Life Easier Search Results

How To: Use splines to model a head in 3ds Max 8

Check out this two-part 3ds Max video tutorial which exploits a little known capability of Max to create a head. You'll find this technique easier than box modeling for heads since your topology and edge flow are there from the beginning. With box modeling, there's a lot of division, connecting, turning, etc. to get basic topology in place.

How To: Do the embroidery running stitch

For right-handers, work from right to left or top to bottom. For left-handers, work from left to right, or top to bottom. Bring the needle to the front of the fabric at A, and pull the thread through. Now, for the rest of your stitches, you can work them more quickly if you "run" them on the top of the fabric, without taking your hand to the back. Go down at B, and, using your fingers on your non-dominant hand (the one that's not holding the needle!) behind the fabric, encourage the needle to...

How To: Freeze ginger

Love the taste of fresh ginger, but hate throwing out dry, moldy roots? Solve the problem by storing it in the freezer. Whenever you have a hankering for fresh ginger, just grate the still-frozen root into your favorite recipes. Ginger will lose some of its potency in the freezer, but not enough to make a significant difference. When previously frozen ginger thaws completely it develops a sodden texture, so once frozen it's best to keep it that way. Frozen ginger is also a little bit easier t...

How To: Use material tags to export CINEMA 4D text

This two-part video is designed for people who are very familiar with CINEMA 4D. When you're using CINEMA 4D, you can setup channels for export to compositing applications, but sometimes a material change is more efficient and easier. In this first part, you will learn how to set up a material tag on any shape that contains a CAP or a ROUNDING feature. In the second part you'll create some quick buffers (a trick which is especially useful when creating some alpha channels from animated MoGrap...

How To: Create 3D barbed wire in CINEMA 4D

There are some very powerful tools in CINEMA 4D that you can use very quickly to create some 3D graphic elements. Once you start practicing you'll find it may be easier to create your own reference than to find the "just right" one on the web. So, if you're in need of some barbed wire, for reference or otherwise, check this tutorial out. Of course, it takes quite a bit longer to actually SHOW you how to create the barbed wire (creating the barb, wrapping it around the wire, using MOGRAPH in o...

How To: Use Motion Tracker in After Effects 6

Discover how After Effects redesigned Motion Tracker (After Effects Professional only) gives you more power to synchronize motion between two elements in a composited scene. Learn how Motion Tracker works by analyzing the moving pixels in each frame and then using that data to control the motion of a new layer. Set as many tracking points as you like or choose from a list of defaults. Also see how Motion Tracker's interface and controls have been simplified to be faster and easier to use.

How To: Tie the gulper special when fly fishing

A parachute-style dry fly has several advantages over a standard hackled dry fly. The parachute name comes from the fly's propensity for soft, upright landings that don't spook trout. The body of the fly rides lower the surface film like a real mayfly and some people find the parachute wing is easier to see. Another important quality is that because the hackle rests horizontally on the water, parachute flies float well and also imitate mayfly spinners laying flush in the water, as well as dun...

How To: Keep flowered edges neat using an edger

If you have a beautiful Annual flower bed or a formal bed with lawn on one side you'll want a clean edge between the two. It not only looks nice but keeps weeds from encroaching into the bed helping reduce maintenance. There are several ways to create a nice edge to your beds. You can use a shovel, digging a line bit by bit but that gets hard on the back. Available materials for edging include, plastic edging and metal strips and wooden edging pieces. The wooden edges can be linked together b...

How To: Save your life by sawing your trapped arm off à la Danny Boyle's 127 Hours

How far would you go to save your life? For James Franco, who plays real-life hiker Aron Ralston in Danny Boyle's "127 Hours", staying alive means cutting off your own arm with a dull pocketknife. If you've seen the movie (or even heard about all the people who fainted and threw up after watching it), you know that it presents one of the most grueling self-amputation and bone breaking scenes in movie history.

How To: Create an artsy Frida Kahlo hairstyle for Halloween

Like all famous artists, Frida Kahlo had a very colorful life. Raised in a small town outside Mexico City, she lived through the Mexican Revolution and was struck by a bus as a teenager, an incident which caused a broken spinal column, broken collarbone, broken pelvis, fractures, and a punctured uterus which led to infertility problems later on.

