Past Meetings 2009-2010 - 2008 - 2007 - (2006)
SDMUG FREE modo drawing, Wednesday December 6, 2006
The San Diego Macintosh User Group (SDMUG) held their year-end-special meeting including a drawing for a FREE modo 202 license graciously donated by Luxology to help promote our modo group and to thank SDMUG for accepting the modo group as an official Special Interest Group (SIG).
To be eligible to win the FREE modo, attendance at at least one san diego modo user group meeting was required. Presence at the drawing was also required.
The meeting was interesting and entertaining with an enthusiastic speaker - Rob-ART Morgan from Bare Feats - presenting performance benchmarking of all the latest Apple Macintosh computers - including all the latest Intel chips.
After that the FREE modo drawing was held...
First name drawn was Calvin Kuo - not there :-(
Second name drawn was Roger Cotton - not there :-(
Third name drawn was Jeff Rutan - not there :-(
By this time the crowd of 76 was getting all excited!!! 8-)
Then the 4th name drawn was Dennis Baros - HE WAS THERE!!!
There was much cheering for Dennis!!!
Dennis is a SolidWorks CAD user and he had been playing with the trial version of modo, so he was very happy to win!
Those who were qualified to win and were at the meeting include: Keith Reynolds, Terry Oyama, Gardner Grady, Tim Griffen, Sally Smull, Kevin Lucas and of course Dennis Baros (a total of 7 out of the 16 who would have been eligible).
Thanks again to Luxology
for providing such a generous and exciting prize!!!
It was a great way to end the year
for SDMUG as well as for the san diego modo user group!
Meeting #4, Monday November 27, 2006
We had 10 in attendance for our last san diego modo user group meeting of the year. Thanks to all those who came out to share:
Dennis, Eric, Gardner, Glen, Jeff, Keith, Kevin, Sally, Terry and Tim.
Tim was already on our list, but this was his first time attending a meeting. He was the winner of the FREE Luxology imageSynth raffled at the last Sand Diego Macintosh User Group (SDMUG) meeting where we presented and demonstrated modo 202. Tim is also a video producer using Final Cut Pro Studio and Shake along with a number of other tools and he is the leader of the San Diego Final Cut Pro User Group.
Sally and Kevin are SDMUG members who were not previously on our modo list, but we were happy to have them join us as well!
We quickly reviewed the new website put together over the Thanksgiving weekend for the group (www.sdmodo.org). This site will be a great place to find all current information about our group and links to modo-related resources.
Then we had a quick review of special offers available to the group, including the FREE modo 202 license to be given away at the next SDMUG meeting (Wednesday December 6, 2006).
We also briefly discussed our group beta test program for Skymatter Mudbox and our upcoming group meeting presentation of that product. Skymatter will donate one FREE Mudbox Professional Node-Locked license to be given away in a drawing at that presentation. Group members will also get 10% off any order from Skymatter.
The San Diego LightWave User Group has invited our group members to help with their SIGGRAPH 2007 Computer Animation Festival group project. This 4-minute 3D cartoon production is a fun opportunity to learn and share and also to get your name in the credits! ;-) Jeff RUtan will be modeling a couple of cars in modo for the project, and hopefully more from our group will join in the fun!
Our theme of the night was "Head Modeling". We showed a quick slide show of 32 different head modeling examples from the Luxology Gallery/WIP forums - set to the tune of Brad Peebler’s latest rap song (Render God).
We then viewed most of modo training extraordinaire Andy Brown's inspiring human head modeling tutorial videos. Only one in the group had seen these videos before, and we all learned some valuable tips. Hopefully some were inspired to try modeling a head or at least to use some of the techniques for other modeling projects. Watching these videos with fellow modo users and getting to interact a bit, interjecting comments, asking questions and sharing related techniques really adds to the educational experience.
Andy’s head modeling series (Pablo Picasso) can be found using the following links:
Andy Brown gives us a nose job
Chinny Chin Chin
The Eyes Have It and Head Case!
