Essential LightWave v9: The Fastest and Easiest Way to Master LightWave 3D Review

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(More customer reviews)Well, I'll keep this pretty short. I can't really recommend this book enough. I'm fairly new to LW and this book has been a tremendous help. Even on areas where I though I was up to speed I keep on learning new things. The book starts off with a general introduction to 3d, and then has main chapters covering topics such as modeling, lighting, animating, texturing, rendering, etc. Then it moves onto more intermediate and advanced chapters and projects.
What I like best is that each mini-area is followed by a simple illustrated example that makes it very easy to understand and see it in use. Also, the way the book is broken up into sections, if you don't really want to read up on animation right that second you can just move on to the next area without feeling too lost (and hopefully go back to that section later).
I will also point out that the book comes with hours and hours (about 14 I think) of tutorial videos that cover a broad range of topics including new 9.2 features. These videos alone are worth the price of the book. (Just as a note, if there are any videos that don't work on your DVD, go to publishers website for info on how to get them) As this book covers so many areas, especially many 9.2 new features, it really is good for all different levels.
Have fun riding the Wave...

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Includes companion DVD with trial versions of LightWave v9.2!Essential LightWave v9 offers an unparalleled guide to LightWave 3D. Written to help users quickly take control of the software, this book is filled with easy-to-understand explanations, time-saving tips and tricks, and detailed tutorials on nearly every aspect of the software, including the new features in LightWave v9.2!Key features:Learn to model, light, surface animate, and render within the first seven chapters! Master the LightWave v9 Node Editor for advanced surfacing, texturing, and deformations. Learn to model with polygons, Catmull-Clark/Subpatch SubDs, and splines. Uncover the secrets of distortion-free UV mapping and high-quality texturing. Learn to seamlessly composite 3D objects with real-world images. Create professional-quality character animation using FK, IK, and IK Booster. Enhance your animations with expressions, particle effects, and dynamics. Set up a render farm to rip through complex rendering tasks.

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The Finite Element Method and Applications in Engineering Using ANSYS® Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is far superior to any other ANSYS FE book. It has something like 40 examples and the cd includes the batch input files. Other books on the subject (see Moaeveni) lack the # of example problems or batch file processing tutorials. Great for beginers and intermediate users who want to get the most out of ANSYS.

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This user-friendly book provides the reader with a theoretical and practical knowledge of the finite element method (FEM) and with the skills required to analyze engineering problems with ANSYS. A self-contained, introductory text, it minimizes the need for additional reference material, covering the fundamental topics in FEM as well as advanced topics concerning modeling and analysis with ANSYS. Extensive examples from various engineering disciplines are presented in a step-by-step fashion, focusing on the use of ANSYS through both the Graphics User Interface (GUI) and the ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL). It includes a CD-ROM with the "input" files for the example problems.

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3ds Max: Character Modeling (DVD-ROM) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a very in depth tutorial, I enjoyed it very much. Jim Lammers and Kenny Cooper did a very good job going through all the steps of modeling a character. The tutorial is very in depth, they went over the steps in taking pictures for guides for the model, went through the steps in photoshop as well unlike most of the tutorials I have seen. Once in 3d max they did a great job of actually going through all of the modeling with you unlike most tutorials where they give you directions for parts and skip them actually doing it. If you are looking for a great, easy to follow, in depth human modeling tutorial then this is the product you want.

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3ds max Character Modeling will take you through each step of modeling a character from head to toe. Starting with photographs of a human female model, source photography is prepared for modeling. Then, every step from the first polygon to the final tweak is illustrated and explained. Not only do you learn to build a human in general, but you'll build a specific human that matches the person in the photographs.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 artists Kenny Cooper and Jim Lammers will guide you through each movie. A 3ds max scene file is saved on the disc for the start and end of each movie segment - 48 segments in all. DVD includes 48 Quicktime movies, plus source photography, all images used, and scene files that are compatible with both max 5 and 6. Tutorials were created in max 6 but the techniques and methodology are totally max 5-compatible. Designed for the intermediate level 3ds max 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 48 movies - 16 hours of Quicktime™ Movies with audio - Suitable for intermediate 3ds max users (advise that you have a basic understanding of 3ds max before beginning) - High resolution 1024x768 captures - Movies created using 3ds max 6- Produced by Jim Lammers, co-author of the best-selling Maya Fundamentals books.

