Tutorial Roundup: 52 Excellent Cinema 4D Tutorials
Ok, so I’ve done it again people! There were so many amazing C4D tuts just floating around out there on the web, that I couldn’t stop myself from gathering them all up, and stuffing them into one little easy to digest package for you. No no…no need to thank me…just sit back and enjoy all the Cinema 4D goodness (ok…and then you can thank me)!
Stylish Lighting in Cinema 4D and Photoshop
Use Global Illumination to create complex lighting and shadows.
Door Type
Create cool looking 3D type with a door built into the side.
Rolling Red Carpet
Create a rolling red carpet that reveals text on the inside.
Font Explode
Explode a bit of 3D text and style it to create some awesome looking typographic elements.
Little Planet
Distort a panoramic image and create some 3D text, to make a little planet type effect.
Beach Ball
Model and texture a beach ball.
Crumpling Paper
Using the cloth tag, create an animation that makes a piece of paper crumple into a ball.
Interactive Speakers
Model some speakers, and make them react to a sound file using Mograph.
Super Text
Create a text effect similar the one used by Superman.
Sketch Car
Use Sketch and Toon, along with After Effects, to create a hand-drawn looking animation of a car.
Xpresso Series
This series has three parts on Xpresso: Camera Projection, On/Off Switch, and Replace Textures.
Egg Modeling
Check out several resources on how to model an egg.
Modeling a Zebra
Model a toy zebra (includes a free 3d model).
Modeling a Book
Model and texture a book, and add dust to the cover (includes the project files).
The UV-Map Dirtmap Baker Tutorial
Get a clean UV map, calculate a dirt map, and work with Baker.
Working With Procedurals
Use 3d procedural textures, instead of bitmaps, to acheive the desired result.
Modeling an Hourglass
Model, texture, and light an hourglass.
Contraint Tag: Aim
Learn the differences between the Target and Constraint tags.
Introduction to Point Cache
Learn to use the Point Cache Tag and Point Cache Deformer.
Looping Noise
Use looping noise to create random motion in different objects.
Modeling a Lightsaber
Check out this awesome tutorial on modeling a replica lightsaber.
Making a Fireball with Pyrocluster
Create a realistic fireball inside of a container using Pyrocluster.
Modeling a Water Faucet
A basic tutorial on modeling and texturing a water faucet with handles for hot and cold.
Creating a Cel or Wireframe Render
Create a Cel or Wireframe Render of your model (kinda self explanatory).
Model a Basic Peanut Can
A basic tutorial on modeling a peanut can, and then lighting it appropriately.
Vector Logo To 3D
Create a logo from vector shapes, and then turn those shapes into 3d extrusions.
Exploring Sound Effector
Explore the Sound Effector, and how it can react to different parts of your scene.
Explosive Typography Effects
Create an awesome exploding 3D text effect.
Making of Super Snail
This is a huge tutorial on modeling the “Super Snail” ( including the body, slime, and rocket motor).
Modeling “Daylight”
Create a realistic looking castle alleyway scene with fantastic lighting effects.
Materials in C4D
Learn to create realistic looking glass materials.
Creating Car Tires
Create some very nice custom textured tires.
Modeling a UFO
Make the UFO’s used in the independent film “The Insurgents”.
3D Titles
In one of the only C4D tutorials from Video Copilot, Andrew Kramer shows you how to create 3d titles inside of After Effects.
Introduction to Dynamics
Nick Campbell (the man behind the next few tutorials) gives you a crash course on Dynamics in C4D.
Texturing Objects and Lights
Learn how to use textures to help you light a scene.
Create a Floating Balloon Animation Using HDRI Lighting and Particles
From one of the 5 Second Projects, Nick shows you how to use HDRI Lighting and Particles to create this awesome little animation.
CS Tools – Daylight
Use CS Tools’ Daylight to light a scene.
CS Tools – Cubes
Nick shows you how to use cubes from CS Tools to animate abstract shapes quickly.
CS Tools – Cluster
Use CS Tools – Cluster to easily create symmetrical burst animations with any object.
