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Pixar Animation Studios Open Subdivision Technology Review
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Scott Kelby Shows Hidden Gems in Photoshop
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Learn How To Use Your V-Ray Physical Camera
Play with the camera controls found in the "Creative Zone" of an EOS Digital SLR. Here, you can really dictate the outcome of your photos and get the effects you want. Your shots will appear below where you can review, get feedback and compare the settings you used.
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20 Factor Test – Independent Contractor or Employee?
The 20 factors used to evaluate right to control and the validity of independent contractor
classifications include:
- Level of instruction. If the company directs when, where, and how work is done, this control indicates a possible employment relationship.
- Amount of training. Requesting workers to undergo company-provided training suggests an employment relationship since the company is directing the methods by which work is accomplished.
- Degree of business integration. Workers whose services are integrated into business operations or significantly affect business success are likely to be considered employees.
- Extent of personal services. Companies that insist on a particular person performing the work assert a degree of control that suggests an employment relationship. In contrast, independent contractors typically are free to assign work to anyone.
- Control of assistants. If a company hires, supervises, and pays a worker's assistants, this control indicates a possible employment relationship. If the worker retains control over hiring, supervising, and paying helpers, this arrangement suggests an independent contractor relationship.
- Continuity of relationship. A continuous relationship between a company and a worker indicates a possible employment relationship. However, an independent contractor arrangement can involve an ongoing relationship for multiple, sequential projects.
- Flexibility of schedule. People whose hours or days of work are dictated by a company are apt to qualify as its employees.
- Demands for full-time work. Full-time work gives a company control over most of a person's time, which supports a finding of an employment relationship.
- Need for on-site services. Requiring someone to work on company premises—particularly if the work can be performed elsewhere—indicates a possible employment relationship.
- Sequence of work. If a company requires work to be performed in specific order or sequence, this control suggests an employment relationship.
- Requirements for reports. If a worker regularly must provide written or oral reports on the status of a project, this arrangement indicates a possible employment relationship.
- Method of payment. Hourly, weekly, or monthly pay schedules are characteristic of employment relationships, unless the payments simply are a convenient way of distributing a lump-sum fee. Payment on commission or project completion is more characteristic of independent contractor relationships.
- Payment of business or travel expenses. Independent contractors typically bear the cost of travel or business expenses, and most contractors set their fees high enough to cover these costs. Direct reimbursement of travel and other business costs by a company suggests an employment relationship.
- Provision of tools and materials. Workers who perform most of their work using company-provided equipment, tools, and materials are more likely to be considered employees. Work largely done using independently obtained supplies or tools supports an independent contractor finding.
- Investment in facilities. Independent contractors typically invest in and maintain their own work facilities. In contrast, most employees rely on their employer to provide work facilities.
- Realization of profit or loss. Workers who receive predetermined earnings and have little chance to realize significant profit or loss through their work generally are employees.
- Work for multiple companies. People who simultaneously provide services for several unrelated companies are likely to qualify as independent contractors. Availability to public. If a worker regularly makes services available to the general public, this supports an independent contractor determination.
- Control over discharge. A company's unilateral right to discharge a worker suggests an employment relationship. In contrast, a company's ability to terminate independent contractor relationships generally depends on contract terms.
- Right of termination. Most employees unilaterally can terminate their work for a company without liability. Independent contractors cannot terminate services without liability, except as allowed under their contracts.
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How Freelancing and Employment Differ
The I.R.S., that's the U.S. government's tax authority says that a freelancer is an independent contractor if the payer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done or how it will be done. In other words, the client could say, render my building and deliver the results as a Layered Photoshop File, and you'd still be considered a freelancer. But if the client says, "You must use 3D Studio MAX and do the work in our office between 9 AM and noon," then the I.R.S. is likely to consider you an employee rather than an independent contractor which would lead to differences in such things as tax withholding, benefits and so on. Such distinctions vary from country to country. In the U.S., the I.R.S. released some specifics that set forth 20 factors to separate employees from independent contractors. But on a day-to-day level, you'll be more affected by the practical differences. The big one is, if something needs doing, you're the one to do it, and there's nobody else to blame if it doesn't get done. You're now in charge of among other things, marketing, sales, accounting, project management, IT, and legal matters. You also have to keep yourself busy, and motivated. And if you expand by hiring other people, you have to become your own human resources department. If you think that's all daunting, well, you're right. Finally, we come to the personal differences between freelancing and employment. That is, how your mentality and lifestyle will change. For example, you're likely to find your work life creeping into your personal life and vice-versa. So it becomes much harder to judge whether you're being productive. And that can lead to some unexpected anxieties.
