Getting Started in 3D With Maya:
Create a Project From Start to Finish—Model, Texture, Rig, Animate, and Render in Maya
Adam Watkins
ISBN: 978-0-240-82042-2
This textbook provides a complete end-to-end approach to teaching the entire 3D process in Maya. With over 12 years of training experience, plus several award-winning students under his belt, author Adam Watkins is the ideal mentor to get students up to speed with 3D in Maya.
Using a structured and pragmatic approach, Watkins starts with theory of basic techniques, then builds on this knowledge using practical examples and projects (which are provided online) to put new skills to the test. Curriculum overviews and suggested lesson plans help develop these skills in an organic fashion, with each chapter building on the knowledge from the previous chapter, showing students all the essentials of 3D in Maya.
As students go from project to project, they develop a strong arsenal of skills that combined allow them to create one final project incorporating all of the techniques discussed throughout the text.
An accompanying website provides practice project files, textures, models, suggested curriculum and lesson plans... [more]
Character Animation Fundamentals:
Developing Skills for 2D and 3D Character Animation
Steve Roberts
ISBN: 978-0-240-52227-2
Expand your animation toolkit and remain competitive in the industry with this leading resource for 2D and 3D character animation techniques. Apply the industry's best practices to your own workflows and develop 2D, 3D and hybrid characters with ease. With side by side comparisons of 2D and 3D character design, improve your character animation and master traditional principles and processes including weight and balance, timing and walks. Develop characters inspired by humans, birds, fish, snakes and four legged animals. Breathe life into your character and develop a characters personality with chapters on acting, voice-synching and facial expressions. Expertly integrate core animation techniques with your software of choice featuring step-by-step tutorials, highlighting 3ds Max, Maya and Blender workflows. Adapt the tips, tricks and techniques for unique projects like character design for rotoscoping and motion capture. Advance beyond the fundamentals of 2D and 3D character animation with the companion website which includes short demonstration movies, 2D and 3D exercises and fully rigged character models... [more]
 Tradigital Maya: A CG Animator's Guide to Applying the Classical Principles of Animation
Lee Montgomery
ISBN: 978-0-12-385222-9
Explore Disney's 12 principles of animation, while learning how to animate in Maya. You can develop your own leading digital techniques rooted to traditional workflows. From squash and stretch to timing and appeal, you will enhance your creative toolset with strong classics training and cutting edge techniques. Trusted Maya Authority, Lee Montgomery offers the only artistic guide to applying the principles of traditional animation with Maya's tools, which are used in production by the best animators and VFX artists today. Add another webpage to your favourites and expand your digital workflow to include the practical resources of the Tradigital Maya with the robust companion website that include demonstrations, project files, links to further resources, available at www.tradigitalmaya.com... [more]
3D Game Textures:
Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop,
3rd Edition
Luke Ahearn
ISBN: 978-0-240-82077-4
Teach your students how to create professional quality game textures, shaders, and materials with guidance from an industry expert. Everything from bricks to books can be created in Photoshop with this step-by-step instructional guide. This exciting new edition of 3D Game Textures includes updated information on shaders, materials, and exercises and projects for educators... [more]
Maya Python for Games and Film: A Complete Reference for Maya Python and the Maya Python API
Adam Mechtley
Ryan Trowbridge
ISBN: 978-0-12-378578-7
Maya Python for Games and Film is the first book to focus exclusively on how to implement Python with Maya. Written by trusted authorities in the field, this in-depth guide will help you master Maya Python, whether you're a seasoned technical artist looking to make the transition from MEL to Python or an aspiring artist not wanting to scramble for information... [more]
Tradigital Blender:
A CG Animator's Guide to Applying the Classical Principles of Animation
Roland Hess
ISBN: 978-0-240-81757-6
Focal Press adds a new star to its brightening constellation of superb Animation titles: The "Tradigital" series of titles, which teach the 12 basic principles of animation, applied to specific software tools: in this case, Blender. The 12 principles were introduced in the 1930s by the Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas to teach animators how to produce more realistic animations. These principles are used in all animated films from classics like Beauty and the Beast to Monsters Inc. Today's animators learn how to use various software tools on the fly, but most never really learn the foundations or how to apply them to their work. In the second book of the series, Tradigital Blender, students and professionals learn how to use Blender to create stunning animations that adhere to the 12 principles of animation. Roland Hess artfully demonstrates just how relevant these principles are to today's digital animators... [more]
 Architectural Rendering With 3ds Max and V-Ray: Photorealistic Visualization
Markus Kuhlo
Enrico Eggert
ISBN: 978-0-240-81477-3
Create high-quality photorealistic renders of architectural visualizations using 3ds Max and V- Ray with the project-based tutorials in this book. Learn how to combine lighting and rendering options to end up with the most realistic final renders possible at a professional level. The tutorials in this book are filled with beautiful full-color images, and they teach you how to light both interiors and exteriors and daytime and nighttime scenes. Learn how to save time without sacrificing the quality of your final renders with tips and tricks on rendering with V-R ay—the most accurate rendering application for 3ds Max. The companion CD includes all the project files that you need to recreate each of the projects presented within the book... [more]
