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Showing posts with label Computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Computers. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

How to Install Mac OS X Leopard on A Compaq

The Mac operating system is widely accepted as one of the most user-friendly and intuitive operating systems on the market. Although the Mac OS is a proprietary operating system that works with Apple computers, there are ways to install the Mac OS on a PC. There is a relatively easy process for installing Mac OSX Leopard, Mac's latest operating system, on a Compaq computer.

How to Enter Safe Mode on an Asus Eee PC

The safe mode option of the Asus Eee PC's operating system enables you to perform system maintenance on the computer without interaction from outside programs. While in safe mode, Windows will open a limited number of drivers, which will stop other programs and utilities from

Monday, May 2, 2011

How To Convert Mp4 to Mp3

If you’re trying to convert MP4 to MP3, chances are high that you would like to convert an MP4 audio file to play on your MP3 player. however before we tend to move on to hide the way to convert the files, let’s reassess the most variations between Mp3 and Mp4.

* MP3 (MPEG-1, Layer 3): MP3s are tiny, prime quality audio files that may be played on MP3 players or software. An MP3 will be simply created employing a home laptop, a ripper program that copies a song from a CD to your laptop, and an encoder that converts your music to MP3 format.
* MP4 (MPEG4 half 14): Mp4 is employed for audio and video. This file sort allows for prime quality streaming over the net and next generation cell phones - creating Mp4 players a hot item - and might be downloaded on-line at sites like MP4advanced, that I strongly suggest. Mp4 players are out there for download on-line.

There are two main sorts of MP4 files. the primary sort is termed straightforward Profile, that is employed for low resolution digital video content, popularly used for on-line distribution. The second version is termed Advanced Video Coding , that could be a higher quality format used for HDTV content.

So in basic terms, MP3 is for audio files used on MP3 players and software, and MP4 is for audio/video files used for net streaming and high tech cell phones.
Converting MP4 to MP3

To convert MP4 to MP3, you want to use a file format converter program. Converter programs are abundantly out there via the online. Downloads.com could also be a decent place for you to start out searching around. several downloadable programs supply a free trial amount thus you will notice it a decent plan to do a program before getting it.

3 basic steps to changing MP4 to MP3:

1. Download a free converter or purchase a converter that supports MP4 to MP3 file conversion.
# Install the program on your laptop.
# Follow the directions the program provides you with and you may be able to convert Mp4 to Mp3.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

How To Stay Ahead of Your eBay Competition

When it comes to the online market, eBay is perhaps the most popular and successful of all the auction sites. It is not surprising that many sellers on this website are already earning enough to live comfortably. You may be a novice eBay seller, but that is never a reason to stay behind the competition. More experienced sellers have devised great strategies for selling well online. These strategies are well thought out and studied carefully. You can devise your own strategies too, with some creativity and careful study, and stay on top of the game. Try one or more of the following ways on how to stay ahead of your eBay competition:

* Use keywords wisely. Put yourself in the shoes of potential customers and think of possible phrases that you would use to look for your products. The product’s brand or title does not necessarily have to be the best keyword. If you are selling slimming coffee for instance, you don’t just put down its brand name, especially if it isn’t very popular yet. Instead, use “slimming coffee,” “effective diet,” or “diet coffee” as your keyphrases. This way, your product won’t only be searchable on eBay but on Google as well.
* Give better value to your products. Better value doesn’t always mean a cheaper price. There are better ways to add value to your product than by simply lowering its cost. Offer free items along with the product, or give better deals like free shipping, for buying a certain amount from your eBay store. When offering bonuses, make sure they are related to the product, or are at least interesting to the buyer. Offering a free laptop bag with a laptop makes more sense than offering a free box of chocolates with it.
* Keep your listing page customer-friendly. Explore eBay products. You’ll realize the difference between a customer-friendly listing and poorly listed items. Most experienced eBay sellers will post pictures of the item with the necessary angles and proportions, and will provide all relevant information pertaining to it. Beginners will typically have poor or incomplete data about the product. They also have a poor presentation of the listing.

* Make a better listing. Assess your competitor’s listings and see if there are any loopholes. Make sure to make the same mistakes on your own listing. Better yet, create a much better listing such as posting good pictures or writing more interesting descriptions.
* Accumulate helpful feedback. Simply ask buyers to give you feedback on eBay. You may offer free digital items like an ebook to encourage them. After all, not all buyers like to give feedback, even if they are happy with your services. You may also offer exchange feedback, which means exactly as it says.
* Provide good customer service. A lot of studies have proven that customers will buy from a business with better customer service. This isn’t so hard to understand. You need to make it a habit to check your eBay account, at least once every day. Answer all queries in a friendly tone. Be as approachable as possible so potential buyers do not get too intimidated to bid.


Competition is a fact in any business – be it on eBay or elsewhere. The bottom line is, it is always the one ahead of the competition who gets the most profits. Evaluate your business habits and learn from other people, too. Continuous learning is important to keep you alive in this highly competitive business.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

How To Keyframe in Walk Cycle Animation

The most challenging about animation is that you have to create numerous drawings for a second of movement. Worse, all the drawings must show a smooth transition or else, it will be an unnatural movement. That is why drawing the keyframe first is very important before drawing the frames in between.

