Maya Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation, with DVD: A hands-on introduction to key tools and techniques in Autodesk Maya (Autodesk Maya Techniques: Offical Autodesk Training Guides) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had about 6 months worth of modeling in Maya and I wanted to learn how to character model. I have to say, if you are a beginner, do not get this book. This book goes over the techniques used for each step of modeling the beast on the cover, it does not go in to detail on how to do the very complex modeling (Ex. One step is "Increase Overall Level of Detail", then it just shows a picture of what the final product should be.) On the other hand, if you have experience modeling then this book is great. It has good reference images and all of the scenes from the book are on the CD so you can really get a view of what you should be doing.

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Maya Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation is your solution for creating convincing characters in Autodesk Maya. Get hands-on experience with innovative tools and powerful industry-recognized techniques as you learn to model like a professional; set-up your skeleton in a fast and easy way; and create realistic facial controls. This book will help you achieve hyper-real characters quickly and effectively. Get the inside scoop on high-end production techniques from industry pros Erick Miller, Paul Thuriot, and Jeff Unay. Through project-based lessons, follow Jeff's process for modeling the beast, Paul's workflow for rigging the beast's body, and Erick's tips and techniques on complex facial rigging for maximum flexibility. This book carefully delineates the entire production process for the beast's creation, so that you can both understand the individual techniques and how they relate to each other in a pipeline. The companion DVD includes helpful video demonstrations so you can watch the experts at work.

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Introducing Maya 2011 Review

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(More customer reviews)The book starts of in a very good manner it introduces the layout, the way things are done and the production process very well. As the book progresses it explains the various use of the tools and helps you build a lot of things. Dariush Derakhshani did a very good job explaining the steps to creating the projects but at certain complex points of the projects ex: modeling a cabin for the train project etc.. the book does not give enough information for a beginner to understand it. Although this happens rarely throughout the book it can get you frustrated enough to give up on it even if you think it is to encourage you to learn it yourself. Its also good to NOTE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN A LOT THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. Overall if you are willing to learn Maya from the scratch this book is a must have as it will introduce you to most of the basic and advanced concepts.

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A practical, step-by-step guide to Maya 2011
Four previous editions can't be wrong: this book is the perfect introduction to 3D and Maya. Learn to build and animate your own digital models and scenes with step-by-step instruction and fun and practical examples, while you draw inspiration from the striking examples included from talented Maya users. You'll create a simple animation of the planets in the solar system, learn to model a human hand and a decorative box—among other projects—and master all essential tools.

Provides a thorough, step-by-step introduction to Maya 2011
Explains the core concepts of CG and working in 3D
Covers modeling, rigging, HDRI lighting, mental ray rendering, and more
Provides project files on CD and walks you through the creation of several projects; the CD also includes images, movies, and scene files
Includes a color insert with pages of striking examples from talented Maya beginners

Build your Maya and animation skills from the ground up with this practical, thorough guide.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

For Instructors: Teaching supplements are available for this title.

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Mastering Maya 2009 Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been vigorously studying Motion Graphics related topics for the past few years, and have read literally hundreds of books and taken thousands of hours of online training via Lynda.com. I've managed to get my Adobe certifications in: Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator & Premiere/Encore and currently working on getting certified in After Effects. I am also the author of the Flash exam for examaids. I have been trying to study Maya for the past couple of years and have been extremely frustrated with the level of training anywhere. The best I had found was actually in the help sections of Maya. I realized how complex Maya was, but I was starting to get the feeling no one either could explain it, or understood the depths of it to pass the knowledge on. I found myself unable to get through the "beginners books". That is until I found the "Mastering Maya 2009" book! Finally, someone who understands the product who can share in-depth without skipping steps in the process. I'm so impressed with it, that I'm rating it already as one of the 4 best graphics books of all-time. The other 3 would be the Ben Willmore's Photoshop Studio Techniques, Chris & Trish Meyer's Motion Graphics with After Effects, and Mordy Golding's Real World Illustrator book. Fantastic book! I give it my highest rating and total endorsement!
Jackson Hunt
VP of Marketing
Ser Technology

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The Ultimate Maya 2009 Resource for Intermediate to Advanced Users If you already know the basics of Maya, now you can elevate your skills with Maya 2009 and the advanced coverage in this authoritative new reference and tutorial. From modeling, texturing, animation, and visual effects to high-level techniques for film, television, games, and more, this book provides professional-level instruction on Maya Complete and Maya Unlimited.
This fully updated book brings you up to speed on Maya 2009's new features and expands your skills with advanced instruction on cloth, fur, and fluids. You'll learn Dynamics, Maya Muscle, Stereo Cameras, Assets, rendering with mental ray, and more. Filled with challenging tutorials and real-world scenarios from some of the leading professionals in the industry, this one-of-a-kind guide gives you valuable insight into the entire CG production pipeline.

