This DVD plunges into the basics of Maya's Paint Effects. Ethan Summers gives you a feature-by-feature examination of this powerful package, teaching you to control the density of your polygon mesh, to manage your pressure and control curves and to establish an effective workflow process. Ethan will explain various types of animation and illustrate basic ways Paint Effects can connect to dynamics within Maya.

There are many reasons to have a blog: to inform customers about new products and specials, to share information and expertise with a worldwide community, or to express oneself and communicate publicly. WordPress.com is a free and flexible set of web-based blogging tools that can be used to launch a new blog in minutes. The tools can then be used to personalize the blog and update and improve it continually. In WordPress.com 2.5 Essential Training, Maria Langer walks through the entire process of building and maintaining a blog, from setting up an account to using advanced customization techniques. She explains how to create and organize posts, pages, and links, and also offers tips on how to become a better blogger. Exercise files accompany the course.

Have your ever wanted to get under the hood of your synths? Are you tired of using presets and wished you knew how to make the changes needed to get the sound you want? Well look no further. "Synths Explained" is aimed at the beginner who wants to understand what synths are, how they work and how to program them to get the sound you want.

XML, or Extensible Markup Language, was designed to make information sharing and data interpretation easier, but it only works if you know how to work it. In XML Essential Training, veteran engineer and instructor Joe Marini takes you through the basic rules of XML, discusses suggested tools, explains XML syntax, and more. From integrating XML into your site to creating style sheets and Schema Definitions, XML Essential Training covers everything you need to not only get started, but to really get working with XML. Exercise files accompany the training, allowing you to follow along and learn at your own pace.

Web designers with no prior javascript experience can now easily add AJAX-driven functionality to their sites. Adobe Certified Master Instructor James Williamson demonstrates how in Dreamweaver CS4: Introduction to Spry. This course covers the three main focuses of Spry: creating interactive effects, using widgets to shape the user experience, and populating pages with data. Exercise files accompany the course. A working knowledge of HTML and CSS is recommended for this course.