Keyframes are called as such because they guide a cycle of animation into a smooth transition. So, it wouldn’t be so obvious that a cycle has ended and immediately begun if you know how to make effective and correct keyframes. Practice doing this today with a walk cycle. Walking may seem easy but not if one has to animate it. Follow the guide below to create the keyframe for a walk cycle. Take note that the steps will not detail how to draw the character because it will depend upon your taste. Just follow the general guidelines and you’ll do just fine.

* Draw the guideline. This will be the ground where the character will be walking. Draw a straight line to indicate the ground. Each keyframe should have the same guideline if you don’t want to lose the consistency of the animation.
* Draw the first keyframe or the so-called “contact pose.” This is the start of the walk cycle animation. How the character should look like to emphasize that it is the start of this cycle? Take note that if the left foot is forward, the right arm should be forward. That’s how a person normally walks. To emphasize that the drawing is the contact pose, make sure that the forward foot’s ankle is touching the ground while the toes are up. The other foot’s ankle is raised while the toes are touching the ground. If one arm is forward, then the other arm should be at the back. Observe that this contact pose gives balance to the opposite—one arm forward and other backward, toes raised and the other is touching the ground.
* Draw the opposite of the first contact pose. If you have a backlight, better use that to trace the ground of the first frame. Use it also to determine the proper distance of the character from the first frame to its reverse pose. Imagine that there will be about four frames between the two keyframes.
* Draw the second keyframe opposite of the first. Therefore, if the left foot is forward on the first keyframe, then on this, the right foot should be forward. Everything is similar and direct opposite except for the hips, which will be slightly upwards on the second keyframe.
* Draw the last keyframe. This is exactly the same as the first keyframe, only that it will be farther on the frame. Some animators don’t do this anymore because the first keyframe can already sustain for the last keyframe.


Now, you can start drawing the in-between movements. Imagine how the feet, hands, and body of the character will move from the first keyframe to the second keyframe. Check the accuracy of your drawing by flipping the page from one frame to another. The sequence of drawing should follow a logical order or you might end up drawing some of the frames again.

How To Make a New Screensaver

A great way to customize your computers and save on power at the same time is to use a screensaver, which covers your screen if it has been idle for a certain amount of time. The best part of the screensaver feature is that you do not have to use the prefabricated ones if you do not want to. You can easily replace the default option with something more to your liking. Here is how to make a new screensaver:

* The basics. Making a new screensaver is very easy and anyone can do it, no matter what level of skill you are at, artistically or technically. All you really need is your creativity. You can go with something as simple as the time and date or as complex as an entire photo album. You can even use a video as your screensaver! It is up to you if you want to create your own or use ready-made ones. Once you know what you want to use as your screensaver, it is just a matter of fiddling around with certain options, parameters and features to get it on-screen the way you want it to be. Set the font to be used, the album or location of the pictures, how long the computer has to be idle before the screensaver activates, and much more. To find these controls, look for the control panel menu and select personalization, which will lead you to the screensaver settings.
* Using preset screensavers. There are preset screensavers for your choosing. Some of these different themes are not as simple as you might think and who knows? You could possibly enjoy them. Preview each one before you make the decision to go with something else. Some of these “boring” choices might surprise you. For example, one of the standard screensavers is a text message. Sounds mundane enough but if you give it some thought, it actually gives you an infinite number of choices, since you yourself will be supplying the words. You can take your favorite quote, passage from a book or even your own name and make that your screensaver. Doesn’t that sound appealing?
* Using photographs and videos. Most people choose to use photographs or pictures as screensavers. This is because they convey a lot of meaning and emotion, truly making the computer their own. It is as if a little piece of their being is part of the computer. As mentioned briefly earlier, you can even select entire albums to use as screensavers, meaning a whole night’s worth of memories or an entire portfolio of drawings is at your disposal. Some even use short videos as screensavers, which can be fun surprises through particularly long and arduous nights when they suddenly pop-up.


Though truly one of the simplest applications on any computer, people can spend a lot of time and effort customizing their screensavers to their liking. This is because of how much fun the simple act of selecting a favorite quote, picture or video can be. Making a new screensaver is so easy that you will have trouble sticking to just one.

How To Make a Movie with PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an excellent presentation maker. But not only is it good for organizing texts, charts, and photographs, PowerPoint can also be used to collate image, video, and audio files for your slide show. When put together, these elements can make a movie-like presentation. This how-to article will show you how to do this. So if you are ready, let’s get started.