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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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3d Car Modeling with Rhinoceros Review

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(More customer reviews)3d Car Modeling with Rhinoceros

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Modeling a Character in 3DS Max, Second Edition (Wordware Game Developer's Library) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this book after skimming it over in a local store. I wish I had taken a closer look at it. I just came off a 2 week break from work and school. During my break I decided to work on a new model and following along with Mr. Steed's book. This turned out to be frustration hell. The methods in his book are fine if you are into wasting alot of time. Boolean and splines to make a simple character like the one in his book actually doubles your work. You wind up wasting more time cleaning up the errors from following his tutorial. Why he didn't demonstrate the way MOST people in the industry model, which is box modeling, is beyond me. He basicly tries to reinvent the wheel. I found much better tutorials for FREE on the web. Save yourself from learning bad modeling techniques. I happen to also know that Paul Steed DOES NOT model the way presented in the book. This should raise a red flag or two.

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In this update to his best-selling character modeling book, professional modeler and animator Paul Steed shares a number of tips, tricks, and techniques that have made him one of the industry s most recognized 3D artists. Modeling a Character in 3ds max, Second Edition provides readers a professional-level skill set as it chronicles the creation of a single low-poly real-time character from concept to texture mapping, and gives insight into the process of creating a high-resolution character. Learn how to:Model with primitives,Use extrusions and Booleans, Mirror and reuse models, Optimize the mesh, Create and apply textures, Loft shapes

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3-D Human Modeling and Animation, Third Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I highly recommend this book because it is teaching me a lot about 3D modeling, texturing, lighting, and animation. The book has detailed step-by-step instructions for modeling human characters plus video tutorials that go along with it.
The author is also a professor of 3D animation and it really shows. He presents the material as if you were taking one of his classes explaining and illustrating each step in this complicated process. First I learned how to model simple things like furniture. Then I followed his instructions and was able to model a cartoon character.
Now I'm learning how to model a human. I'm almost done and it's great that I've gotten this far without screwing things up. Sometimes when I had problems making out the exact step, I just played the video tutorial found on the DVD for that part. It really helped!
I noticed a reviewer who said there were errors in the book. I didn't find them. I've seen many other impressive models online that had 5-sided or more polygons such as Steven Stahlberg's awesome human models. He doesn't just stick with 4-sided polygons and look how great his models deform when animated. He's famous for his human models if you didn't know. In one of his tutorials, he says that sometimes you have to use polygons that have more than four sides.
I'm glad I bought this book and I think you will be too once you work with it like I did. I won't deny that you have to put in the time to get the results you want.

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3-D Human Modeling and Animation

Third Edition
All the tools and techniques you need to bring human figures to 3-D life
Thanks to today's remarkable technology, artists can create and animate realistic, three-dimensional human figures that were not possible just a few years ago. This easy-to-follow book guides you through all the necessary steps to adapt your own artistic skill in figure drawing, painting, and sculpture to this exciting digital canvas.
3-D Human Modeling and Animation, Third Edition starts you off with simple modeling, then prepares you for more advanced techniques for creating human characters. After a brief overview of human anatomy, you'll delve into the basic principles of proportion and structure, along with the different body parts. Exploring human modeling, texturing, rigging, and lighting leads you to more advanced techniques for digital figure animation.
Filled with?detailed, practical information about creating and animating 3-D human models, this updated Third Edition now features more than 500 full-color images that detail, step by step, the modeling and animation processes for both male and female figures. Most helpful of all, the included DVD features QuickTime tutorials tied to the modeling chapters and provides detailed color images from the chapters so you can get a quick start in bringing your visions to fruition!

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