Hi..
OK.. I have created a "complete" list of free help for those wanting to dive into Combustion.....
It starts with FREE TUTS, next free websites, and then free TIPS and HANDOUTS & stuff. Lastly, there is stuff you can buy.
1) As you may already know, there are over 13 FREE Tutorials that are already available from Discreet....
They are on the DEMO CD-ROM, or you can find them here:
http://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 40 Free Workspaces with basic effects for free download. You can open these up and "reverse engineer" to learn them, modify them and use them.. Get them at: http://www.discreet.com/combustion/workspace/
NEXT, below is a Rundown of some of the FREE TRAINING websites -- most offer chatrooms, tutorials and tips.
The CREATIVE COW (Community Of the World) has the MOST active chat room, besides the Discreet Sponsored fourm. The COW is a great resource :
http://www.CreativeCOW.net (see the Combustion Chat room)
Check out their variety of FREE Tutorials & Articles:
http://www.creativecow.net/articles/combustion.html
http://www.FXGuide.com >> Extensive Tips & Tricks postings, articles & chatrooms -
see all the Hot Combustion Tips & Tricks at: http://www.fxguide.com/modules.php?name=fx...ist&catid=8
http://www.3d-palace.com chatroom, and free Cv2 tutorials that are DIVX videos.
http://www.3d-buzz.com >> VTM (Video Training Magazine) for Cv2 & chatrooms
Next -- > User websites - with Discreet Combustion Tutorials and help, and are really worth mentioning ... Thanks to all these people! (These are Listed in No particular order... )
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.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.htm (particles tutorial)
http://www.discreet-training.com/inset\_free.html (PowerUser/Trainer Gary Davis's kool help guides)
How to Pull a Combustion Green Screen Key :
http://www.digitalproducer.com/2002/03\_mar...creet\_keyer.htm
If you are an After Effects User, be sure to read the following articles from Digital Producer Magazine. Entitled "Combustion 2 for After Effects Users," it is a series of three articles designed to help explain things....Nicely written by Kevin Schmitt.....
- Part 1: Working with Illustrator files
http://www.digitalproducer.com/2003/01\_jan...mbustion\_ae.htm
- Part 2: Working with Photoshop files
http://www.digitalpostproduction.com/2003/...bustion\_ae2.htm
- Part 3: A birds-eye view of the C2 interface
http://www.digitalproducer.com/2003/05\_may...\_26/com\_ae3.htm
Yet another article, from Animation World Magazine, entitled "Combustion 2 in Action" written by Scott Jenkins. He reviews Combustion 2 and checks in with a production "in progress" to see how Combustion stacks up against key competitor After Effects.... Although it is a year old, it is still a good read....
http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=search&...article\_no=1437
lastly ... Stuff you can BUY - TRAINING MATERIAL:
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
Other "After Market" books and training materials....
1) OUT NOW ! The "Advanced Combustion v2" DVDs From "the Street productions." These are great.. I have reviewed them (my review is over at the COW) and this show is HOT !!! Three power users/trainers, Lee "Rod" Roderick, Gary M. Davis, and Ken LaRue have teamed up to create 6.5 hours on four DVDS with 15 lesssons -- this is all real world projects for the advanced user, and well worth the investment.. This is the FIRST in a planned series.. Check them out at http://www.thestreetproductions.com
2) There is a very good (and long) DVD / VHS Video set for COMBUSTION cv2. -- although expensive, you do get 14 hours ( ! ) of training and tutorials, also taught by Ken LaRue (see above.) Available from Technical Animations (http://www.techanim.com)
3) Planned for the start of next year is the first Cv3 book: From Gary Davis, discreet training specialist, it is scheduled to be called: "the focal easy guide to discreet combustion 3". Gary himself posted some preliminary info over in the Discreet Combustion Forum - (just do a search for his name or the word "focal") ... It is something GREAT to look forward to..
Anyway, there's FREE TRAINING and stuff you can BUY...
Whatever you do . . . . Keep Combustin' !
Jack