something betters. Robotics technicalities' training does not match to that of normal classes. Students are taught about the art of animation, the technical facets relating such creations. In such trainings, mentors and trainers impart essential knowledge about how they could make the best use of their artistic skills so as to develop some exciting creations. You never know something that you create might become an instant hit in the market!

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Article Submitted On: February 22, 2011

Are There Real Pokemon?

I don't know much about Pokemon, except that they get their name from 'pocket monster,' meaning that you can shrink them and keep them in a ball in your pocket. Tournaments, rather like cock fights, are held between the various monsters for prestige in the Pokemon world.

And I wonder just how hard it would be to genetically alter animals that we have today into specialized creatures that can be used in all sorts of situations. It would surely just be a matter of extracting and combining DNA strands, wouldn't it? Creatures as we know them today have many odd traits as it is, and Pokemon share some of these traits. Take the electric eel for example. Electric eels already pack quite a wallop, maybe even enough to kill a man, but what if we could magnify the electricity and combine its DNA with another creature, like a ferret? Such an animal could be used in combat, for one thing.

Reptiles provide us DNA for the production of powerful poisons, and the mouth of Komodo Dragon is so filthy that a bite often produces a fatal infection. There are plenty of poisonous fish as well. Mammals offer us defenses like porcupine quills and the stink of a skunk. Other mammals offer speed and agility, or massive strength and size.

There is really almost no end to the creatures one could build in a lab if we were able to crack the combining DNA code. You could look at the whole animal kingdom (or even the plant kingdom for that matter) and come up with any combination you wanted. Obviously industry is going to have a hey day producing ostrich sized chickens and pocket sized cows, according to whichever way the marketing winds blow. The world is getting ready to explode in diversity as it has never seen before- if we crack that code.

This article was written by Dinah Jackson who enjoys writing about science, travel and Pokemon. To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plush that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon canvas plush, charms, straps, plush toys, pokedolls, keychains, figures, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.

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Article Submitted On: February 03, 2011

Generation IV Starter Pokemon: Turtwig

Turtwig, or Naetle in Japanese, is an adorable turtle-like Grass Pokemon. He is #387 in the National Pokedex and is the grass starter for Sinnoh region in the Generation IV games. He is mostly green and brown, with a little twig growing out of the top of its head. His shell is actually made out of soil, and is slightly soft and moist. Your rival in Diamon, Pearl and Platinum would choose Turtwig as their starter if you chose the water Pokemon, Piplup. Turtwig evolves into Grotle at level 18, and into Torterra at level 32. Turtwig and his evolutionary line are the third set of turtle Pokemon, following Squirtle, Wartortle and Blastoise of Generation I, and Torkoal in Generation III. In Generation V, a fourth line of turtle Pokmemon were introduced; Purotooga and it's evolved form Abagoura. Turtwig is the only turtle Pokemon of the Grass type.

Turtwig's highest base stat is Attack, closely followed by Defense. It's worst stat is it's Speed, which makes sense as Turtwig is a turtle Pokemon. Since Turtwig is a grass Pokemon, he is strong against Ground, Rock, and Water type Pokemon. He is weak against Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, and Poison types. Its strongest Special Attack is Leaf Storm, which it learns as a Torterra at level 45. Turtwig's strongest Physical Attack is Crunch, which it learns at level 37 as Torterra. It can learn a total of twenty-two TMs including moves it wouldn't normally be able to learn, like Rest and Grass Knot. It also can learn the HM01 Cut, and HM04 Strength.

In the Anime, there have been three Turtwigs owned by characters in the series. The main one would be Ash's Turtwig, which he caught in the episode "Gettin' Twiggy With It!". Ash's Turtwig was a confident yet loving Pokemon, and would show its affection by biting, a lot like Jame's Carnivine. Out of all the Turtwigs shown in the Anime, Ash's Turtwig is the cutest and has the most personality. Gardenia, a Gym Leader in Sinnoh, also has a Turtwig. Ash and Gardenia battled their Turtwigs against each other in a Gym battle, with Gardenia's Turtwig being the victor. The third Turtwig seen in the Anime was owned by Ash's rival, Paul. Paul's Turtwig was only seen in a flashback and never actually in battle, so its skills are not known.

Turtwig is in other Pokemon games, such as the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series, the Pokemon Ranger series, and the new Wii game "PokePark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure". In "PokePark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure", Turtwig is one of the Pokemon you can use in Bulbasaur's Daring Dash. In the game, you can see Turtwig in all his cuteness in 3D, and hear his voice when he cheers if you win.

This article was written by Alexandra Hasinski who enjoys writing about Pokemon. To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plushie that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon figures, plush toys, pokedolls, keychains, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.

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Article Submitted On: January 10, 2011

Gohan - His Relationship and Life Related to Dragon Ball Z

Gohan is the first son of Goku, even though in Dragon Ball Z he tends to be a shy and weak sayian he holds an immeasurable power that is only unleashed under dire circumstances.

In the beginning:

In the first few series as I said Gohan is thought to be useless except he showed flashes of his immense amount of power every once in a while. Still he has not really helped out any real big shot yet so he is not really considered to be a threat except for the fact that he is the son of the great super sayian Goku.

Krillen, one of Gohan's best friends, is almost at the same level as Gohan and they are really good at helping each other out. Piccolo is another one of Gohan's friends that helps him train till Gohan even surpasses himself.

In end of Cell one of the powerhouse enemies that Gohan has to defeat he shows his amazing power that killed cell even when Goku could not have.

Later on:

As time passes Gohan starts to get older and older and in the end he is a young man that has his own son who is actually stronger then him. It seems that even though the sayian blood is getting thinner and thinner as they have children their strength becomes stronger and stronger. Gohan us a very important Dragon Ball Z character that makes Dragon Ball Z the popular anime that it is right now. It is a great anime to see.

The Pokemon Rarity Factor

As the Pokemon craze continues with the eventual release of the Black and White versions for the US, it seems that rare Pokemon from all generations are becoming a more common sight. Events which enable us to receive rare Pokemon are continuously appearing, mainly as special promotions. For most gamers, this makes their quest to catch them all much easier. For example, take a look at the alternate color, or shiny Pokemon. Prior to Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, for a collector to catch a shiny Pokemon was seen as a novelty as the chance of finding one was (and still is) 1/8192. To put this in perspective: you would have to run into 8192 pidgeys to find one shiny, and even then there is no definite chance that on the 8193rd go the next pidgey would be shiny. It was purely based on luck, and lots of it.

The second generation was the first time a shiny Pokemon could be caught as part of the storyline, the red gyarados. Due to the Poke radar in generation four, the new method of chaining and breeding methods have made it easier to find these elusive treasures. As good as this may be, as more shining Pokemon are given away can we still call them rare?

As another example, let's take a look at the new species Pokemon Mew. The only way to obtain a mew in Pokemon Blue, Red or Yellow was to follow a careful set of instructions eventually leading to a battle against it. As the years went, Mew was able to be caught on Faraway Island in Pokemon Emerald as a special event; then eventually becoming downloadable via Nintendo Wifi to either Pokemon Heartgold or Soulsilver. For dedicated older players who owned the original Pokemon games, does it mean all the effort they took to find mew before was in vain? Then again, younger players who never had the originals now have a chance to catch and train this special Pokemon.

In a more personal opinion, it would seem unjust to only have one be all and end all event for a specific rare Pokemon; new gamers should get the opportunity as well. And later on if a player has too many mews or shining Pokemon to count, it's better than to not have any at all.