Andy Hates Modeling Ears
(the one we skipped in the group meeting)
Tabbed UI and Andy Loves Pie
(custom user interface layouts, also not shown in the meeting)
Andy is also posting the continuation (perfecting the model, painting and rendering) of his head modeling project.
After Andy's videos, Glen Keith did a great job presenting his robot head project live. Especially considering that he had only been using modo for a few DAYS and had never used a polygonal / sub-d modeler before!
Glen has been an industrial product designer for many years, recently using mostly SolidWorks. That is a very different way of modeling and a BIG mental shift to move into sub-d. However, he is doing more organic shapes for work now and is looking for an easier tool for generating those shapes. It looks like modo will be a great choice for that! Actually, several in our group (at least 5 of the most faithful members) are industrial product designers with CAD backgrounds. So within the next few weeks we are planning a hands-on workshop for transitioning from SolidWorks/CAD to modo.
SDMUG modo Presentation, Wednesday November 1, 2006
We had a successful modo 202 presentation to the San Diego Macintosh User Group (SDMUG) last night. There were over 60 in attendance and 7 of those were modo group members (those who have previously attended a san diego modo user group meeting - Calvin, Dennis, Gardner, Jeff, Keith, Paul H. and Terry). One new guy (Ray) came to check out Mac stuff but was also seriously interested in 3D, so he will be joining both groups! Welcome Ray!
Paul Hartsuyker did a great job presenting a live demonstration of modo 202, after Jeff Rutan a slide show introducing Luxology modo, the san diego mode user group, the prize drawings, and of course Paul.
The winner of the imageSynth raffle was Tim Griffen (leader of the San Diego Final Cut Pro User Group and also on our modo email list with some significant interest in 3D). Congratulations Tim! Tim will receive an email from Luxology with codes to access his FREE download/license for the imageSynth Photoshop plugin and the accompanying video tutorials. Welcome to the wonderful world of Luxology Tim, and don't miss all the great community support available at the Luxology modo/imageSynth user forums!
We hope that all of you and more will also attend our next san diego modo user group meeting as well as the next SDMUG meeting!
Only those who have attended at least one san diego modo user group meeting (either previously or the next one on November 27, 2006) will be eligible for the FREE modo 202 license drawing that will be held at the next SDMUG meeting:
Wednesday December 6, 2006 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Torrey Pines Christian Church Social Hall
8320 La Jolla Scenic Drive North
La Jolla, CA 92037
Meeting #3, Monday October 23, 2006
Our 3rd meeting and our first in a facility with formal presentation equipment (thanks to Crywolf) was really great!
We had 7 out of 8 of the founding members in attendance (the only one missing was Paul Davies from LA). In addition, we had 2 new from the Mac group, 2 new from the LightWave group, and one new from the original list (Glen) - for a total of 12 attendees:
Calvin, Clint, Dennis, Eric, Gardner, Glen, Jeff, Keith, Paul H., Roger, Terry and Tommy.
Thank you all for coming and helping make this group a growing success!
We started with some announcements and introduction highlighted using a Keynote slide presentation. That seemed to be well received - adding a touch of professionalism. So we will try to start each meeting with that from now on.
Our theme for the night was "Package Design". We played an abridged version of Brad Peebler's modo 202 box folding tutorial (reduced from over 90 minutes to about 30 minutes). That was also well received, so we will likely show more videos in the future.
Then Paul Hartsuyker did a live presentation of his Almond Milk Carton project. We also got to notify and congratulate Paul for winning that Luxology box folding challenge for a FREE upgrade to modo 301 when it comes out - and the opportunity to participate in the beta test program for that modo version before it comes out! Paul did an excellent job presenting this project live as well as in his winning online tutorial!
Next, Jeff Rutan did a quick demo of a product packaging project he completed in the past month. That reinforced what Brad and Paul provided with something just a little different.
