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How to Get Started With 3D Animation
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can EditThe best way to make 3d animation is to get your hands on a software program that is specifically made for creating 3d animations. However, there is a lot of software tailored for creating 3d animation. These programs include: Poser, 3d Studio Max, Daz 3d, Bryce, Carrara, Animation Master, Maya, LightWave, Anim8or, 3D Canvas, and Blender. Since there is lots of 3d animation software available, it is important to discover the best one for your current needs and circumstances.
Steps
- Write out the details of the 3d animation project you desire to create and the reason you would like to create it. For example, is your project for fun or is it to launch into a career in 3d animating.
- Write down the number of hours you would like to complete this project. This is to see whether you want to quickly create your 3d animation or whether it is something you don’t mind spending a long period of time on.
- Map out the time you would like to spend on learning how to use the 3d animation software. This is to see whether you want software that is easy to learn and use or if you would not mind using software that is a bit difficult and time consuming to learn.
- Research the programs mentioned in the introduction and see which software program would be best for your specific needs in terms of goals, time, and money.
- Decide on and acquire the 3d animation software program(s) you would use. Once you decide on the 3d program(s) you would use based on your circumstances, you can then begin following its tutorials on how to make 3d animation.
Tips
- Autodesk Maya and NewTek Lightwave are some good paid applications.
- 3D Canvas, Anim8or, and Blender are good free applications.
Related wikiHows
- How to Make Your Own Animation
- How to Make 3D Glasses With Home Supplies
- How to Make a 3D Dinosaur Birthday Cake
- How to Upload Sketchup Models to 3D Warehouse
- How to Create 3D Computer Games
- How to Make 3D Photos
- How to Draw Furniture in 3D
Sources and Citations
- How to make 3d animation guide- Video example and software download
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Started With 3D Animation. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
How to Start a Small Business
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can EditPlan, plan, plan! When your idea is fresh and exciting, it's easy to start without a thought to how it will pan out and all the implications. There's nothing worse than an uncompleted project. It can completely ruin your confidence. So here are the steps you should take. Then start! start! start!
Steps
- Come up with an idea, product or service. Put it down on paper. You're more likely to succeed if you plan. Put down things like name of the business, what resources you need, short and long term business and financial goals.
- Chart your way to financial success. What price do you intend to sell your product or service for? How much will it cost you to produce? Work out a roughly estimated profit remembering to factor in fixed costs like rent, energy etc.
- Check out your competitors. How much are they selling a similar product for. Can you add something to it to make yours different and hence a better price?
- Put down your Unique Selling Proposition. Also how are you going to market your product? Via newspapers, a website, through word of mouth?
- Decide what type of business you would like to be -- an incorporation, LLC, etc. This is important for tax purposes.
- Think of how you're going to finance your business initially. The bank, venture capitalists, angel investors, SBA grants(government), your own savings are all options. Remember the four F's for invesment: founders (people who share your idea), family, friends and fools.
- Make your product(s) or service available to customers using your marketing strategy above.
- Keep a close eye on your running costs and keep them in-line with your projections.
- Learn. Find buddies, mentors, local business-related organizations, Internet forums, and especially wikis to discuss the details of running a small business. It's much easier for everyone to perform their core businesses well and prosper when they don't waste time and energy "reinventing the wheel" on housekeeping.
- Get your accounts in order right from the start. Saves you tedious work later.
- Get a merchant account. A merchant account is a contract under which an acquiring bank extends a line of credit to a merchant, who wishes to accept payment card transactions of a particular card association brand. Without such a contract, one cannot accept payments by any of the major credit card brands.
- Set up payment methods like credit card.
- Keep in mind to always provide VALUE to those who may be your customers.
- You probably can't beat a big business on price in commodity items, so develop and get recognized for your expertise. Let your customers know they'll ultimately do more (or enjoy more) with with your maybe-a-little-higher prices and superior guidance or service. Show off a few things on a wikis and make presentations to show your skills. You could even branch out into consulting.
- You might be able to beat a big business in differentiated items[1] like services or decorative goods, too, if you can do better at replacing costly hidebound practices like creating a perception of quality and recognition with an expensive location with cheaper, better ones like making it easy for your customers to praise your quality online.
- You probably can't beat a big business on price in commodity items, so develop and get recognized for your expertise. Let your customers know they'll ultimately do more (or enjoy more) with with your maybe-a-little-higher prices and superior guidance or service. Show off a few things on a wikis and make presentations to show your skills. You could even branch out into consulting.
Tips
- With the advent of the internet, online businesses are probably the easiest way to start and very much less expensive in terms of start-up cost than an offline counterpart.
- You can also think of trading on eBay or Overstock.
- A franchise is also a good option if you don't want to start from scratch.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with prices.
