Richard Rosenman has released Electra, a new Photoshop plugin for creating "electric rays, lightning bolts, electrical charges, power currents and more". Electra costs $49.99 and a demo is available, Fine out more on Richard Rosenman's website. 

RedefineFX has released a new tutorial on how to create a sandstorm effect using Chaos Group's Phoenix FD in 3DS Max. Exercise files are also available for free (though donations would be welcomed). Watch the video on YouTube.

Guillaume Lebourg has released a free script for Max to Generate a 6-camera rig and render individual cubemaps automatically with full support for V-Ray elements and animations. Find out more on ScriptSpot. 

Rusty Hazelden has released a new detailed 5 part series of tutorials titled The Art of RenderMan Volume 1. Watch it on YouTube. 

iToo Software has released an advanced 20-minute tutorial explaining how to layout and render Cityscapes with RailClone, Forest Pack and 3DS Max. Find out more on the iToo Software website.

Blender ArchiPak is an add-on for Blender that adds several tools for Architectural Visualisers including the ability to create walls, doors, windows, slabs, fences, stairs, floors, roofs, trusses, kitchens, mouldings, blinds, beams and more. Archipak 2.0 has added support for Blender 2.8 and costs 49€. Find out more on the product's website. 

SideFX has released a new plugin for Houdini that adds photogrammetry tools using the open source AliceVision Photogrammetric Computer Vision Framework. After installation, 7 new nodes are added to Houdini which allows the user to add and analyse images, recreate then mesh a depth map, and finally, texture the generated mesh.  Find out more and download the plugin for free from . 

Quadspinner has announced that Gaea is now out of its early-access phase and officially released. If you've yet to hear about Gaea, in a nutshell, it's a promising looking new standalone landscape modelling tool that combines procedural heightmap creation techniques with artist directed erosion, akin to sculpting with the natural elements. (more...)