If you've been looking for a complete, professional-quality Maya resource to turn to again and again, this is the book for you.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

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Advanced Maya: Character Modeling Review

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(More customer reviews)As a trained, certified Maya user I have never fully explored modeling human characters as my work never required it. But like most 3D artists I am always hoping to expand my abilities, and as a result I have completed just about every single tutorial online and none seemed to really get me where I wanted to be. This DVD, however, will get you there. The Author's technique is easy to follow, produces a clean and polished result, and just makes sense where other tutorials simply fall apart if you don't understand one step. I would definitely recommend this DVD to current Maya users, though new users might be lost early on since the Author assumes a working knowledge of the Maya interface and settings.
The only reason I give it a 4 instead of 5 is that the Author spends a lot of time moving points around and spinning around his model. While you too will be doing this in the course of building your character, you probably don't need to see him do it for 15 minute stretches to get the idea. There seems to have been no editing of the material, so there are one or two times where he makes a mistake and has to back up several steps, which if you were following along too closely means you too will have to back up and unlearn a step or two. Editing, fellas, editing.
They probably could have used this wasted time more wisely, perhaps giving a better overview of WHY you are doing this particular step, how it fits into the big picture, and less with the "how."
That said, the Author really does know his stuff and is a good teacher, so I still highly recommend this for anyone looking to learn character modeling.

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Advanced Maya: Character Modeling will take you through each step of modeling a character from head to toe. Starting with photographs of a human female model, every step from the first polygon to the final tweak is illustrated and explained. Also, learn how to create a custom shelf to be used throughout the modeling process that will speed up your workflow.The 16 page book is a handy guide to the included DVD disc. The DVD disc (data format) includes over 16 hours of high-resolution (1024x768) video in Quicktime™ MOV format, designed for crystal clear viewing on a computer monitor. Voice narraration on these movies by artist Kenny Cooper will guide you through each movie. A Maya scene file is saved on the disc for the start and end of each movie segment - 50 segments in all.Designed for the intermediate level Maya user, this training video will help you learn how to use polygonal and sub-divisional modeling tools to create a fully articulated human 3D model. Follow along as each body part is created, matched, attached and refined. - Includes printed guide to all 50 movies - 16 hours of Quicktime™ Movies with audio - Suitable for all Maya platforms - Suitable for intermediate Maya users (advise that you have a basic understanding of Maya before beginning) - High resolution 1024x768 captures - Movies created using Maya 5.0 - Works with the free Personal Learning Edition of Maya - Produced by Jim Lammers, co-author of the best-selling Maya Fundamentals books.

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More Autodesk Maya Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation (Autodesk Official Training Guide) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is fairly expensive for it's size (154 pages), although it is packed with very useful rigging techniques. As other reviewers have mentioned, this is not a modeling book -- it's more about rigging and muscle deformations. This book is designed to work with Autodesk Maya 2009. It heavily relies on their plug-ins included on the DVD, which do NOT work in any other version of Maya. You can download a free trial of Maya 2009 from the Internet, although it would be nice if it were included on the DVD itself. There are some cool bonus videos on the DVD for modeling a realistic hand, using both Maya and Mudbox. The book is written by very impressive individuals in the industry, who really know their stuff. This is definitely a book for intermediate to advanced users. For beginners, they suggest that you begin with the "Learning Autodesk Maya 2009/Foundation" or the "Learning Autodesk Maya 2009/Modeling & Animation Handbook" as a prerequesite to this book.