This article was written by Leonie Herson who enjoys writing about Pokemon. To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plush that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon charms, plush toys, figures, keychains, pokedolls, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leonie_Herson

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Article Submitted On: January 20, 2011

Benefit Of Collecting Anime Plush

The anime genre, once reserved for adults, has enlarged to include kid-friendly themes. This frequently results in kids being fans of the anime genre. There are a great many kid-friendly anime themed movies, books, and television shows. In the event you know a kid who is a fan of anime related programming, you may want to examine anime. There are a number of reasons why anime make fantastic gifts along with a couple of of those factors are highlighted below.

The amount of choices that gift givers have, relating to buying anime, is a answer why they make great gifts for children. Numerous plush collectibles come in numerous different formats. These different formats contains wide range of sizes, as well as anime themes. Many well-liked anime characters, particularly those created for kids, are accessible within the format of plush collectibles.

Consistent with purchasing options, numerous gift givers have a few various options, relating to buy locations. Anime plush collectibles are accessible for sale through a number of various sources. These sources tend to include conventional retail stores, like large stores and toy stores, anime dealers, online auction web sites, also as online hobby shops. Those on a spending budget can effortlessly price compare to discover the best deals on anime.

Speaking of price, numerous gift givers are satisfied with the affordability of many anime plush characters. As previously stated, a few sources may be examined to find the best deals. When doing so, it's important to examine availability and necessity. There are a great deal of rare, hard to find anime that are considered valuable. These collectibles are frequently in high necessity by professional anime collectors. If affordability is a concern, anime that had been manufactured or widely distributed might be a wise choice.

The uses connected with anime plush collectibles are another reason why these items make great gifts for children. Numerous anime collectibles might be removed of the box and played with. In fact, numerous kids add them to traditional conventional stuffed animal collections. This approach is ideal for young children, particularly preschoolers or those at the elementary school stage.

As previously stated, many young children add anime to a traditional conventional stuff animal collection. Additionally to taking this approach, they can also be utilized for anime collections. These are collections that frequently comprises a wide range of anime themed merchandise and collectibles, including figurines, jewelry, clothing accessories, puzzles, and much more. As a matter of fact, if your intended gift recipient is certainly a fan of the anime genre, your gift of a plush collectible may inspire them to actively participate within the hobby of anime collecting.

Should you decide to buy an anime plush collectible for a child that you know, be sure to learn as a lot as possible about their interests. This is simple to do if the child in question is your own. Having an idea of which anime movies and tv shows are watched can result in the ideal fit.

As an aid to your memory, anime collectible plush characters, also as other anime themed merchandise might be purchased from several different locations. Numerous buyers, particularly those searching for some thing in specific, like an anime collectible that concentrates on a specific character, frequently have the best luck when shopping online. If this approach is one that you would love to take, perform an average web search.

Meet Phineas and Ferb and the Main Characters of the Show

Phineas and Ferb is an animated television comedy series that is being broadcasted on Disney channel since 2007 and is currently on season 2.

Let's meet the five main characters from Phineas and Ferb, namely Phineas Flynn, Ferb Fletcher, Candace Flynn, Perry the Platypus and Dr. Doofenshmirtz!

Phineas Flynn is one of the main characters in the Phineas and Ferb animated series. He is Ferb Fletcher's stepbrother and they both star in the main plot of each episode. The action revolves around the summer vacation and Phineas's attempts at doing interesting things daily with his stepbrother in order to avoid boredom.

Ferb Fletcher is Phineas's stepbrother from England. He is less talkative than Phineas but he is intelligent and concise. Ferb is also an engineering genius and hangs out with Phineas in their attempt to have fun and find cool things to do on the summer vacation.

Candace Flynn is Phineas and Ferb's sister. She is actually Phineas' older sister and Ferb's stepsister. Candace has a crush on a boy named Jeremy Johnson but he doesn't know he likes her back. Her best friend is Stacy Hirano. An episode in which the trio travel to the future reveals that Candace has three children. She is the opposing character in the series.

Perry the Platypus or Agent P for short, is Phineas and Ferb's platypus pet. Perry has appeared in all the episodes from the animated series. A silent character, Agent P is featured in all subplots of the series and is often referred to by Ferb as "the only mammal that lays eggs".

Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz is a mad scientist and father of Vanessa Doofenshmirtz. Head of Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc - Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz's goal or plan in most episodes is to either rule or detroy the Tri-States. Ferb has a crush on the Doctor's daughter. Most of the Doctor's plans are ruined by Perry the Platypus as he is a routinely bumbling, incompetent, and forgetful mad scientist.

The show also features a number of secondary characters, such as Baljeet who is the friend and neighbor of Phines and Ferb or the Fireside Girls who often help the brothers with their plans. The show also features their parents, Lawrence Fletcher and Linda Flynn-Fletcher. There are other characters as well, like Major Monogram or Buford Van Stomm.

Have fun watching Phineas and Ferb and if you missed an episode or two, you can always buy the DVDs on Amazon!

Animation: The Subconsciousness of Our Imagination

After a hundred years of it discovery, animation has opened a new doorway for writers, directors, and producers in the art of story-telling. Before, most stories were told in the form of verbal or written words and pictures. However, the creation of live film also opened the door way for story telling as well, but even live film has its limits.

In the early stages of live film, it proved to be somewhat difficult to film something out of the ordinary. Such as a man lifting a 2 ton truck, a man flying, or even a talking animal. However, the art of animation allowed story tellers to explain and express the unimaginable, and yet still captivate their audience into believing that what they're seeing may actually be, real.

Many of us watch cartoons and/or anime to escape from the limits of reality. Sure in the real world we have our limits, we as human may never evolve to fly or understand what our pets are saying to us but, in another world, a world where everything seem so visually expressive and real, we are able to experience the limitations of our world. Even though we subconsciously know that the world we're watching isn't real, we manage to somehow connect and establish ourselves in it.

As it stands, no other form of art except animation allows us to build through that connection of connotative thinking. Sure, what we may experience from cartoons or Japanese anime is all in our heads but even then if we convince our brains that the subject we're seeing is real, then it must be real right? Besides most of the things we believe in is a subject matter, which means you either believe it, or not.

Today, the popularity of cartoon and Japanese anime is increasing and not only in kids or in limited demographics. Parents and foreign cultures are sitting back and watching animation at home or in theaters. No longer are the days of where animated shows were for kids only or for certain demographic region of the world.

Why? Simple. The expansion of televised animation has led to a variety of genres that are now available for just about every type of person, whether you're the science fiction fan, the drama fan, the action fan, or the comedy fan, there is animation for that.

But it doesn't stop there, animation is now a part of all cultures. Now days there are many animated films that are based of various folklore, history, or societies from all around the world, by which again opens up a wider audience to view.

But of course animation is a general form of art. Many like to break it down and refer to either one or two other common types of animations, cartoons or anime. These two forms are most specific and common, with each providing different styles of art and origins. Of course by origins, I mean one is from the west as cartoons and the other from the east specifically Japan as anime.

However, getting into great length about these two animation forms requires a post of their own.

But one thing is certain, even though animation is probably the youngest form of art, it's certainly the becoming the most popular and mainstream form of story-telling.

With its vast growing popularity, reaching over hundreds of millions of fans and viewers, animation has changed the art of story telling itself and along with it, allowed us to escape from pressures and limitations of the real world, even if it's for only thirty minutes.

Dominique Edwards is the founder and owner of Netoonime: The Evolution of Cartoonime, a website for cartoon and anime fans that offers fun and entertainment in many different forms, such as: quizzes, informed and personal articles, polls, discussions, trivia, puzzle games, and video clips that are based on cartoon and anime shows, movies, and history.

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So You Want to Do Animation

Our stomachs have churned as we have threaded a narrow canyon, escaping intergalactic spaceships manned by angry aliens, or jumped when a fantastical creature rears his head. We may even have experienced such visceral physical changes such as hot flashes during explosions or vertigo plummeting unknown depths. Our emotional selves have been touched by lovable characters and angered by those who perpetrate.