Photoshop 3D for Animators
Rafiq Elmansy
ISBN: 978-0-240-81349-3
Photoshop is not just for photographers anymore. Photoshop 3D for Animators is one of the only titles available that discusses 3D Photoshop techniques specifically for animators and animation students. Now with Adobe CS5, 3D digital artists can integrate 3D models into Photoshop or create 3D models in Photoshop with the high capability to customize, edit and animate. Of particular interest to readers who already use Adobe Photoshop creative suite software like Flash and After Effects, Photoshop 3D for Animators will present workflow solutions for animators looking to take advantage of the new 3D tools in Photoshop while maintaining their current workflow in Flash or After Effects. It will even discuss how to export Photoshop files into Maya or Max, allowing animators to adapt the new Photoshop tools and techniques to their current workflows and pipelines. With in-depth, step-by-step tutorials, readers will explore lighting, digital painting, texturing and rendering for 2D and 3D with the power of Adobe Photoshop software... [more]
 Creating 3D Game Art for the iPhone With Unity: Featuring modo and Blender pipelines
Wes McDermott
ISBN: 978-0-240-81563-3
Revolutionize your iPhone and iPad game development with Unity iOS, a fully integrated professional application and powerful game engine, which is quickly becoming the best solution for creating visually stunning games for Apple's iDevices easier, and more fun for artists. From concept to completion you'll learn to create and animate using modo and Blender as well as creating a full level utilizing the powerful toolset in Unity iOS as it specifically relates to iPhone and iPad game development.
Follow the creation of "Tater," a character from the author's personal game project "Dead Bang," as he's used to explain vital aspects of game development and content creation for the iOS platform. Creating 3D Game Art for the iPhone focuses on the key principles of game design and development by covering in-depth, the iDevice hardware in conjunction with Unity iOS and how it relates to creating optimized game assets for the iDevices.
Featuring Luxology's artist-friendly modo, and Blender, the free open-source 3D app, along side Unity iOS, optimize your game assets for the latest iDevices including iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad and the iPod Touch. Learn to model characters and environment assets, texture, animate skinned characters and apply advanced lightmapping techniques using Beast in Unity iOS... [more]
3ds Max Modeling for Games: Insider's Guide to Game Character, Vehicle, and Environment Modeling, Volume I, 2nd Edition
Andrew Gahan
ISBN: 978-0-240-81582-4
With 18 years under his belt in the game industry, a key contributor to the MotorStorm series, and the creator of the 3ds Max in Minutes video series (at FocalPress.com), Andrew Gahan delivers the expert techniques in 3ds Max Modeling for Games, 2nd edition. This updated edition is packed with new tutorials that will enhance your modeling skills and pump up your portfolio with high-quality work in no time. Along with Anthony O'Donnell and a team of experts, Gahan covers all of the fundamental game modeling techniques, including character and environment modeling, mapping, and texturing. Finally, a bonus section in 3ds Max Modeling for Games offers readers insights and tips on how to get their careers started in the game industry... [more]
Digital Sculpting With Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques for Artists
Mike de la Flor
Bridgette Mongeon
ISBN: 978-0-240-81203-8
Mudbox is the premier sculpting solution for digital artists, in that it allows them to naturally and easily sculpt detailed, organic characters and models in a way that feels like traditional sculpting. This book, co-authored by a traditional sculptor, guides CG professionals through the process of creating amazing digital sculptures using the Mudbox arsenal of groundbreaking digital sculpting and 3D painting tools, and porting the models into their Maya or Max work... [more]
Rendering With mental ray and 3ds Max, 2nd Edition
Joep van der Steen
Ted Boardman
ISBN: 978-0-240-81237-3
Teach students to create stunning renders of their 3ds Max models in mental ray with this concise guide. Your students wll learn all of the essential concepts such as indirect illumination, materials, render options, shaders, and lighting. Rendering with mental ray and 3ds Max, Second Edition is now revised to cover Autodesk Revit and special effects. The companion website includes all of the necessary project files from inside the book... [more]
Realistic Architectural Visualization with 3ds Max and mental ray
Roger Cusson
Jamie Cardoso
ISBN: 978-0-240-81229-8
Teach students to create stunning renders of their 3ds Max models in mental ray with this concise guide. Your students wll learn all of the essential concepts such as indirect illumination, materials, render options, shaders, and lighting. Rendering with mental ray and 3ds Max, Second Edition is now revised to cover Autodesk Revit and special effects. The companion website includes all of the necessary project files from inside the book... [more]
Learning Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2010: Essentials
Autodesk
ISBN: 978-0-240-81193-2
Arm your students with the ability to create rich and complex design visualizations. Autodesk 3ds Max Design lets students maximize their productivity and tackle challenging animation projects—and this book, developed by Autodesk experts, helps them master the essential tools and techniques to do it all. Students will learn to use 3ds Max Design confidently in a production environment... [more]
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