- A franchise is a great idea although the start-up capital is way too high for most people.
- Find a direct selling company that will provide you the training and support. Also, find a personal mentor that you can trust.
- Most direct selling companies have low start up capital compared to a traditional brick and mortar business. You can also break even rather quickly compared to the traditional business.
Warnings
- Especially if going online, beware of people that ask for money before giving you business. Trade leads to prosperity through mutual gain[2], so a business should be willing to pay you to work for it. (A franchise store or home-sales business may have legitimate startup costs, but they should reflect a reasonable cost of getting you started in the business so the managers would make money through your success, rather than just by getting you in.)
- Beware of business propositions that seem to offer "something for nothing." They probably involve taking something from somebody - often you. There are innumerable variations, some more polished than others. Examples include pyramid schemes[3] and advance-fee fraud[4].
Related wikiHows
- How to Start an Answering Service
- How to Start a Finance Company
- How to Quickly Start a Legitimate Online Business
- How to Close a Business
- How to Market a Home Party Business
- How to Come Up With a Business Idea
- How to Start a Crafts Business
- How to Find the Best Home Party Companies
- How to Start a Beauty Salon
- How to Build Your Business Without Advertising
- How to Name Your Business
- How to Create a Logo for Your Small Business or Website
- How to Get Tons of Free Stuff for Ebay and Flea Markets
- How to Make Profitable Crafts
- How to Become a Caterer
Sources and Citations
- Starting and Managing a Business, U.S. Small Business Administration - http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management OpenCourseWare (free business-school courses) - http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/
- The Autodesk File - http://www.fourmilab.ch/autofile/"The book traces the company from the first glimmer of an idea in the minds of the founders, through start-up, initial public stock offering, and growth from a loose confederation of moonlighting individuals to a leader in the industry of computer aided design."
- http://www.getyourebook.com - For step-by-step guide to starting an internet business. Good collection of reviewed business and finance ebooks
- http://www.entrepreneur.com - All round information for small businesses.
- http://www.start-cleaning-business.com - Start a cleaning business with Suze & Ev.
- http://www.connectmidlands.org - business development experts, assisting growing businesses.
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopolistic_competition
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gains_from_trade
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_fraud
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Start a Small Business. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
How to Make Money Online Without a Website
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can EditYou don't need to have a website to make money on the Internet. Here is a proven strategy to make money online without a website.
Steps
- Find Affiliate Product
- Find a product to promote where you make good commission on each sale. Generally, you will get the biggest commissions on digital products. Digital products are defined as something that is downloaded directly to a customer's computer after purchasing, like electronic books or software. Since there is no extra cost per unit, no inventory and no shipping, the commissions are much greater than on regular "physical" goods. The most common commission on digital products is 50%.
- Sign up for an affiliate membership site. This will allow you to build a residual income and the retention rate is much higher than just selling a product once and getting paid.
- Sign up as a reseller (also called affiliate) for a product that looks the most appealing to you. After you sign up, you will get a unique affiliate link where you need to send people to purchase the product. Your affiliate link will have a special code that will tell the product owner that it's you who referred the customer. The affiliate link code will allow your commissions to be tracked correctly and assigned to you.
- Find a product to promote where you make good commission on each sale. Generally, you will get the biggest commissions on digital products. Digital products are defined as something that is downloaded directly to a customer's computer after purchasing, like electronic books or software. Since there is no extra cost per unit, no inventory and no shipping, the commissions are much greater than on regular "physical" goods. The most common commission on digital products is 50%.
- Get Domain Name
- Get a domain name to redirect to your affiliate link. A domain name is a .COM. You can get it for under $9 at GoDaddy.com. GoDaddy.com will allow you to redirect your domain name to your affiliate link at no extra cost. It's important to note that unlike having your own website you don't have to pay for hosting which is usually more expensive than buying and registering a domain name. Domain forwarding allows you to have a legitimate presence in the world of online affiliate marketing for only a few dollars! Some affiliates offer mentoring and training to assist you in your pursuit of making money online.
- So when someone types in your .COM domain in their browser, it will go to your affiliate link. The visitor will see the website with the product you promote, and the commissions will be tracked correctly.
- The reason why you need a domain name is that it's memorable and it makes you look more trustworthy. Affiliate links tend to be too long and arouse suspicion. For example, most people would rather click on the link bestwidgets.com as opposed to abcwidgets.com?reseller=john
- A domain name will make your affiliate link look like it's your own website. So basically, you will have a product to promote and a website to send people to and get commissions – without really having your own website.
- Get a domain name to redirect to your affiliate link. A domain name is a .COM. You can get it for under $9 at GoDaddy.com. GoDaddy.com will allow you to redirect your domain name to your affiliate link at no extra cost. It's important to note that unlike having your own website you don't have to pay for hosting which is usually more expensive than buying and registering a domain name. Domain forwarding allows you to have a legitimate presence in the world of online affiliate marketing for only a few dollars! Some affiliates offer mentoring and training to assist you in your pursuit of making money online.
