​Intuitive 3D modeling and animation software underscores BP oil spill tragedy and US financial crisis for renowned magazines’ covers created by Joe Zeff Design

– Images Available on Request –

SAN ANTONIO – June 25, 2010 – NewTek, manufacturer of industry-leading 3D animation and video products, today announced that Joe Zeff Design, a leading design studio delivering computer-generated illustration for publishing companies, advertising agencies and major corporations, used LightWave 3D® software to illustrate the cover images for Newsweek and Time magazines that are on the stands now.

Focusing on such controversial subjects as President Obama and the Gulf Coast BP oil spill for Newsweek and “The Broken States of America—how the financial crisis of the states affects all of us” for Time, the artists at Joe Zeff Design were able to create incomparable illustrations using LightWave 3D. According to company president Joe Zeff, whose team created the Newsweek cover in a matter of hours, producing the illustrations under such stringent deadlines would not have been possible without LightWave 3D.

“We have used LightWave 3D to create covers for dozens of magazines—from Rolling Stone and Fortune to Time and Newsweek, as well as advertising images for Porsche, M&M’s, Pepsi and Mercedes-Benz,” said Zeff. “It is the most relied-upon piece of software in our studio. We couldn’t imagine working without it.”

To produce the Newsweek cover, artist Ed Gabel mapped a photograph of the presidential seal onto a 3D object and used LightWave to create the illusion of dripping oil oozing into the hollow spaces of the seal. Zeff then lighted and surfaced the oil model to achieve the desired look and feel, delivering a near-final render to the client in less than a day. Working under such unforgiving deadlines makes repurposing existing assets critical to the design process. Zeff was able to re-use the surfacing and lighting from the cover illustration to generate additional images for the interior pages of the magazine.

Currently working with various publishers to branch into new markets, Zeff continues to rely on LightWave 3D to develop new types of content for the Apple iPad.

“We use LightWave because it’s the best tool we’ve come across for producing realistic print graphics,” said Zeff. “The excitement surrounding the iPad and other tablets has stimulated the market for turning those print graphics into animations, and LightWave puts us in a great position to capitalize.”

About LightWave 3D
NewTek LightWave 3D combines a state-of-the-art renderer with powerful, intuitive modeling, and animation tools. Tools that may cost extra in other professional 3D applications are part of the product package, including unlimited render nodes, hard-body and soft-body dynamics, hair, fur, cloth simulation, and more. LightWave is enjoyed worldwide, as a complete 3D production solution for print, visual effects in film, television, broadcast graphics, games, visualization, and Web, and is responsible for more artists winning Emmy® Awards than any other 3D application.

Pricing and Availability
LightWave v9 is available now, at the suggested retail price of US$895. LightWave v9.6 is also available as a free update to registered LightWave v9 owners. Registered owners of LightWave 3D [v8 or earlier] are eligible to purchase an upgrade for US$495. For more information or to purchase, please visit www.newtek.com or call NewTek Sales at 800-368-5441. International inquiries dial +1-210-370-8000.   

About Joe Zeff Design

Joe Zeff Design creates computer-generated illustration for print and animation for publishing companies, advertising agencies and major corporations. The company is best known for its innovative magazine covers, advertising imagery, corporate communication, information graphics and diagrams, and dimensional typography. Its principals Joe Zeff and Ed Gabel, began working together in 1997 at Time magazine, using LightWave to create information graphics and opening the door for newspaper and magazine artists worldwide to embrace CGI for charts and diagrams. The company’s website www.joezeffdesign.com

About NewTek

Benefiting producers and artists with cost-effective and groundbreaking technologies, NewTek is a worldwide leader in 3D animation and special effects tools, portable live production and video editing including LightWave 3D®, the TriCaster™ product line and 3PLAY™. NewTek has won numerous industry accolades, including two Emmy® Awards. NewTek products have been used in blockbuster films and television shows, including "Avatar," "RepoMen," "Angels and Demons," "Battle for Terra," "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," "Tropic Thunder," "V," "FlashForward," "Lost," "Fringe" and more.

NewTek is privately owned and based in San Antonio, Texas.  For more information, please visit: www.newtek.com.

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• LightWave and LightWave 3D are registered trademarks of NewTek.
• The TriCaster product line includes TriCaster, TriCaster PRO, TriCaster STUDIO and TriCaster BROADCAST, which are trademarks of NewTek.
• 3PLAY, DataLink, TriCaster VM, TimeWarp, LiveControl, SpeedEDIT, VT[5], iVGA, LiveSet, LiveMatte, LiveText, and 3D Arsenal are trademarks of NewTek.
• All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

CONTACT:
Germaine Williams  
NewTek  
(210) 370-8000 
gwilliams@newtek.com 

Kelly Dove
KG|KD PR
(512) 394-8789
kdove@kgkdpr.com

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