Freelance
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Great Texture Resources
Need a texture? Here is a list of sites that I use often, and can suggest to you as a sumptuous texture resource. If you have any additional references, please add to the list by adding a comment.
Texture Library Resources
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The Evolution of the 3D Industry Panel: Who will survive?
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Breathing Space
Position your subject so there is sufficient "breathing room" between the front of your subject and the rendering border. Otherwise, things can appear cramped or crowded-even off-balance. It's unnerving for the viewer to see a subject just about to leave the frame.
Motion Blur
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Keep An Open Mind
A major part of any staging process involved trail and error, shifting objects around while paying close attention to how the objects interact. Consider how colors overlap, how objects cast shadow on one another and how certain effects are more pleasing than others.
Here Are 7 Tips For Better Composition.
- Have a basic layout in mind, vertical or horizontal.
- Have reference photos
- Removing objects can be as helpful as adding new ones
- Experiment
- Cast shadows are a wonderful way to explain form. A shadow gives solidity to the object casting the shadow, and the shape of the shadow can help explain other forms as well.
- As you refine a composition, pay attention diagonal lines and angles created by objects; try to make diagonals more interesting through a slight adjustment. Also avoid creating tangents (places where objects abut or overlap one another) that are visually confusing.
- Be open to removing something if it isn't working, even towards the end of th process. Fine tuning the negative spacing, as well as the way the various shapes overlap.
Keep An Open Mind
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Good composition
“Good composition is like a suspension bridge - each line adds strength and takes none away.”
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ARCHITECTURAL 3D AWARDS 2013
The CGarchitect Architectural 3D Awards are the largest awards event for the architectural visualization industry. Now in its 10th year, the awards attract entries from top studios, freelancers and students from around the world.
The CGarchitect.com Architectural 3D Awards were started in 2004 to recognize outstanding achievement in the field of architectural visualization. In such a competitive field it becomes more and more difficult make yourself seen. With the wide visibility of CGarchitect, what better way to use this exposure than to help the artists that make up our community. 2013 marks our 10th annual awards, which will once again take place in La Coruna, Spain during the Mundos Digitales conference. Past awards have taken place in Los Angeles, San Diego and Boston. Over the past nine years many extremely talented individuals and companies have gone on to form new alliances and partnerships and advanced their careers.
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Thumbnail Sketches
Sketching is a good way to build your composition with simple shapes, lines, and tone. Nobody has to see your sketches, and they don't need to be refined; just start sketching. Start with simple shapes, and build upon that. Your sketches can fall into three groups.
Croquis
A Croquis is a thumbnail sketches that establish the image's main concept and sets the composition by indicating the most important shapes and values.
Esquisse
An Esquisse is a refined version of the Croquis: a more resolved thumbnail with a refined value structure and something closer to the final composition.
Étude
Is a drawing of an individual natural element, such as a tree, a patch of undergrowth, or a rock outcropping.
Thumbnail Sketches
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Creating a Strong Composition
The composition should be simple, and it should be about one thing, or concept. A deft artist can make even the most mundane subject interesting.
- When in doubt, keep it simple. Less is more.
- Take time to plan out your composition.
- interesting renderings have a harmonious balance of opposites, such as cool and warm, dark and light, thick and thin textures, detail and ambiguity, and hard and soft edges.
- The unequal treatment of these elements is pleasing to our senses.
Seek an interesting flow of eye movement - avoid a static composition.
Great compositions don’t just happen by accident. They take planning, patience, and a knowledge of all the visual elements at your disposal.
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Locking Transforms For Blueprint Modeling
Previously, I showed you how I model in 3DS MAX Design by creating a high resolution bitmap, using a DirectX Shader. Well, once you get your blueprints in place, you need to lock them down, so you don't accidentally mess things up.