* Gather all the materials you need for the presentation. These include the videos, sound files, and photos. Save them all in your computer and remember the folders where you keep them.
* Set the format for your presentation. Start by accessing Microsoft PowerPoint. Go to Start menu, then choose All Programs. Select Microsoft Office and click Microsoft Office PowerPoint. On the Format menu, choose a slide layout, slide design, and background for your presentation. After this, you can begin working on the first slide.
* Write the text. You can write a text using a text box. On the Insert menu, click Text Box. A text box will appear on the slide, which you can adjust based on the length of the text you intend to type. Now, choose the color and size of the font. Then, begin to type the sentence or phrase.
* Add photos. On the Insert menu, choose Picture and then From File. Access the folder where you saved the pictures. Then, click Insert. Resize the photo if necessary.
* Insert the video clip. Do this by going to the Insert menu. Select Movies and Sounds. Click Movie from File and begin to browse the folder in which you earlier saved the video file. After locating the video file, choose a format and click OK. Note that unlike a video clip in a .gif format, an .avi video clip won’t automatically run when the slide is displayed. If you want it to be played automatically, hit the Automatically option when asked how you want the video to start. If you want to control when to play it, just choose When Clicked. With this option, you need to click the video if you want it to run.
* Add sounds. Music and sounds will add life to your presentation. To add sound, you need to access the Insert menu. On the drop-down list, choose Movies and Sounds. Then, select Sound from the File menu. In the Insert Sound dialog box, click the folder in which you saved the sound file. Click the file and choose a format. Again, you will be asked how you want the sound file to be played. You can choose between Automatically and When Clicked. After picking your option, click OK. Aside from choosing from a file, you can also record your own sound, provided that a microphone is connected to your computer.
* Animate each element of the slide. Animation will define the movement and transition in each slide, ultimately giving your slide show a movie-like pacing. You can add animation for each slide by going to Slide Show and selecting Animation Schemes. Choose any from the listed effects. To apply animation effects to every element of a slide, select Custom Animation from the Slide Show menu.


When you have selected the animation effects for the entire slide show and slide elements, make sure to run the presentation and see how it works. Add or remove slides or slide elements if there is a need.

How To Lipsync in iStopMotion

Lip syncing via iStopMotion makes your characters look like the sounds they are making really come out of their own lips. This application will let you edit the animation on a frame by frame basis by allowing you to adjust the mouth movements of each character as it goes along. Adjusting lip sync movements can require a lot of your time and patience and the steps below will make it easier for you to achieve this.

* Selecting the View tab. Your first step is to select the tab for viewing, which can be seen at the lower right portion of the application screen. After selecting the “View” tab, select the “Rotoscope/Lip Sync” option.
* Opening a movie. Then you would need to open the movie file that you want to edit. Select the button that has the image of a round gear that brings out the browse window of your machine. Click on “Load” and select the movie file that you want to edit for this session. Be sure not to open multiple movie files at a given time since this will eat up the memory of your machine unnecessarily. Next, you need to select the “Show in Main Window” option that can be seen within the “Rotoscope/Lip-sync” menu. The movie that you selected will be displayed in the application working window that is a split screen mode of display. You will also see the live view of the camera from what you are currently working on.
* Recording your animation. Now you are ready to record your work. Select the “Record” button that is colored red and can be found under the application working window. You will notice that the next frame of your selected movie will be displayed in this area.
* Altering the mouth shapes. You can now change the shape of the mouth of the characters that you want to edit. You can do this by going to the left part of the animation window that should match the movie frame that is currently being displayed in the right part of the same window. Make sure that you are editing the right section of your movie.


Those are the easy steps on how to edit your characters. You just have to keep on repeating the steps until you are satisfied with the results. Play your work a couple of times so that you can see if the animation is smooth and appropriate.

If you are a Windows OS user, unfortunately, there is no version of iStopMotion for your operating system. This would only work for those using Mac. For best results, you should upgrade your OS version to Mac OS X Tiger with a QuickTime version of at least 7.1. Check if your hardware can run the program first before downloading the full version or making any purchases, in case you do not have a copy of this application, yet. It is also recommended that for Mac OS X v10.2 users, you should use iStopMotion version 1.5 and those who are on Tiger or newer, can use version 1.8.1 or any later releases.

How To Modify Hair With Poser Software

Poser is a 3D software rendering engine that can depict a human figure in a rather life-like form by being three-dimensional. This program allows an easy interface for renderers. Usually, 3D renderers use other modeling software like 3DS Max or Maya to model the human figure then use the Poser software to modify the model.

If you’re already half-way through completion of your human figure, you can create various looks for your figure by modifying the hair. In real life, hair can change a person’s appearance tremendously. It would be the same with 3D figures. Poser can accomplish that task. Read on to have the know-how on modifying hair using the program.

* Start the Poser program. If you made the figure using other types of modeling software, open Poser program and load the figure on the screen by using the “import” tool. If you already made your figure using the Poser program, just open the file and load it. Once the figure is loaded, change the view into face camera. This way, you are focused on the hair.
* Choose a hairstyle. Before modifying the hair, you need to select the growth hair guide. This guide will tell you how the hair is going to grow. Some renderers use pre-designed hair styles that are presets in the program. Switch to the “hair room” and click on the pull down menus for hair. Once you click on a preset style, your figure should automatically update. You may use the hair style tool as well. This tool has the options of designing the hair by bending, shaping and even twisting it.
* Adjust the length of the hair. You can adjust the length of the hair by using the hair length parameters. If you want to have it longer, use the length variance parameter. Adjust how the hair grows by pulling it back, down or pulling it at the side. It would depend on your preference.
* Control the density of the hair. Hair looks better when it is densely populated. Check the selection “show populated” to display on screen how thick the hair would appear. Adjust the density by using the hair density level. Move the level to the right to increase the density and move the level to the left to decrease it. Generally, density controls how many hair strands your model should have.

Another control under the “show populated parameters" is the kink strength. This gives you the freedom to modify how straight or curly the hair can be. The clumpiness control shows how the hair is clumped together. Remember that hair doesn’t really clump together unless it is held by a tie or a ribbon.

