Today’s Sushi Roll

For your demo reel, you way to use this to showcase your mesh, and edgeflow.Two Parts – This will make a render nice and clean (Mental Ray Style), but will also put the wireframe around the model.

First, give your object a white color.

Turn On Mental Ray (You may have to turn it on in your Plugins Manager)

• Open Rendering Preferences/Settings Window
• Features Tab > Contours Drop Down Menu > Click – Enable Contour Rendering
• Increase Over Sample to 3
• In “Draw by Property Differences” Drop Down > Click “Around all Poly Faces”
• Click “Close”

On your model….Choose one white material > RC Material Attributes

• Click 2nd Overtab > Mental Ray Drop Down > Contours > Click “enable contour rendering”
• Set color to black.
• Reduce width to .5 or whatever width you wish

Render Away.

If you are in my classes, its important that you are able to post an animation clip, demo reel, or visual effects clip online so we can review it. What many people experience, once they try to upload the video to Vimeo (which is what we feel is the best so far – no ads, better picture and sound), they realize that there is a limit to how much you can upload (500 mb a week – which is plenty, but some people reach that limit), or they are unsatisfied with the way Vimeo is compressing their video – the quality becomes poor. Blacks get washed out and the colors become dull.

Use this compression setting to create videos that are small, and that look great once Vimeo is done compressing it.  You will be doing 1) In After Effects, exporting your file as an Animation, and 2) Using Adobe Media Encoder, render the final file as an H.264 file.

Thanks Brendon for sharing your numbers and process, its pretty easy and the results are great. Be sure to check out Brendon’s Reel when ya’ll get a chance.

Step 1: In After Effects or Premiere

1. Make Movie (contrl + m) > keep the avi setting (PC) and click save.

2. In Render Que > Drop down menu > choose Quicktime

3. In options > choose Animation

4. Render

Your final file will be big, but it will look pristine, all the darks will not be washed out (like when black areas becomes gray, this is not cool – some contrast is lost), and the colors will be vibrant. This type of compression is used a lot in broadcast. Once this is done, make note of how many MB’s this file is.

Step 2: In Adobe Media Encoder

1. Click Add > Choose your file

2. Click Settings > Change format to H.264

3. Choose your size (HD 720 if you roam the AiLV campus)

4. Click Start Que

Look at the file size once this is done rendering and compare how small this size is to the previous render using the Animation compression. This new file will be lean, but will look just as good. Now you are ready to upload to Vimeo.

This was posted by one of my former students. She recommended I post this on my site for students interested in rendering their demo reels for your 30 Second Reels. Thanks Ruby!

On the after effects project, go to Composition Settings

-Preset, choose NTSC DV
-Manually type in 720×480 px for the width and height. (what the instructions say the school wants)
-Pixel Aspect Ratio, is D1/DV NTSC (0.91)
-Frame Rate, manually type in 29.97 (which is what the instructions paper says)
-Duration, 30 seconds.

Once the project is ready to be rendered, Add to render Queue
-Click on Output Module
-Choose QuickTime for Format
-Click on Format Options
-Select DV25 NTSC for Video Codec

Since there is no audio, I didn’t click on the audio check box.
I hit OK
Then I hit Render.

The file rendered out

Most of the DV options on Adobe Media Encoder would force black horizontal margins on the top and bottom of the screen.

You can add it to the Media Encoder, and then render it out as QuickTime Format, then choose NTSC DV, but you pretty much end up with the same file regardless. I tried it and played back the file, and it was pretty much just a replica of what I had already rendered out in After Effects itself, so there was no alteration to that file. Using the H.264 format in the Media Encoder and then rendering it out with the NTSC DV High Definition preset just forces the file to render out as MPEG, so I don’t recommend that.

I hope I did it right – this render is what I’ll be submitting to your inbox.
If I did do it right, you should keep these instructions and teach it to your other presentation classes. Even better, if this is the correct format, you should add these instructions to the piece of paper that Grace gave us that instructs us about the 30 second reel.

There are already specific instructions there for students who submit still images, so why not add specific instructions to help GAD and MMA majors with their video reel submissions? Everyone in the class seemed to have issues, and this would make things so much easier.

Thanks for your time!

This covers the basics of creating procedural textures and lights in Unity. Items covered also include the creation of normal and reflection maps to be used in the Unity engine, as well as a link to the Unity site that covers the many aspects of shaders found in the program.

