- Paperback: 375 pages
- Publisher: Charles River Media; 1 edition (July 1 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1584502096
- ISBN-13: 978-1584502098
- Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 18.6 x 2.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 962 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,295,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
Book Description
Written for beginning to intermediate computer artists and modelers, Digital Dinosaurs explores the design and creation of digital dinosaurs through a step-by-step approach. Every detail of the process is covered from researching the animals to model construction, texturing and final rendering. All of the techniques are written from a non-software specific approach, providing artists with a useful guide regardless of their software preferences. The book also contains a companion CD-ROM that includes the textures and files for many of the models built in the book.
Key Features:
* Explores the design and creation of digital dinosaurs through a step-by-step approach, and explains how to combine technical skill with artistic talent seamlessly
* Covers every detail of the process from researching the animals to model construction, texturing, and final rendering
* Techniques are written from a non-software specific approach, providing artists with a useful guide regardless of their software preferences
* Explores the various subtleties of each dinosaur type, including wrinkles, wings, neck, frills, etc.
* Includes a companion CD-ROM with the textures and files for many of the models built in the book.
About the Author
Ken Brilliant is an award-winning artist, sculptor, 3D character modeler, animator, and instructor. He works in Hollywood in the film and television industry, and his work can be seen in a variety of movies and television series, including Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World, X-Files: The Movie, Inteview with a Vampire, Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles, and a variety of other films.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Dinosaurs 101
Aug 3 2003
Format:Paperback
This one's for rookies and lizard-lovers. Ken Brilliant sure knows his dinosaurs, but there's precious little here that's professionally enticing. Three things: (a) know a bit of organic poly modeling, (b) understand UV space & texture mapping, and (c) (most importantly) have a good imagination and an equally good reference image of your favorite dinosaur (or dinosaur-like creature). That pretty much is the gist of this book, though I'd have preferred it if the author had focused on modeling just one or two generic dinosaurs (he covers the usual suspects) and carried it through detailed texturing/mapping, into animation (what use is a dinosaur that can't raise hell in your backyard, or your PC, for that matter?). The book does a fair job of familiarizing you with these prehistoric reptiles, and helps recreate a fraction (a teeny-tiny fraction) of what Mr.Spielberg/ILM did about a decade ago - of course, minus the animation part, which obviously wasn't intended. (Pity.) So, if you're a rookie or a lizard-lover, you might benefit from the modeling/texturing instructions presented here. For others, there isn't much here that's spectacular or "wow" enough to add speed to your web site, portfolio, or employment chances. Invest in a good reference image instead, or find something that goes deep enough to help create something more than just a Hollywood cliche.
The modeling book must with Lightwave!
Mar 4 2003
Format:Paperback
I am a designer who is attempting to delve into the world of 3D. In comes Brilliant's book on Dinosaurs, but the kicker is that what you learn in this detailed and simple to follow book can be applied to much more than dinos. Very well written and illustrated (great image files included on the CD). With a minimal knowledge of most 3D apps, you can start creating some neat stuff. I also like the fact that texturing is greatly discussed in later chapters. This book fills a definit publication niche specifically dealing with organic or creature modeling, dinosaurs in this case. I wish this book would have been included in most 3D application packages as part of their documentation...one can only wish!
DIGITAL DINOSAURS
Aug 12 2002
Format:Paperback
Being new to Lightwave I have been buying as many books as possible to lessen the learning curve. The massive volume that is the Lightwave manual, whilst having all the great features listed, does not help a new user actually model very much. Enter Ken Brilliants new (and first) book. A 370 page romp through his very own Jurassic Park. The book is not software specific and Ken gives a list of software that can be used in conjunction with the tutorials and these include Lightwave, Maya, C4D, Amapi, 3DSmax etc. Any software, if fact, that has a polygon based set of tools.
He covers modeling, UVmapping and texturing and manages to help you create an Apatosauras, Dimetrodon, Pteranodon, Triceratops and of course the ubiquitous T-Rex. The tutorials start with very basic instructions and are written in a clear, logical manner. I found that I learnt more about my software of choice in one afternoon than I had done in the previous three weeks.
He covers modeling, UVmapping and texturing and manages to help you create an Apatosauras, Dimetrodon, Pteranodon, Triceratops and of course the ubiquitous T-Rex. The tutorials start with very basic instructions and are written in a clear, logical manner. I found that I learnt more about my software of choice in one afternoon than I had done in the previous three weeks.
The book states that Ken works in Hollywood in the film and television industry. His work can be seen in a variety of movies and television series including Jurassic Park 2: the lost World, X-Files the movie, Interview with a Vampire, The Starship Troopers Chronicles and a variety of others. With a list like that it gives you an idea of the quality that is to be found in 'Digital Dinosaurs'.
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Most recent customer reviews
My fear of modeling is gone!
Mr. Brilliant really breaks it down for you. From the "how's" in great detail to the "why's" and even some "why not's", he shows many techniques,... Read more
Published on July 20 2002 by Leo Kirk
Good job Ken and Charles River Media
If modeling dinosaurs is your passion then I highly recommend this book. It is packed full of information on modeling and texturing. Read more
Published on July 2 2002 by Mark S Solly
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