3D Motion Graphics for 2D Artists


Book Description

Add 3D to your mograph skillset! For the experienced 2D artist, this lavishly illustrated, 4 color book presents the essentials to building and compositing 3D elements into your 2D world of film and broadcast. Concepts and techniques are presented in concise, step-by-step tutorials, hundreds of which are featured throughout. Featured applications include Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and Cinema 4D. Lessons include exploring the expanded 3D functionality of the Adobe Creative Suite applications (After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator) through a series of practical tutorials. More advanced lessons then follow, with tutorials and insight provided in specifically geared lessons for 2D artists working in Cinema 4D, 3ds Max, and ZBrush. 4-color presentation is further enhanced by various sidebars, tips, and "gotchas" to watch for through-out the book. The downloadable resources contain hours of project files with which you can work along the tutorials in the book.




Motion Graphics with Adobe Creative Suite 5 Studio Techniques


Book Description

Almost all motion graphics artists today use After Effects, Photoshop, or Illustrator to some degree in their projects. But how do they decide which tool is best for the job and how can they utilize the various components in the Creative Suite together for the most efficient and effective workflow? This book cuts to the chase and shows readers an in-depth view of the various components in the Creative Suite as best utilized in professional motion graphics projects. With 4-color artwork from real-life productions sprinkled throughout, this inspiring and practical guide will show intermediate to advanced readers what they need to know to incorporate CS5 in their own work. In the first half of the book, readers learn about design essentials as related to motion graphics, including typography, logo animation, repairing and retiming footage, stylizing footage, background design, 3D objects and cameras, audio design, and vector design. The second half of the book focuses on real-world design explorations including chapters on broadcast package design, title sequences, DVD menu design, motion control 3D, character animation techniques, and panoramic images.The accompanying DVD brings it all together by providing source footage and project files, allowing readers to experiment on their own. Note from the publisher: FREE Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 updates are available for this title. Simply register your product at www.peachpit.com/register and you will receive the updates when they become available.




Design for Motion


Book Description

Plumb the depths of core motion design fundamentals and harness the essential techniques of this diverse and innovative medium. Combine basic art and design principles with creative storytelling to create compelling style frames, design boards, and motion design projects. Here, in one volume, Austin Shaw covers all the principles any serious motion designer needs to know in order to make their artistic visions a reality and confidently produce compositions for clients, including: Illustration techniques Typography Compositing Cinematography Incorporating 3D elements Matte painting Concept development, and much more Lessons are augmented by illustrious full color imagery and practical exercises, allowing you to put the techniques covered into immediate practical context. Industry leaders and pioneers, including Karin Fong, Bradley G Munkowitz (GMUNK), Will Hyde, Erin Sarofsky, Danny Yount, and many more, contribute their professional perspectives, share personal stories, and provide visual examples of their work. Additionally, a robust companion website (www.focalpress.com/cw/shaw) features project files, video tutorials, bonus PDFs, and rolling updates to keep you informed on the latest developments in the field.




After Effects and Cinema 4D Lite


Book Description

One of the most exciting new features in After Effects is the integration of Cinema 4D using the CINEWARE plug-in and a free version of Cinema 4D Lite. Both provide a wide assortment of new 3D tools and options that are difficult or nearly impossible to achieve in After Effects alone. This book clearly demonstrates how the new 3D workflow bridges the two applications together to raise the design bar for motion graphics and broadcast design. Hands-on exercises teach you essential production skills including: Modeling in CINEMA 4D Lite Importing 3D models in After Effects Tracking 3D motion in After Effects Compositing with CINEWARE Using MoGraph features in CINEMA 4D Rendering and optimization techniques Additional online materials include project files and videos showcasing the techniques covered in the book. To access these materials, please see the 'eResources' tab.




3D Animation Essentials


Book Description

The essential fundamentals of 3D animation for aspiring 3D artists 3D is everywhere--video games, movie and television special effects, mobile devices, etc. Many aspiring artists and animators have grown up with 3D and computers, and naturally gravitate to this field as their area of interest. Bringing a blend of studio and classroom experience to offer you thorough coverage of the 3D animation industry, this must-have book shows you what it takes to create compelling and realistic 3D imagery. Serves as the first step to understanding the language of 3D and computer graphics (CG) Covers 3D animation basics: pre-production, modeling, animation, rendering, and post-production Dissects core 3D concepts including design, film, video, and games Examines what artistic and technical skills are needed to succeed in the industry Offers helpful real-world scenarios and informative interviews with key educators and studio and industry professionals Whether you're considering a career in as a 3D artist or simply wish to expand your understanding of general CG principles, this book will give you a great overview and knowledge of core 3D Animation concepts and the industry.