BEFORE YOU START
Create a new project
Project Structure > Desktop
Dont check anything in this opening window.
Unity will relauch – Fnd the project folder
Find the assets folder.
Move the fbx, normal and diffuses into the asets folder
We could also in Unity drop items into the projects folder
Untiy will generate a materials folder because of the fbx file

LOADING FILES
Load the file by dragging the fbx into the viewport or the heriarchy view
When you drop an object in a scene, it uses the enter of the camera you are using right now. You might see that its in a weird spot. Its better to directly load it in the Heriarchy view.
This will placeed in center of world.

Same controls as Maya
F is to zoom in on object

In heirarchy view, when you click mesh twice, you select the object and the child.
For now, be sure you click Mesh1

material vs. shader.
shader is a realtime engine material
material is for rendering

LOADING SHADERS & LIGHTS
Connect click and control drag your jpg into the base square texture channel

Add a light. Game object > Create Other > Point Light
Move it around.

Change shader type, go to drop down material
Click bump diffuse

Let’s simulate surface tuecture

Grabe the dirty normal > Its a bw of the color

Go to Tuexture Type and choose normal map.
Click appy

Apply this to the crate
Click Mesh one and click and drag the normal into the normal map shader square input.

Tap space bar to maximimaze viewport

Move light around to see how normal map is affected.

If you look at the normal map, look for the “generate from grayscale”
In this setting, you can play and adjust the bumpinessa nd smooth > Click Apply

Make a new shader
Click shader drop down
Choose bump specular to add a  specular
use the slider for shininess to adjust the specular
In Preview you can choose light setup and shape
This specular and the bump diffuse is the workhorse in Unity

Now let’s add a reflective
Reflective Bumped Specular – so show the
Place picture in folder
To add the picture into
Grab file and turn it into a reflection > change map into spherical
Use the slider to control the reflection Black
Add this color to the bumped specular node/bump box.
You can turn this into normal map too.

RESOURCES

NDO – Pshop actions to create a map

Specular Map
In the material properties
set image to specular
The alpha channel is what makes the spcular map.
This can be painted by hand in the alpha channel in Photoshop. When you load this, Unity recognizes it. Pretty cool.

File formats in Unity for normals

Using this, gives you additional levels of details.

Unity shader guide
http://unity3d.com/support/documentation/Components/Built-in%20Shader%20Guide.html

These notes are still incomplete, but the main steps are there. 

Maya to Mudbox Sword Tutorial. These notes were taken while viewing the Maya to Mudbox workflow tutorial from the Digital Tutors. Its a brief overview of how to create a sword base model, exporting, importing into Mudbox, creating Mudbox textures, Mudbox painting, creating normal maps, and exporting. The notes below also cover how to create normal maps in Mudbox and in Maya, and also covers how to integrate everything back into Maya.

1) In Maya : CREATE GEOMETRY BASE

• Create blade from cube.
• Add subdivisions and begin to shape.
• Create sharpness of blade by extruding sides 2x – bring blade edges close tog.
• Create point.
• Add thickness – to base – try using Lattice tool.
• Delete History

Guard – start with a primitive. Tutorial starts with a pipe.

• Use lattice to create taper.
• Add edgeloops around edges for geometry.

Hilt – Use a cylinder. Low Poly.

• Add subdivisions and extrude handle.

2) LAYOUT UV’s

• Blade – Use Automatic Mapping – top and bottom. Scale these to maximize space to get more detail.
• Guard – Automatic Map
• Find the bottom edges that connect with other pieces – Move and sew.
• Cut cut curvy parts of the guard and sewed it to bottom of guard.
• - – “Select What was Cut” then you see where its connected. Go to that UV. Select it and cut and sew to connect it.
• Lay this out in the 1 to 1 square all by itself.
• Hilt – Stick to cylinder shape
• main point – minimize distortion, and layout UV’s to prepare for mudbox.
• USING HEADUS – c to select edges, backspace to deselect, f to unfold, Sh D to drop your model to the UV view, bracket key to lay out your UV’s in the 1 to 1 space.

3) EXPORT SELECTION to OBJ.

• Before Export – SCALE to 90
• In Camera set clip plane to 10,000
• Before Export – Group and Delete History
• Place in scene folder.
• Export each piece separately as an OBJ.
• Place into Data folder.