- Get Traffic
- In order to make sales, you need to get visitors to your domain name (which will forward them to the website of the product that you resell). You can pay for advertising and hope that your profit will be greater than advertising cost, or you can use free ways to generate traffic.
- The most effective way to get free targeted visitors to your domain name is by writing and submitting articles. You can write short articles on the topic related to the product that you promote. At the end of the article, you include your author bio and your domain name link.
- You will then submit your articles to various websites, and allow them to publish your articles as long as your link is included. Your articles will get published in many places on the Internet, and will be advertising your affiliate link at no cost to you whatsoever. People will read your articles, like what you have to say and click on your domain name link ready to buy.
- Once you start getting regular sales from your articles, you can go back to step 1 and find another product to promote using this strategy. After a while, you will build up a nice source of Internet income – without even having a website.
- In order to make sales, you need to get visitors to your domain name (which will forward them to the website of the product that you resell). You can pay for advertising and hope that your profit will be greater than advertising cost, or you can use free ways to generate traffic.
Related wikiHows
- How to Create Income With Your Web Site
- How to Package Books for Shipping
- How to Make Money Online With Resale Rights
- How to Spot eBay Automobile and Computer Scams
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Money Online Without a Website. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
How to Print Business Cards
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can EditThere are several ways to print business cards, depending on your needs. You can visit a local print shop, order business cards online or print them on your own computer. Each method has benefits and potential drawbacks, and this guide will provide you the steps to obtain custom business cards that represent you and your business.
Steps
Visit A Local Printshop- Know what you want and what you want to pay. When you arrive at the print shop, your custom design will depend not only on your specifications, but on your budget. Planning ahead to determine what sort of card stock you want to use, the finish (matte, for example), logo placement and other specifications will help make ordering your custom business cards a smoother process.
- Place your order with the customer representative. Be clear about your design preferences, and ask for advice if you have any questions.
- Look at a proof. After you initially order your design, ask to see a proof before the cards are printed. Check for overall layout, misspellings, the correct font and colors, and verify that all other details are correct. With most print shops, the proofing stage is the only time you will have to make corrections, as your custom business cards will go to print following your approval of the proof.
- Find the right provider. There are dozens of online printing solutions for business cards. Each of them offers different prices and different products. If budget is a concern, look for sales--most companies that offer business cards online will run promotions to decrease the cost of shipping, or perhaps allow for premium products at basic prices.
- Build your design. Most sites provide templates for your use. You can add your logo and custom text. Choose the layout and positioning of the elements on your business card. Some sites and templates allow for customization of the back of your card as well. This is a good place to include additional information, a calendar or appointment reminders.
- Find the template you like best. Your computer software may come with a package of templates to help you get started. If a unique business card design is important to you, search online for a wider template selection.
- Design your business card. Even though you're working from a template, you may customize to your needs. Different fonts and layouts are available. Include all necessary contact information, such as your name, address, phone and fax numbers, website and e-mail addresses and the name of your company. Other information, such as your position in the company, logo and motto, may also be added to further customize your business cards.
- Print your business cards. Use business card paper, which comes pre-perforated so that you don't have to cut out each individual card.
Tips
- Order the right amount of cards for your needs. Avoid ordering massive quantities beyond your requirements just to satisfy a bargain.
- If you are printing your own business cards, print a test page on regular printer paper. Hold it up to the light behind your business card paper to be sure that the cards line up with the perforations.
Things You'll Need
- Business card paper
- Template
Sources and Citations
- http://www.pcworld.com/article/212196/how_to_print_customized_business_cards.html
- http://www.bestbusinesscard.net/10-sites-to-make-business-cards-online
- http://smallbusiness.chron.com/make-own-business-cards-online-print-them-3460.html
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Print Business Cards. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
How to Stop Snoring
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can EditIf you're a snorer in your household, you're probably getting a lot more sleep than anyone who can hear you. Try the following preventative measures.
Steps
- Avoid the things that make snoring worse: alcohol, sleeping pills, coffee and rich foods before bedtime.[1] If you regularly take any kind of medication, talk to your doctor about alternatives. Some drugs can make snoring worse, including sleeping pills and sedatives.
- Alcohol, sleeping pills, and other sedatives make your throat muscles relax, narrowing your airway. Large meals and rich food restricts your airway by pushing up on your diaphragm [2]
- Alcohol, sleeping pills, and other sedatives make your throat muscles relax, narrowing your airway. Large meals and rich food restricts your airway by pushing up on your diaphragm [2]
- If you sleep on your back, buy yourself a few extra pillows and prop yourself up in bed, rather than lying flat on your back. Also, raise the head of your bed. An easy way to do it is to place several flat boards under the legs at the top end of the bed. A couple of old phone books under each leg should also raise the bed enough to do the trick.
