Mirror's Edge

Mirror's Edge is a first person action-adventure video game developed by EA Digital Illusions CE (DICE). The game was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2008. A Windows version was also released on January 13, 2009.
Mirror's Edge delivers you straight into the shoes of this unique heroine as she traverses the vertigo-inducing cityscape, engaging in intense combat and fast paced chases. With a never before seen sense of movement and perspective, you will be drawn into Faith's world.

The outdoor sections are bathed in glorious light and the city stretches far into the distance, whereas the indoor sections are brilliantly designed and capture the tone of the story perfectly.

A powerful artistic vision enhanced by the occasional tattered fabric, shattered glass, and smoke and fire of the PhysX effects.


Mirror’s Edge 2D Beta
mirrorsedge.com
© 2008 Electronic Arts Inc.

3D for Everyone

SketchUp continues to make slow and complicated 3D modeling a thing of the past. It's popularity and maturity has approached a level where we can accept user friendly, real-time 3D modeling and be critical about new capabilities and features. Narrated videos that cover everything from basic to advanced SketchUp topics can be found here. Recently conceptart.org opened it's own forum dedicated to this software, a place to explore the 2d/3d methods of making design.

free downloads! are available at sketchup.google.com

Create, modify and share 3D models at the 3D Warehouse.
A searchable, online repository of 3D models where you can find anything you need and share your models with the world.

Google SketchUp Blog

Massive Black: Volume 1

Volume 1 brings together more than 700 pieces of artwork by the Massive Black team from studios in North America and Asia. Founded in 2002 by a group of passionate developers, Massive Black has grown to become a powerhouse of the entertainment industry—particularly in the areas of concept art, illustration, 3D, animation and intellectual property development. During its six-year history, the company has worked on 210 projects, generating a staggering 30,000 pieces of concept art for games, film, television, graphic novels, toys, and advertising.
For more information please visit conceptart.org and ballistic publishing

Concept Design Workshop in Dublin

Course Profile:
Computer technologies offer new tools to the designer’s palette and influence the style and aesthetics of a film.
The ConceptDesignWorkshop will look at the tendencies in progressive production design such as the Wachowsky Brother’s feature “Speed Racer”. The course will also look at the development of artificial environments during the process from pre-production to post production.

• A hands-on design workshop will explore the experimental use of mixing traditional and digital media. After getting familar with photoshop and its possibilities participants will move towards the creation of a design visual as it is used in the art department.

• Participants will produce a concept sketch illustrating a film set or design idea while making extensive use of applied tools such as 3-D and photo reference.

Participant Profile:
This two day course is aimed at Art Directors, Trainee and Assistant Art Directors, Junior and Senior Draughtspersons, Art Department Assistants and Production Designers with some knowledge of photoshop.

Application Procedure:
Please apply online at www.screentrainingireland.ie by the 16 December 2008.

The Tutors
Peter Popken is a concept artist, visual development and storyboard artist for the film industry. His work spans more than 15 films including: "Speed Racer", "V for Vendetta", "The Bourne Supremacy", "King Arthur" and most recently Disney's "Prince of Persia".
His work is featured on several web galleries and art books. Further he developed visual ideas and aesthetics for PS3 computer games. Peter holds a diploma in visual arts & communication and has been tutoring workshops at film schools.

[http://www.peterpopken.com/]
[FÀS Screen Training Ireland]

14. International Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Digital Media

fmx/09, the international conference on the creation, production and distribution of digital entertainment takes place in Stuttgart from May 05.-08.2009. Numerous panels, workshops and presentations draw a discerning audience, two-thirds of whom are professionals while one-third is made up of students - just right for the driven atmosphere that makes FMX the primary European meeting of the digital community and thus a great networking experience.

Innovative approaches in the animation, visual effects, gaming and postproduction industries form the focus of qualified discussions in fmx/conference. Among the hot topics will be immersive design, transmedia storytelling and world-building as well as new stereoscopic features, 3D Stereo for home and mobile entertainment and new game-driven realtime technologies for previs and production.

In an open atmosphere and casual encounters, fmx/forum presents top names of the industry and their latest achievements, hard- and software innovations can be tested directly with developers, recruiters search for new talent, schools and universities feature programs and graduates. [www.fmx.de]

EXPOSÉ 7 - open for submissions

Ballistic Publishing announces EXPOSÉ 7, the seventh edition of the premier annual artbook celebrating the creative talents of digital artists worldwide. Ballistic Publishing is now calling on artists to submit digital images for consideration. Images can be created in any 3D or digital illustration application. Photoshop and digitally manipulated photography is also welcome. There is no cost or limit to enter work for inclusion in EXPOSÉ 7. [www.ballisticpublishing.com]

Online Workshop

The Gnomon Workshop announces it's first interactive online event.
For the first time, they will rebroadcast ten lectures from previous live events including presentations by Iain McCaig, William Stout, Eric Tiemens, James Clyne, Wayne Barlowe, Kenneth Rocafort, TyRuben Ellingson, Marc Gabbana, George Hull and Brom.


