Mastering Maya Complete 3 - Softcover

Kundert–Gibbs, John; Lee, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0782128351 ISBN 13: 9780782128352

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2001

Synopsis

Maya is an all-in-one 3D application for modelling, rendering, and animating 3D productions. This text provides a tutorial/reference integrating instruction on using Maya with real-world advice on planning, organizing and managing digital content productions. Included is a CD.

About this title

Review

Mastering Maya 3 is a completely updated and revised version of Mastering Maya Complete 2 by the same authors. The new book covers all of the new features in Maya 3 including creating lights, Artisan's Paint Textures tool and non-linear animation using the new Trax Editor.

Though this is not a book for beginners it's not beyond the grasp of those with enough of an interest in 3-D modelling and animation to have experimented with the 30-day trial version of Maya 3.

The book is organised into six sections--Fundamentals, Modelling, Animation, Working with MEL, Rendering, and Advanced Maya Effects. After a brief introduction to the new interface it's straight down to business with "Your First Maya Animation" in which you build, texture, light and animate a rocket ship.

The book's size--nearly a thousand pages in length--makes it possible to cover topics across the range from advanced beginner to professional. The modelling section kicks off with a chapter on basic modelling concepts and concludes with Organic Modelling, showing you how to take a dog from a simple sketch to a finished Nurbs patch model.

The accompanying CD contains working files for the hands-on projects as well as rendered images and animations and the chapters are structured so you can either work through or dip in.

Given the complexity of Maya 3 and the distinct lack of alternative sources, this is a welcome update to what was already both an excellent reference and the best hands-on guide available. --Ken McMahon

Edition details

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0782128351
• ISBN 13: 9780782128352
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 1008