* Control dynamics. Hair dynamics pertain to the movement of the hair you want your figure to have. For example, you want hair to fall flat on its face then you can increase or decrease the gravity level.


As long as you have a particular hair style in mind, modifying your model’s hair would be an easy breeze. Just remember to be as close to real life when modifying the hair and be very patient when working on the controls – it takes a lot of time to modify these details. Lastly, never forget to save your work! Click on the “save” button from time to time, the last thing you want is losing your hard work.

How To Publish an Animated GIF from Flash

Flash animations are the best ways to entertain and inform the audience in terms of any subject. However, the problem is that it is not always accessible to people who do not have Flash plug-in or in places where it is impossible to upload the Flash SWF. Good thing is that with an animated GIF, you can make your own Flash animations easily accessible to everyone. Plus, publishing it from Flash is just easy. Check out how you can do this yourself:

* Navigate to Publish Settings in the Flash program. Go on File and then click on "Publish Settings". A window will appear for you where you need to start changing settings for the GIF for publishing. Once the window is open, go to Formats and then check on GIF Image. Then, click the tab indicating GIF at the top corner of "Publish Settings" window.
* Choose the right size for your animated GIF. In the GIF tab, you will notice that "Match Movie" is checked. Do not change this if you prefer to publish the image in the same size of the Flash movie. Otherwise, change the size and enter the pixel height and width that you prefer. Avoid distorting the image by taking note of the ration of the size of the original movie.
* Establish the animation playback of the GIF. Choose "Animated", which you can see in the "Playback" options. This will set the movie to publish in a frame by frame setting as a GIF animation.
* Enter the playback options of your animated GIF. Choose "Loop Continuously" to make the animated GIF playing indefinitely when published. However, you can also set it to repeat by indicating how many times you want the animated GIF to play.
* Set other options for your animated GIF publication. Optimize the color of the GIF to remove unused colors so that the image size will be reduced. Set "Dither Solids" so that the colors will be mixed in the current existing palette. Other options you have to set up are Interlace, Smooth, and Remove Gradients. Set all of them very well so that your animated GIF will be published at its best quality.
* Set the transparency options for the GIF. The "Transparency" menu will offer you various options to apply on your animated GIF. Choose "Transparent" if you prefer the background to be transparent. Choose "Opaque" if you wish the background to be a fully solid color. Lastly, choose "Alpha" to set the opacity of the GIF from a range of zero to 255.
* Choose the correct palette type to display the image. Set the GIF image to Web 216 so that the image will use standard colors to work for all web browsers. Pick "Adaptive" so the program will build a new color palette that is based on the components of the image. Then, choose "Web Snap Adaptive" to let the program change the colors as close to the 216 palette as possible. The last one is "Custom" where you can create your own color palette.
* Publish the animated GIF once everything is set. Publish the image by simply saving the settings you have changed. Then, go to File and click on "Publish". An easier way to do this is to use "Publish Settings" window. Click the "Publish" icon from the window and your animated GIF is all set and good to go.


The process of publishing animated GIF from Flash is easy. From now on, you can distribute Flash animations to a larger population the easier way.

How To Resize Animated GIFs

Resizing your animated GIF images shouldn’t be a big problem. In fact, a number of programs are currently available in the market. Some of them are for free. Others are a bit pricey. You just have to consider some factors in order to choose the best one for your resizing need.

Understand that an animated GIF file is composed of a few or numerous static frames or GIFs. They have been combined or put together to load automatically and sequentially. The effect creates an illusion that the image is actually moving. In other words, an animated GIF file is made up of cartoons. They are essentially small. The individual frames or GIFs have to be similar in size. Otherwise, the animation is not going to work efficiently.

In order to resize the animated GIF images, you have to adjust all of them. You have to make sure that all of their proportions are kept uniform. The program that you are going to use has to split them into their respective components, adjust them to your desired size, and then, put them together again.

Here are the instructions on how you can properly resize animated GIFs:

* Go online and visit gifworks.com.
* Check out the tool bar. Access the menu that reads “Free On-Line GIF Tools”.
* Select “File”. From the drop-down menu, choose “File Open”.
* Expect to read two prompts. You are going to be instructed to choose from two uploading methods. The first prompt advises you to fetch a particular GIF through a remote source. The second prompt encourages you to upload it straight from your computer’s hard drive. If the GIF file is found on-line, type its exact URL. After that, select the tab that reads “Fetch Image”. On the other hand, if the said GIF file is stored in your computer’s hard drive, choose “Browse”. Then, start finding the file’s exact location. Once you have found it, click it so you can upload it immediately.
* Expect your GIF file to load promptly. You should readily see it on your computer screen. After you have seen your GIF file, check out its attributes. Note them down, if necessary.
* Start your resizing process by clicking “Edit” and selecting “Resize/Crop”. Another drop-down menu is going to show up. From there, choose “Resize”.
* After choosing “Resize”, a new window is going to pop out. From the various tabs from that new window, click “Constrain Proportions”. This is going to allow you to maintain your GIF file’s ratio (width-to-height). In short, you can keep your GIF file’s original proportion even if adjustments were already taken. By the way, if the new window isn’t there, check out your computer’s pop-up blocker. You should turn it off.
* Indicate your preferred adjustments to your GIF file’s height or width. Once everything has been set, select “OK”.
* Choose “OK” one more time so you can load your GIF file’s resized image into the original window.
* From the menu, select “File” and then, “Save”.