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More Autodesk Maya Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation is a continuation of the tools and techniques presented in Maya Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation, Second Edition. This book is your solution for creating convincing characters in Autodesk Maya. Learn core industry knowledge by gaining hands-on experience with innovative tools and powerful industry-recognized techniques as you learn to model like a professional; set up your skeleton in a fast and easy way; and create realistic facial controls. Get the inside scoop on high end production techniques from industry pros Erick Miller, Paul Thuriot, Jeff Unay and Rudy Grossman. Through project-based lessons, follow Jeff and Rudy's process for modeling the beast and its facial blend shapes, Paul's workflow for rigging the beast's body, and Erick's tips and techniques on complex facial rigging for maximum flexibility. This book carefully delineates the entire production process for the beast's creation, so that you can both understand the individual techniques and how they relate to each other in a pipeline. By examining the entire process, you will learn strategies for creating characters with an emphasis on anatomy and realism. Lessons are designed to cover effective workflows for devising models that can be easily manipulated and animated. The methods discussed in this book can be applied to any setup needs that you may have because you will learn the rigging process from the concept stage through to pipeline integration.
Create a facial topology that will deform realistically

Use custom tools to control the morph timing of a blend shape

Learn valuable modeling workflows for creating facial blend shapes

Accommodate changes within a character pipeline

Use the Full Body IK solver to create a control rig

Create internal muscle structures for body deformations

Use tools and Python plug-ins for higher level deformations

Build and rig a face shape library with directional sliders and compensation shapes

Learn about controls for the eyes, ears, mouth and teeth

Attach models or rigs of different resolutions

Learn and use several custom written Hyper-Real facial rigging MEL tools

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Body Language: Advanced 3D Character Rigging Review

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(More customer reviews)The book is an excellent resource. I've done my fair share of rigging, and Allen and Murdock have put together a body of information that not only teaches me new tricks, but polishes and streamlines what I already do. Body Language will be the first place I look when I need to dig around for rigging assistance.
Body Language has me excited to rig again, which is perhaps the greatest aspect of the book. There are a lot of little "aha" moments here, and I'm itching to put them to use. It's an essential component of my reference library.
I have only one complaint with this book: It doesn't cover 3DS Max. It's understandable, what with Maya being dominant in the high end of the field, but some of the principles and techniques here are so good, it just seems a shame to not have Max involved. Ironically, then, it's the excellence of the Maya coverage that leaves me wanting the same for Max. Perhaps there's a sequel in the works.
That minor quibble aside, I still rate this at the full five stars. The book stands on its own merits, and that I wish for more merely testifies to the value of the data.

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Whether you're a professional Character TD or just like to create 3D characters, this detailed guide reveals the techniques you need to create sophisticated 3D character rigs that range from basic to breathtaking. Packed with step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations, Body Language walks you through rigging techniques for all the body parts to help you create realistic and believable movements in every character you design. You'll learn advanced rigging concepts that involve MEL scripting and advanced deformation techniques and even how to set up a character pipeline.

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Introducing Mudbox Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great book designed to get you working in Mudbox fast. Not only does it teach you the most important aspects of the program but also has extensive information on working with scan data and integration into 3D pipelines using maya and other software. Ara is a great teacher and gets the concepts across clearly. The projects are engaging and fun. Ara has examples of both organic sculpting (female figure) and hard surface modeling (robot character). If you need to get up and running fast this is the place to start!

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One of the first books on Autodesk's new Mudbox 3D modeling and sculpting tool!
Autodesk's Mudbox was used to create photorealistic creatures for The Dark Knight, The Mist, and others films. Now you can join the crowd interested in learning this exciting new digital modeling and sculpting tool with this complete guide. Get up to speed on all of Mudbox's features and functions, learn how sculpt and paint, and master the art of using effective workflows to make it all go easier.
Introduces Autodesk's Mudbox, an exciting 3D modeling and sculpting tool that enables you to create photorealistic creatures for film or games; it is interoperable with Autodesk's 3ds Max and Maya products
Explains what digital sculpting is—and what it isn't—and how to fit it into the pipeline when creating assets for film, television, games, and advertising
Shows you how sculpt and paint a model in Mudbox; breaks down the complexities and gets you started right away with interesting projects
Helps you set up workflows to cut the time you spend on the technology, freeing you to focus on the creative aspects
Includes case studies and examples from industry leaders as well as a DVD with movies, sample project files, MELscripts, and more

Develop skills as a digital content creator or visual effects or CG artist with a good understanding of Mudbox and this valuable guide.

