Customer Reviews

The Art of 3-D Computer Animation and Effects, 3rd Edition

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I think that this book gives an excellent and in depth review of the CG Animation World. Yes, two chapters are about the history of CG: they will tell you where you come from and make you understand better where you are now.
I don't know who this hwilliamsx comes from, and what he is doing in VA, I'm an Animation Supervisor working at Imageworks for the past seven years and I am a Faculty Member at Calarts for three, my personal opinion is that this book is a must have.
Third Edition speak by itself. Good work Isaac.

This is an excellent book if you want a very thorough explanatory treatment of the subject of 3D computer graphics and animation ... very in-depth, very appropriate for use as a college textbook ... so that by the time you are finished with it (many months from now) you'll really understand how things "fit." Take your time and read slowly and carefully. The book's editorial design is conducive to that.

I find that "getting the big picture" in any technical subject is the most difficult task. Existing practitioners usually know it so well they can't explain it. This author can. As you can see on his bio (www.about3d.com), he's got the credits. I selected the book primarily for this purpose, and certainly got what I was expecting.

The book assembly style gets a little TEDIOUS with loads of BOLD-FACE type on many pages (every KEY PHRASE is BOLD, which kinda gets in the way) but that's an editorial quibble.

I hope that the next edition will include Ambient Occlusion, and also a greater mention of the existence of (free!) open-source products like Blender, (www.blender3d.org) which do implement even the advanced concepts discussed in the book and are quite readily available to the general public.

I think that this book gives an excellent and in depth review of the CG Animation World. Yes, two chapters are about the history of CG: they will tell you where you come from and make you understand better where you are now.
I don't know who this hwilliamsx comes from, and what he is doing in VA, I'm an Animation Supervisor working at Imageworks for the past seven years and I am a Faculty Member at Calarts for three, my personal opinion is that this book is a must have.
Third Edition speak by itself. Good work Isaac.

Reading this before getting immersed in a specific software package will give the reader much deeper insight and understanding of whats going on under the hood of any 3D tool set.

This book is plain and simple, the best resource I have found to teach beginning students the overall concepts of 3D and the history behind them. I purchased the first edition years ago when I began my journey as an FX artist and it has served me many times beyond its cover price. Remember, this is not a software manual. If you are looking for application specific info look to the myriad of specialized titles.

However, f you're interested in learning how CG works as a concept, an art form, a craft and as an industry this book is aces. It starts with 3D basics and history, moves though all the major concepts used in modern CG and Effects. Deeply complex and abstract concepts, paradigms and theory are boiled down and made simple and relevant with friendly illustrations and real world examples from productions you'll recognize from movies, games and pop culture.

I have had the privilege of watching Issac speak and teach on his subject and I highly recommend this classic book. It is a soup to nuts, up-to-the-minute overview of 3D and Effects by one of the industry's most knowledgeable pros. He has updated the chapter on digital production with multiple production pipelines and has some really excellent advice about preparing demo reels. Issac is a fine teacher as well as a compelling writer. Highly recommended.

Ed Hooks
Acting for Animators

This book is very cool and good ilustrated overall look at 3D computer graphics. I found usefull to step out of one 3d package and take a wide overall look at this amazing animation craft (I myself use 3ds max). Book is systematically organized and ilustrated good, there are many "behind the scenes", production type pictures. Why not 5 stars? This is subjective - there was sometimes strange confusion about author's selection of movies to take pictures from to show 3d graphics evolution
4 stars - I like it! Time from time look for references, review terminalogy. Worth buying
What not expect from book - application specific tutorials, book originaly isn't intendet to cover this stuff

Just in Now!! I Receive my book order of amazon and is great. Full of tips, sketches, a lot of images from art movies in good print. Easy to read and enjoy to see. A Valuable acquisition for CG Making.Thanks for amazon to delivery. And specially gratefull for Isaac Viktor Kerlow , your quality work had surprised me. I lament the pages disposed in site not show the colorfull of the book.

I've read a number of books about 3d aniamtion and design and this is the best one I have found so far. Goes over all the terminology and technology from the beginnings for 3d to present day. A great reference book for anyone in the field. Make sure you buy the recent edition though.

This book was a required textbook for my begining Maya class, but be warned, it's more a book about concepts and 3D animation history than it is about instruction. If you need this book for a 3D animation class, I highly recomend getting another book with instuction specifically for whichever program you're using, because you're not going to find it in this one.

the book is an interesting read, especially if you like to learn about the history of 3d animation. The book also goes through the many methods involved within creating 3d animation and also supplies lots of art work to accompany the explanations. If your interested in learning 3d or just interested in the concept of 3d this book is definitely worth a read.