Even though the procedure is no sweat, be cautious in decreasing or increasing the size of your GIF file. You may end up losing its inherent sharpness.

How To Save a Flash 8 Video

Flash has become the standard format for web videos. This is because flash videos, as they are aptly called, have superior quality and can be easily loaded. The only problem with flash videos is that they are not downloadable, which means they can’t be saved in the hard drive. But there are ways to get around it. In this article, we will discuss the ways to manually save Flash 8 videos.

* Save the video through Internet Explorer. Simply go to “Tools” and select “Internet Options.” Click the “General” tab. Select “Settings” under the “Temporary Internet Files” heading. Then choose “View Files.” Select “View Details” and “Arrange Icons By Internet Address.” Look for the video file you wish to save. Especially if the computer lists a number of video files under the website you’d want to save a video from , you need to check the file. If you are sure it is the right video, right-click the file and select “Copy.” Go to the location in which you want to save the video. Right-click and choose “Paste.” The video will be automatically saved in the folder as a .swf file.
* Use Mozilla Firefox. Saving a flash video can also be done with Mozilla Firefox. Do this by going to “Tools.” Then select “Page Info.” Click the “Media” tab. This will list all the files that you accessed, including flash videos. Look for the video you want to save, which is saved as a .swf file. Press “Save As.” Then choose a location in which you want to save the flash video. Finish by clicking the “Save” button.
* Use downloader websites. There are several of these websites, and one of the most commonly used is KeepVid. To use, simply access the website and paste the web address of the video you want to save in the provided field. Click the “Download” button. The “Download links” box will appear. Click the “Download” hyperlink beside the flash video file. Then save the video file in your preferred location.
* Install downloader software. Two examples of downloader applications are Freecorder4 and Save Flash . While some of the downloader applications are available for free (as in the case of Freecorder4), many are not (such as Save Flash). If you want, you can take advantage of the free trial version before paying for the actual software. Make sure to pick wisely which downloader to use, because your choice will definitely determine the quality of your downloading experience. If you can’t decide which to choose, consider reading testimonials and reviews.


So you see, there are several ways to save flash videos, whether they’re from YouTube or any other websites. Just make sure that the websites from which you will download videos are clean and virus-free. The same goes for the downloader applications that you want to use. For your protection, always keep your security level high and ensure the credibility of the websites and applications you are accessing. Remember, viruses are pretty good at disguising nowadays, so you have to be really vigilant.

How To Select Tools in Autodesk Maya

Animation using computers is modern technology’s answer to cartoons. Before the use of computer, graphic artists will draw images on paper and make a rapid display to mimic movement. Today, graphic artists use computers and sophisticated software to create animated slides. The speed of the moving frames dictates the movement of the characters within the animation.

If you are interested in pursuing animation as a craft or a hobby, there is a wide range of computer software that you can use. One of the easier animation programs is the Autodesk Maya. Autodesk Maya works for Linux, Windows and even Macintosh based operating system. Autodesk Maya is developed by Autodesk, Incorporated that is based in the United States.

Before you begin to use Autodesk Maya, you will need to install it on your computer. Follow the installation procedures that comes with your purchased software. If you encounter any problem during the installation, check out Autodesk’s website for trouble-shooting guides. Familiarize yourself with the user interface of the program before you begin.

* The most basic part of learning how to use Autodesk Maya is the select tools. Learn and practice how to use this utility, as you will need this later on.
* Locate the software among the list of your computer’s application. If you have newly installed the software, you can create a shortcut on your desktop by right clicking on the icon and selecting “Create shortcut”. Agree on the prompt that the shortcut will be placed on your desktop. Double click the icon to launch and open the Autodesk Maya software.
* Alternatively, you can locate the Autodesk Maya software by clicking on the “Programs” found when you click the “Start” button at the lower left corner of your screen. Choose the software and open it.
* You will need to place an object in your grid in order for you to select the tool to activate. If you are playing around the program, simply place an object on the grid. Once an object is available, click on the “Display” menu that is found on the upper portion of the menu panel. Select the “UI Elements” among the choices and you will see a “Tool Box” in the options. Then click on the “Tool Box” so that the panel will be displayed in your screen.
* Play around with the object by choosing any tool that is available on the menu panel. An object is important, as you will be working on it. In some cases, you will not be able to use a specific tool on your object. Don’t worry. You can still use these tools for some other tasks.


Once you are familiar with the select tools, you can begin working on a small project. Be patient as animation takes time to master. Use your imagination to make a creative and interesting animation project. Remember to save your project after every few minutes so as not to lose your progress. Join online forums of amateur animators so that you can have online help on your project. Share tips and tricks on what you have discovered and learn from other people.

How To Set Collision for Poser Clothing

Aside from technology, fashion is also one of the trendiest things in today’s society. From the drawings or sketches in the drawing book of the fashion artist, to the hand holding the threads and needles, and finally to the body of a human model. If you’ve been following America’s Next Top Model, you can see real human models wearing designed clothing as they make their way on the catwalk. Aside from human models, mannequins are also commonly used in displaying those designed garments. A fashion boutique would not survive without one. If you combined technology and fashion, then you get Poser models.

