Softimage /XSI 5


Book Description

Teaches beginning students everything they need to know to render out exceptional frames. Also provides comprehensive information about textures, how they are projected onto models, and how to use them to modulate bump, transparency, reflectivity, and other surface properties.




Experience XSI 4


Book Description

This book will help you understand and work with XSI 4 to create a highly detailed character in a production environment. The approach in this book is unique because it is the result of a collaboration between art and technology.




Softimage /XSI 5 for a Future Animation Studio Boss


Book Description

You've seen the amazing possibilities offered by XSI. With this official SOFTIMAGE XSI guide, you're ready to not only create animation using this powerful software, but also to create a career. SOFTIMAGE XSI 5 for a Future Animation Studio Boss: The Official Guide to Career Skills with XSI addresses both the technical and business sides of being a professional 3D animator, teaching you how to use the technology of SOFTIMAGE XSI to earn a living as a 3D animator and studio owner.Working through several hands-on tutorials, you'll use the SOFTIMAGE XSI software to learn 3D animation skills necessary to obtain an internship or entry level position. Hone your career skills with tips on writing a resumé, pricing an animation project, and identifying and approaching potential clients. Get ready to take your first step toward success in the professional animation industry.




Character Animation in 3D


Book Description

Improve your 3D animation by understanding the key traditional 2D skills. Learn the basics for producing original and exciting animation.




Virtual Vixens


Book Description

Inspiration and technique are rolled into one with this stunning display of 3D representations of the female form.




Character Animation: 2D Skills for Better 3D


Book Description

Improve your character animation with a mastery of traditional principles and processes including weight and balance, timing, walks, birds, fish, snakes, four legged animals, acting and lip-synch. Traditional animation skills and techniques are presented in both 2D and 3D space. The companion CD features demonstration animations and exercises conducted in each of the major animation packages including 3ds Max, LightWave, Maya, and XSI Softimage.




MEL Scripting a Character Rig in Maya


Book Description

Whether for big budget films and game productions or lower budget TV and Internet content, creating flexible and believable character rigs is an essential skill required to bring any 3D animation to life. As the leading software used for cutting-edge animation, Maya has an established rigging toolset for creating realistic character controls. Traditionally, however, the process of manually building custom rigs in the software interface has been time-consuming and expensive for those who want to produce high-quality 3D characters. Now for the first time and from the author of the best-seller, Maya Character Creation, comes an in-depth guide on how the pros are using MEL (Maya Embedded Language) scripting to streamline and automate the rigging process. With MEL Scripting a Character Rig in Maya, you’ll learn how you can build custom character rigs in a matter of seconds, as opposed to days or weeks. In this detailed guide, you’ll learn: • The techniques used to build a complex character rig in the software interface, followed by instructions for writing the equivalent MEL code for scripting the entire process. • Fundamental concepts of creating animation controls in Maya, from the basics of creating, editing, and binding skeletons, to more complex rigs with controls that employ spline IK and channel connections. • Important coding techniques such as using conditional statements, loops, variables, and procedures. • How to create a character animation GUI (Graphical User Interface) that makes animating the character easy and fast. • Important skills for building rigs using numerous hands-on exercises, all code examples and Maya files available on the companion Web site.




Digital Cinematography & Directing


Book Description

digital Cinematography and Directing is unlike any other cinematography or directing book you've seen. This book was written entirely for 3D animators. Based on real-world photographic and cinematic principles, it teaches you essential skills and concepts that you can apply to any industry 3D application, such as LightWave 3D, Softimage XSI, 3ds max, CINEMA 4D, Maya, and other leading programs. This book does not focus on using software but rather teaches you how to understand and use the camera within your 3D application. Master focal lengths, f-stops, and apertures within your 3D aplication. Learn how pre-production planning can guide and enhance your project by applying essential storyboarding techniques. Use light as not only an illumination source, but as a tool for cinematic storytelling. Learn how to direct your digital cast with proper staging techniques "Dan Ablan's years of innovating digital production techniques and his undeniable expertise at teaching CGI, FX, and Film, makes digitalCinematography and Directing a must-have!" -Dave Adams, Dreamworks.




Autodesk Maya 2019: A Comprehensive Guide, 11th Edition


Book Description

Autodesk Maya 2019 is a powerful, integrated 3D modeling, animation, visual effects, and rendering software developed by Autodesk Inc. This integrated node based 3D software finds its application in the development of films, games, and design projects. A wide range of 3D visual effects, computer graphics, and character animation tools make it an ideal platform for 3D artists. The intuitive user interface and workflow tools of Maya 2019 have made the job of design visualization specialists a lot easier. Autodesk Maya 2019: A Comprehensive Guide book covers all features of Autodesk Maya 2019 software in a simple, lucid, and comprehensive manner. It aims at harnessing the power of Autodesk Maya 2019 for 3D and visual effect artists, and designers. This Autodesk Maya 2019 book will help you transform your imagination into reality with ease. Also, it will unleash your creativity, thus helping you create realistic 3D models, animation, and visual effects. It caters to the needs of both the novice and advanced users of Maya 2019 and is ideally suited for learning at your convenience and at your pace. Salient Features: Consists of 17 chapters that are organized in a pedagogical sequence covering a wide range of topics such as Maya interface, Polygon modeling, NURBS modeling, texturing, lighting, cameras, animation, Paint Effects, Rendering, nHair, Fur, Fluids, Particles, nParticles and Bullet Physics in Autodesk Maya 2019. The first page of every chapter summarizes the topics that are covered in it. Consists of hundreds of illustrations and a comprehensive coverage of Autodesk Maya 2019 concepts & commands. Real-world 3D models and examples focusing on industry experience. Step-by-step instructions that guide the user through the learning process. Additional information is provided throughout the book in the form of tips and notes. Self-Evaluation test, Review Questions, and Exercises are given at the end of each chapter so that the users can assess their knowledge. Table of Contents Chapter 1: Exploring Maya Interface Chapter 2: Polygon Modeling Chapter 3: NURBS Curves and Surfaces Chapter 4: NURBS Modeling Chapter 5: UV Mapping Chapter 6: Shading and Texturing Chapter 7: Lighting Chapter 8: Animation Chapter 9: Rigging, Constraints, and Deformers Chapter 10: Paint Effects Chapter 11: Rendering Chapter 12: Particle System Chapter 13: Introduction to nParticles Chapter 14: Fluids Chapter 15: nHair Chapter 16: Bifrost Chapter 17: Bullet Physics Index




Maya Character Creation


Book Description

A unique, in-depth approach to creating realistic characters in Maya. Maya Character Creation: Modeling and Animation Controls' author, Chris Maraffi, has expertise in the field and in the classroom that translates to the knowledge and solid teaching skills needed to make this book a "must-have"! The current trend in computer graphics is greater organic realism. Many of the top-grossing movies today, such as Spiderman, Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park 3 , and Star Wars Episode 2, all feature realistic 3D characters. There is a major need in the 3D community for educational material that demonstrates detailed techniques for achieving this organic reality. Maya is one of the main packages used on such cutting-edge films, and has an established toolset for creating believable 3D characters. Maya Character Creation: Modeling and Animation Controls is designed to take you through the process of designing, modeling, and setting up animation controls for complex 3D characters. The concepts, techniques, and Maya tools used for each step in the process are presented in each chapter, followed by many hands-on exercises. NURBS, polygon, and subdivision surface modeling techniques are shown for creating the character's skin, and skeleton-based animation controls are covered in detail. You will learn how a character's skin should deform when the skeletal joints and muscles move. Advanced MEL scripted animation controls are also covered extensively.




Recent Books