- Sleep on your side. There's a good reason you don't want to sleep on your back: in that position, your tongue and soft palate rest against the back of your throat, blocking the airway. One way people train themselves to stay on their side is by taping or sewing a tennis ball to the back of their shirt, so whenever you roll onto your back, it's very uncomfortable.
- Address any nasal congestion.
- Try taking a decongestant or antihistamine if nasal congestion is causing your snoring. Use these only as a temporary measure if you suspect that a cold or allergy is to blame. Prolonged use of either can be harmful.
- Gargle with a peppermint mouthwash to shrink the lining of your nose and throat. This is especially effective if your snoring is a temporary condition caused by a head cold or an allergy. To mix up the herbal gargle, add 1 drop of peppermint oil to a glass of cold water. (Only gargle - do not swallow.)
- Change your sheets and pillowcases often to relieve nasal stuffiness, alleviate bedroom allergens. Try to vacuum your floors and curtains often too.
- Tape your nose open with nasal strips, available at most pharmacies. They may look odd, but who's looking? Following the directions on the package, tape one of the strips to the outside of your nose before you fall asleep. They work by lifting and opening your nostrils to increase airflow.
- Try taking a decongestant or antihistamine if nasal congestion is causing your snoring. Use these only as a temporary measure if you suspect that a cold or allergy is to blame. Prolonged use of either can be harmful.
- Try mouthpiece devices. Also known as dental appliances or mandibular advancement splints, these are usually small plastic devices worn in the mouth during sleep to prevent the soft throat tissues from collapsing and obstructing the airway. They do this by bringing your lower jaw forward and/or by lifting your soft palate. Some devices also stop the tongue from falling back over your windpipe.
- Do exercises to firm the tissue associated with your snoring.
- Stick your tongue out as far as you can, then relax. Repeat 10 times.
- Stick your tongue out again, and try to touch your chin. Hold. Repeat with trying to touch your nose. Repeat 10 times.
- Smile as wide as you possible can, hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat this as many times as you can throughout the day.
- Sing La-La-La-La as loud as you can. Hold each La for 3 seconds. Repeat 5 times. Then, repeat singing Ka-Ka-Ka-Ka. Follow that with Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma. This will strengthen your throat so that it does not relax (and thus block air) when you sleep.
- Close your mouth and perform a chewing motion. Make sure molars on both sides move apart, then touch again. Make an "mmmmm" sound as you do this for added affect. Continue for 1 minute. [3]
- Stick your tongue out as far as you can, then relax. Repeat 10 times.
- Know that sometimes people become snorers because of sinus infections. Snoring is caused during a sinus infection because the mucus blocks the nasal passages.
- Follow some of the tips below to stop snoring when you are suffering from sinus infection:
- Do not forget to take the drugs prescribed by your physician for curing the sinus infection. Reduction of the infection will act as a remedy to stop snoring
- Consider using a sinus/nasal rinse. These are designed in such a way that the debris and mucus formed in the nose is completely flushed out. Rinsing will be helpful in relieving yourself of the snoring.
- You can place a nasal dilator strip on your nose channel. This will open the nostrils and can prevent snoring.
- You can use a menthol scent, which will be helpful in clearing the nose.
- You can try to have a warm shower or bath. Hot moist air will be helpful in draining the mucus from the sinuses, thereby reducing the possibility of snoring.
- You can raise the head portion of your bed. This will be helpful in reducing the amount of mucus draining down and blocking your nasal passages. When nasal passages are not blocked, you will not snore.
- Do not forget to take the drugs prescribed by your physician for curing the sinus infection. Reduction of the infection will act as a remedy to stop snoring
Video
Devices to stop snoringTips
- Lose Weight. Weight loss can reduce your snoring by easing any constriction of the upper airway.
- Consider the underlying cause. Discuss with your physician the possibility of a sleep disorder which may be more serious than just the snoring. The current gold standard for obstructive sleep apnea treatment is a CPAP device which opens the airway with pressurized air delivered through a mask or a nose-mounted appliance.
- There is surgery available now if your snoring problem is a function of sleep apnea.
Related wikiHows
- How to Sleep when Someone Is Snoring
- How to Quit Smoking when You Don't Really Want to
- How to Lose Weight
- How to Sleep Better
Sources and Citations
- ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/3481883/When-sleeps-a-snore-point
- ↑ http://www.stopsnoringtips.com/tips.htm
- ↑ http://www.thestopsnoringexerciseprogram.com/?hop=ssshnzl
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Stop Snoring. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.