Poser models are just like mannequins. The only difference between the two is that Poser models are virtually made. Poser is a 3D animation system that represents a human model in 3 dimensional forms. Its primary purpose is to portray or animate a figure, just like what mannequins would do. So, designs are made through the hands of a computer designer, with a click of a mouse, and a creative mind.

The fashion design doesn’t need to undergo sketches. If you are planning to use Poser as a medium for designs, you should have broad knowledge about the software. It contains a wide variety of functions to choose from, and one of which is collision. Collision functions like a buffer zone in the middle of two colliding objects. Think of it as a gap so the two objects won’t touch. By adjusting the Collision, the designer can prevent poke-through, and make the clothing more realistic and stand out. With a higher setting, the object will minimize poke-through but causes the cloth to become static. A lower configuration increases the risk of poke-through, but causes the cloth to be more fluid or natural. Below are some guidelines on how to set the collision for poser clothing.

* Select a character. As you start Poser, your first task will be to pick a character that will be used on the scene. Next, select clothing for your chosen character. A list of available clothing can be found in Poser’s library prop section. Add the selected prop and place it in the scene. Position it carefully so it fully covers the character. Afterwards, go to “Windows” and select “Animation Controls.”
* Drag the arrow for Animation Controls towards the last frame. Before going to the Cloth Room, pose the character and select New Simulation. Don’t change the “sim_1” name (which is the default); mark both checkboxes for Object Polygon and Object Vertex. Also, select the box for Cloth Self-collision. When these are selected, it causes the selected clothing to wrinkle and crinkle together rather than distort when the objects bump together.
* Next, choose OK and close the dialog box for New Simulation. Thereafter, click the Clothify button. When this button is activated, it converts the props or objects into dynamic clothing. Select the entire area of the character’s body from the Current Collision Object, which automatically forms the clothing to the shape of the character’s body.
* Set Collision depth and offset. By default, digital clothes have no depth. But, if you set values for Collision depth and offset (say, 0.5), the appearance changes. The value for depth is the distance from the skin to the clothing. The value for offset provides depth between the exterior environment and the clothing. The result, depending on the values you input, will appear realistic.
* Lastly, ignore all three Collisions boxes. The function of these commands will save the computer from processing time since the extremities (e.g., feet, hands, head) are not touched by the clothing.


Settings for the Collision function in Poser are an essential aspect of designing a realistic 3D model. Make sure you exercise creativity when playing around with this function.

How To See 3D Buildings in Google Earth

A new innovation from Google Earth application allows you to explore big cities in a more realistic setting. This is a very useful application that is free for anyone who can download it. The 3D experience will definitely change the way you see your favorite cities. It shows more accuracy that will make reference on areas easier and more convenient.

Follow these steps to experience the full use of this application and see buildings in 3D.

* Secure your Internet connection and download this application. Google search engine will direct you to it. However, this is the link where it can directly be downloaded: earth.google.com. After you have downloaded it, prepare for its installation. Launch the application afterwards.
* Take note that only big cities are under this advantage. This is because only the big cities around the world are the only ones who have more buildings.
* Locate the layers menu in Google Earth. Find it in the lower left side portion of the screen. There shouldn’t be any trouble for you locating it. Click on that menu. There is an entry that says “3D buildings” select it along with options like 'Photorealistic' and 'Gray'. If your screen has a lot of clutter and appears to be confusing, uncheck other layers. As a shortcut, press 'Ctrl + Alt + B' (or + Option + B' on the Mac) for the sidebar to automatically appears.
* Depending on your Internet speed, the buildings may appear one by one in matter of time. They have to be downloaded. This may take a minute or two especially when there is a lot of structures and buildings in that particular area. One by one the buildings are being downloaded.
* Change your camera angle. Do this to have a clearer view of the city that you would like to see. To do this, press the shift key while dragging the mouse down or pushing the ‘down’ button. Explore other angle and direction by rotating the mouse and directing it to that angle. Press the appropriate buttons while the shift key is being pressed.
* Try visiting the Google 3D warehouse. Thousands of 3D models have been uploaded by people for viewing purposes to be used in Google Earth. To view these numerous 3D images, click on the 3D Warehouse network link. The 3D Warehouse is a feature of the Google Earth. It has to be downloaded for the program. Before using the 3D Warehouse, check first if it is checked in the places panel. However, be warned that not all models that you can find on 3D Warehouse are accurate and appropriate. Some did not even pass the criteria of Google Earth and some are just plain duplicates of previously made 3D structures. There are even fantasy models that are made to entertain people.


Thanks to the technological advancement of the Google graphics, we are provided by a clearer and more realistic view of the biggest cities in the world. From Tokyo to Chicago, ordinary Internet users can be introduced and can experience a visual traveling treat better than before.

How To Use Morpheus Photo Animation

With Morpheus Photo Animation, you can create stunning visual effects using only your photographs. Best of all, Morpheus provides these photo animation effects to almost anyone who can click a mouse button. If you want to use Morpheus to edit your photographs and add some funky animation, here are some steps that you need to follow.