How To: Make a miniature origami sea horse for beginners

Ever since we saw "A Little Mermaid" in second grade, we've been enamored with sea life (who knew that fish could be such cuddly little things with some nice pipes, too?). And let's admit it: If you, like us, grew up on a steady diet of Disney princess films, you probably wished at some point that you were a mermaid or a beautiful princess.

How To: Increase the battery life on your HTC Evo 4G phone

The Evo 4G does a lot of fancy things. Unfortunately, a lot of those fancy things are power-intensive. Interested in getting the most out of the HTC Evo 4G's battery? Whether you're the owner of an HTC Evo 4G Android smartphone or just covet one, you're sure to enjoy this Evo owner's guide from HTC Evo Hacks, which presents a complete, step-by-step walkthrough of how to improve your Evo's battery life. For complete details, take a look!

How To: Care for pet fish and their aquariums

When you have a pet fish, their aquarium is their whole world. You keep your little friends in their tank from birth through the rest of their lives, so why not make it safe and comfortable for them? In this tutorial, pet expert Marc Morrone, teaches you all about fish and aquarium science so that you can make sure your pets are healthy and safe. Follow along and balance your water and keep your tank clean so your fish live longer lives.

How To: Convert an old Xbox controller into a USB fan

Do you have a lot of old Xbox controller sitting around now that the newer, sexier Xbox 360 has taken over originals place in your life? Give them new life! This video demonstrates a method for turning an old Xbox controller in to a USB fan! For those for whom buying a small hand-fan from the store is just too easy, this DIY trick will have you a much more cool-looking, geek-fame-worthy model in almost no time at all!

How To: Perform CPR on your dog

It's a moment most of us prefer not to even think about, let alone prepare for. One second your dog or cat is in the yard playing and the next it's suddenly down. Maybe Fido's been hit by a car, maybe he has simply collapsed, but in that blink of an eye all that matters is trying to keep him alive until you can get him the help he needs.

How To: Carve a raw chicken for dinner and save money

Gwen Schoen and Paul Carras share with you in this video how simple it is to save money by carving a whole raw chicken. You can save your pockets an average of 20 – 30%! First take out any insides; this is usually the neck, heart and liver when included. Lay the chicken on its back and start with the wings. Break the skin with a boning knife and pull the wing away from the body until the socket pulls out. Finish the incision where the socket meets and repeat on the other side. Then you’ll...

How To: Tie a trucker's hitch

The trucker's hitch is a good, strong knot with many uses. It's ideal for securing a load in a vehicle, and was used that way dating back to the days of wagons hauled by horses. In this video the folks at ITS Tactical teach you how to tie a trucker's hitch, quick and easy.

How To: Escape from zip ties using shims

The odds are that you'll never find yourself being held prisoner with your hands bound together with zip ties. But if you ever are, you'll be very grateful for the info you learned from this video. In this tutorial from the folks at ITS Tactical, you'll learn how to escape from zip ties using shims. You can use all sorts of things for shimming, from professional equipment to your own fingernails.

How To: Escape from zip ties

Zip ties are stronger than they look, and escaping from them is tricky. In this tutorial from the folks at ITS Tactical, you'll learn how to quickly escape from zip ties. If you should ever find yourself kidnapped by terrorists, held for ransom or kept prisoner in a serial killer's basement, you'll be very glad you watched this video!

How To: Tie a right angle knot like Navy SEALS

You're underwater, and you need to tie a knot. (Hey, it could happen!) What do you do? In this tutorial from the folks at ITS Tactical, you'll learn how to tie a right angle knot. This is a knot used by navy SEALs, and if you ever end up needing to tie a knot underwater, you'll be very glad you watched this video.

How To: Maximize battery life for the HTC EVO Android phone

If you find yourself recharging your HTC EVO from Sprint more than once a day, you might find these tips from CNET more than helpful. In this video, CNET shows you how to maximize the battery life on your HTC EVO running the Android software. These tips can also be applied other smartphones running Android. Basically, you just need to stop programs from running constantly, like WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. And dropping the screen brightness can help, too. See all the tips to a bigger and better ...

How To: Play "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day

Interested in learning how to perform "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day? See how it's done with this free video guitar lesson, which presents a complete breakdown of the song and it chords. While this tutorial is geared toward those who already have some knowledge of the guitar, players of all skill level should be able to follow along given adequate time and effort. For more information, and to get started playing "Good Riddance" on your own acoustic guitar, take a look!