And now you want to render your hand at this increasingly accessible art form- to get out a story line, to create something yourself and perhaps to cause- if only for a moment- your viewer to suspend disbelief.

Animation is a hot field. With such animation giants such as Pixar and DreamWorks leading the pace, we have all been inspired by recent developments. Whether you desire to compete with the professionals or to use an animation process for your own use, hobby or story line, there have also been recent developments and programs which make doing animation accessible to all.

There are two fundamental components to producing your own animation:

1. Creativity

2. Technical Ability

If you feel you fall short in either of these areas, don't panic, many modern developments have made your concerns easily surmountable.

Whether you consider yourself such or not, computer animators are artists. It all begins with creative vision. The possibilities are infinite- limited only by the animator's imagination. For many, this may be a little intimidating. However, look around you. If you can tell a story verbally to another, then you can create a story line suitable for animation. Perhaps it is a how-to which would clarify a process or idea you have in your mind. Perhaps it is a favorite story that you have read elsewhere or been handed down through generations. Whatever your story line, jot it down. What is the premise? What is the beginning and the end? Who (what) are the primary characters? If you come to this point in your inquiry, continue. If you don't have an idea, select something simple... perhaps a dog scratching at a flea or as simple a movement sequence as a flower opening... and trust that the technical development and mastery will open unlimited possibilities. The important thing is to start.

?The second key element then of course is the technology. Where, you might ask, should you begin? There are a number of software packages out there which address just this field but which is the best and where to begin? Many "free" software packages are available and some have extensive communities for support. Some of the major packages, such as Maya, 3D Max and Poser Pro are fantastic but the costs may be prohibitive to an entry level animator. One package we have been especially excited by is Blender with a low entry fee, in depth tutorials and a 60 day trial offer.

That said, we all learn differently and are more comfortable with different interfaces so try some out. Basically, you will want your selected program to be manageable by you and, depending on your skill set going into this, a user friendly interface. As for output, review the prospective software in terms of your desired output. Do you need 3D modeling for more realistic visions or capable of cartoon animation or game creation? Many packages do all these but perhaps not all equally.

Interesting Statistics of World Warcraft Games Worldwide

When nearly 12 million participants, and many people to download World of Warcraft world, the phenomenon of software is certainly one of the most popular games worldwide. At first glance this is a beginner, but everything is very confused. But it is relatively easy to understand, even if the examination of a large area is needed. In this multi-player role-playing the whole series of stories and characters can be very exciting.

Initially, the player can go on a quest without the help of other players. In prison pass called, however, the player may need help from others. These dungeons can be violated by two, five or even large groups and several weeks may be required to pass, depending on the characteristics of the players. These adversities tend to play the game more exciting.

A game player gets to own guns in assistance to improve their defensive and offensive skills. These elements may be such as herbs and the rewards for the tasks, each with a designated color the color of each dot indicates also his character.

Intricacies of game is development as well as it is growing popularity. With those players who enjoy temporary control over the monsters and others, and with the necessary levels of the game, they need to pass through improving their own skills and ability to improve increasingly; it is easy to understand why so many people are addicted to gambling.

World of Warcraft is considered one of the most successful game the test of time. Many fans download World of Warcraft on a regular basis. It is not just a game to some people - which is an evolution, creative culture.

The goal of World of Warcraft is to travel to new lands, honing your skills while competing with man or beast. Each level of experience offers new and interesting challenges. Along the way, individuals can earn that can be used to build a brand or barter.

Many books have been written about World of Warcraft, each book highlighting the most popular topics that appear in the original games. With chapters describing the events and characters evolve; they help convey to the millions of players worldwide addicts.

The History of Anime - Where Did Anime Start?

Are you interested in Japanese filmmaking, have you ever wondered, while watching their anime, drama or manga, where it all started? Anime first started off in Japan in the 20th century briefly after the boarders were opened in the late 19th. This made the animation techniques that developed in the West easy to transport to Japan by 1914. "The very first three animated films created in Japan fit on one reel and were between one to five minutes long."(Patten) The content of these works were primarily of old folk tales and samurai legends. Japanese animators were greatly influenced by American animators so the black and white style was a must but the rounded heads and animal adaptations of people was Japan's first signature to making a style all to their own.

Many animators were urged to produce animations which enforced the Japanese spirit and national affiliation as a result of cultural nationalism, that japanese government began to enforce. Anime started to gain more appeal. The one to five minute shorts about common folk tales gave way to a more Western like style. The change in style meant that Anime was now going in a comedic fashion used to lighten people's moods on intense topics like war.

In 1970 Anime introduced its most popular style of work yet: Mecha. Mecha, which is short for mechanical, involved large robots that were used in times of war. Also a theme variation started to show itself through Anime. Writers began to twist the good guy/bad guy roles and relationships. The idea of a troubled hero presented itself in shows like Lupin Sansei where a human infected with a demon had to use the evil inside him to defeat other demons.

If you are interested in watching anime, its just one click away.

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Phil John is a member of the general public who is always looking for ways to reduce his expenditures.

He is looking for ways to beat the rising cost of restaurants but still have access to all the great meals restaurants have to offer.

You can find out more on how he does this at philjohn84@gmail.com

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Popular New Japanese Anime Series

Japanese anime has become a popular entertainment import into the North American television circuit. Many of the shows have developed cult followings containing both adult and youth fans. Some of the most well-known anime television series were Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. All three shows became household names, first starting out as imports and then later developing into full-blown commercial successes. While they can still be viewed as re-runs on television, there is a new generation of anime shows that has taken over where the originals started. Each was somewhat of a success in Japan, however they have become even bigger in the North American market.

Bakugan
The Bakugan series was originally a failure in Japan as far as television shows goes. It was not until it was brought to North America that it developed a popular following. The anime is about a card game known as "Bakugan" and follows an adolescent named "Dan" as he and his friends' battle through the card game to save another universe known as "Vestroia". The game contains marbles that transform into monsters when they land on different cards. Presently, 48 different marble monsters exist in the first series.

The card game that is introduced in the anime has also been commercially made for purchase at toy stores. Children or adults can buy the cards along with the marble figures to play against friends in their own time.

Beyblades
Beyblades is another anime import from Japan. Unlike its counterpart above, the show was a huge success in Japan and is the reason that it was imported to North America. The plot follows an adolescent named "Tyson Granger", who is described as a strong willed kid that participates in competitions featuring Beyblades. The Beyblades are metal tops that compete against each other in a circular or square ring to see who can knock the other one out. Tyson leads a group of called the BBA revolution through a series of challenges with the ultimate goal being the world tournament. At the tender age of 16, he is already a world champion, but the real goal is to maintain his status and fend off challenges from other characters.

Similar to the Bakugan series, kids can buy their own Beyblades to battle against one another and hold their own tournaments. There is a variety of differently styled Beyblades that you can purchase. Kids can also buy their own launchers, which equip their blades with different spinning techniques.

Explaining Noise Canceling Headsets

If you look in stores or online you'll see that there are many different brands of headsets on the market. There are the models that cover your ear completely. There are the models that you may have seen that fit inside of the ear canal. These are available in many styles and models. Then there are Blu-Tooth and wireless models. These are for people who need the use of their hands and that need to move around while they are talking on the phone. This way they aren't restricted by a cord. You can also hear the sounds around you in this way. This will also prevent uncomfortable things to happen, like your hair getting tangled, or your earrings getting caught in these.

The latest in headsets are noise canceling models like the Bose QuietComfort 15. They are able to block out both background noise, as well as ambient noise. They can cancel out everyday sounds, such as the dog in your yard, or a plane flying over your house. They are also good for canceling out the noises inside of your house. For example, if you work from home, you need to cancel out the noises of your kids playing in the background, or your dog that won't stop barking. With noise canceling headsets, no one will know that you have chaos in the background. It will sound just as peaceful as can be.

