Understanding 3-D Animation Using Maya is both a general guide for understanding 3-D computer graphics as well as a specific guide for learning the fundamentals of Maya: workspace, modeling, animation, shading, lighting, and rendering. Each chapter first presents an initial concept, which details a proven method, before providing hands-on tutorials and projects. This approach details how and why animation techniques work and explains how to use Maya for creating sophisticated, state-of-the-art animations. The author distills real-world experience into helpful hints and step-by-step guides for common tasks. Animators, game developers, effects animators, and computer graphics artists will all find the book an essential tool and resource.

Klappentext

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

Inhalt
Essential Skills.- Refinements.- Intermediate Skills.- Adding Character.- Wiring Things Up.- Bringing It All Together.