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Introducing ZBrush Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a fellow author, I have bookshelf upon bookshelf of 3D books. Most of these don't get much use. "Introducing ZBrush," however, will get a good workout. Although I've always been impressed by the work produced by ZBrush, I've never been a fan of the interface or workflow and thus have used it relatively little to date. Eric Keller's book makes it all less intimidating. His book covers all the basics, plus includes ample step-by-step guides. The illustrations and example models are a step above many 3D books. I'm also happy to see instructions for importing from and exporting to Maya (ZBrush displacement maps look fantastic in Maya). The DVD includes models, materials, textures, movies, tools, and macros, plus a trial of ZBrush 3. Admittedly, there is a wealth of ZBrush information on the web. However, if you prefer to have a book at your fingertips and would rather not slog through forums for quick answers, this book is a good investment. (If I had a wish, it would be that more of the illustrations were in color, and not black-and-white.)

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If you want to take advantage of one of the hottest CG tools available, Introducing ZBrush is the perfect place to start.
Introducing ZBrush helps you jump into this exciting drawing and sculpting software without fear. Learn ZBrush 3.1 basics inside and out and get comfortable sculpting in a digital environment with this relaxed, friendly, and thorough guide. Master these practical techniques and soon you'll be creating realistic, cartoon, and organic models with flair.
Introduces you to ZBrush 3.1, the sculpting software that lets you create digital art with a fine-art feel, which you can transfer into Maya or other 3D applicationsCovers painting, meshes, organic sculpting, hard surface sculpting, textures, lighting, rendering, working with other 3D applications, and scriptingWalks you through a series of fun and engaging tutorials where you can start creating your own work, including human, cartoon, and organic models

Learn to create lush, beautiful digital art with ZBrush and this detailed guide.

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Autodesk Maya 2010: The Modeling and Animation Handbook (Autodesk Maya Techniques: Offical Autodesk Training Guides) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book was required by one of my 3d animation classes. after doing several of the tutorials my class mates and i realized that the authors frequently skip steps, have poor image examples, and are hard to learn from. i do not recommend this book to anyone.

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Maya is the industry-leading 3D animation and effects software used in movies, special effects, games, cartoons, short films, commercials, etc. Complex and difficult to learn, the new Maya 2010 features updates to modeling, animation, dynamics, and rendering modules. This invaluable book offers hands-on introduction to the tools and techniques of this fascinating software.
This extraordinary, full-color book presents you with clear step-by-step instructions to projects that enhance your understanding of the modeling and animation stages of production using files from the Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures feature film Roadside Romeo. You'll learn how to build models with a variety of surface types and then make them move with a range of animation techniques. Instructor-led tutorials are featured on the DVD that will help you grasp best practices from the beginning with the intent of avoiding unnecessary challenges further along in the process.
Serves as the next step after you have gained a solid understanding of Maya and you're ready for 3D modeling and animation

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Mastering Autodesk Maya 2011 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you're purchasing the Kindle Edition of this book, keep in mind it doesn't have a companion DVD. I was, however, able to contact the publisher's TECHNICAL support at sybex.com and provide my purchase confirmation in order to have a copy of the DVD mailed to me.
(I haven't actually read the book yet so my star rating can be ignored).

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A beautifully-packaged, advanced reference on the very latest version of Maya
If you already know the basics of Maya, the latest version of this authoritative book takes you to the next level. From modeling, texturing, animation, and visual effects to high-level techniques for film, television, games, and more, this book provides professional-level Maya instruction. With pages of scenarios and examples from some of the leading professionals in the industry, this book will help you master the entire CG production pipeline.

Provides professional-level instruction on Maya, the industry-leading 3D animation and effects software
Covers the very latest Maya tools and features, including Dynamics, Maya Muscle, Stereo Cameras, rendering with mental ray, and more
Offers complete coverage of advanced topics such as cloth, fur, and fluids
Showcases the techniques of professionals through numerous examples and real-world scenarios, showing you how to set up and manage 3D animation and visual effects pipelines
Includes a CD with all support files from the book, along with movies to illustrate concepts

If you're looking for an in-depth, professional Maya resource to turn to again and again, Mastering Maya is the book you need.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

For Instructors: Teaching supplements are available for this title.

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Introducing ZBrush 4 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So I'm currently enrolled at Gnomon School of VFX. and I can not put enough emphasis on how important zbrush is to the pipeline in much of visual / video games today. This book is exactly what you need to get up and get going on the latest version of zbrush. With all the upgrades bells and whistles this program has now, this should easily be an important book in you library. If you are interested and intimidated by computer graphics programs and such, you couldn't pick up a better intro book to one of the most important programs in visual graphics today. Eric Keller has a way of introducing a very complex program in the most understandable way. Can't tell you how awesome it is to have a guide to zbrush 4 on my desk and not scouring the internet for answers. A must buy for anyone interested in learning this program a must have for anyone who is zbrush user.