4) MUDBOX – BLADE

• File > Import
• BLADE – Subdivide Blade to 6 – 7 levels. So you can get detail. Sh+D
• In Tutorial – To create center groove – Mirror in Y. Create a straight line Curve.
• Hold C and LM and RM to position curve.
• Choose strength and Sculpt – Right Window
• Curves > Stroke on Curve – Set stamps to 500
• Use Stamp – Randomize
• Click Use Stamp Image
• Turn off stamp spacing
• Increase brush size. Adjust Strength
• Adjust scale to create old texture on blade.
• For lines on blade – choose straight image. Uncheck radnomizaiont
• Add variety in your bumps. 3 levels.

5) MUDBOX – GUARD – For a clean guard design, use this technique which utilizes a mask, and the Mudbox flood technique.

• Set Topological Axis – Click Select / Move Tools Tab > Click Faces > Click faces on the centerline >
• Mesh > Set Topological Axis
• Using Texture Layers
• Subdivide Guard to 6.
• In Layers Palette (Upper Right) > Create new sculpt layer.
• Select object > Grab Sculpt and Puff it.
• You actually want to reverse it.
• So, w sculpt layer selected.
• Scroll down and select mask.
• Hold control and the mask will create the raised areas.
• Whoa – Be sure to practice this. This looks loaded.
• Mirror if needed.
• Select Sculpt layer > RC flatten
• Click Layer small arrow.
• —- NOTE – To do this. Select top mask button (underneath Sculpt button in Layers palette, and Mask in sculpt tools, in Sculpt Attributes Click Flood. To create the reverse, looks like you have to click this twice.

6) MUDBOX – USING STENCILS

• Use an image as a mask. To do this, go to image Browser (upper left tab)
• Click – Create stencil image. top of viewport, second button.
• The stencil will now appear in the viewport.
• Hold down S. LM and RM to move it around and size.
• If you click Mask Sculpt Tool, you can start pulling out. BUT if you want it reversed,
• Got down and click “Invert Values” under Properties Stencil
• For detail up the hilt, go up and down the layer switching from sculpt layer to regular layer.
• When you are done, click small arrow at top and flatten, to bake the textures in.

7) MUDBOX – PAINTING COLOR – BLADE

• Layers – Select Paint Button (top)
• Create a size and format, create channel (choose diffuse).
• In Paint Tools Tab – Choose Paint Brush
• Make a base color – choose color
• Turn off other objects by clicking their viewabilty in their Object List
• Click Mirror to paint the bottom at the same time.
• Choose a stamp for extra stamp and select randomize (rotation etc.)
• The affect is created by layering darker layers on top.
• Then placing lighter layers on top.
• Paint inside the grooves (wedding ring technique)

MUDBOX – PAINTING COLOR – GUARD & HILT

• For grip – to assign new material – RC material > Assign New Material > Mudbox Material. This will create a new material and layer.
• Create new Paint layer – Choose Size, Format and Type.
• Turn off blade and guard.
• Begin to a paint base layer
• Add a darker tone with a hue shift. Add this to used areas.
• Paint in the grooves.
• Don’t erase, just keep layering colors on top of each other.

9) MUDBOX – SPECULAR MAPS

• Turn off guard and grip
• Go to Paint Layers – Create new layer
• Choose size format
• Choose Specular
• Use Paint Brush and Dark Gray.
• Choose Stamp and Randomize
• Black is no shine.
• Light Gray is some shine.
• Sharpened areas are more shiny.
• Layer in dark on top of light for variety.
• Add scratches, extra grooves, battle scars
• Higher points are more specular.

10) EXPORTING GEOMETRY FROM MUDBOX

• For color maps – In layer palette – select layer and export.
• Choose a format. Name.
• Export NORMAL MAPS – More difficult – But So Cool
• Go To Maps (main top menu) > Extract TExture maps > Create new operation. This makes a nice bump map.
• Uze object as target and source.
• distance 93
• Choose size
• Save as blade normal.
• Click Extract Button.
• Do this for blade and guard.
• Color and Specular
• EXTRACT NORMAL MAPS same as above.
• uncheck smooth target model – so it doesn’t smooth
• Targe and source is the same.
• Choose Best guess
• Name
• Tangent
• Click Extract

If the geometry changed from initial import. Export a new OBJ.

For the hilt – export the different levels, so you can create your own NOMAL MAPS in MAYA. Start at level 0 and do level 5 or 6. So we have two different polygon counts.

11) IIMPORTING NEW MAPS TO MAYA

• Simply click and load each channel.
• Color
• Specular (Adjust the Specular)
• Bump map (For normal maps) – Tangent – Choose High Quality Renderer. Top of viewport. Adjust Eccentriciy for shinier
• Import new geometry
• RC and break connection to transparency.
• Add guard color
• Add guard specular
• Add normal map (choose tangent space normal).
• Adjust Eccentricity for Shiny.