Attendees to this online event will be given access to a private forum for the entire week. During the event, all ten presentations will be viewable online. Within the forum, questions can be asked of the speakers who will do their best to answer questions regarding their presentations. Each presentation ranges from 60-120 minutes, delivered in high-quality streaming video.(www.thegnomonworkshop.com)
download event PDF here

call for entries

Spectrum is open to every artist who wishes to participate and can adhere to the competition's rules: international entrants are welcome. Students, fine artists, and illustrators are all treated equally. There are no limits on the number of pieces an artist can submit and there is no pre-screening prior to judging.

Spectrum is sold in the mass market through all the major bookstores. Copies are also sent to many art directors and publishers to maximize exposure for the artists featured in the book.

Submissions for Spectrum 16 are now being accepted. Visit their website for an application and download the entry form here.

The Vaguely Xmas Exhibition

An art exhibition featuring work by 26 of London’s animation stars kicks off on Monday 17th of November (Private View) and continues until the 22nd of November. 11am - 6 pm. (www.articlesandtexticles.co.uk)

Waterloo Gallery Baylis Road Waterloo London SE1 7AA - Very close to London Waterloo station.

XXIII.CGChallenge

The US$220,000 Steampunk CGChallenge at CGSociety is getting up steam right now - and is the biggest prize pool for a CGChallenge to date!
This challenge asks you to render traditional myths and legends in the steampunk style using elements of gears, springs, brass and steam power. Re-imagine legendary characters from some of the world's most ancient stories. This challenge will be a Work in Progress Challenge to ensure everyone can learn from each other and offer feedback and critiques. Each challenger or team is required to submit Work In Progress images.

http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/steampunk/index.php

Hans Bacher - Visual Development

Hans Bacher works as a visual development artist for the animation industry. As a production designer he created the look for Amblimation's BALTO and Disney's MULAN. His blog gives an insight into the world of animation and is a great source of inspiration.

In 2007 he published his long awaited book DREAM WORLDS - production design for animation. It is a visual feast of never-before-seen artwork, complete with insight from the artist.

http://one1more2time3.wordpress.com/

Freistil – European Commercial Illustration

The Black Issue

We are calling on illustrators to send us works exclusively in black and white. They can be freelance or commissioned works, illustrations in spaces and in motion, mixed media, collages and, of course, graphite drawings…
This will make FREISTIL a book that neither a website nor the usual catalogue providers can equal and that will again bring our view of illustration into focus today.

The call for entries is online. The deadline is 31 October 2008. The book will be published in spring 2009 by Verlag Hermann Schmidt Mainz. If you have any questions please contact at:

www.freistil-online.com

CA Workshop 2008

The ConceptArt.Org & Massive Black International Art and Design Workshop is a multi-day training event, designed by top professionals and educators in the fields of video games, toys, comic books, film, illustration, and Fine Art.
A number of volunteer instructors are there to help participants of all levels learn and improve in ways never thought possible and to apply those skills in the lucrative, booming entertainment industry and related fields. The workshop opens the doors to companies looking for quality talent with knowledge in the latest production techniques, and provides immediate opportunity for people who are ready to work in the fields of art and design.

http://www.conceptart.org/workshop/

International competition for emerging artists

RELEASE1.0 is an international design competition launched in partnership with ICA, London; Triennale Museum, Milan; Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin; and London Design Festival. The competition is calling for designs for innovative new museum- and gallery- shop products and in return offers the winners financial remuneration and, more importantly, access into some of the most influential culture institutions worldwide.

An international jury from the worlds of design, art and culture will sort through all the entries to pick the final three winning designs (in three different price categories), which will be sold in the shops of the competition’s international museum and gallery partners.

COMPETITION DEADLINE 20TH OCTOBER
VISIT WWW.RELEASEONEDOTZERO.COM TO ENTER AND VIEW SUBMISSIONS

Totoro No Furusato

Film animators, comic book artists and illustrators have come together to create original works of art inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's "My Neighbor Totoro." The work has been created for an auction to benefit the Totoro No Furusato National Fund - also known as the Totoro Forest Fund. It was held Sept. 6 at Pixar Animation Studios and was a huge success. A book featuring all the works of art will be available for purchase on their website soon and a selection of the artwork will be featured in an exhibition, Sept. 20-Feb. 8 at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco.

http://totoroforestproject.org/, blog

Advanced Digital Art Production Techniques

The ADAPT conference is designed to teach the most advanced practices in digital film production. This conference touches every facet of digital art creation from film to video game development.

ADAPT joins computer graphic professionals and enthusiasts worldwide, delivering multiple high-end classes taught by some of the most renowned artists (f.e.:Alex McDowell, Syd Mead, Craig Mullins) from the most celebrates studios around the world.