Noise canceling headphones are available in two different capacities which are either passive or active. Bose QuietComfort 15 is from the active to give you an idea just in case you wan to look it up. All kinds of headphones have some form of natural passive cancellation for noises. The cushions that are built into the headbands that fit over your head can effectively block noise to some point. Generally this type of noise is at a higher frequency. Real noise canceling headphones are circum-aural, which means that they are specifically made to filter the most noise possible. Simply put, they are constructed with foam like materials that really absorb sound. Also, this means that they aren't as lightweight as other headphones. The negative aspect of passive designed headphones is that not only are they heavier than others, but they also have the capacity to decrease decibel amounts only to the range of 15-20. Traffic noises and other loud noises such as airplanes still continue to be in the high decibel range of 75-80.

With active noise canceling technologies, these headphones not only do everything that passive models do, but something else as well. They produce their own sound waves that mimic the background noise, but 180 degrees out of phase with the ambient sounds, effectively erasing all intruding sound waves, including those at lower frequencies. This is also known as destructive interference. If you need more technical information on how this works there are an abundance of websites to explain it.

What most people are more concerned with is that it does work, and work well. There are an abundance of different brands of noise canceling headphones on the market, such as Bose QuietComfort 15. some headphones on the market cost hundreds of dollars and whereas other are in the price range where some people if not most could afford. Many people don't want to spend that kind of money on a pair of headphones, no matter how well they work. This is why you really have to do some research and shop around for the best prices and selection. Online at several of the headphone review sites is a good place to start.

Pokemon Deck Boxes For All

Pokemon deck boxes are one of the items that many TCG players in the states love to have and to store their cards in. While in America the past years during the EX series line we got deck boxes for pre-releases but the boxes themselves were not up to the standards of the Japanese ones in the players view. The first few which were Gengar,Zangoose,and Blastoise looked alright but after just a few uses some of them started to loose their stickyness on the cover and were very easy to break in the long run.

The last deck box in America was suppose to get was the Latios and Latias one but due to the delay of shipment America never got them in time for the pre-release. Of course all of them go through the wear and tear phrase depending how the player decides to keep them in. When sets get released in japan they have deck boxes to correspond to the set or the booster pack cover art.

During the ADV set in japan many of the deck boxes that have been released have made us collectors and players paying up towards $20 or more for just one box to store our cards in.The artwork is what most of us players loved because of either our favorite Pokemon like Lugia, Ho-Oh, Mewtwo, Rayquaza or even Mew. Even younger kids who see these deck boxes actually like how they look compared to the ones that sell here in the states.

I really like how Japan does the artwork as time goes on. Even the tournament boxes have a outright look that makes you want to say I really want that box. The limited Pokemon Center boxes that just was released last year got me surprised that they released a red/black Charizard one and a black/purple Espeon & Umbreon one as well. I recently brought the Pokemon Center Tsutarja, Mijumaru and Pokabu deck box as my first time having these and I was really impressed how the color scheme looked. The dividers inside had the cute artwork and the front picture on it which I was interested in since I only though they came with one instead of of 2 but then I realized that this deck box was bigger than the other ones. The word on the top of the box said Pokemon Card Game in all 3 colors of the starters green, red, and blue. On the side it a pattern of the types grass, fire and water on it while the back had the starters in a line. I look forward to seeing more pokemon of the new generation as deck boxes and hope people will see these amazing artwork on the pokemon themselves.

This article was written by Dinah Jackson who enjoys writing about science, travel and Pokemon. To find the rarest Japanese Pokemon items, check out the store that has every kind of Pokemon plush that you can imagine. Also an incredible selection of Pokemon charms, plush toys, pokedolls, keychains, charms, binders, deck boxes, sleeves, plush toys, and just about anything you can imagine. Delivered right to your front door from Japan.

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This article has been viewed 51 time(s).
Article Submitted On: January 24, 2011

3D Vs 2D: Shrek Vs Bugs Bunny - The Introduction of Realism in Animation

In the beginning there were cartoons, 2D cartoons.

In my youth I used to be a 'Professional Cartoon Watcher'. I used to watch everything and anything- I think it's reflected in my 3D work today- but I must note that my patterns started to change after the release of Toy Story- the very first one. Part of it was changing opinions in my head but could it also have something to do with the fact that it was in 3D?

I now ask the question: Are 3D cartoons/films better than 2D cartoons/films?

3D and all it has to give:

I think what 3D animated cartoons and films brought to the world of 'Toon' is realism. Suddenly facial features and skin textures became more defined. It became possible to have a character with as much detail as even having individual strands of hair.Everything had more depth- was richer, characters became more human- easier to relate to.The production process was also far quicker- no more frame by frame animating.

The best 3D animation software( and frankly most) have got a thing called 'Tweening' - which comes from the word 'between' - you can set a start and an end point for your animation and then - the software will calculate and process and fill in the rest. Of course animators still want to have control over their character's motions but no more is it truly a frame by frame process. It actually hasn't been for a long time as most 2D production houses now also use software which can do the 'Tweening" for them.

I believe 3D made animation 'human' whilst before it was frankly a 'super human' affair for those with dedication and patience (I have a lot of respect for all traditional 2D animators. Try DRAWING 25 images for 1 second of animation- now let's make a Disney Feature film.)

This is not to say 3D animation is easy- but it most certainly has it's shortcuts. I would actually say I think character creation in 3D is harder than for 2D. In 2D you can have Charlie Brown in all his simple line art glory as your main character - while with 3D there is always that push for realism- and the added depth means that your character needs to look good and just as good from all sides.

Suddenly where detailed folds in clothing were a bit impractical in 2D cartoons- in 3D, you almost need those folds to make you stand out from the last Pixar film and once you add that fold in- you now have to take into consideration Physics- how is your character moving- what do you want the folds to do as he/she moves....once the realism starts it's hard to end.

Cosplay Inspires Your Creativities

Vocaloid Hatsune Miku, is a singing synthesizer application and its female character becomes a hot role to cosplay among young girls now. The name of the character comes from a fusion of the Japanese for first, sound and future. Probably, owing to the lovely image of Vocaloid Hatsune Miku, worldwide cosplayers are driven crazy to imitate this role.

Since Hatsune Miku was first installed in the Vocaloid 2 Character Vocal Series released on August 31, 2007, regardless of a great number of Hatsune Miku colorings, this hot cosplay role has been mostly recognized wearing aqua blue pigtailed hairstyle with black ribbons in the shape of bow, grey curves-flattering shirt with black separate sleeves and a matching tie. The look of the lower part is seen with matching ruffled skirt, over knee high stockings and grey ankle boots. She usually wears a set of black earphone to signify her position as the character for phonic software sample.

Believe it or not, a vivid hairstyle will bring the finished cosplay look up to ultimate. And Vocaloid Hatsune Miku's blue hairstyle is definitely her signature feature for a successful cosplay. However, many cosplayers find it hard to style her twin pigtails vividly. Her hair is long in aqua blue, styled two pigtails on both sides. Fortunately, Miku wig offered at many cosplay stores seems a nice solution and some pre-styled Miku wigs are chosen by a lot of cosplayers who plan to portray this role. Usually the headpieces, or the black ribbons, will come along.

As a matter of fact, Hatsune Miku cosplay wigs are offered in most cosplay wig stores or cosplay stores. With the fast development of cosplay entertainment, either cosplay wigs or cosplay costumes are abundantly offered in local stores or online shops. Many experienced cosplayers are also skilled at making the costume by themselves but the wig is still the best solution for the finishing touch of a successful cosplay ensemble.