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Design remarkably realistic creatures, people, and objects using ZBrush and the new edition of this top-selling book. Professional Hollywood animator and ZBrush artist Eric Keller combines his firsthand experience with detailed, step-by-step explanations to make you feel right at home with the interface and tools. The book reinforces the core concepts of ZBrush through fun, hands-on tutorials that will help you achieve amazing results.
Understand ZBrush's unique sculpting and painting technology

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3-D Human Modeling and Animation, First Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Our Computer Animation students use this book to create stunning character animations. As a result, our alumni have been very successful in finding jobs at major studios such as PIXAR, MetroLight Studios, ABC Interactive, Encore Productions, etc.
Peter Ratner's book outlines the process of modeling and animating male and female human models in easy to follow steps. His illustrative directions guide one through every aspect of the human anatomy; all the way down to minute details such as modeling the fingernails. The author assumes nothing of the reader and therefore goes to great lengths to explain everything as clearly as possible. There are hundreds of illustrations that show each step in the modeling and animation process. In fact, there isn't one page in the book that doesn't have at least one illustration in it.
Professor Ratner's exquisite 3D illustrations are his own and exemplify the fact that he is an accomplished artist as well as author. As a 3D artist he understands the problems that face 3D modelers and animators. Unlike other authors who depend on outside artists to supply illustrations and techniques for their books, Professor Ratner is able to create his own. The numerous color illustrations from his former students are a significant testimonial to the effectiveness of his teaching methodology.
Our department has found it very easy to adapt this book to the various software packages that we are using. For example, even though the book is geared toward spline and NURBS based software, the students who are using LightWave have successfully adapted it for polygon modeling, boning and animating. The book is geared toward mid-level to high-end modeling software packages. Animators using low-end modeling and animation packages that do not have deformation tools might find it difficult to work with this book due to the limitations of their software. In any event, this type of software most likely lacks the tools for any kind of character modeling and animation.
This book's descriptive instructions, brilliant color and black and white illustrations and easy to follow layout practically guarantee improved results for the 3D artist. It has played an important role in our computer animation curriculum. I highly recommend this book to any student or professional interested in learning more about the exciting field of 3D character modeling and animation.
Professor Gary Chatelain, Design Department, James Madison University

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d'artiste Character Modeling 3: Digital Artists Master Class Review

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(More customer reviews)d'artiste: Character Modeling 3 is the eighth book in the Digital Artist Master Class series. Each d'artiste title features the digital art techniques and approaches of a small group of artists.
The 208-page book comes in a sturdy slipcase. There's also a signed and leather bound limited edition if you're into it.
The featured artists here are Giovanni Nakpil, Jan-Bart Van Beek (Killzone creator) and Cesar Dacol Jr. Their bios are further down this review.
Each artist has three sections: background on their career, the invited artist gallery and the tutorial section. So it's actually part art book, part tutorials. Everything's written in first person by the artists. The stories are on how they got started in computer graphics, and got to where they are today. All pretty inspiring.
Different 3D software packages are used but the primary one is Zbrush, and to a lesser extent Maya and Mudbox. The tutorials are actually step-by-step walkthrough on how the models are conceived, modeled and rendered. My favourite tutorial is the one on the Helghast sniper from Killzone 2, which is modeled using Zbrush and Maya. It shows how the sniper is modeled, texture mapped and how the ridiculously cool cloaking shader is created.
The invited artist gallery is filled with top notch 3D characters, be it realistic or stylistic, personal or commissioned work. There's a nice variety of all shapes and sizes, humans and not. A few pieces are actually created from clay, and some, latex. The ones in latex are incredibly realistic and I've no idea how they are created. Anyway, all invited artists have their contact and info provided should you want to check out more art from them.
This book is recommended to 3D character modelers and artists in the CG industry. Those who use Zbrush will benefit a bit more from the tutorials.
-
For those buying from the Ballistic Publishing website...
Ballistic Publishing has made available some downloads for the first 500 customers who pre-order the slipcase or 200-copies limited edition. The downloads are high-resolution meshes (ZTL and OBJ file formats) of Giovanni Nakpil's quadruped creature and Cesar Dacol Jr's Pond Guardian from the tutorials. On the download page, I also found an additional (bonus?) media pack download. Inside are three walkthrough videos by artists who created the cover art for Matte Painting 2, EXPOSÉ 6 and EXPOSÉ 7.
(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

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d'artiste: Character Modeling 3 presents the techniques of leading character modelers Jan-Bart van Beek, Giovanni Nakpil, and Cesar Dacol Jr.