CS Tools – Bloom
Use CS Tools – Bloom to automate animations that bloom into scenes with rotation and scale.
CS Tools – Area Light and Ambient Light
Use another one of the lighting tools from CS Tools to light a scene effectively.
CS Tools – Action Cam
Use Action Cam from CS Tools to create some cool camera moves.
Creating a DNA Strand
Create a DNA strand using some basic shapes, deformers, and Mograph modules.
Shattering Glass
In John Dickinson’s first big 3 part tutorial using C4D, he uses Illustrator, AE, and C4D to create an awesome glass shattering effect.
The Moon
Noise Junkies “Universe” series has this great tutorial on modeling the moon’s surface.
Modeling a Piano
Learn how to model a basic piano.
Playing With Shadows
This is a recreation of Andrew Kramer’s Video Copilot tutorial on creating some soft shadows using Cinema 4D.
Fringe Titles
Learn how to recreate the reverse shatter effect used in the “Fringe” TV show’s opening title sequence.
Organic Mesh
Learn how to recreate Andrew’s organic mesh effect (from Video Copilot) using similar techniques in Cinema 4D.
Beyond Boring Text
This is a nice little tutorial on using the Displace Deformer, with Mograph Text Objects, to create stylized effects.
Kicked the Bucket
This is a long tutorial, in which only half is actually published, recreating the 5 Second Project entry at GreyScaleGorilla.com.
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tnx topher!!!
some are really helpful! thanks.
Nice! using this as inspiration for practicing Maya however i would really like a simular thing to this but for Maya? I know alot of other would too
I am going to be doing these like, once a week for each application as we go… depends on how many tuts I can find… haha
seen alot before.
but such a good list.
the Create a Floating Balloon Animation Using HDRI Lighting and Particles made by day been looking into hdr lighting for months now.
hay topher;
why dont u put Maya tutorials like above tutorials…… huh?
u or other CGtuts team give more priority for C4D or 3Ds Max tutorials; but we can cee more and more tutorials all around the world for that packages;
and why don’t u give some priority for Maya………..?
why ws dat?
your user friendly 3D package is C4D? is that the reason why u don’t put more Maya tutorials?
please ; we are like Maya tutorials; please do some for us………
ok? please…………
Hi Amila,
I understand why you might feel this way, as there has been less Maya on CGTuts+ so far, when compared to 3dsMax or C4D. The truth of the matter is, however, that we do not want to give more priority to any one application, and it is actually our goal to make things as balanced as possible between all of the major packages.
It has really just been a matter of not receiving enough quality tuts for Maya to keep up with the excess of C4D and Max tuts that have been submitted to us. Not to worry though, I have recently brought on several excellent Maya authors, and they are all in the process of writing some awesome tuts for the site as we speak:) Furthermore, Topher will be writing an article like this one every week, and it will be for a different application each time….so that means that there will most definitely be a Maya tut roundup coming down the pipeline very soon!
Amila… you could also just read the comments posted before your’s and see my response answers your question… haha
Its cool I understand… I will be doing massive roundups for different apps every week…
he he; ya Topher; i like u r posts; but if u can; pls some more in Maya in CGTUTS+. b coz we love maya………….
and also Kelab; like to see u more with maya as soon as posible…..
kind reguards to both……
thanx sir 4 response me. . . .
this might be a good reason and a good read too:
PRESS RELEASE
April 2009
MAXON Computer, a developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions, has announced that Maxon Cinema 4D continues to be the 3D digital content creation software of choice for the broadcast industry’s most widely recognized networks and production facilities.
Cinema 4D’s motion graphics module, MoGraph, is noted by customers as being particularly essential due to its quick workflow, fast rendering and easy export to compositing applications.
Entities of note who count Cinema 4D as a key part of their creative toolkits include: The Weather Channel, MTV, Comedy Central, TMZ, NBC, FOX, Capacity, Cosmocyte, ESPN, HBO, CNN, USA Network, Troika Design Group, National Geographic Channel, Univision, ABC, E!, Telefutura, Third Eye Design Group, Al Jazeera, NHK (Japan), SAT (Germany), Protokulture, Perception, the BBC to name a few.