Hatsune Miku cosplay can be implemented in either a natural way or for an innovative creation. Both of them can be fabulous work. The exact cosplay trend tends to be that natural creations with delicate work on high end costume, the correct blue color, the vivid wig and the natural make-up. Keep all blue details in the same shade, and even draw the eyebrow make-up in blue and finish the natural make-up with aqua blue acuve define. However, what I personally appreciate is the creative way to cosplay alluring lovely Hatsune Miku with temperately gorgeous smoking eye make-up. I've seen a very talented cosplayer completes her Miku cosplay look to a delicate finish and the spotlight of her successful work is the smoking eye make-up, seen with hot pink eyeshade, black enhanced turnup eyelashes and subtle black eyebrows. The boost of her creative idea is the pink tear drops scattering below the right eye. In the end, a fabulous scene of high aesthetic appreciation is finished.

Vocaloid Hatsune Miku Cosplay Inspires Your Creativities. Some of your cosplay peers have set excellent examples. Since her stylish looks are richly diverse, you can choose a costume of your favorite and exert your creativities on the make-ups or any other aspect you like! A world of artsy aesthetic fun will be achieved at the same time.

Image Creation Using 3D Model Rendering

3D Rendering model is the process that helps the user to produce a model picture, once it is completed. Here the image is formed using particular features of the model like: texture, lighting as well as the shades of the 3d model design. The picture formed here is the final outcome with which the consumer gets popular with.

3D rendering gives life through animation to a 3D model which is static. Using the photo realistic techniques animations in the rendering procedure are formed with the help of computer software in order to make the model lively. Using five fundamental techniques, 3D model rendering is the concluding procedure of forming 3D animation.

If you will try to learn about 3d model design services you will come to know that basically there are two rendering techniques in existence which are: real time technique and non real time technique. Major difference among the two real time and non real time techniques is the speed with which things are displayed inside the picture. Scenes created using real time renderings appears at the range of 20-120 frames per second, whereas non-real renderings appear with slower speed, and are proper for movies as well as feature films.

Expenses of the procedure of rendering could vary as per the intricacies within the model during its formation. These 3D rendered models are generally produced in fragments, by a number of users working within the company, later connected together with the help of software graphics. If you do not have sufficient expert employees you may take help of outsource 3d rendering services.

3d model design services are simultaneously used in creating video to analyze the finishing effects or also in editing the video during the formation process. Here the user can examine the concluding task, prior to its completion, formatting a significant tool in animated film designing industry as well as in video games. In the video rendering systems, manifold images should be formed to render jointly for the formation of the concluding image that has been the outcome of the single 3D model. It is surprising to know that the movies that we see are the outcome of the static 3D models produced with the rendering procedure.

3D Computer Animation Software - Computer Animation Software for Beginners

3D computer animation software is a system whereby animated images are generated using the graphics of your computer. The generalized term of computer generated imagery uses both dynamic and static objects.

We use what is called persistence of vision to make objects appear to move or change shape, if we supply the retina of the eye with different images at a fast rate we can then create the illusion of movement, this image replacement rate is roughly twenty-fifth of a second.

To learn 3D computer animation it is first of all a good thing to have a basic understanding of the terms/names used in this fascinating field, without which you are going to find it very difficult to first of all choose a program to work with and also to be able to follow the training and instructions provided.

So let us have a look at some of the basic terminology we will come across.

3D computer graphics
Are graphics that use three-dimensional representation of data that is held in your computer for the purpose of performing calculations and rendering 2D images to obtain movement and changing the shape of an object. We can say that 3D graphics are more akin to photographs than say typography.

2D graphics
Is an image generated by the computer mainly from two-dimensional models, e.g. text, digital images? Painting and drawing were the original methods of producing images also including things such as, typography, cartography, technical drawing, advertising etc.

Vector Graphics
Is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, curves, lines, shapes etc.

Wire Frame Model
A wire frame model is a visual presentation of a three dimensional or physical object used in 3D computer graphics.

Raster Graphics
Is an image commonly called a bitmap, is the data structure of that image and is how the computer displays that image on our monitors.

Rendering
This is the process of applying shading and texturing of an image.

These are just a few of the terms you will come across in 3D computer animation, more in depth descriptions can be found elsewhere on the internet, the best place I have found is Wikipedia.

Choosing an animation program to use and learn with if you are just starting can be difficult and expensive if you get it wrong. Some programs cost hundreds of dollars and more and have all the facilities you require but are mainly for advance users with little help for the beginner. There is also available free to use programs but again the opposite applies and not all the features you may require are available in them.

The best program I have come across that gives you the features and facilities of the more expensive programs and also provides all the training and step by step guidance you will ever need to get started in this fascinating world of 3d computer animation, is by a company called Illusion Mage.
One of the best points of this software is it will give you a 100% money-back guarantee if you are not happy with the program and the brilliant training they provide. So what's holding you back go and spend some time with it and see your own results. Read this review Illusion Mage at http://3d-computer-animation-software.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Graham_J_Freer

Make Your Own Animations For Free

If you've always wanted to make your own animations, but didn't know where to start, there's a cool website that lets you make your own cartoon animations for free - even if you're not an artist and have no experience with animating. It provides all of the tools you need to not only create an animation, but you'll also be able to download your creation to share it with friends or post it to various other sites, like YouTube. Following are the simple steps you'll need to take to create your first animated scene.

1.) Sign Up For a Free Account

The name of the website is GoAnimate.com. The first thing you'll need to do is sign up for a free account. All that's required is an email address, desired username, and a password. It will literally only take you seconds to set up. Now, it's time to create your first animation!

2.) Select Your Background

Once you're logged into the Go Animate "studio", you will first want to choose the desired background for your cartoon. You can access the background scenes by clicking on the icon at the left that looks like a mountain/sunset background. There are multiple backgrounds to choose from including indoor and outdoor themes.

You can select a scene that represents a room, like a kitchen, living room or bedroom, or go for an outdoor background like a backyard setting or beach theme. Many of the backgrounds are free to use, and if you want to have even more choices, you have the option to purchase additional settings. Once you've picked your background theme, you simply need to drag it over to the staging area.

3.) Select Your Main Character

The next step is to choose your main character for your cartoon. The characters can be found by clicking on the icon that looks like a person running. You can choose one of the premade characters available, or use the Character Creator to design your own cartoon star.

4.) Give Your Character Something To Say

After you've picked your character, click on it to bring up a text box. Type something that you'd like your cartoon character to say. The software automatically converts your text to speech in the final animation sequence. Pretty cool, eh?

5.) Finish Creating Your Animation

From this point on, you'll basically be repeating the above steps to complete your animation. For each scene, you'll choose what actions you want your characters to take. You can move your characters around the scene, choose different actions for them like standing, sitting, dancing or even answering a phone. You can also change your character's facial expressions in each scene.

At any time in the process, you can click on the preview button at the top of the stage to see how your animation is developing. Once you've completed the animation, you can save it and download it to your computer. You can then post the saved high-definition video to YouTube or any other website you'd like to share it on.

Illusion Mage 3D Software Review - My Experience

I grew up watching Anime for most of my life but for the most part it was only in 2D, that was up until around 2004. I saw an Anime movie called Appleseed and I was like WOW! The 3D rendering, storyline everything was so amazing to me in that movie and I could tell the whole animation industry was on its way to a more 3D visual appeal for years to come. Boy was I right as kids movies like Toy Story, Shrek all created using 3D software came out shortly after from big studios like Pixar and Dreamworks.

So what is it about these movies that's so stunning? Is it the magnificence of the technology combined with art that astonishes the audience? Or is it their ability to transform us into an entirely different world that captivates the minds of millions? Whatever be it, the few hours of immense cheerfulness that they bring into our lives is unmatched and leaves us only asking for more.