I want to slide the plane back and forth, but only on one direction, and never up or down. It's very easy to accidentally nudge something slightly, so locking things down is very important.
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Creating Depth In An Elevation
This drawing by the celebrated renderer Schell Lewis shows that a subtle use of shades and shadows can offset use of perspective in achieving a sense of depth. The relief and projection depend largely on the form and value of the shade and shadow tones. Note also the way Lewis handles the smaller detail in the shadow of the cornice.
Schell Lewis
I love the idea of studying the masters, like the renderer Schell Lewis, and using technology to capture the same feeling that they were able to capture using the pencil. Nowhere does it say we, architectural illustrators, have to show perspectives, just because we can. This entrance is a small part of a bigger picture, but Lewis was able to capture the architecture with a small vignette.
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BUTTERFLY - THE SHORT FILM
THE CONCEPT OF BUTTERFLY HOUSE
When I was just a kid, I´ve been painting some butterfly in a nice way, the method consist in draw just in one side of the paper then close the both sides to have a mirrored image. The most common image was a butterfly.
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Custom Home
Here, is a custom home that I am working on, and i thought that I would share with you.
3D Rendering of a Custom Home
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Who’s the Geek?
What is a Geek? History defines a geek as a person who is nothing but foolish; so foolish that the identity created is socially differentiable. The word “Geek” originated from “Gecken” used in Austria-Hungary in the 18th century. “Gecken” was used to refer to circus performers displaying bizarre acts like biting the head off a live chicken (EEEK!!!)
Time is the biggest healer of wounds, and perhaps also labels. Geeks too have evolved over time. The modern era defines a Geek as a person obsessed with technology or sub cultures (thanks to the thinkers of the 1950s). Geeks can no longer be contained under one flag. Like civilizations and cultures, Geeks have flourished over time and now you can fins various types of Geeks. Let’s see if you can associate any of the people around you to the following Geek categories:
The Academic Geeks
Don’t you just hate that book worm sitting in the front row of your classroom? Who does the guy think he is? Always paying attention to the teacher, memorizing all the lessons and to add insult to injury, scoring a much higher G.P.A than you! Steer clear of this Geek or he might imprint you, savvy?
The Computer Geeks
These guys probably deserve glasses more than your 90 year old granny. Glued to their monitors, they have nothing better to do but roam in cyber space rather than the real world. Now these types of Geeks further evolved into internet Geeks.
The Computer Geeks
These guys probably deserve glasses more than your 90 year old granny. Glued to their monitors, they have nothing better to do but roam in cyber space rather than the real world. Now these types of Geeks further evolved into internet Geeks.
The Internet Geeks
These poor souls will probably never know the names of their neighbors, but will be-friend a person sitting half the world away. Oh the horror! Get a life man! Don’t spend the whole of your life surfing just on the internet. Try the real sport for a change.
The Tech Geeks
Moving on; these Geeks made the scene in 2004, with a fetish for anything and everything that Apple has to offer. Nope, not the one that got Adam and Eve kicked out of heaven, the one invented by the late Mr. Steve Jobs. Job well done?
The Star Wars Geeks
Here we go! Who on God’s green earth would be obsessed with Star Wars? Apparently, a lot of people. Just mention Sky Walker, Princess Leah or The Darth Vader and watch em bounce.
There are still many categories of geeks to be explained, but if I spend another minute trying to do it, I fear I might be counted as one too. So take a look at the following infographics and enter the world of Geeks.
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10 Things That Artists Hate To Hear
![artists-hate-to-hear[13].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/50357984e4b09af678ed11bf/1363376937789-6NB5WQK6E2X96ME22RUK/artists-hate-to-hear%5B13%5D.jpg)
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Not an ArchViz
I love architecture, and I am not well diversified in the work I chose to take on. For the past 20+ years, I have been illustrating architecture, both by hand and computer, but I thoroughly enjoyed my latest project, which was not architecture. Nuff said, meet The Big Boy! The Big Boy is a portable tornado shelter that I was asked to illustrate for a client out of Texas.
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