Strata is proud to announce the release of Design 3D CX 6.1. This upgrade adds powerful scripting based effects along with enhanced modeling features - all at no cost to owners of version 6.0.

New Script FX

Using Design 3D's built-in scripting language, the engineers at Strata have added several new drag-and-drop ScriptFX. These effects make it easy to give your objects the shakes, a heartbeat, a bit of bounce and spin.

New Modeling Power

With version 6.1 you can copy and paste individual points, edges and faces in your subdivision surface models. This allows you to build models from the components of other models. The modeler also offers enhanced UV subdivision control.

Save Up to 50% on Strata Products

Strata has the year end offer you've been waiting for. Buy any Strata product from the Strata.com online store and get half off of a second product of the same or lesser value.

Perfect for New Customers

Buy Design 3D and get Foto 3D at half price. Or buy one Design 3D and get a second at half price. Or buy Live 3D and... well, you get the picture. New customers use coupon code New09 on checkout.*

Bonus for Existing Strata Customers

Any product purchase made on the Strata.com online store during 2009 qualifies for the first purchase. That's right - if you've purchased any product from the Strata store in 2009 you can save 50% on a new purchase during the month of December. Use coupon code Loyal09 on checkout.*

* all purchases subject to qualification

We thought you might be interested in this video series from our friends at Zoom In Online and their Designing Minds project:

Yves Behar is the renowned industrial designer famous for his innovative products such as the BMW mini watch, the Jawbone wireless headset, and the $100 laptop. This episode of Designing Minds is the first of a three part series following Yves' career and ideologies. He discusses the influence of his upbringing in Switzerland, how he challenges the notion of 'legacy', how he uses technology in his projects, and what the goals are for his company Fuseproject.

Strata is proud to be a primary sponsor of The Dieline Awards, a worldwide design competition recognizing the world's best package design. TheDieline.com is the world's leading package design website and is dedicated to the progress of the package design industry and its practitioners, students and enthusiasts.

30 winners across 10 different categories will be awarded a prestigious Dieline Award, and one Best of Show winner will be chosen as the grand winner. The official awards ceremony will be held at the FUSE Conference on April 14th, 2010, at Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago. The top 11 winners will receive a prize package worth over $4500.

Two new DVDs are available from expert user Chris Tyler. Over 38 hours of detailed tutorials show you how to model, texture, render and animate. And now Chris is offering a sample for you to watch.

In this 16-minute video Chris dissects texture and rendering settings to walk you through the subtleties of replicating realistic paint and metallic surfaces. He takes the time to make sure you can absorb all of the fine points of creating realistic scenes. Chris even includes a model download so you can follow along.

We've expanded our Live Seminar Series into 2010. If you've been thinking of getting the complete Strata 3D CX Suite these seminars are for you.

The live seminars will show you how to combine Strata Foto 3D, Enfold 3D, Design 3D and Live 3D to create complete projects that will have your clients saying "wow" and you saying "cha-ching!". Come join us in 2010 to kick off a more efficient and affluent new year.

CA's Award of Excellence is one of the most-coveted illustration awards in the industry. Winning this award places you in the highest ranks of your profession. Ask any creative director which competitions rank as the most influential, and they'll place Communication Arts at the top of the list.

Hundreds of award-winning images are selected for their creative excellence - by an esteemed jury of designers and art directors - in editorial, advertising, institutional, for sale and unpublished categories.

January 8th Deadline for Entry to Avoid Late Fees