I have a couple close friends that actually create short films using 3D animation software on their computers. Having watched over their shoulders for some time while they are creating these films I became interested in making my own as a hobby. Only problem was the popular 3D animation software they used called Maya, costs around $3,000! I didn't want to shell out that kind of money just yet for a hobby so I seeked out a more cost effective alternative.. That's when I found Illusion Mage.

I thought to myself, OK, it's fairly inexpensive so it can't be that good right? Well, from reading other reviews and looking at the website I decided what the heck, why not? After all it has a 60 day money back guarantee, so that's 2 full months to test it out with nothing to lose! I've been playing with Illusion Mage now for about 2 weeks and here is my review:

Pros:

Easy to use interface to render 3D objects and animate them quicklyStep by step training videos that got me up and running in no timeprofessional grade 3D modeling at a very inexpensive priceCons:Huge video training files from the members area take a few minutes to download and I'm kind of impatientThe software seems fairly unknown still in the 3D animation community but the forums of users is growing everydayThe training videos seem to drag out for me as they also cover basic stuff but I guess that's not too bad for a total beginner

What's my take on Illusion Mage? For me it's a keeper as it has all the functionality of the more expensive 3D animation software with the lower price point. As a matter of fact, I showed it to my friend (who uses Maya) and he couldn't believe the feature set it has for such a low price. He actually got mad he paid so much for other software that does the same thing! When it comes to inexpensive 3D animation software, I HIGHLY recommend Illusion Mage Check it out along with the intro video!

Computer Animation - Best Programs For Animation Design

My interest in animation started in October 2009 following the inheritance of a significant stock of pipe cleaners. My father a man in his dotage and content with retirement by habit took a volume of Sherlock Holmes, an ample glass of single malt and a churchwarden briar stuffed with old shag into the comfy chair of an afternoon before falling asleep by the fire, little did he know that the by product of his muse would account for many hours of his sons time and lead to a hobby of personal exploration and enjoyment that is not only compulsive but at times mentally stimulating to the extreme.

My start point was simple, as when a boy I fashioned the pipe cleaners into the semblance of human form and encouraged the models to stand upright by using office tack, then with felt tip I drew a backdrop of a bar room and proceeded with the aid of a basic computer camera to act out the story line of a colourful old tune, The Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes, by Kevin Ayres.

The camera came ready with its own snapshot program which I linked up with the free version of Windows Video Maker then dragged and dropped the music which was saved into Windows Media Player, the results of this first effort can still be viewed on You tube and have received a number of positive comments.

Two more musical efforts followed, on the later, Blue Xmas by Miles Davies, I added in the use of a new software program "Adobe Photoshop" which is superbly flexible at importing a photograph to change, move by layers or distort in various ingenious ways and then you can even add in lighting effects and much more, my list being in no way exhaustive.

Your purchases may well stop there if your needs are only simple, however I find by nature that once started an unseen force pulls me ever forward to find that one next stage of progression and so dissatisfied with the accuracy of mouse drawing I next invested in a Wacon Intros 4 drawing tablet, I nearly went for the larger of the three size options but in hindsight for compatibility to my needs I find the medium version ideal.

Later I then stumbled on to a software sale and picked up a copy of "Serif Video Studio" which although simple by design I found it more flexible than Windows Video Maker and even a dozen plus videos on I still use this programme as my base to bring forward all developed scenes into.

Music with Windows XP or earlier versions was a simple click of a button job but upon upgrade to Windows 7 I found many such tasks becoming a little less user friendly and so now I work through an "Audio Lab Cleaning" program which is wonderfully simple when cuts, breaks and sound bites are needed.

But my latest purchase and by far the most revolutionary to my style was the bonus pack of " Reallusion Iclone4 and CrazyTalk6.Pro" without a doubt this is the most fabulous of programmes for an enthusiastic amateur like me, try some of my latest efforts on You tube to recognise the difference, these programmes let you work with real 3D animated characters just like in Disney the only barriers being your computers capabilities and your own time and imagination, I believe it is worth paying a little bit more to get the "Pro" rather than "Standard" packages of these programmes because the add-ons and upgrades are much more comprehensive and worth every penny.

So there you have it, if you want to step a toe onto this wonderful Jack and the Beanstalk ladder of animation then this is one do it yourself way that I can recommend.

Hobson Tarrant, author of The Peckham Quixote & Looking Forward to the Past in paperback novel form and animator for pleasure of popular music, see YouTube. Hobson was head waiter to the Duke of Bedford in the 1970's, a midnight baker, milkman, goat breeder and failed Welsh village grave digger in the 80's, multi million pound turnover company director and founder from 1990-2004 and then retired to Greece to enjoy all things creative with his long term wife of thirty years plus.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hobson-Tarrant/132713240121005

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If You Haven't Seen The Last Airbender You're Missing Out!

By Robert Blackburn Robert Blackburn
Level: Platinum

Robert Blackburn has been promoting games and his favorite poker playing strategies for many years and enjoys writing about his experiences with Online Poker Play. ...

Everyone knows the success Avatar The Last Airbender cartoon TV series had. Its success is based on the subject chosen by the writers of the script, the characters, the situations, the classic fight between good and wrong explained in a different way so that everyone can understand its meaning. It is the kind of cartoon that can be seen by adults and small children without the risk to get bored during the episode. Everything started with the first season of this TV series, which had a really positive impact among the viewers, thing that made the producers to continue the story with another two seasons.

Each season is presented like a book, and each season episode represents a chapter of that book. The world this TV series imagined is the perfect world where everything and everyone is living in perfect harmony. But like in any story, the dark clouds showed up when the bad character, namely the Fire Lord, ruler of the Fire Nation want to own every territory from this world, and defeat the Water Tribe, Air Nomads and Earth Kingdom. He forgets that there is something with a grater power than his and this something is the Avatar. In fact he didn't forget he imagined that the Avatar no longer exists, because after the death of the last one, one hundred years passed by before the main character, Aang was discovered in an ice block, frozen. After that, when everyone sees a teenager that claims to be the Avatar, they can't believe it. In the end this child learns how to handle and bend all the four elements of the nature, fire, water, earth and air so he can bring back the harmony in the world and save it from the evil Fire Lord. During his journey he learns great things and he is helped by incredible friends to get out from difficult situations created by its enemies so he won't be able to accomplish his mission. It is a very educative cartoon series, which teaches children the importance of ethics and the respect they should have for their friends and family. Beside that grownups can find out new things about old cultures, like Chinese martial arts, Indian ancient mythology and maybe other things as well.

The easiest way you can see The Last Airbender episodes is if you search online. There are many sites where these episodes can be seen for free or where you download them. is maybe the best thing you can do in case you lost one of the episodes and you want to see it, or if you don't want to be disturbed by commercials during your viewing.

This tip is so simple; you can implement it immediately and start seeing results you want! But it doesn't stop there. You can actually take this a step further and increase your understanding using another simple technique. The problem is, I don't have the space here to share it. It is, however, on my website.

So if you want to go further with your knowledge about The Last Airbender, visit my blog for more powerful information, get the best out your Poker Playing Strategies.

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This article has been viewed 21 time(s).
Article Submitted On: January 23, 2011

How To Make Yourself Be Happy

When it comes to happy time, most people think of the time they spend together with their family members. There is no doubt that family is one of the most important things in the world for every person, so when people have free time, they just stay together with their family members. As you know that if there is something fun which makes all family members happy, that will be great.

In order to make themselves happy, people may try to find something fun,for example, they may watch some interesting movies to kill the time. Apart from interesting movies, there is also another thing which can make people happy, that is cosplay. Most people now are familiar with cosplay, but their views toward cosplay are different. Some people think cosplay is for youngsters and some people think cosplay is for all.

