/ Welcome Rocky Linux

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After several years using Centos, it is time to upgrade to Rocky Linux. I will share my experience here, regarding VFX use

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/ Installing Rocky Linux (v9) easy and fast

Just download ISO, boot and install. Same instructions as Centos, but a more likeable interface.

Regarding partitions we have same trouble as Centos. Automatic partition just will keep 70 GB as root, so I recommend to increase it at least to 100 GB to avoid the annoying issue regarding lack of space when you need to install strong software as DaVinci, etc.
In case, 70GB looks enough if you manage your apps and temporal files.

I recommend to have an external disk for apps, this way you don´t need to reinstall any time you have a crash or an update. Some apps can be executed using alias, so I manage them outside root disk and I can run same on different linux as they share code. Each three months aprox you will need to upgrade, so this way I can just use the uncompressed folder and upgrade my alias without needing to delete older versions or fight against elements. On my post regarding .nuke desktop I explain how to do that.

As first look Rocky looks like a Mac Os, very beatiful and fast. Lots of ready to use apps preinstalled.

You can have a little headhache installing your Nvidia drivers. By default nouveau driver works fine, but definetely you will need to upgrade your drivers to manage CUDA or other needs as DaVinci asks, etc.

Here is a fast guide and some websites for reference.

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1. It is need to have nvidia working (I’m using GTX SUPER 1660).
   
   Best way should go to Nvidia web, but you can manage to get it faster from alternative sites as sometimes you would need additional packs. This web down worked to me:

   https://tutorialforlinux.com/2019/12/13/nvidia-gtx-1660-super-centos-8-driver-how-to-download-install/2/
   

2. Enable Rpm Fusion Repository

   Here you can find another guide to get this repo:

   https://www.linuxcapable.com/how-to-install-rpm-fusion-on-rocky-linux/
   
   

   sudo dnf install --nogpgcheck   
   

   https://mirrors.rpmfusion.org/free/el/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %rhel).noarch.rpm -y
   

   sudo dnf install akmod-nvidia
   

   nvidia-xconfig
   

3. For running DaVinci you also will need libGLU

   https://rockylinux.pkgs.org/9/rockylinux-appstream-x86_64/mesa-libGLU-9.0.1-6.el9.x86_64.rpm.html

   dnf install mesa-libGLU

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It can happens that upgrading Rocky you would need to reinstall nvidia drivers. This happens because cuda would need a kernel update also.

After upgrading Rocky you can get down your x screen configuration. My nvidia-xconfig didn´t worked and it didn´t detect my card despite everything was working previously.

To avoid headhaches, best way is to have downloaded the latest nvidia driver to an accesible folder and reinstall or upgrade from terminal. I create a dir named NVIDIA at home and there I keep my latest drivers, then I can run by terminal faster, just straight:

 ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-535.86.05.run

Depending on your boot configuration it cannot be done automatically.

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After upgrading your Nvidia you can run the DaVinci installer and everything will go ok.

Blender 3.5, Nuke, Natron, etc. keeps working same as Centos 7 without issues. In case of Blender 3.5 as it has some lib requests looks running better on Rocky.

So this is my fast guide. As usual I will update my experience along the next months flagging any issue.

Thanks Rocky people!

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/ Grease Pencil Add-ons for Animation (Blender)

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Les Fées Spéciales.

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Here you can find some interesting add ons developed at this french Animation Studio Les Fées Spéciales.
I notice them watching Amélie presentation at the Blender Conference 2022.

You can find the sources here:

• tech blog from La Cuisine

• Les Fees Speciales Repo

This is a list of some of the most interesting add ons an a quick review. Will keep updating while testing them.

• A color palette for quick pick up materials

• A multiplane cam creator (2d GP layers)

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SPA Studios' 2D Animation Toolset

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Another strong recommendation is the Spa Animation Studios blender extension, which is an optimized fork for drawing in a more natural way, plus some extra additions for storyboarding.

Blender SPA Documentation: https://the-spa-studios.github.io/ble...
SPA Github: https://github.com/The-SPA-Studios

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How to animate on TWOS

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Last ones is a tip from Cloud Blender about how to animate in TWOS.
The easy way is showed in this video, just adding an Stepped Modifier to your curves.

/ Blender Essential Texturing Tips (Blender)

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Yes texturing cg is a nightmare, but you have some add ons for Blender that should improve it, so here are my own recommendations:

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1. Texture Tools (free). For UWrap like 3dMax, by Hendrik-Jan Schoenmaker.
   Also on this web you will have complete documentation. Very complete toolset.
   

2. Super-,Anti, Anti Bundle. Very useful add for work faster tilt.
   blendermarket texture-tools (18$ aprox)
   
   

3. Node Wrangler (free).
   Essential and free of chargue.
   Main shorcuts:

   • Alt-S swap links

   • Shift-Ctrl-LMB Preview Node

   • Ctrl-T Add Texture Setup

   • Ctrl-Shift-T Add Texture Setup from Folder (PBR selected and all pass)

   • Alt-RMB-arrastrar Connect Nodes
     
     

4. BPainter. It helps to work materials and textures as layers. Basic, but useful. You get much more control on paint brushes and texturing.
   blendermarket bpainter (40$ aprox) .
   Update: don´t work in Blender 4, maybe in standby, but you can keep working textures in previous versions and export using same uvs.

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/ Lock Grease Pencil to Cam (Blender tip)

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Some times you need your drawings to be ALWAYS locked over the top of your layers. One way to do this is linking the Grease Pencil to your Cam using an object constrain.

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How ?

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Use any Cam. ( Preferible Add Camera Rig from this addon here )

1. Create a Grease Pencil.

2. Add an Object Constrain: Copy Transforms

3. Target: your Cam

4. Set: Before Original (and reposition your Grease Pencil in frame if you need for fix offset).

5. Now you can draw in camera view. GP will follow any mov.

View fullsize

Why?

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It is useful for loops, walking cycles and background pans (traditional animation way).

This way your Grease Pencil Object is always in the same local space. You will get all the drawings like in a cell pivot.

You don´t need to animate your GP Object. because it always follows the camera (again the walking cycle).

And you can use the Camera Motion Blur.

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Bonus Tip:

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Check “In Front” on your Grease Pencil Viewport Display (Object Properties) and no worry overlaping elements.

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