Hi...
FYI: I am a long time Combustion advocate, being an "original" user, a forum host at three different combustion chatroom sites. As for Combustion...
I started using C before it was C (back then it was called paint* and effect*) and over the years, as a Combustion Trainer & Demo Artist, I have trained over 200 scandinavian effects artists. Because there was NO Combustion book on the market, in 2002, I wrote & published the first one, a Cv2 Training Primer. This month, I have decided to discontinue it - it is out-of-print. As for other books on Combustion v3, in the near future you can expect more coming (see below, for one.)
For FREE - I have complied a list of where to find free stuff, incl. tutorials, tips, and help in learning Combustion. Plus, for those who want to spend money, a list of stuff you can BUY.
Here's my list:
First and Foremost, PLEASE remember that there are over 13 FREE Combustion v2 Tutorials that are already available from Discreet. These also work with Cv3..... They are on the DEMO CD-ROM, or you can find them at:
http://www.discreet.com/products/combustion/combustion_tutorials.htmlhttp://www.discreet.com/products/combustio...\_tutorials.html
These Lessons cover almost all the "basics" and have PDF files with instructions for each lesson, as well as ZIP files with the media, workspace files, and sample AVI/MOV files. Here is the summary of free lessons:
-Intro: Welcome to combustion (PDF - 301 KB) which includes Detailed descriptions of the lessons, terms, the conventions used in the tutorials, as well as instructions for setting the preferences needed for the tutorials
- Lesson 1: Touring combustion
- Lesson 2: Creating Composites in 2D Space
- Lesson 3: Compositing in 3D Space
- Lesson 4: Using Paint
- Lesson 5: Tracking and Stabilizing
- Lesson 6: Keying
- Lesson 7: Using Garbage Masks
- Lesson 8: Color Correcting
- Lesson 9: Animating Particle Effects PDF
- Lesson 10: Working with Paint Selections
- Lesson 11: Animating Layers in 3D Space
- Lesson 12: Working with Motion Graphics
- Lesson 13: Using Scenes from 3ds max
- Bonus! - Combustion for AE users (four more lessons and tips)
NEW: Discreet has added over 45 Free CWS (Workspaces) with basic effects for free download.. You can open these up and "reverse engineer" to learn them, modify them, copy and paste them in to your own show, etc... Get them at:
http://www.discreet.com/products/combustion/workspace/index_text.htmlhttp://www.discreet.com/products/combustio...index\_text.html
NEXT, below is a Rundown of some of the FREE TRAINING websites -- most offer chatrooms, tutorials and tips.
http://www.highend2d.comhttp://www.highend2d.com >> Articles & Chat room.
http://www.FXGuide.comhttp://www.FXGuide.com >> EXTENSIVE Tips & Tricks List & Articles.
http://www.CreativeCOW.nethttp://www.CreativeCOW.net (Chat room, Free Tutorials, articles, etc.)
see: http://www.creativecow.net/articles/combustion.htmlhttp://www.creativecow.net/articles/combustion.html
http://www.CGTalk.comhttp://www.CGTalk.com (Home of the 3D Festival) Chatroom.
http://www.VFXTalk.comhttp://www.VFXTalk.com > News Articles and chatrooms
http://www.3d-palace.comhttp://www.3d-palace.com chatroom, and free Cv2 tutorials (DIVX videos)
http://www.3d-buzz.comhttp://www.3d-buzz.com >> VTM (Video Training Magazine) & chatrooms
Here are some nice "User" websites - with Discreet Combustion Tutorials and help, and these are really worth mentioning ... Thanks to all these people! (These are Listed in No particular order... )
http://www.northgatestudios.com/combustion/http://www.northgatestudios.com/combustion/ (PowerUser/Trainer Lee "Rod" Roderick provides a buncha Tutorials - CWS's but no PDFs...)
http://www.bmunkres.com/tutorials/combustionTutorials.htmhttp://www.bmunkres.com/tutorials/combustionTutorials.htm
(PowerUser/Trainer Ben Munkres provides a geat tutorial working in 3D space, with 10 pg PDF.)