For Handle – We’ll Use MAYA TRANSFER Maps.

• Import the different levels, level 0 and level 5.
• Add the color map to the high rez, to give it a color.
• Toss the transparency
• Rendering > Lighting Shading > Transfer Maps
• Choose low level as our target.
• Our high rez is our source
• Choose envelope so we can see
• Connect Map to click New Shader
• Change size and sample quality.
• Click BAKE and CLOSE
• Now hide High Rez version.
• Click low rez version and choose Blinn so you can see the bumps.
• You can still load the specular map.
• You will now see a low rez high detail.
• Play with Normals

This post is the first of many on personal productivity. Many times, I get asked by my students about how to stay motivated so that they complete work and get things done.  Easier said than done right? I’m sure all of us could use a little reminder from time to time, so here we go.

The hardest thing to do with any project is getting started. Why do we stall? Maybe we think the task at hand is too daunting, has too many steps, too much uncertainty about how things will get done and how long things will take.

There are a couple of things that you could do to get things moving that are easy to remember. 1) Make a prioritized list of what you have to do (action list – check my post about that topic here >>), and 2 ) The 20 Minute Rule.

“The 20 Minute Rule” means that you work on any item in your action list, or any activity for that matter, for 20 minutes, no more – no less. 20 minutes and that’s it. It’s a good amount of time enough for you get started on just about anything. After the 20 minutes, you will find that you have moved forward on your project. If you do this two days in a row, then that’s 40 minutes of considerable progress. For you however, the 20 minutes is not such a big hit of time, and is quite doable.

My students who do this realize something amazing, and if you do it, you’ll experience this magical moment as well. They realized that after the 20 minutes, more often than not, they continue working on their project. This works  because 20 minutes is just enough time to get your creative juices going, almost like pushing a car until it begins to roll on its own.

So keep this number in your head, and use it daily for your important or difficult tasks. The 20 minutes will go by fast, who knows, you may even get started on a fantastic, important personal project.

The Q4 – Q8 Portfolio Classes were created to help Animation and Game Design students stay on track within their programs. Through the process, the student will be be getting feedback from their instructors on their strengths and weaknesses as well as garner any additional ideas that will help strengthen the overall quality of their presentations. It is not meant to be a deterrent to get into the final classes, but a guide to help you identify a focus and a possible game plan for your career.

Q4 – Q8 – Schedule

• Week 1:Discuss class purpose.  Schedule and requirements overview.
• Week 2: Compile and review your work. Begin creating a rough quicktime of your pieces. After Effects review.
• Week 3: Continue making the rough quicktime of your work. Sign up for your review times on Week 6. Q4 students present in groups of 4. Q8 students present in 1 hour blocks.
• Week 4: Career Services Visit
• Week 5: Review rough quicktime.
• Week 6: Review Day. Be sure you know when your presentation time is and where its located. Come 15 minutes early, come presentable.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Q4 – Requirements for GAD / MMA / VEMG

These students show in groups of 4. In some cases, if students haven’t taken the class yet, are still encouraged to put together a reel, which could also include pieces created independently outside of class. The majority of the portfolio however, is from this list below.

• 1 Example of “Color Theory”
•  2 Examples of “Digital Imaging” (Photoshop
•  1 Example of “Fundamentals of Design” (Demonstrate design and a clear focal point).
•  4 Examples of “Observational Drawing”.
•  5 Examples of “Life Drawing” (Gesture, proportion, form and general anatomy).
•  1 Example of “Storyboarding” (Demonstrate shot composition, selection and framing).
•  2 Examples of “Character and Object Design”.
•  2 Examples of “3D Work” (High quality renders, mechanical polygonal models).
•  2 Examples of “Animation” (This can be 2D or 3D, and you must have a walk cycle, and an example of at least one Animation Principle”.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Q8 MMA / Animation or Modeling

These reels should represent the specialty / field they want to get into. The student must come dressed as if they were getting ready for a professional interview

Reels must be presented in a Quicktime movie that is approximately 2 minutes. All pieces must be labeled accordingly, it must have sound, and it must play correctly. This may be a Quicktime file 40 MB or less, or is posted via Vimeo, Youtube, preferably embedded into your PUB (Portfolio Undergraduate Blog).