We had a short period for Q&A, but we will try to make a bit more time for that in the future. A sample comment from a group member: "I never thought making a box could be so interesting - now I have to try it!" (Roger). This is exactly the kind of thing we want to hear - users excited and inspired to go home and try what they learn in the meetings! Another member (Clint) suggested that members try to do a package design project and bring the results to share at next months modo meeting. Another great feedback!
The meeting ended with a reminder of future meetings and a slide show of user works done in modo (45 images selected from the Luxology modo user forums Image Diaries).
Five of use went out to Coco's after the meeting for another hour of sharing and fellowship.
Meeting #2, Monday September 25, 2006
We had Eric, Jeff, Keith, Paul H. and Terry in attendance for our second san diego modo user group meeting at Coco's.
We had a good time with lots of stories and Q&A about various details of modo and also a recap of the Thursday night RFX Luxology event that Jeff, Keith and Terry attended. Paul H. conveyed some highlights form his modo 202 presentation to the San Diego LightWave User Group a couple of weeks ago. There was some resistance there, but it sounds like Paul may have broken the ice for a few of those users to consider trying modo! Just a very little show-and-tell this time at our meeting since the time ran out before we finished all the interesting discussions.
We will try to have our meeting next month (Monday October 23, 2006) at Crywolf so we will have facilities for better presentations. But Coco's has been a gracious host with food and beverages available for those who wish and a nice fairly quiet semi-private back room.
There are still 1 large and 2 medium shirts left if anyone is interested. We can also order other sizes and other items with the same logo if anyone wants...
Luxology Event at RFX of Hollywood, Thursday September 21, 2006
Luxology is proud to partner with RFX of Hollywood to host an evening filled with modo 202 goodness on Thursday, September 21st at 7:30 PM (6:45 - 7:30 PM pizza and beer served, 7:30 - 8:30 PM modo 202 demo, 8:30 - 9:00 PM Q&A).
Join us for an in-depth look at all the cool new features of modo 202
along with a complete demonstration of modo's capabilities.
Allen Hastings, co-founder of Luxology will also be there to
speak about modo 202's advanced rendering capabilities.
. . .
Thanks,
Bob Bennett (Luxology)
We had a great time! Worth the 4-hour drive there and 2-hour drive back!
Thanks to Luxology for providing this opportunity to meet some of the modo folks!
Thanks to Dion Burgoyne and Allen Hastings for inspiring presentations!
Thanks to RFX for hosting!
Sorry, Luxology, but Allen Hastings decided to join us down here in San Diego! We offered great weather and we let him go home and sleep at night! ;-)
Meeting #1, Monday August 28, 2006
We don't know for sure if we were the first Luxology modo user group to have a meeting, but it was our first here in San Diego, and we had a great time with a great turnout (8 out of 10 on our list)! It was a great group of guys, nearly all meeting for the first time, all for the common love of modo!
We met at Coco's Bakery Restaurant, Monday August 28, 2006 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (actually turned out more like 6:15 PM to 9:30 PM).
We got acquainted, discussed a little business about formalizing the group, shared what we do using 3D in general and modo in particular, had some food, collected some ideas, and had a fine impromptu modo 202 demonstration courtesy of professional 3D modeler/animator Paul Davies (actually from LA, but working in SD this month, so he joined us and helped make the meeting a real success). Anyone else who may wish to join us from LA or anywhere else will certainly be welcome!
Thanks to all who attended and enthusiastically participated
(alphabetically by first name):
Clint, Eric, Jeff, Keith, Paul D., Paul H., Terry and Tommy!
Looking forward to meeting Glen and Ryan next time, as well as anyone else who may wish to join our group or just visit!
We tentatively decided that if all the details can be worked out, our regular meetings will be held on the 4th Monday of every month from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Crywolf.
Paul H. (who left just before we took this group picture) was added back in using the magic of Photoshop and an image from Google. ;-)