Overall, customers cite efficiency, cost savings, ease-of-use, and a significant boost in workflow productivity as the primary benefits for adopting Cinema 4D into production pipelines.
“Broadcast designers are challenged to produce highly complex, technically perfect and over-the-top creative content every day; and they require a reliable, fast and flexible production workflow to meet those expectations,” said Paul Babb, president and CEO, Maxon USA.
“The fact that so many broadcast customers have placed CINEMA 4D at the heart of their production pipelines and count on it to help them meet real world motion graphics goals is extremely gratifying and very clearly demonstrates the value that CINEMA 4D can bring to any graphics production environment.”
Looks great thank you
Actually some new ones Ive never seen before which is great! More modelling until next time. Would be great if you could combine a cinema modelling project with an after effects project.
Tnx again!
What a great list! Look forward to seeing more of these for other apps as well!
Thanks for including mine. Great list!
Thanks Leah! I am stoked to see the rest of your series on Kick The Bucket!
thanks!
Really compliment..finally this site give a right important show to C4D, is the best software for modelling…. GREATTTTTTT
Thanks for the kind words. Were you aware that this site has been posting about 1 new Cinema 4D tutorial every week since it launched?
About half of it is from grayscalegorrilla, cant wait for that guy to gets off vacation. cineuniversity has a nice collection of free tuts and even better paid, mostly technical though.
more like 1/5 haha… he is actually back from Holiday today… make sure you stay tuned over there… I saw a lot at Cineversity, but to tell you the truth.. deadlines. hahaha I didnt have enough time or this list probably would have been twice as long. hahaha
Thank you sooo much, just started working with 3D.
Really needed this.
Wow…i totally missed this article, lol
Thanks for including some of my tuts Topher, I really appreciate it.
And curiously, I actually didn´t know a lot of those tuts…like the Little Planet and the Procedural thing.
Wonderful list Topher, Can’t wait to start watching some of these.
I don’t know about the 1 Cinema 4D Tutorial a week claim Kaleb proposes.
Maybe that’s so, but then it is overwhelmed by all the 3ds Max tutorials, which are double the numbers of C4D.
It’s difficult to now find up to date C4D tutorials on the web, there are few of them and some are also just repeating another.
For Max, there is a huge coverage of the program worldwide. So I was hoping a little more favor would be shown to C4D when this site launched. You can go anywhere for a 3DS Max tutorial. But being able to offer consistent and valuable C4D material is a big plus. It will also drive in more traffic and thus more revenue!
Those are my thoughts anyways. Good list Topher
It’s true…nearly 1 new C4D tut a week (with the exception of the first couple of weeks in June when we were still searching for good C4D authors).
Making a quality tutorial takes a lot of work, and usually at least 2 to 3 weeks to complete (if the author is also working full time), so to get even 1 new tutorial per week for C4D is a pretty tall order. For 3ds Max, however, it is as you said…there is simply just more coverage, so to receive two good 3ds Max tutorials per week is a little easier.
It is, however, our goal to make things as balanced as possible between all of the major packages… it will just take a little time before we reach that goal.
P.s. Stay tuned for this weeks awesome C4D tut on Wednesday!
Wow, this is great! Thanks.
awesome collection
helps me alot… thanks!
C4D all the way.
Thank you very very much. Can you tell me where you found this tutorials on the web.
Thanks for adding my tutorials to the list. Hope they help.
Keith – TVGRAFX.COM
When you give back of what God has given you, the blessing of God continuely flow upon you until no place to hold it. Keep up the good work.
Your work will not be lest or use in vain. Thank you for the links and the hard work you all did. Its been a great help and new teaching ideas.
I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem. You are wonderful! Thanks!
Anybody know where to find the castle alleyway one it doesn’t lead to the tutorial?
Hi very good compilation of cinema 4d tutorials here. Its very useful to find so many at a time in one place.
cinema 4d tutorials
Thank you very very much. Can you tell me where you found this tutorials on the web.