3D Animation Essentials 1st Edition

Do note this book was published in 2012 so there may be newer techniques not yet explained as of 2020.Regardless, this book is still very useful and informative. It gives you a deeper understanding of how 3D Animation is produced from scratch and then put nto the hands of consumers. This book does not teach you how-to-do basic as each software used in 3D Animation varies and is beyond the scope of this book, but it does teach you the overall principles and techniques that animators use, whether big or small, to make the process more smooth and easier, and achieve realistic animation with a touch of magic to captivate their audiences. I learned a lot from just reading this book and I recommend this to anyone who wants to get a broad knowledge of the 3D Animation process.

Great introduction book to 3D Animation and much more TV and graphic terms and history. Very informative and I'm glad the author took the time to write it. It's very much like a college course text book but the writing is more interesting than I remember college text books to be.

Wonderful book, well illustrated and clearly explained. It was a gift for a high school student who wanted a detailed review of what the Animation career field requires and does. She loves it.

Fast delivery and exactly as described.

If you're looking for a solid primer on 3D animation, something more advanced than your average "dummies" book but still accessible to beginners, look no further. This is an excellent introduction to the world of 3D and would make a highly suitable course textbook as well.Examples of topics covered:The History of 3D Animation (Early computers, the Utah "teapot", the birth of Pixar)Exploring the 3D Animation Industry (including its uses today in medicine, law, and architecture)Working in 3D Animation Preproduction (idea/story, animatic/pre-visualization/design)Working in 3D Animation Production (layout, R&D, 3D visual effects)Working in 3D Animation Postproduction (compositing, color correction, final output)Production Bible (Gantt charts, program evaluation and review technique)Basic Shot Framing (basic shot types, the Golden Ratio, the Rule of Thirds)Understanding Modeling (polygons vs. NURBS, box vs. boolean modeling, UVs)Understanding Digital Imaging (channels, color depth or bit depth, color callibration)Understanding Digital Video (safe areas, interlaced and progressive scanning, frame rate and time code)Industry Trends (marker and markerless motion capture systems, integrating point cloud data)and so on.Please note that this book will not teach you how to use any one particular brand of 3D software. The author devotes a scant four pages to discussing specific industry standard programs (Maya, 3DS Max, Lightwave, etc.) without providing any tips or recommendations one way or another. Blender gets a two-line mention. Non-standard "shortcut" 3D animation programs like Poser, Daz, Carrara, and Moviestorm are ignored altogether.But the point of this book is to get you started in the right direction, not to make you an expert over night. Once you've gotten comfortable and familiar with basic concepts of 3D you'll be able to tackle some of the more advanced "how to" books out there without fear of getting in over your head.Recommended.

Too general. Not so many instructions.

This book is a valuable resource that has taught me a lot. It will be a mainstay on my bookshelf!

arrived on time and it has had some uses! good book