Tools I use most often:

I'm an Apple computer user, but most of the computer software I use is available for both Mac and PC.

If you can afford the very best tools, buy them, of course!

Most of my life, I've worked as a musician... Need I say more? I've learned to maximize the tools I could afford, and combine functions from various applications, when I couldn't do things "the expensive way". So, you'll note that this is NOT an expensive list of tools. For example I do all my web site creation in "TextEdit", a simple Mac word processor, and do multiple-page editing with another Mac app., "TextWrangler". Other Mac apps noted below, ("Garage Band", for example) which used to be considered "add-ons", are now quite powerful.

Concept formation and planning:

  • Brain, combined with pencil and paper

2D graphics and post processing of 3D images:

  • Primary 2D processing: Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator
    Actually, today, most things I need to do can be done in the lighter "Photoshop Elements".
  • Cropping, reformatting, compression: "Graphic Converter" or "Preview" (Mac)
  • I use several easily-accessible "widgets", such as color pickers, built-in screen capture utilities, etc..

3D Modeling and Animation:

Assembly of animation "clips" into larger sequences:

  • Some of this can be done right in MODO (or your 3D software)
  • Apple QuickTime Pro, iMovie, iDVD, Keynote, etc..

Audio processing:

  • Master recording and editing on a Tascam 2488 mkII digital workstation
  • Clip combination in simple apps like Apple QuickTime Pro, Keynote, and Garage Band

Photography:

  • Still (film) photography: Nikon 35mm film camera and lenses
    (Obviously, a flatbed and/or negative/slide scanner is sometimes required too.)
  • Still (digital) photography and basic video: 12 megapixel digital camera

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