12 PIECES TOTAL

• 4 Lifedrawings
•  2 Storyboarding / Illustration  Examples / Character Design
•  6 CG pieces well underway or completed to showcase your direction (3D Modeling / Animation)
•  Animation, could be a mixture of CG, 2D, Flash or Motion Graphics.
• Modeling, should show a mixture of organic modeling, architectural, hard surface or environment modeling.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Q8 GAD (Game Art & Design) 

These reels should represent the specialty / field they want to get into. The student must come dressed as if they were getting ready for a professional interview

Reels must be presented in a Quicktime movie that is approximately 2 minutes. All pieces must be labeled accordingly, it must have sound, and it must play correctly. This may be a Quicktime file 40 MB or less, or is posted via Vimeo, Youtube, preferably embedded into your PUB (Portfolio Undergraduate Blog).

 12 PIECES TOTAL

1. 4 Lifedrawings
2.  2 Storyboarding / Illustration  Examples / Character Design
3.  6 CG pieces from 2 of the 4 categories listed below:

• Scripting (Puzzles, traps, scenes and animation).
• Level Design (Layout, checkpoints, theme, etc)
• Organic Modeling (characters, plants, rocks)
• Hard Surface (Architectual, interiors, vehicles, props, etc).

You must come dressed as if you getting ready for a professional interview.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Q8 MMA/GAD/VFX – Plan of Attack 

This section is two parts and it accompanies your reel presentation mentioned above. What you choose to share here should dictate and represent the direction of your reel. This will provide us a concrete plan of what you want, how it will be achieved, and from a faculty perspective, provide feedback and recommendation for the best possible outcome.

1) Submit a written a document detailing what you plan to do when you graduate.  Here are some questions to help you stay focused:

• Do you plan to move out of Las Vegas when you graduate?
• Are you currently working now?
• What jobs have you held that would help with your creative job search?
• If you plan to stay, how long, and who are some companies you would like to work for (be specific with company names)?
• What positions would you be applying for?
• If you plan to move to one of the larger game/entertainment hubs, when would you go?
• What companies would you approach and why?

We used a Maya Displacement node to achieve the rocky mountain texture you see above. Works great for asteroids too. Thanks Chris A. thanks for sharing. Begin first by opening opening up Maya’s Hypershade.

• Window > Rendering Editor > Hypershade.
• In the Hypershade, create a new Phong material.
• Add a Displacement > (A popup window will appear) Choose Displacement
• MMDrag the Displacement node to Phong (A popup window will appear) > choose Displacement
• Add the stucco node:  3D texture > Add stucco (two nodes will appear, the 3D Texture Node, and the Stucco Node)
• Click the placed 3d texture node – set scale to 10 (In the attributes).
• In stucco node > set colors to black and white.
• Shaker to 25
• MMDrag stucco to displacement node > (A popup window will appear) - Set to default

• Assign this “phong1″ material to your mountain geometry or asteroid.
• Go to Modify > Convert > Displacment maps to Polygons

Your Geometry will have a high poly texture. Adjust the reflectivity, add a bump map, or a procedural mountain color node, and voila, instant mountain.

Dangiaoh Cross Fight

This took quite some time to figure out. But I needed to do it properly and document it because I have a few students who will be doing this same task this week. Hopefully these notes on how to create a gallery in Word Press will be easier. Quick note, I’m not sure how this will work in other themes, these notes are for creating a Lightbox style gallery in Kaminlin’s Striking Word Press theme. In short, you will be:

1. Posting images to the Portfolio Items section of the Admin Panel

2. Creating a post and using Striking’s shortcode feature to install a 1 – 4 column gallery.

NOTE:

Before you begin, be sure you size your images to fit in an 800 x 800 square. The gallery thumbnails didn’t appear when I did this again, but when I set the sized and saved my images as PNG’s, it worked better. Not sure why it didn’t work the first time. Here we go.

STEP1:

Add Portfolio Images: (Locate an image first, and be sure its sized to fit an 800 x 600 pixel area – this will prevent people from having to scroll up and down to view an image)

1. In Admin Panel > Portfolio > Add Image
2. Give this a name.
3. Click Add image icon – (You are going to post a picture here. Choose from Computer or URL)
4. Give the item a name & caption.
5. Click “Featured Image”. This is important, if you don’t, it won’t show in your gallery.
6. Click “Insert into Post”.
7. Click “Save all Changes”.

Before publishing this image….

• Set Category
  (You should set a category to stay organized. For example, I have one for illustration, design and 3D. You will be referring to this category later when you create the gallery post – in the next step).
• Set your icon to “Image”.
• Click “Publish” (blue button on the right).