* Open. Start by opening the application. You can usually find the program’s icon in your desktop. If there are no icons in your desktop, click on the startup button so that you can access the list of all programs that are installed in your computer. If you don’t have Morpheus yet, simply go to the website and download the application, and then run it in your computer.
* Load. Once the program has finished loading, the next step is for you to upload the photographs that you want to morph. Generally, you will need two photographs I you want to mix the photos, or if you want to morph the photos from one to the other. If you simply want to warp the photo, however, one photograph will usually be enough. Place the first image in the left panel and the second image in the right panel. The Load button should be used to do this.
* Morph. If you want to morph the photographs, you will need to use control dots to determine the parts of the photograph that you want to morph. You can add as many dots as you want, as long as you click the Add Dots button on the control panel. Keep in mind that adding more dots makes the transformations more accurate. All dots that are placed in one photograph are automatically placed on the other photograph as well, which is why you should make sure that you use two photographs that are relatively similar in size and face position. Click on the Next button if you are already satisfied with the dots that you have placed, and already want to morph the image.
* Warp. If you want to warp an image, you will also need to use control dots to determine the spots in the face that you want to warp. When warping images, however, you do not need another photograph to warp into. Instead, the control dots will simply warp the area around them.
* Mix. If you want to mix two photographs, you will again have to use the control dots. In this case, however, the dots will represent the sections of the face that will be combined with the other face.
* Preview. If you want to see the result, without having to finalize the image first, you can use the preview function. To use the preview function, simply press P and the CTRL button simultaneously.


Once you are satisfied with the image that you want to morph and edit, click on the Render button. The render button will finalize the image, and will then save it as a file that you can send to other people, or which you can open in other applications. With these steps, you should be able to create fun and funny photo animation using Morpheus.

How To Use Fade Shortcuts in Pro Tools

Pro Tools is the premier professional digital audio editing software that allows a person to manipulate, manage, and edit various digital audio tracks or scores for commercial production. This software is what the professionals in the music and film industries use. Avid Technology, the owner and developer of this software has made it possible for a normal computer user to make use of this fantastic application right on the computer, be it a Mac or a Windows based PC.

One of the key features of this particular audio editing program is the ability to fade certain portions of a musical score or audio track easily. The feature is easy to use since a keyboard shortcut is provided that will allow you to identify the portion you want to fade and apply the effect desired to that particular portion. Here is a guide that will show you how to use the fade shortcut in Pro Tools using a computer with a Mac OS.

* Run the program and load the track. Locate the Pro Tools application file and click on it to run the program. If you installed it correctly, the shortcut for the application should be found on your docklet. Once Pro Tools is running, locate the digital track that you want to edit and load it. This will open the track in a session. From here, you can do virtually any edits on the track using the tools menu you will find on top. However, since this whole tutorial is about using the keyboard shortcut provided, disregard the tool menu for now.
* Highlight the part of the track to fade. There is a selection tool icon that you will find on the tools menu. Click on that to convert the mouse cursor into a selection tool. With the selection tool, you will be able to highlight the part or portion of the track that you want to apply the fade on. With a simple click and drag on the track, you can highlight the particular part that you want to edit.
* Use the shortcut. There are actually 2 ways to apply the fade onto the highlighted portions of the track. The first way is to highlight the track portion and then click on the Edit menu. A sub menu will appear. Scroll down to the bottom and select the option labeled Fades. A sub menu will appear again with the option Create a Fade. Clicking on that will apply the fade onto the highlighted track portion.
* The second and easier way of doing it is by simply using the shortcut Apple-F. This bypasses the need to open up the Edit and Fade menu. It is important to remember and use this shortcut especially if you will be editing a lot of tracks or musical scores as you will probably be using it quite a lot.


Now, once you have created the fade, you can actually edit the curve of the fade by pressing Command-F. A window will appear which will show the curve of the fade in a graph. Just drag the curve and move it depending on your preference and how you want the fade effect applied.

How To Use the Flash Free Transform Tool

Adobe’s Flash animation tool has become very popular during the past several years simply because it is able to provide, well, flashy animation that greatly enhances a web page or an advertisement. One of the most commonly used commands in Flash is the Free Transform tool that lets the user skew, rotate, distort and scale an element according to his liking. If this is something that you want to do with your flash presentation elements, then read on the list of tips and suggestions below and eventually, you can even share it with your friends when you are comfortable with the command already.

* Selecting the object to transform. Before anything else, you need to know which element you want to free transform in your presentation. Once you have identified that element, select it by using the Lasso tool (if it has an irregular shape) or by just clicking on the item. You can also just enclose the item in a box using the marquee tool, too. For example, if you want to skew a text display then just enclose the whole text with the marquee to separate it with the rest of the elements in the Flash animation.
* Knowing which the Free Transform tool is. Then after knowing which element you want to transform, select the Free Transform tool from the tool bar which will make your element look like it has a dashed border going around it. There will be anchor points on the corners of your element and these are the areas that you can drag later on to skew the image.
* Freely transforming your image. When you grab hold of one of the anchor points, you can stretch it and drag it any way you want. You need not do the changes in a symmetrical fashion. You just need to skew it the way you want to and see if you like the changes that you are doing. You can also tilt your image in a different way by hovering over one of the anchor points and moving your cursor slightly away from it, where you will see that a circular arrow indicator will appear. Just tilt your image as you wish.
* Applying the changes in your element. When you are happy with the changes that you have brought to your element, just press Enter and the changes will be applied to the transformed element. If in case you change your mind, there is always Control + Z that can make you undo the changes that you did.