When you are in cosplay world, you will definitely experience a different life. You can play those characters you like a lot, you can just be anyone you want to be, but before you replay these characters, you do need to dress up and make up yourself. You need to find some things necessary first.

You may need to find the ideal cosplay costumes, you can either look for these costumes from local shops or online shops. If you want to see these costumes first, then you can choose to buy from local shops and if you want to save some money, you can do online shopping for these costumes. You do have a wide range of choices. Also, you need to find some wigs and other accessories to help to complete this cosplay. The more you pay, the more you gain.

Riaz J is a freelance writer who has written thousands of articles on various niches. He likes to share his knowledge with his readers.He also likes to write about canon coffee cup. He wants to provide readers with the best information on various topics.

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Kids Bean Bag Chairs for Tender Comfort

There is always a high expectation for tenderness and comfort when one thinks of his or her homes. This is a place for ultimate rest at the end of a hard day work whether you are a student or a professional. There are various elements at home that makes life pleasant and worth looking forward to through the hours of the day. One of them is the furniture of your home.

There are different kinds of items that are included within the d?cor of a house that allow you to relax and unwind in the right way. In these bean bag has always been favorite for all members of the family.

About Bean Bags

A bean bag is filled with dried beans and OVC pellets and coupled with polyurethane shredding as well. There are no hard structures for these seats and are absolutely soft and downy. When you sit on these the chairs almost automatically shape up for the size and proportion of your body. This helps in providing that perfect back rest and support that you need whenever you are sitting down. Moreover, this is a necessity when you are tired and trying to relax.

Furthermore, these are available in a variety of choices both in their materials and in colors and combinations. And all of these are extremely beautiful to fit in appropriately to your home d?cor.

Bean Bag Chairs for Kids

The kid's rooms are always special because you want that element of fun and color along with uniqueness for the young minds. And bean bags can fit all of that and much more. These unique bags are soft and provide a tender support for comfort. Then there will be no fear of your child hurting itself against hardwood or metallic furniture items. Kids often hurt their feet or toes when they are in a rush and brush against sofas and chairs roughly.

Bean bags are available in leather, faux leather material and in different kinds of fabrics like velvet and suede. They are available in beautiful colors and combinations to suit different trends of decor ideas.

Whether your child is reading a book or watching television, you can be rest assured to having provided them with a comfortable seat to enjoy.

Mecha Animation of Today Represents War in the Future

Today, we are very much aware that animation is taking a big part in the entertainment industry especially those anime that illustrating gigantic robots or what we called as mecha animation. This anime that features mechanical robots with amazing technical capacities used for fight scenes hook the interest of the kids but as generation gone by adults and experts took interest to this type of anime as well. Example of this anime is Neon Genesis Evangelion, Code Geass and the very popular Gundam Series. Not just the fight scenes and the robots that makes it appealing to the viewers but as well as the characters or the pilots of each robots that were illustrated as kids aging from 13 to 16 years old, we can even barely call them teenagers.

My point in this article is that can this be a glimpse of what will happen in the future? It is not a secret to us that many inventors, scientist and experts in high-technology are eager to discover and even create weapons to help the government protect its country and its people from sudden attacks. Come to think of this, if ever they could really create weaponry such us those gigantic robots we saw on this anime having those monstrous capacities to abolish an entire island, having kids as a pilot for this robots is not impossible to happen as well.

I am not against mecha animation or even new developments or discoveries engaging to create new technologies to help the people for their everyday life, I am just a mere citizen sharing my thoughts of observation of what might happen if this will be the situation in the future. Life is beautiful to waste; we should not create a more cruel life to those people who are already in the war zone or to those who are already engaged in the battlefield.

How to Make an Animation

Wondering how to make an animation? Perhaps you have amazing artistic talent and you've decided you want to take this skill one step further and learn how to make 3D animations. In order to learn how to animate graphics, you're going to need a couple of things. This article will talk about the two most important things you'll need to create your very own animation. At the end of the article, I'll tell you about an inexpensive, easy to use software program that will have you creating your first animation in less than an hour.

First, and foremost, you'll need a decent computer. The software programs used to create animations tend to be very resource intensive and require quite a bit of free memory. If you have an old dinosaur of a computer, you're likely to become frustrated quickly when your computer doesn't perform as fast as you'd like, or worse yet, freezes up or crashes on you. Today, there are a lot of computers available for sale that come with generous amounts of disk space and internal memory. A decent computer can be found for $1000 or less. If you're serious about making animations, you'll really want to invest in a good computer.

Next, you're going to need 3D animation software. If this is your very first time creating an animation, you probably don't want to spend a lot of money on the software. There are some software programs, like GIMP, that are free to download and will allow you to make basic animations. If you're really serious about learning how to make an animation, you're going to want spend a little money on a better program. The free programs are good to experiment with, but they lack the functionality of a full-blown 3D animation software program.

There are many paid software programs available for 3D animation including Maya, Adobe Flash, 3D Max and Poser. These are all excellent programs and represent some of the industry standard software used by huge companies like Pixar. Unfortunately, these programs are incredibly expensive - literally costing thousands of dollars. Not only that, but once you've installed the program, you'll have to figure out how to use it. While these programs all work well, they're not really conducive to a beginning animator.

If you're just beginning to learn how to make an animation, you're going to want a program that not only lets you create the animations, but also shows you exactly how.

Anime Fan DVD Collecting Tips

In the United States alone, it is estimated that thousands of people participate in a hobby that's commonly remarked as anime collecting. Anime collecting involves the buying, storing, and perchance the reselling of anime Collectibles. While many professional anime collectors, particularly those searching to make their living, tend to place their focus on collectable figures and figurines, there are many much more items that can be added to an anime collection, like DVDs.

As previously stated, anime collectable DVDs are often times desired by collectors. Those who do so frequently enjoy the anime genre in general. Although it's more than feasible for collectible anime DVDs to be resold for a profit, it can often times be difficult to do. With that being said, a few of the suggestions outlined below can help collectors, like you, care for and properly store all collectable anime DVDs. Should profits be a goal, these suggestions can assist anime collectors in meeting that objective.

The first step in creating an anime DVD collection that collectors themselves may be proud of, as well as a profitable collection, involves examining buy points. Anime movies and television shows on DVDs maybe purchased from several various sources, such as media stores, hobby shops, online specialty anime stores, conventional department stores, and via online auction internet sites. Collectable movies and tv shows that will later be resold for a profit should be rare or at the very least hard to discover.

In addition to carefully selecting anime DVDs to add to a collection, anime collectors are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with correct DVD care and storage. This is especially important for those curious about making some cash. Perhaps, the best technique to increase or at the very least maintain the value of an anime collectable DVD is by leaving the disc in its original package. As soon as a collectable is opened, that collectable can reduction in value and also the precise same maybe said for DVDs.

If anime DVDs are ordered used or if the package must be opened, it's important to usually maintain that DVD stored safely in the case. If your anime movie purchase did not contains a protective DVD case, you will want to purchase replacement cases. As a fast fix, CD jewel situations can be utilized.

When handing anime DVDs, particularly those that are valuable or those that you plan to resell, it is essential to cope with with care. All disc, including DVDs and CDs ought to never be handled by touching the bottom, readable side. This may not only lead to scratches or fingerprints, but it may also lead to a lowering of value. Since numerous collectors and anime dealers have a broad range of anime movies and tv shows on discs to choose from, they frequently search for those that are in ideal condition, if not brand new.

In addition to merely just handing all collectable anime DVDs with care, professional collectors are encouraged to wear protective gloves. These mitts, which often only cost a dollar or two, can help to maintain the like-new or new condition of anime collectable DVDs. As previously stated, most anime DVDs are tough to make a profit from when reselling, that it why any assistance, like with a scratch and fingerprint totally free DVD, is ideal for collectors searching to turn a profit.

