Craters
and Lakes
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This and other issues of the newsletter can be found here:
https://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/newsletter
Build 41 is shipping
We've released another new build, #41 is now
shipping for Howler 2020. (The demo version is still based on
build 37.)Build 41 incorporates a few bug fixes. You can now properly restore an image from the undo history stack via a stored copy into the stored images bar, even when the image size as changed such as after cropping it or resampling it. See details here:
https://www.thebest3d.com/2020
If you already ordered Howler 2020 through BMTmicro and received build 37, in a few days you'll receive a new download link for build 41.
If you don't have Howler 2020 yet and realize it's time to jump in or upgrade, use this discount code for Halloween special: XXXIIIHAL19
Important!
This will get you a 33% discount off the regular price, good through the day after Halloween. Expires October 2nd. Applicable to PD Howler 2020 and Artist 2020.
Note: get even better, a 50% discount, if you already have an earlier version.
Note: we are dropping the price on older versions.
Check new prices at https://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/sales
If you can't afford the latest yet, you might want to consider starting with Howler 2019 or Artist 2019. After you've created your first winning/selling artwork, you'll be easily able to upgrade to v2020. It's also a more affordable to cautiously test it with your PC, to make sure it works with it and is fast enough for what you do.
Summary of regular pricing at TheBest3D.com through the BMTmicro secure online store:
| Howler 2020 |
$79 |
| Howler 2019 |
$29 |
| Artist 2020 |
$47 |
| Artist 2019 |
$19 |
(additional sales or value added taxes may apply in some parts of the world)
If you start with the 2019 release you can later upgrade to 2020 at 50% discount. Contact Phil for your discount code.
Steam or earlier versions?
Did you get yours on Steam? Do you have an earlier version such as v9, 10 or 11? Even earlier versions?
Is it time to upgrade? Please contact us, we're offering generous discounts even if you go back to very old versions such as PD Pro 3 or 4, to bring back some memories :-)
Free Webinar at Digital Art Live -
did you attend?
We had a great webinar hosted by Paul
Bussey from Digital Art Live. If you'd like a copy of the
recording and extra materials, please contact Paul. Maybe he
can arrange something for you.
.
In this webinar, we learned how to create various types of
craters, such as meteor impact craters, or volcanic craters
with perhaps a center island as seen at Crater Lake. We saw a
few ways to add erosion and sediments as well as some ideas
for tools and techniques to make it look like there are traces
of ejected matter. You can see an example at the top of this
newsletter and a few more at the end, including some elevation
maps so you can try your own rendering variations from it.
Did you miss it? No problem, there will be another. This will be December 8 (Sunday).
Details to be announced as we get closer, but generally speaking: this will have more focus on tools for animation and working with video clips. If you also do 3D work (Blender, Carrara, Lightwave, Curvy3D, etc...) and want to composite things with images and videos from Howler or other sources, be sure to join.
In the meantime, check their other upcoming and recent webinars - some great stuff on Carrara and Flowscape there to name a few.
https://digitalartlive.com/events
Digital Art Contest - Memories from your Summer Vacation?
Did you submit your artwork?
https://www.thebest3d.com/competition/
http://www.pixarra.com/competition.html
SUMMER
New Tutorials &
Videos
Check the Youtube channel for recently posted tutorials and sample videos:
https://www.youtube.com/pdhowler
CityScapes
We're exploring new techniques and combinations of elevation map with various bump maps.
Start here for recently added videos:
https://youtu.be/fWSPR1y2V2A
More Cool Stuff
NASA Elevation Maps: the CGI Moon Kits
You know it's not all fake, some of the landings actually happened :-) Humanity is exploring space, and there's a lot more of it in coming years. There are several orbiting satellites orbiting Mars, observing the Moon, and in various other corners of the solar system.But there is also a tremendous amount of know-how and expertise at NASA for visualizing, rendering, animating. They have some of the coolest digital assets, created on computer, in whole or in part, combined with photography and real data.
Where can you find these? Check this category for example:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/search/?nasa_science_category=3522
And drill further down to the CGI Moon Kit:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4720
There you'll find a familiar texture map, of the Moon:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004700/a004720/lroc_color_poles_1k.jpg
You'll find the downloads available in various formats and resolutions, some very highly detailed. Many are composites from years of orbiting and observing.
What you may not have seen before, however, is the matching elevation map:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004700/a004720/ldem_3_8bit.jpg
You know of course we just had to try these in Puppy Ray. Check the online page of the newsletter to see more results in coming days and weeks.
Did you know?
This programmer also writes:
Dan Ritchie's new book - now available
You know of course that Dan Ritchie (www.squirreldome.com) is the creator/author/owner and programmer of Project Dogwaffle, i.e. PD Artist and PD Howler, to name a few of its editions (there's also PD Particles and there were originally other names, such as PD Pro).
You may not have known that this prolific programmer also writes - books, yes, he has in fact released a 5th book in the series of the adventures of Silver Squirrel:
Here are the prior releases of his books:
- Silver Squirrel - The Crucible of Silver
- Silver Squirrel - in Uneasy Pieces
- Silver Squirrel - and the Court of Animals
- Silver Squirrel - and a Sky Full of Rabbits
And now the new release: book #5
Silver Squirrel and the Princedom of the Hill
Dan has also created some artwork to go with it. In Howler 2020 of course ;-)
yep, that little squirrel sitting on the back of that bunny like he's riding a horse or pony, that's Silver.
You can purchase the books or learn more about them here:
http://squirreldome.com/Silver.htm
If you know someone who doesn't draw/paint digitally but loves to read, especially kids and teenagers but really any age, because after all we're kids at heart forever, please pass it around. If you like the book, please post a short mention or review in your favorite social media. And thank you so much for your support.
Curvy 3D v4 coming soon,... well,... almost
You've probably hear of Curvy 3D here in the ast. We have some tutorials on its earlier versions 2 or 3 here:
https://www.thebest3d.com/curvy
It is getting close to releasing version 4. Well, not too close yet, SImon tells us there's quite a bit of work left. But it's never too early to get (re-)acquanted with what's new and coming soon or eventually.
The biggest thing for me: bones are back. You'll be able to pose your monsters and dragons!
In fact, speaking of dragons, here's one he created in Curvy 4 (under development).
http://www.curvy3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=3095
Here are smaller preview versions of the same, saved as Jpeg.
Dragon modeled in Curvy 3D v4 by Simon at www.curvy3d.com
Rendered with background and more:
This will be super fun to use with Howler 2020. Can't wait to see it released.
To learn more, check the original announcement:
http://www.curvy3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=3033
and keep an eye on the Gallery:
http://www.curvy3d.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=35
Finally, here are a few more elevation maps and renders from the recent webinar. Have fun trying these on your Howler or PD Artist or even other tools. Many programs can take an elevation map greyscale image and render it as 3D landscape. Please post your experiments on Facebook or Instagram?
map 4
map 7