ADAPT is both a forum and a stragetic venue where one can broaden their network, develop business relations as well as enrich their skills. It offers an opportunity to come together while moving forward as an international event that embraces digital art creation in all its magnificence.

www.adaptconference.com/

The Artist's Magazine presents:

The Artist's Magazine launches a new competition for their readers. Simply snap a high-quality photo of your artwork, and submit it along with your entry form and judging fee. The best entries in each category will be featured on their website. Deadline: November 3, 2008

artistsnetwork.com

Art Workshops

ArtistsNetwork.TV offers new on-demand video workshops featuring the incredible contemporary realist Sharon Sprung. Her oil paintings - as seen in the April 2008 issue of The Artist's Magazine - are breathtaking. In these exclusive workshops, she shows you step-by-step how to paint lifelike skin tones and realistic facial features. You can watch up close as Sprung explains how she works with shadows, and see her begin one painting and finish another.

New Competition: YIA Award

Illustrative is the leading European forum for contemporary illustration and graphic arts. Every year at two different creative cities in Europe, the exhibition displays an inspiring collection of current graphical art with over 400 works from more than 60 artists.

Over the course of two weeks, the festival will celebrate the illustrative arts, discover new talents, exchange ideas, marvel at progressive technologies, and rediscover forgotten styles. Illustrative will feature an exclusive exhibition and show of works from 25 internationally recognized illustrators as well as conferences, a film program, and parties; it will display not only the quality and fantasy of the latest graphic arts but also show how the visual effects of graphic design, illustration, book art, comics, concept art, and animation spill into and influence the field of art. The exhibition will be accompanied by a Young Talents Contest.

Transmittals in the categories of illustration, animation and bookart will be appraised. The 20 winners of the „Young Illustrators Award“ are shown in a separate section on the Illustrative in october 2008 in Zürich. The exhibit of the contest winners will display the most intuitive tendencies of the genre and is an exciting measure for new trends. Established in Berlin in 2006, Illustrative has been held twice in Berlin (2006/2007) and once in Paris (2007).

New Books from Ballistic

Following the success of the first Digital Painting book Ballistic Publishing has partnered with Daniel Dociu, Mélanie Delon, Don Seegmiller and Marta Dahling to create a second, 208 page volume featuring 12 detailed tutorials and even more inspirational artwork.

D'artiste Digital Painting 2 will give you great instruction as well as tips on handling Photoshop and Painter from four artist's renowned for their character, creature and environment painting.

more at ballisticpublishing.com

Forum for Game Artists

CGSociety has taken over the management www.Game-Artist.net and will work in collaboration with the founder and the forum leaders to continue to grow it into a leading forum for Game Artists. The site is mostly about 3D-modeling and texturing but also offers tutorials for 3Ds Max, Maya, Photoshop, Z-Brush, Mudbox or Modo.

5th Peugeot Design Contest

Entrants must design their project in accordance with the following theme:

“IMAGINE THE PEUGEOT IN THE WORLDWIDE MEGALOPOLIS OF TOMORROW”

Create a Concept Car which is designed to evolve within the cities of the future, whilst retaining the key values of the 21st century. The projects should bear Peugeot's stylistic codes and must contain the following four aspects included in this design competition: environmental awareness, social harmony, interactive mobility and economic efficiency.

Together with the design, entrants must include a text explaining the concept of the vehicle.

For Competition news and exclusive information, sign up for the Design Competition newsletter, by clicking here.

free downloads

The best things in life are for free.

Perspective Magazine is the journal of the Art Directors Guild & Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists. Published monthly it is now available as a free download on their web-site. The magazine offers a look behind the scenes and the process of the creative side of film production.

www.artdirectors.org

The Art of BioShock

The BioShock Artbook includes environment, character and prop design for the development of the well known game. Take-Two has just announced a deal signed with Universal Pictures and director Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) to produce a movie based on the game. You may download the PDF file in a low or a printable version from 2KGames.com

The Art of Speed Racer

The Wachowski brothers bring live action anime, color and movement to new levels in Speed Racer. The CGSociety had a look behind the scenes at Digital Domain. read more...

The Art of Speed Racer
with the complete screenplay included (paperback)
by Larry Wachowski (Author), Andy Wachowski (Author), Joel Silver (Foreword), John Gaeta, Dan Glass (Introduction)

Interview with Michael Meyers at xsibase.com
CG Car Modeling Supervisor Michael Meyers talks about his involvement in the movie "Speed Racer", what it takes to be a good modeler, the cg industry, XSI and his career. May, 12th, 2008, by Raffael Dickreuter

Designblogs

Today I want to recommend a few websites I came across recently. All of them related to film, architecture and design. Enjoy browsing...

ARTECT.NET
A blog featuring articles by Oliver Zeller about architecture and design in media.

CONCEPTSALAD.COM
ConceptSalad is a brand new website that aims to showcase the best conceptual work from students and designers around the world. With some great work already onboard its well worth a look.

NOTCOT.COM
Inspiration can sometimes be hard to find. Notcot is a site that aims to ease this process by serving designers with a feast of inspiring, innovative and unusual design articles from all over the web.