How to Make Animations - 3 Ways to Learn 3D Animation

If you want to learn how to make animations, you're not alone. Since the popularity of animated films and cartoons has risen in recent years, more and more people are interested in learning how to create their own animated graphics. There are a few different ways you can learn how to create 3D graphics, and in this article, I'll provide the most popular ways you can learn this skill, and at the end of the article, I'll show you where you can find not only lots of video and written tutorials, but also download an inexpensive 3D software program that will have you creating animations like a pro in no time.

1.) Tutorials Online

There are literally thousands of websites that offer tutorials to teach how to make animations. A good way to find these tutorials is to go to your favorite search engine and search for phrases like "learn computer animation", "how to make a 3D animation", "computer animation tutorials", and "3D software tutorials". If you have a specific type of animation in mind, for example, cartoon animating, be sure to search for that, as well. You're likely to find plenty of tutorials to keep you busy for a really long time.

2.) College and/or High School Classes

Maybe you're a little more serious about learning how to make animations, and you want to learn from the pros. The best way to learn about several different 3D software programs, and how to use them, can be found in classes taught in many colleges and high schools. Most colleges offer a degree program focused on art and animation. Check out your local community colleges and area universities. Some colleges don't even require you to choose a degree path, but will allow you to take just the courses you're interested in.

3.) Learn through Video Training and Written Tutorials

If you'd prefer to learn computer animation in the comfort of your own home, you can purchase training programs that offer either video training, written tutorials, or a combination of both. Watching videos is a great way to learn how to make animations, because you can follow along with the tutorial, and watch someone actually create the graphics right in front of you, just like in a classroom. Illustrated written tutorial guides can also be helpful in teaching you how to make 3D graphics, as they provide a step-by-step approach to their creation.

Before you can even begin to learn how to make animations, you're going to need good software. If you don't already have an animation software program, you've probably shopped around and found that they tend to be very expensive, often costing thousands of dollars.

On my website, you can find an easy 3D animation software program complete with over 6 hours of video training and tons of written tutorials, all for under $80. You can be up and running, and creating your first animation, within just an hour or two!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_A._Johnson

Anime And Manga Bring Cosplay In

When it comes to anime, most people, especially people of young generation, are so excited, they are so fond of anime. But for some people, they just have no idea about what anime is, well, let us talk about anime together.

Anime is an item that shorts for animation, it's originated from an Asian country, Japan. Together with anime, there is another very popular item, manga. A lot of people just can not distinguish the difference between anime and manga and they think these two items are the same, the fact is that they are two different items. Anime can be live videos, you may have seen some anime movies before. Anime can be drawn by hands and also by computer. At the beginning, anime is popular among Japanese people, but now it is become a worldwide liked program.

Different from anime, manga is about pictures, you may have read some manga books and in some western countries, people call manga books as comic books. Most manga stories are separated in episodes and they will be presented in manga magazines. There are two common versions of manga, one is the black and white magna and the other is the colorful manga. Some people prefer to read black and white manga as they think it is very comfortable while reading, but there are still some people who are fond of colorful manga since different colors can make them feel interested.

Well, these two items also cause another phenomenon, cosplay. Cosplay now is a fashionable trend among young people, a lot of college students like to cosplay their favorite characters and these characters are mostly form anime and manga. Maybe you will watch a free cosplay show when you are walking on the street.

Riaz J is a freelance writer who has written thousands of articles on various niches. He likes to share his knowledge with his readers.He also likes to write about canon coffee cup. He wants to provide readers with the best information on various topics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Riaz_J

A Definition Of Anime And Japanese Animation

A definition of anime could be described as animation originating from Japan. It can mean different things depending on its context but in English speaking countries this is the commonly accepted term.

It is both hand drawn and computer generated and has been around since around 1917. The popular version we are familiar with today began to originate in the early nineteen sixties. It began to expand outside of japan in the early nineteen eighties. Anime and its cousin manga have grown in popularity in the United States and other countries exponentially.

In Japan the term is not intended to define an animations country of origination instead, it is a generic term that is used to refer to all forms of animation from all countries. The term derives from an abbreviation of the word animation. Cartoons from other nations that use Japan's popular style are usually referred to as "anime-influenced animation" it is typical for the uneducated viewer to refer to these series as Japanimation.

Those who are not Japanese might refer to the countries animation as, "Japanimation", but this phrase is no longer used.."Japanimation" was used the most during the seventies and eighties, but the term "anime" replaced it eventually. Since the term does not identify the cartoons origin Japanese usage, "Japanimation" is used to distinguish Japanese work from that of other countries

The Japanese term manga may refer either to comic books or animation.However English speakers refer to "manga" as Japanese comics.. The phrase "ani-manga" is typically used to refer to comic books produced from animation cells.

Even though different series and different artists have their own particular styles, many of the elements have become so common that most describe them as typical of the art in general. This does not mean though however that all the cartoons will share the same artistic style. Many will have a quite varied style from what would commonly be called "anime style", yet people still use the term to refer to these titles. The most typical form of anime features could include exaggerated features like large eyes, overblown hair and disproportionate limbs... Also shaped speech bubbles or speed lines.

The biggest factor in anime exposure outside Japan has been due to the internet.. Before the nineties, the art form had very little exposure beyond the borders of its home. But as the popularity of the Internet grew, so too did the interest in it. Many of the fans grew to love the art form through the Internet. Internet advertising income grew from 1.6 billion yen to over 180 billion yen between ninety five and two thousand five.

3D Animation - What Does It Have to Do With the Animation Industry?

3D animation from the onset has made a major impact on the industry. It's not only a challenge for the 3D artist, but also for the software programmers who supports the artist with robust and feature filled tools. Without the computers and 3D software, the industry would not be charging forward as it is today. The underlining work like the frames and models of the shot can be simple, but when it comes to motion or the movements this is where the characters become a handful. The creative juice and experience of the animator comes into play. This is why studios often only work with certain animators. They have the strengths and skills that match the studios direction.

Don't fret if a particular studio does not like your skills. It just means that you have not found a studio that understands your skills and strengths. Only an artist can bring life to a character in a way that makes it look real enough to give an entertainment value to its viewers. You may be the animator who can pull this off. Each animator has his or her particular strength.

3D Visual Styling

3D animation and the visual styling is something that has to be taken into account. For instance rendering a project is a large portion of how the final product will appear. To properly render a character or object, the artist needs to plan it out. The planning needs to include the method and kind of software to support the project. Not all software is the same. The objective of the animation needs to synch with all movements to make the character look realistic. Now-a-days directing the movements of a character is done by people. Sensors are placed on real human beings who input those movements into a computer. Later those movements are added to a character that will mimic a person's movements. Cinematography is also a vital element of animation since the animators have the power to control the position and the movement of the camera when doing a computer animated picture.

Proper drawn 3D computer animation image sequences and lighting has a large impact on the completed product. Both the formation of the character and aspects are planned out before the project starts. One of the most complex parts of 3D animation is the facial animated features. Just the simple blinking of an eye can throw off the animation if done incorrectly. Lots of attention is given to small features like eye movements, mouth, eyebrows etc. Done wrong will take away from the realism of the character.

A Career in 3D Animation

If a person is looking at a career in animation, it is always good to buy tools like animation software to get an early jump on learning the foundation before enrolling in an animation class. No matter the field you are leaning towards, it is good to get an early idea about the basic skills in 3D computer animation. 3D computer animation by far is the most popular of any type of animation and also the most fun. Enrolling in an animation school is the best way to not only learn the trade, but also help you decide on your animation specialty. Finding your strength is the most important thing and the easiest way to find that is through education and practice.