Publisher 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.

Create high-quality 3D animations and models by using the basic concepts and principles of 3D art presented by GeekAtPlay.com's Ami Chopine. This handy studio reference breaks down the core concepts into easy-to-understand segments and teaches you the 'why' in addition to the 'how.' Using application agnostic step-by-step tutorials, this book teaches you how to model, pose, and texture your creations as well as scenery creation, animation, and rendering. Learn which applications are best for your needs and how you can get started making money in the 3D field. The companion website includes video tutorials, models, project files, and other resources. This book is endorsed by Daz3d.com and includes exclusive Daz3d models.

Any questions you have about 2D or 3D animation in this new digital age are answered in this comprehensive guide for all budding digital animators, games artists and media production students. It is lavishly illustrated with inspirational colour throughout to show you what you can achieve. Whether you want to create moving digital imagery for TV, computer games, or new media you need to understand the production and creative processes, the constraints of each and how they fit together. Ensure you have all you need at your fingertips to compete in this fast-moving arena with this unique book and web package. www.guide2computeranimation.com provides the moving imagery outcomes of some of the animation discussed in the case studies chapter, where top FrameStore-CRC and 3 Ring Circus creatives give you their invaluable behind the scenes perspectives. In addition there are non-software specific 3D tutorials and direct links to a comprehensive range of related websites with further downloadable resources to make sure you stay up-to-date. Marcia Kuperberg is Deputy Head of the School of Media, Arts & Technology, West Herts College, UK. Contributions are also included from Martin Bowman, Rob Manton and Alan Peacock.

Written from an animator's point of view, this guide introduces readers to working with new computer animation systems. Includes all major techniques, from scanning drawings to image processing, coloring, adding backgrounds and shadows, and more. Covers leading software including Anima and Toonz, and the included CD-ROM contains animation clips and demo software.

The digital compositing process is being applied in many diverse fields from Hollywood to corporate projects. Featuring over 30 pages of color, this tutorial/reference.provides a complete overview of the technical and artistic skills necessary to undertake a digital composition project. The CD-ROM contains composition examples, illustrations, and development software.

For those who want to learn more about computer animation without being swamped with complex mathematics, this is the book to read! Beginning with the relationship between animation, the human visual system, and computers, Essential Computer Animation fast takes readers through a broad exploration of the subject. Readers will learn all about computer animation techniques; computer animation hardware; animation software, such as Softimage, Maya, 3D-Studio, MAX, and Lightwave; post-production techniques; and animation applications.

Lighting for Animation is designed with one goal in mind - to make you a better artist. Over the course of the book, Jasmine Katatikarn and Michael Tanzillo (Senior Lighting TDs, Blue Sky Studios) will train your eye to analyze your work more critically, and teach you approaches and techniques to improve your craft. Focusing on the main philosophies and core concepts utilized by industry professionals, this book builds the foundation for a successful career as a lighting artist in visual effects and computer animation. Inside you’ll find in-depth instruction on: • Creating mood and storytelling through lighting • Using light to create visual shaping • Directing the viewer’s eye with light and color • Gathering and utilizing reference images • Successfully lighting and rendering workflows • Render layers and how they can be used most effectively • Specific lighting scenarios, including character lighting, environment lighting, and lighting an animated sequence • Material properties and their work with lighting • Compositing techniques essential for a lighter • A guide on how to start your career and achieve success as a lighting artist This book is not designed to teach software packages—there are websites, instructional manuals, online demos, and traditional courses available to teach you how to operate specific computer programs. That type of training will teach you how to create an image; this book will teach you the technical skills you need to make that image beautiful. Key Features Stunning examples from a variety of films serve to inspire and inform your creative choices. Unique approach focuses on using lighting as a storytelling tool, rather than just telling you which buttons to press. Comprehensive companion website contains lighting exercises, assets, challenges, and further resources to help you expand your skillset.

A behind-the-scenes history of computer graphics, featuring a cast of math nerds, avant-garde artists, cold warriors, hippies, video game players, and studio executives. Computer graphics (or CG) has changed the way we experience the art of moving images. Computer graphics is the difference between Steamboat Willie and Buzz Lightyear, between ping pong and PONG. It began in 1963 when an MIT graduate student named Ivan Sutherland created Sketchpad, the first true computer animation program. Sutherland noted: “Since motion can be put into Sketchpad drawings, it might be exciting to try making cartoons.” This book, the first full-length history of CG, shows us how Sutherland's seemingly offhand idea grew into a multibillion dollar industry. In Moving Innovation, Tom Sito—himself an animator and industry insider for more than thirty years—describes the evolution of CG. His story features a memorable cast of characters—math nerds, avant-garde artists, cold warriors, hippies, video game enthusiasts, and studio executives: disparate types united by a common vision. Sito shows us how fifty years of work by this motley crew made movies like Toy Story and Avatar possible.

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