When you do changes, it is best to still have an original copy of the element so that you will always have something backed up in case you want to hit the reset button in your project. Remember to continuously save the file so that you will not have a headache when your application or machine suddenly gives up on you. This type of free transformation is actually also available in other Adobe applications such as Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator, so it is a common skill that you can apply to the rest of the design suite.

How To Create a Microsoft Photo Story Movie

If you’re tired of just sticking all your digital pictures in your computer hard drive and now you finally have time to organize them, one of your best options is to create a Microsoft Photo Story movie. This application is so user-friendly that you could sit down and efficiently use it to organize your photos even if you feel you’re not much of a techie. To make your undertaking even easier, read on for some basic guidelines for creating your own Microsoft Photo Story movie:

* Open a file. Of course, you should start by opening your Microsoft Photo Story application in your computer. Then, click on the option, “begin a new story”.
* Import all the pictures that you will use. Open the folders that contain the pictures that you want to include in your Photo Story movie. You can include a maximum of 300 photos in your project, with file types such as .jpeg, .jpg, .gif, .png, .bmp, .gif, and most other image file types. Here’s a tip: to select multiple pictures from one folder, hold on “ctrl” while you’re clicking the mouse. After you’ve imported the pictures, you can see them film-strip style at the bottom of the screen. You can arrange the sequence of the pictures by clicking and dragging on individual pictures along the film strip.
* Add captions. Add a title page and ending page to your Photo Story project. You can also add captions to the pictures. Another option is for you to record your voice and narrate the story instead. A maximum of five minutes narration is available for every picture.
* Customize the effects. Another feature that you could work with is determining the effects you will use for your Photo Story project. Do this by using the custom motion tool. Through this tool, you can determine the entrance and transition of the pictures.
* Add background music. Music automatically gives more appeal to any Photo Story movie, and the great thing is that it’s very easy to incorporate in your project. You can use any of the following audio file types: mp3, wav, or wma. Use the “select music” button and choose the music file that you want to use. You can actually assign a specific music file to one picture or to a group of pictures. Of course, you could also assign one music file to play throughout the duration of your entire project.
* Save your project. Once you’re done with all the editing, save it to your computer hard-drive and convert it to .wmv (or Windows Media Video) file.


Microsoft Photo Story movie is really very easy and straightforward to use, and you could realistically come up with a professional looking project in a little over 30 minutes. So if you have one free weekend afternoon, take the time to organize those image files so you could finally show them to your friends! You could even upload your project to your website, but do be careful about copyright infringement, especially with regards to the music that you use. Have fun!

How To Create a Movie Clip in Flash

If you are using Flash for a presentation, know that there are three different types of symbols that you can create: button, graphic and movie clip. The movie clip is particularly interesting to use, as it gives flair and appeal to any presentation, through the use of animations, sounds and interactivity. Added to this is the movie clip’s versatility and relative ease of use. If you are interested to find out how to create a movie clip in Flash, read on for some basic guidelines:

* Have a symbol to work with. In Flash, a symbol is required if you want to give animation to an object. First, you could either draw an object on the Flash stage, or import an object from your computer files. Press F8 to convert it to a symbol that you could work with. A pop-up box will appear which will let you give the new symbol a name. Click on the option “movie clip” (versus “button” and “graphic”). You will find that the movie clip you have just created is now contained in the library.
* Create a symbol from scratch. If you want to draw your own symbol on the Flash “stage”, click on the “Insert” button on the top corner of the screen. Click on “new symbol,” give it a name, and choose “movie clip” as the type of symbol. With regards to naming your symbol, it’s a good idea to name it with the letters “mc” so you can remember that it’s a movie clip. Use the available tools and controls to create your image on the Flash stage.
* Know how to organize your symbols. Remember, even if you delete your symbol on the stage of the Flash program, it’s still stored in the library so it will still be there. To delete an existing symbol, you’d have to delete it from the library itself. To better organize your library, you can store your symbols inside folders, in much the same way that your computer files in your hard drive are organized. Simply use the folder icon (the one with a plus on it) located at the bottom of the library window.
* Create a “motion tween”. One of the simplest movie clips you can do is a “motion tween”; that is, you could make a symbol move from one direction to another repetitively. Once you already have a symbol to work with, use the frames and the timeline above the screen to determine the speed and direction of the movement of the symbol. Here’s a simple way to do it: first, click on a frame in the timeline (say, the 25th) and insert a frame. Then, right-click on that same frame and select “create motion tween”. Insert a key frame. Third, insert another key frame on a different part of the timeline (say, the 15th) and then with your mouse, move the symbol to another part of the stage. Essentially, you are directing the movement of the symbol as it will appear during the animation. Save your work, and then view your movie clip.
* Create a morphing tween. Another simple movie clip animation you could do is to create a morphing movie clip, where a symbol transforms into another symbol. First, set the symbol that you want to work with. Click on a frame in the timeline and insert a key frame. Go back to the stage and set another symbol on the stage. Right click on a frame in the timeline (before the key frame) and select “shape” from the tween panel. Save your work and view your movie clip.


Creating a movie clip may take some practice, and a little bit of trial-and-error, but with enough time you’d be able to be handy with it.