From Amazon.co.uk
If your 3-D graphics portfolio consists of little more than sketches of alien craft, futuristic architecture and women with unfeasable anatomy clad in scant other-worldly garb, then
3-D Graphics & Animation is the book you need to kick-start your career.
Mark Giambruno does an excellent job of explaining, in general terms, everything you need to know about the world of 3-D CG before embarking on a detailed, but non-application specific, demonstration of 3-D techniques.
The introduction covers everything from how and where 3-D graphics are used--including the less obvious fields like engineering and medical research--to what it's like to work as a 3-D artist and how much you can expect to get paid. This careers guidance, accompanied by interviews with 3-D production artists provide the best insight into the job you're likely to get, short of landing a job as junior tea maker at a 3-D studio. The fact that the approach is non-application specific doesn't mean there's no hands-on element. In fact each chapter demonstrates a particular technique through the completion of a project-based tutorial which builds through the course of the book to produce a Blade Runner-style airborne advertising blimp by the final chapter.
Step-by-step instructions are provided, but whereas other books spell it out for you, here it's up to you to interpret the instructions within the UI and toolset of your chosen application, be it Maya, 3DS or Lightwave. 3-D Graphics & Animation will not only help you decide if a career in 3-D CG is for you, if the answer is yes, it will get you off to a flying start. --Ken McMahon
Product Description
3d Graphics & Animations is the book to help readers break into the 3D marketplace. Learn from the experiences of working professionals as shared through insightful interviews. As a second edition, this book builds on the well-received segments of the first edition to cover the basics of 3D in general terms starting with "What is 3D?" and progressing step-by-step through modeling, texturing, lighting and animation. The book also offers coverage of such related topics as developing a story concept, storyboarding, and putting together a demo real and portfolio. It even provides interview tips! New elements in this second edition include interviews from industry leaders as well as application specific tutorials for 3ds max 4, Maya 4, and LightWave 7 that are included on the CD.