http://www.ddb.co.za/fede/combustion_tutorial/index.htmhttp://www.ddb.co.za/fede/combustion\_tutorial/index.htm (particles tutorial)
http://www.discreet-training.com/inset_free.htmlhttp://www.discreet-training.com/inset\_free.html (PowerUser/Trainer Gary Davis's kool help guides)
If you are ready to spend money to learn, Discreet does sell their Courseware, which is what they use when you buy one of their Discreet classes:
Discreet Combustion v2 Courseware-with CD-ROM, used at the Discreet Training Centers in the official Discreet classes worldwide. There are priced at approximately US $ 75.00 and can be ordered through your local Discreet Dealer. WHAT YOU GET: Discreet combustion v2 Courseware Index- 37 Lessons with CD-ROM: Table of Contents: Part 1 - Using Paint = 1- learning Paint Basics ; 2 - Animation Text ; 3 - Exploring Draw Modes in Text ; 4 - Revealing a Background Image ; 5 - Wire Removal ; 6 - Creating Text Gradients ; 7 - Animating Gradients ; 8 - Combining Selections ; 9 - Animating Selections ; Part 2 - Fundamentals : 10 - Touring Combustion ; 11 - Creating Simple Composites ; 12 - Using Operators in a Composite ; Part 3 - Transforming Layers : 13 -Animating Layers Using Pivot Points ; 14 Keyframing ; Part 4 - Linking and Controlling Layers ; 15 -Cropping and Corner-Pinning ; 16 - Linking Layers Through Parenting ; 17 - Aligning Objects to a Motion Path ; 18 -Linking Layers with Hinging ; Part 5 - Changing Layer Surface Properties ; 19 - Setting Surface Properties ; 20 - Exploring Transfer Modes ; 21 - Displacing a Layer ; Part 6 - Using Channels, Mattes and Masks ; 22 - Using Alpha Channels ; 23 - Creating Channel Effects ; 24 - Using Masks ; Part 7 - Using Null Objects, Lights, and the Camera ; 25 - Animating with a Null Object ; 26 - Moving the Camera ; 27 - Creating Shadows with Lights ; Part 8 - Tracking and Stabilizing : 28 - One-Point Tracking ; 29 - Four-Point Tracking ; 30 - Two-Point Stabilizing ; Part 9 - Keying and Color Correcting : 31 - Using the Discreet Color Corrector ; 32 - Using the Discreet Keyer ; Part 10 Nesting Composites : 33 - Basic Nesting ; 34 - Creating a Motion Blur ; 35 - Importing Workspaces ; Part 11 - Additional Lessons: 36 - Working with Rich Pixel Renderings ; 37 - Creating Particles Effects
FOR SALE: Other "After Market" books and training materials....
1) Released in Late JULY 2003 is the Hot New "Advanced Combustion training DVDs " -- I have reviewed these and they are REALLY GOOD - and, if you want good advanced training, these are well worth the investment. In the four DVD set there are 6 1/2 hours of material -- Three Combustion power users/trainers, Lee "Rod" Roderick, Gary M. Davis, and Ken LaRue have teamed up to present and guide you thru 15 lessons of "real world projects." This is the first volume in a planned series.. Check them out at http://www.thestreetproductions.comhttp://www.thestreetproductions.com
2) There is a very good (and long) Cv2 DVD/VHS Video set with 14 hours of training and tutorials. It is the most expensive (and extensive) training on the market, but that's what you get over 14 hours (!) This is also taught by Ken LaRue (see above) and is available from Technical Animations (http://www.techanim.com)
3) Coming up next year is a NEW Cv3 Book: Gary Davis, a well know Combustion Demo Artist, has announced he will have a Combustion v3 book published under the Focal Press label scheduled for release in the first quarter next year.
Anyway, there's FREE TRAINING and stuff you can BUY...
Whatever you do . . . . Keep Combustin' !
Jack