NEW TUTORIAL: 3D City
April 3rd, 2009

In this in-depth tutorial, you will learn how to create a vast 3D city in After Effects using images from real buildings. It's Friday and I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Watch Tutorial

High Resolution Image

You may also notice that our Plug-in Twitch was used on the video sample to give the city a flashy look.
Twitch Product Page

Andrew Kramer
POSTED:
16 years ago
76 Comments
12 years ago
Great tutorial, thanks for tips
My spouse and i don't know generate an income finished up here, but I believed this particular post was good. We do not recognize whom you are however undoubtedly you're going to a renowned doodlekit in the event you are not already All the best!
khaled iQ
15 years ago
great tutorial
but i can't complete it because i don't have the "vector paint effect"
can anyone tell me where can i find it
Dean Jaeger
16 years ago
Dying for Action Essentials 2 to arrive. Any ideas on how soon...can wait...
16 years ago
So,
Are you going to post the project file, Andrew?

Thanks,

Amit
Joe Avino
16 years ago
Did anyone else notice that this "Capture It" font is the font used in the opening titles for the Bond movie "Quantum of Solace"?
16 years ago
Very high quality and detailed work!
Sincere
16 years ago
Just found out that you all have an iPhone version of the site, if you'll come up with a way to get the tutorials on the iPhone so the user can watch them anytime without a connection to the Internet would be CRAZY ( in a good way) LOL ....
Thanks For the iPhone version !!
melle
16 years ago
No its not right! You said you are in Denmark and USA is in the future...I think you are in the furture because sun goes from east to west. International date line is between USA and Asia and not between Europe and America.
Moin Shahid
16 years ago
Hey Andrew, It's awesome tute man..
Thanks
16 years ago
Keep Up the good work
I worship you
16 years ago
Keep up the good work...
I worship you
Phantom
16 years ago
Dude u da bomb bro....
awesome man.....
keep em comin......
thanx a mill dudeeeeeeeeeeeee
peace........
Lawrence
16 years ago
This is amazing! Thanks again.
aparajith guha
16 years ago
andrew you always rock can you post more tutorials for titleling
Kero_Sin
16 years ago
I have a tip for you: By using the font CAPTURE IT its better to put an I in before the b,... so it looks like a B and not like a 3,...
16 years ago
just rulez
16 years ago
This is my try at the 3D CITY,I TRIED TO MAKE MY OWN THEME BUT IT WAS ALOT OF FUN AND HARD WORK .THINGS GETTING BETTER 00Rah.
matt s
16 years ago
looks good andrew .......

i think this and the 3d fall off plug-in will go quite nicely together
16 years ago
thank you. good tutorial. like the cg-textures texture. VCP rulez!
16 years ago
Bastiaan, That's exactly what I did for the project file. I just haven't uploaded yet but I will.
Greg
16 years ago
That's a good point Bastiaan. Someone should try that and see the difference in render time, if any. Seems like it could possibly cut it in half?
Jim Hines
16 years ago
Cool man. I think I just had an epiphany about the clone tool. Also, it's nice to have that lens anomaly technique somewhere as a reference. I just now used texture no. 4 from the NY download and got a nice result using that lens blur technique and 3 different mini max effects. I animated the radius, changed the color and horizontal/vertical parameter and it made a kind of police siren look or blinking neon sign effect.
David W.
16 years ago
This is soooo cool! I thought the tutorials were coming next week. Thanks for cheering up my day!
thanks Andrew..ver good..( I very missed little katie )
Daniele
16 years ago
Bravo Andrew!!
Very cool work, thanks!!
Bastiaan
16 years ago
Thanks for yet another great tutorial! Wouldn't it be an idea to leave the two sides pointed away from he camera out to decrease render time?
Azzy
16 years ago
Awesome tut AK, was well worth the wait d(O_o)b
alex coffy
16 years ago
Done watching it, It is just clever!!! You can even make your camera fly through the buildings or such. GREATTTT!!!
16 years ago
thank you sir
dashzed
16 years ago
oh my god, andrew you are my hero, I was soooo needing this effect.

thanks a bunch for this tutorial, keep up the great work man and give us those action movie essentials!!!!!
Sandy
16 years ago
wow gr8 Andrew, SUPERB
alex coffy
16 years ago
Wonderfull. I like it! Is the inspiration coming from NY?
Kam
16 years ago
those of who needs buildings texture image can find it here: http://www.cgtextures.com/
some of you may know this like andrew, but still is new for some people.
btw thanks andrew.
Per
16 years ago
awesome man! good tut! The first and the last effect that u created on the video can be very useful... very cool effect!