Motion Graphics


Book Description

Song lyrics fly across the screen in time to music. A globe spins and zooms into a war-torn country. Money rises from a screen to explain an economic situation. Now, more than ever, we are surrounded by these motion graphics on our TV and cinema screens, on our smartphones, computers, and tablets, on Main Street and in our galleries. Motion Graphics: Principles and Processes from the Ground Up is your introduction to the core principles of the discipline, whether your background or ambitions lie in animation, graphic design, film production, or visual effects. Ian Crook and Peter Beare provide you with a wide understanding of the key concepts and techniques that will help you plan, develop and produce your own creative projects.




3D Motion Graphics for 2D Artists


Book Description

This book offers the solution for 2D designer crossing over into 3D animation.




The History of Motion Graphics


Book Description

Expand your knowledge of the aesthetics, forms and meaning of motion graphics as well as the long-running connections between the American avant-garde film, video art and TV commercials. In 1960 avant-garde animator and inventor John Whitney started a company called "Motion Graphics, Inc." to make animated titles and logos. His new company crystalized a relationship between avant-garde film and commercial broadcast design/film titles. Careful discussion of historical works puts them in context, allowing their reappearance in contemporary motion graphics clear. This book includes a thorough examination of the history of title design from the earliest films through the present, including Walter Anthony, Saul Bass, Maurice Binder, Pablo Ferro, Wayne Fitzgerald, Nina Saxon, and Kyle Cooper. This book also covers early abstract film (the Futurists Bruno Corra and Arnaldo Ginna, Leopold Survage, Walther Ruttmann, Viking Eggeling, Hans Richter, Oskar Fischinger, Mary Ellen Bute, Len Lye and Norman McLaren) and puts the work of visual music pioneers Mary Hallock-Greenewalt and Thomas Wilfred in context. The History of Motion Graphics is the essential textbook and general reference for understanding how and where the field of motion graphic design came from and where it's going.




Understanding 3D Animation Using Maya


Book Description

Many animators and designers would like to supplement their Maya learning with a less-technical, more helpful book. This self-study manual is both a general guide for understanding 3-D computer graphics and a specific guide for learning the fundamentals of Maya: workspace, modeling, animation, shading, lighting, and rendering. Understanding 3-D Animation Using Maya covers these fundamentals in each chapter so that readers gain increasingly detailed knowledge. After an initial 'concepts' section launches each chapter, hands-on tutorials are provided, as well as a chapter project that progressively adds newly learned material and culminates in the final animated short. This is the first book on Maya that teaches the subject using a sensible, proven methodology for both novices and intermediate users. Topics and features: - Proven method that emphasizes preliminaries to every chapter - Integrates the "why" concepts of 3-D simultaneously with the "how-to" techniques - Skills reinforced with tutorials and chapter projects - Real-world experience distilled into helpful hints and step-by-step guides for common tasks




Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects


Book Description

After Effects CS5.5 Update: /tv.adobe.com/show/after-effects-cs55-new-creative-techniques/ Chris and Trish Meyer have created a series of videos demonstrating how to use their favorite new and enhanced features in After Effects CS5.5. Virtually all of these videos use exercise files from Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects (5th Edition for CS5) as their starting point, extending the usefulness of this book for its owners. These videos may be viewed for free on AdobeTV. * 5th Edition of best-selling After Effects book by renowned authors Trish and Chris Meyer covers the important updates in After Effects CS4 and CS5 * Covers both essential and advanced techniques, from basic layer manipulation and animation through keying, motion tracking, and color management * The downloadable resources are packed with project files for version CS5, source materials, and nearly 200 pages of bonus chapters Trish and Chris Meyer share over 17 years of hard-earned, real-world film and video production experience inside this critically acclaimed text. More than a step-by-step review of the features in AE, readers will learn how the program thinks so that they can realize their own visions more quickly and efficiently. This full-color book is packed with tips, gotchas, and sage advice that will help users thrive no matter what projects they might encounter. Creating Motion Graphics 5th Edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect the new features introduced in both After Effects CS4 and CS5. New chapters cover the revolutionary new Roto Brush feature, as well as mocha and mocha shape. The 3D section has been expanded to include working with 3D effects such as Digieffects FreeForm plus workflows including Adobe Repoussé, Vanishing Point Exchange, and 3D model import using Adobe Photoshop Extended. The print version is also accompanied by downloadable resources that contain project files and source materials for all the techniques demonstrated in the book, as well as nearly 200 pages of bonus chapters on subjects such as expressions, scripting, and effects. Subjects include: Animation Techniques; Layer Management; Modes, Masks, and Mattes; Mastering 3D Space; Text Animation; Effects & Presets; Painting and Rotoscoping; Parenting, Nesting, and Collapsing; Color Management and Video Essentials; Motion Tracking and Keying; Working with Audio; Integrating with 3D Applications; Puppet Tools; Expressions; Exporting and Rendering; and much more.