Do this for every image you would like to be in your portfolio

= = = = = = = END STEP 1 = = = = = = =

STEP 2 :
Now you can create a portfolio

1. In Posts > Add New Post > Name this gallery
2. Place cursor in work (edit) area
3. Go down to Shortcode dropdown and find Portfolio (This will open up a separate set of controls)
4. Choose number of columns (I chose 3)
5. Chosse the correct “Category” or illustration name. (I chose the category illustration – its the category name I gave to all of my portfolio items).
6. Click > Send Shortcode to Editor (You will see the code appear in the editor – where you first put your cursor)
7. Click > Publish Button

Voila that’s it. You will be able to see all of your pictures and thumbnails will automatically be set for you. Each image will be  set using the sleek Lightbox style. Images and icons will automatically be sized for you.

Re-Ordering Your Images:

In order to change the order in which they appear in your gallery, I recommend you download a ReOrder Plugin, that you can install into your Word Press theme. Once its installed, you can simply click and drag the order in which items appear in your gallery. To view the plugin, once its installed, look in your Portfolio Items tab, you should see the Re Order controller there.

So, you know a little about the web, you know of its importance to your business and goals, you reserved your domain name, and it points to a website that you’ve designed in Dreamweaver and Photoshop. So far so good. But lately, you’ve been hearing a little bit, here and there, about Word Press, a free website system that enables people to post images, text and movies on a website. People who have used it love it and so you look into it too.

I was hesitant at first because my initial impression/image of Word Press were of boring single color blog templates. Not cool. Boy was I wrong. All it took for me was a ten minute demo from a student who was using it, and me taking the time to explore Word Press templates and I saw thousands of templates that were not only free to download, but some that were reasonably priced created by professional designers and design groups. A good place to look at some of these templates is…themeforest.net.

Many students, having graduated from my website class, were wanting to make the switch to a Word Press site. However, everyone is cautious at first, understandably so, so I show people what was shown to me and people eventually make the switch. To win people over, I show people how I logon, I show students the Word Press admin panel, how to change fonts, and how to create drop down menus, and they’re hooked. Everyone’s amazed at how easy it is to use, and how the edits can be done from any computer.

The main advice I give people in this situation is simple. The most important thing is to keep your current site running, but at the same time, install Word Press on your site, in a separate folder so you can build and add content at your leisrue, and get used to the Word Press admin panel. When I first started, this is exactly what I did, and after about a month, I was ready to make the switch and make my entire site a Word Press site. It also gave me the opportunity to compare my current site to the Word Press site I was developing.

Below are simple steps to get you started down this path. Its safe as it keeps your current site in tact, and as mentioned earlier, you’ll also be able to have a separate folder that contains your Word Press site so you can edit and update it whenever and wherever you like.

Step 1:

Create a folder in your main public folder of your server called “wordpress”.  You’ll have to logon to your server for this, and create the folder manually. Be aware however that when you proceed to step two below, that that your server might make a wordpress folder for you. Just be aware of it. To access your Word Press site in the future, simply type www.yoursite.com/wordpress.

Step 2:

Install Word Press. This is the part that was confusing for me, and if you are new, I wouldn’t recommend you do this because it requires that you setup a database on your site. This was confusing for me, but this one touch installation makes it way easy.

Instead, check to see if your server has a “one button / easy install” of Word Press. This is by far way easier and most servers are beginning to have it as an option.  When you press this Word Press install button, be sure to take notes, because you are going to have to remember two to three sets of passwords, one set for your data base, and the other for Word Press. You will need this Word Press login and password to connect to Word Press on your site.

Set up time, about an hour.

Step 3:

Once this is done, login to your new Word Press site through the backend, by typing the following:

www.yourwebsite.com/wordpress/wp-admin

This will bring you to a login page where you will need to type in the login and username you setup earlier.

And that’s about it, seriously.

Once you login to your Admin Page do the following tasks to begin personalizing your new Word Press site :

1. Explore the controls on the left ie. Posts, Links, Pages, Appearance, Settings, etc…
2. Create a bio page, contact page and demo reel page.
3. Create a menu system and connect the bio and contact menu items to the pages created above.
4. Change the logo to your own.
5. Change the main image to your own.

Keep this “wordpress” folder separate so you can begin to explore the many ways to create content for your Word Press site, and eventually it will look like what you want. Once you achieve this, and you are ready to make the move, check my other blogpost below that talks about how to make the wordpress folder, your main website.

Making Your Word Press Folder, Your Main Website >>

Thanks for reading. Hope this helps you out in getting things started.