As look forward to the new year 2009, we thought we’ll show you the most popular tutorials we published in 2008! We hope that you enjoyed reading these as much as we enjoyed writing them.

Flash ActionScript Tutorial

The most popular tutorial which was published in 2008 was our famous Flash XML Image Gallery, with close to 100,000 page views on its own, this tutorial teaches you in a detailed step-by-step guide how to create a Flash XML image gallery using ActionScript 2.0 which you can update and configure by manipulating the XML file.

Creating a Basic Flash Website is probably the most sought after subject ever, our tutorial will teach you how to create your first full-Flash website using ActionScript 3.0.

3D Studio Max Tutorial

Another basic tutorial which was viewed thousands of times is the tutorial on how the poly modeling technique  to create a fine pen in 3D Studio Max. This technique could be utilized in all sorts of projects.

This tutorial will teach you an advanced technique for creating a missile animation that tracks a target object by using the Particle Flow Source System.

Photoshop

Learn how to create your own Patters Using Photoshop and then apply it for the Paint Bucket, Pattern Stamp, Healing Brush, and Patch tools, as well as in the Layer Style dialog box.

Create funky Rich Flame Swirls using the Blur and the Shear Distort Filters. 

Website of the Year

Out of the 12 selected “Website of the Month” winners, we are blown away by the awesome website of Samuel Eschiavo. It won our hearts by its innovative concepts and nice integration of video, vector graphics, and sounds.

These were our ultimate highlights of the year 2008, we wish you a happy new year and the best of luck in 2009!

(You can view our last year’s list here)

We have previously published a number of tutorial in Islamic themes and which you can make use of if you are working on any Ramadan related project:

3D Studio Max:

• Modeling a Lantern Using Splines and Loft
  Learn how to create an Arabian style lantern.
• Modeling a Mosque Dome in 3D Studio Max
  A super detailed tutorial on how to model a mosque dome.

Swift 3D

• Modeling a Minaret in Swift3D
  Fans of Prince of Persia will find this one familiar.

Photoshop

• Drawing a Mosque on a Starry Sky Scene in Photoshop
  An easy method for drawing a mosque – the tutorial also teaches you how to do the background.

This tutorial will teach you how to create an animation of a missile that flies targeting an object and then explodes when hitting that target. Our animation will be created using the Particle Flow Source (PF Source).

This tutorial will teach you how to create a pen, or any similar cylindrical object,  in 3DS Max using a poly modeling technique that involves Inset, Extrude, and Bevel effects. Click here to read the tutorial.

This tutorial will teach you how to create a grass field in 3D Studio Max using the ‘Scatter’ Compound Modifier. This modifier could be used to scatter copies of any object on a surface of another object.

We would like to thank Ali Muhammed Rizwan, Pakistani CG artist, for writing this extensive tutorial for us on how to model a mosque dome in 3D Studio Max. We hope that all of our readers find this Ramadhan Special tutorial helpful. Click here to learn how to model a mosque dome in 3D Studio Max.

We will publish the PDF version of this tutorial soon for those interested in having a copy of the tutorial.

This tutorial will teach you how to make a complex geometric abstract design in simple and straightforward steps using Autodesk’s 3D Studio Max. The tutorial requires no advanced skills as we will use very basic elements to create this effect that mostly involves creating boxes and configuring the target camera.

Light caustics are light shapes created on the floor when light passes through certain glass objects such as a drinking glass. We are going to create this effect in 3D Studio Max by using the Mental Ray renderer and the Mental Ray glass material. We previously published the video edition of this tutorial and now the text copy is here.