Welcome to the world of Animation:Master.  Whether you are an experienced animator, or are just beginning, there are a myriad of resources at your disposal that will help you learn the software, and help you tell your stories.

READ THE MANUAL AND DO EVERY EXERCISE

The most important thing is to do all of the tutorials in the Art of Animation:Master manual that came with your software.  Each lesson builds on the last one, so it is very important to do the tutorials in order.  Many tools and techniques that will become second nature to you are covered in the earlier chapters, so don't skip them.

WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIALS

Sometimes you just want to look over somebody's shoulder and have them show you how they use the program.  We have made VIDEO TUTORIALS of each lesson in the manual, so you can follow along with it.  As humans, we learn much more by doing rather than watching, so it important that you actually do the tutorials.  You can get to the video tutorials at any time on the Hash web site by clicking "Video Tutorials" on the left frame.  The manual exercises are labeled "Exercise" and are in the same order as the manual.  If you want to be inspired, watch the "ANIMATION:MASTER DEMONSTRATION", to get an overview of the software and see some of the work that has been done with it.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Animation:Master has a very large worldwide community.  As an A:M owner, you are part of this community, and are invited to enjoys its benefits.  You should never feel you are alone and have no place to turn for help.  HASH TECHNICAL SUPPORT is available to you free of charge, but there are other resources that you should also take advantage of.

HASH ONLINE FORUM offers a very active and friendly web site where you can ask questions about A:M tools and techniques, see finished works and works in progress, and talk with some of the most talented artists and animators from around the world.  Beginners and novices are welcome and encouraged to post to the forum.  Everyone was a beginner at some point and its exciting for everyone to see and foster new talent.

Animation:Master has a built in feature called A:M Community.  From the Community panel, you can contact technical support, chat with other users that are online, ask questions in a chat room, read up on recent news about Hash Inc. and A:M users, link to cool uses sites, and download free models.  If you want to see the Community panel, make sure "Community" is checked in the "View" menu.  Take advantage of this valuable resource.

DOCUMENTATION

The printed manual that comes with Animation:Master is your launching point and covers all of the basics you need to start using A:M to tell your stories.  Despite the easy to use interface, A:M is packed with features.  To learn more about what tools are at your disposal, every feature in the software is documented in the ONLINE REFERENCE MANUAL.  This is also on the Animation:Master CD-ROM and an icon for it was placed on your desktop when you installed the software.

There are three ways to find information in the online reference.  You can browse the table of content, use the index to look something up, or more likely you will use the search feature.  The table of contents has three major sections.  The "Projects" section is organized like the Project Workspace in A:M, and contains detailed information every kind of object or property that is used by the program.  The "User Interface and Environment" contains general information about the concepts, tools, and options used in A:M.  And the "Support" section has the company contact information.  As you expand sections in the table contents, you will see there is a lot of information there.  But, if you are just starting, don't worry about it for now.  Just know that it is there when you are ready to explore it.

TUTORIALS

Do you want to see how to use all these amazing tools that are described in the online reference?  Then you should head on over to "THE A:M RESOURCE MATRIX", also known as the The ARM.  You can get to it at any time on the Hash web site by clicking "Tutorial Resources".  The tutorials range from beginner to intermediate, to advanced.  Make sure you check out the Beginner tutorials, because they will really help you get comfortable using A:M.  Many users have come up with creative and powerful techniques with A:M, and are eager to share their tips to get the most out of the software.

SOFTWARE UPDATES

When you buy Animation:Master you are buying a subscription.  That means that you get more than the version of the software that is on the installation CD.  You are buying all of the new tools and updates that are released during the year that you bought it.  At the beginning of each year, we release a new CD, and if you want to continue updating to newer versions and getting the latest new features, you can renew for $99 annually.

You may notice that Hash posts software updates more frequently than most other companies.  That is because we are very aggressive about fixing any problems that are brought to our attention.  Rather than wait six months between software updates, we will fix any issues as soon as we know about them and get a new release out right away.  So, check the "SOFTWARE UPDATES" link on the left frame every week or two, and stay up to date.

CONTESTS

Every month Hash, Inc. has an IMAGE CONTEST, and an ANIMATION CONTEST Winners get a handsome trophy, and accolades from their peers.  Be sure to check out the winners of the previous contests, this artwork should not be missed!

LEARNING ANIMATION

There are many resources for learning animation, some old, some new.  It is always best to start with the Art of Animation:Master manual that came with your software.  Once you know your way around the software, you can start learning from the legends and veterans.  Visit the Learning Animation Page for recommended books, videos and links.

HAVE FUN!

There are many other resources and links to discover on this web site.  Make the most of all of the resources available.  We know you want to start working on your amazing feature film, but don't be afraid to take baby-steps.  Don't try to do everything at once.  Go through the manual, and learn about creating a scene and animating.  Work up to modeling.  Remember to start simple.  With patience and practice you'll be making films and telling stories in no time!