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Complete Maya Programming Volume II, Volume 2: An In-depth Guide to 3D Fundamentals, Geometry, and Modeling (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)great book on programming maya mel and api. It is the only references on this material. However my biggest complaint is that the proof reading on these sorts of manuals is just as bad as I have seen. Double negitives, typos galour, confusing examples rule the content here. I sometimes wonder if David Gould speaks english. It is as if he is explaining it to himself and not the reader. Changing emphasis in mid thought really makes for some guesswork on the readers part. A necessary evil, I guess as, I recommend his series whenever someone is asking about mel or the api.

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Geometric Transformations for 3D Modeling Review

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(More customer reviews)Pedagogically, Mortenson's presentation is easy for a reader to follow. Accompanied by generous numbers of diagrams. He gives understandable interpretations of how matrices are used to represent different types of transformations. The underlying geometrical rationale is clear.
En route, the reader is gently introduced to group theory. For finite groups. A way to bind geometry and symmetry. Interestingly, the notation he uses for the symmetries and groups is Schonflies. In 1982, this was already being phased out by crystallographers, in favour of International notation. But maybe mathematicians prefer the older style.
There is also a quick discussion of tensors. Giving rise to contra and covariant vectors. And the metric tensor is introduced as a key idea. All this is a jumping off point for physicists studying General Relativity, though it is not actually mentioned by name.

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Written from a mathematical standpoint accessible to students, teachers, and professionals studying or practicing in engineering, mathematics, or physics, the new second edition is a comprehensive introduction to the theory and application of transformations. Presenting the more abstract foundation material in the first three chapters, Geometric Transformations in 3D Modeling reduces the clutter of theoretical derivation and development in the remainder of the text and introduces the operational and more application-oriented tools and concepts as the need arises. It assumes the reader has already taken analytic geometry and first-year calculus and has a working knowledge of basic matrix and vector algebra. This self-contained resource is sure to appeal to those working in 3D modeling, geometric modeling, computer graphics, animation, robotics, and kinematics. Distinctive Features- Explores and develops the subject in much greater breadth and depth than other books, offering readers a better understanding of transformation theory, the role of invariants, the uses of various notation systems, and the relations between transformations.- Describes how geometric objects may change position, orientation, or even shape when subjected to mathematical operations, while properties characterizing their geometric identity and integrity remain unchanged.- Presents eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and tensors in a way that makes it easier for readers to understand.- Contains revised and improved figures, with many in color to highlight important features.- Provides exercises throughout nearly all of the chapters whose answers are found at the end of the book.

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Maya 2008 Character Modeling & Animation: Principles and Practices Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great introductory book. I started it knowing little about Maya and it was easy to follow and engaging, giving a clear, detailed explanation of how to use the software while still challenging. I recommend it to any beginners and intermediate students.

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Are you ready to take on the challenge of animating realistic and compelling characters using the latest version of Maya, the powerful 3D graphics and modeling software? "Maya 2008 Character Modeling and Animation: Principles and Practices" shows beginner to intermediate animation students and enthusiasts how to create professional-quality characters, explaining the full character animation process from pre-production to final full body and facial animation. Each chapter begins by exploring the "why" behind the techniques being presented, followed by step-by-step tutorials to apply your new knowledge. Following a series of hands-on projects you'll learn how to model, rig, and animate, building a comprehensive skill-set as you move progressively through each chapter.You'll learn to master Maya's capabilities on both a technical and artistic level as you create incredible animated characters full of emotion and expression.

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Learning Maya 7: The Modeling and Animation Handbook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)These books are a spectacular edition. Alias has been good about teaching in their books, but these books actually have FUN projects! I have enough books that will tell me how to do something (and these are VERY easy to understand) but the only ones that I can actually have fun working with are the ones contained in this new series. Not for the advanced user though. If you want advanced, go for the Maya Tecniques series, not the Learning Maya series. Great books!

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This exceptional, full-color Maya Press title -- produced by Alias, the software's creators -- offers a brand-new approach to teaching modeling and animation using the characters from the Academy Award-winning short film The ChubbChubbs. You'll find instructor-led tutorials, scene files, artist interviews, and Maya Personal Learning Edition on the enclosed DVD.

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