Items related to 3D Modelling and Animation
Synopsis
"3–D Human Modeling and Animation fills a tremendous void that has become even more evident with the successful use of 3–D in movies like Disney′s Toy Story. While there has been much written about drawing the human form in relation to art, commercial design, and 2–D cartooning, the subject of 3–D modeling and animation of the human form has been neglected at the same time that the use of 3–D tools has been exploding. It is my judgment that [this] book will become the reference that professional and student artists and animators turn to in order to master one of the most challenging yet exciting subjects to model and animate–the human form." –Nick Pavlovic, CEO, Visual Information Development, Inc., Monrovia, CA
Ideal for graphic designers, artists, and others, 3–D Human Modeling and Animation builds a bridge from traditional figure drawing, painting, and sculpture to the creation and animation of figures using computer technology.
With a step–by–step approach, the book leads readers through the process of modeling human figures, with specific yet flexible techniques that can be applied to many different hardware/software setups. Separate chapters cover different areas of the body, and contain everything readers need to know about proportion, basic design strategies, 3–D construction methods, and other essential information. The final chapters show how to prepare figures for animation and get them up and running–and jumping, walking, turning, and twisting!
Complete with illustrations, helpful exercises, and more, 3–D Human Modeling and Animation opens up a whole new world of creative possibilities to explore.
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Review
Never forgetting that "the human form is the most valuable and challenging resource in fine art" 3-D Human Modeling and Animation helps make the transition from 2D to 3D--working with height, width, and now depth--easier. Student artists and animators learning or expanding their skills for modelling and animating digital humans will find this book a great resource.
Lessons and instruction begin by modelling the feet, progressing upward through the body and ending with the head--the most complicated to create. The modelling approach you'll use involves skinning cross-sectional splines and contours, a system that uses a series of curved or straight outlines and then connects them. Students will find the various procedures used here helpful no matter what software or hardware setup you may be using.
In an example on human motion you consider the movement of clothes on the human body. These tend to move separately--the swing of a skirt as it twirls in contrast to the human figure. The book suggests that you animate your characters with secondary actions so that their movements look more realistic and dramatic.
While there is no companion CD-ROM this book offers plenty of illustrations, step-by-step instructions and student exercises. Whether you're just learning to model or want to expand beyond your 2D skills and make the leap into the 3D arena you'll find 3-D Human Modeling and Animation a good place to start. --Brooke Gilbert
From the Author
For beginning students or artists just starting in 3-D.
This book was written for beginning students or artists who are just starting out in 3-D. It takes the reader through the fundamental steps of building 3-D models and gradually explores some of the more complex aspects of modeling and animating. I use this book in my introductory 3-D modeling classes at James Madison University in Virginia. Most of the students in these courses have never worked with a 3-D program. In fact, a few of the reviews on this site were posted by some of my students who have used the book in my classes. A number of them have gone on to find employment at major animation and gaming studios. I don't recommend this book if you are a seasoned professional or have already created and animated 3-D characters.
When it comes to buying art books, I would suggest looking at them in bookstores first because it gives you the chance to leaf through the pages and decide whether you like the content and illustrations. This way you can decide whether the book serves your needs. Unfortunately, buying books over the internet is like buying something blind. Therefore, I have tried to give interested readers a preview of some of the book's illustrations on a few sites. These sites also contain extra information such as a new tutorial, student works, QuickTime movies, some of my latest models, etc. To find out the location of the sites send an e-mail to:
bookinfo@vaix.net
Most of the techniques in the book focus on spline or NURBS modeling. If you are using a polygon modeling software package such as LightWave 3D, there are some instructions for MetaNURBS and Metaball modeling. On the other hand, if you are a LightWave user who prefers to model with MetaNURBS, individual points or polygons, you may want to try out the following technique. It is one that I discovered one day when exploring the AutoPatcher plug-in. By following the bookís instructions you can create a series of open or closed splines (Control P or Control O). After setting down a number of these, select their corresponding points in order and connect them either as open or closed splines. This will give you a basic spline cage of the form that you are modeling. It is similar to lofting or skinning as defined in other software package. The difference in LightWave is that you are selecting the points manually. Once you have a spline cage, it can be refined by pulling and pushing points. When you are satisfied with the shape, then use the AutoPatcher plug-in with a low subdivision level of 1. This will fill the spline cage with polygons. Using Polygon Statistics, you can separate the spline cage from the polygon model. You no longer need the spline cage, unless you decide to use it in the future by shaping it into another model with different proportions. Now, you can work on details by splitting polygons, stenciling details, etc. onto the polygon model. Using additional spline cages and the instructions in the book, you can create other body parts. Once they are patched with polygons, they can be welded together to make a seamless model. This method has worked very well in my classes. My students have said that working with spline cages in LightWave is a much more flexible method for organic modeling than starting out with polygons. You can view the results on the previously mentioned sites. More detailed instructions can also be found there.
I hope my book helps those of you starting out in 3D. When compared to other great art movements, 3-D modeling and animation is currently in its infancy stage. We are all still learning from each other. If we can keep an open mind, we should find that the best is yet to come.
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