AWESOME!
lifetype
16 years ago
thanks bro
Mark
16 years ago
Was looking forward to watching the tut as always but was no option to watch on my iPhone. Was gonna watch it on bed before going to sleep. Ok just have to watch my girlfriend play cooking mama 2 on her ds instead! Not quite as much fun!
jaystring
16 years ago
Hi Andrew, you said its render slow on your dual pentium 3, i have intel p7350 with 4go ram and very long too. Are those precomposed suppose to help?
Anyway, very nice job
You made my day

Salutes from Qu??©bec
16 years ago
Very nice work ,loveed it .
16 years ago
Thanks.

This could come in handy with something I'm currently working on...
regliss
16 years ago
same software,
different result,

take a look at that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIKjRhwrwr8

thx andrew
ati
16 years ago
thanks kramermaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!
thank you very much...
PLEASE don't forget the SyFy quick 3d lighting tutorial...
LIKE A PRAYERRRRRR!!

you are the man
Vincent
16 years ago
Would you please make a project file of it so I wouldnt need to make the building? Please Andrew.
Some Guy
16 years ago
That was fast. I expected this tutorial next week. You are great, Andrew! Thank you very much!
pev
16 years ago
Crazy Thing.
Thanks A.K.
16 years ago
Yayyy! That was fast!
Fernando
16 years ago
Again, Thanks, mae demasiado tuanis (translation: dude that's too cool!) cheers, thanks for sharing this with everybody.
Point Blank
16 years ago
This is in my list of top ten reasons to buy a better computer :/
I'll go watch it right now!
Vic
16 years ago
Great tutorial! I don't see Spidy in there but I'm sure he will show up again some day! lol
Hiphopjoe
16 years ago
Did you do the 3d text sugestion that i gave you

Haha, now....about that transformer?

Great work man! u da man!

PS:
I started watching your tuts before i even had after efects, i was 12 years old, and am 13 years old now. will be 14 soon

Thanks for you help! I actualy memorized all your tuts, for the most part
16 years ago
I literally went like this when I saw that there was a new tutorial, "OH MY GOD! YES! YES!"

I love when new tutorials come!
-David
Rednex.
16 years ago
I have a good feeling about this tutorial. My parents are going to hate me (and you ) in the morning cause I will trie and trie untill I get it right.
eastsideozzy
16 years ago
Your tutorials are always very detail. I like how you also have a sense of humor. Why do you precompose so much though? Just started it.
Steve
16 years ago
Andrew,

You are the Bob Ross of the digital generation. Amazing work as always.

-Steve
Jake The Muss
16 years ago
Just watched it. Another great tut.

Many thanks
16 years ago
Wow! It's like you read my mind. I was looking for a tutorial on this a few days ago (not that I really need a tutorial for this...)
16 years ago
I'm gonna watch it now...
Kevin
16 years ago
You might not want to go too fast. Somewhere at the end of the tutorial you add 3 effects in around 4 seconds. I know it otherwise takes a bit long, but don't want to confuse everyone. Anyway, great tutorial!
MR.Storm
16 years ago
Yes Finaly!! Love you man
Tanner D
16 years ago
Thanks watching it now!!!
zvi
16 years ago
You mentioned about games that you can build cities. If you're interested in that, check out Second Life: http://secondlife.com
DaviiCorp
16 years ago
ohh! man, i loved the tutorial... i do not know how can you think things like this.. good luck you're amazing.
limpmar
16 years ago
great!!!!
excellent work!!
thank you very much andrew
Laca
16 years ago
Andrew!

You're so Crazy!
ConGratulation
16 years ago
nice as usual! thx Andrew!

just keep it in touch and give more rythme to particle birth! euh sorry! tutorials birth a thing like 5 per month should be a nice value

PS: what about Action Essentials 2?

greetings from Algeria
16 years ago
Looks amazing! I'm going to watch it now.
16 years ago
OMG thank you so much for this tutorial. Wanted to make a city in AE. Was thinking of something like in the movie hackers where they have the super computers. This will defiantly help create that!!!
16 years ago
you know Andre,
I can't describe my happiness when I see the word "NEW TURORIAL:" in my RSS feed because you always make special tutorials.
Many Many Many thanks Andrew
16 years ago
wow. keep them awesome tutorials coming..!!
David
16 years ago
Wow thanks Andrew ! Gonna watch it right now ! Thanks again and have a great weekend you to !
Wagga
16 years ago
TY SOS MUCH! FINALLY A NEW TUTORIAL Can't wait to try it. Lol. In Denmark the time is 20:36 You're in the future!!!
timo truyts
16 years ago
AMAGAD, luv you andrew!!
nice tut
16 years ago
UHU! Awesome.
16 years ago
Nice ! I gonna watch it
Sebastian
16 years ago
Cool Tutorial!
Do you have the Copiright for "New York City".
No, man! You`re great!

Greetings!
Sebastian