Combustion Ground Rules [Paperback]

Michael Todd Peterson (Author), Alex Hessler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0766841456 | ISBN-13: 978-0766841451 | Publication Date: November 1, 2003 | Edition: 1

Master the art of using combustion to combine digital elements such as a 3ds max rendering with video footage or stills! The newest addition to our Ground Rules Series, this how-to manual is one of the first resources available for computer artists and animators who want to learn how to make optimal use of combustion- a powerful Macintosh- and Windows-based desktop solution from Discreet that provides a unified paint, animation, and 3D composition environment in which cutting-edge graphics and compelling visual effects can be created. Step-by-step tutorials based on real-world applications of combustion take center stage in this book, acquainting beginner through intermediate users with 90% of the features of the combustion software while introducing professional 2D and 3D compositing and painting techniques. Fast-paced and thoroughly engaging, these tutorials provide a swift and effective means of gaining first-hand insights into the combustion interface and workflow. Because the tutorials are based on real-world applications, all new skills gained as a result of working through this book are directly relevant to the needs of technically-savvy computer artists and animators working in today's highly sophisticated post-production and 3D animation environments.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Todd Peterson has been involved in computer graphics for 10 years, running his own animation studio and writing various books on 3ds max, AutoCAD?, and combustion. He currently lives in the New Orleans area where he works on various animation and software projects.

Alex Hessler graduated from Tulane University with a BSE in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Robotics and Automation. He has worked in the field of 3D effects and animation for 4 years. In addition to working on plug-ins for Digimation, a leading maker of plug-ins for 3ds max and combustion, he has been a successful freelance 3d artist. He is currently a Systems Engineer at Framestore CFC in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Delmar Cengage Learning; 1 edition (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0766841456
• ISBN-13: 978-0766841451
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,240,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but rift with typos.., May 31, 2004

By 

"lumakipsta" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Combustion Ground Rules (Paperback)

First of all, congrats for finally getting a book out on Combustion, discreet's amazing motion graphic software. The book covers the surface on many of the software's features. I ordered this for my class's textbook for supplimental lessons at home. However, the tutorials are filled with many typos that would only be caught by people that would know what they are doing and easily found confusing for beginners. The typos have stopped my class in their tracks at home trying to decypher what the next possible step could be, as the book keeps misleading them with incorrect instruction. There are video tutorials of the book's projects on the accompanying cd that demystify the errors but I feel they should've got the printed instructions correct as well. Good book, just watch your step.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Rushed to market, stuck in neutral, September 5, 2004

By 

E. Pak "afcspad" (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Combustion Ground Rules (Paperback)

I ordered this book as a primary text for an intro c*3 class, and I am dissappointed at the large number of typos and poor explanations of steps and procedures. There are many places where in a given tutorial, the instructions do not match to what is required; this left my students forced to guess on how to proceed.
I understand and appreciate the publisher trying to be the first to market, but jeez... have someone actually go thru the exercises with the book at hand! Assuming that all is well has cost my students lots of wasted effort.

4.0 out of 5 stars So far so good, October 3, 2009

By 

Bryan "B.W." (Carpentersville, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Combustion Ground Rules (Paperback)

I just started going through the book I haven't obviously been all the way through it yet. but I am already learning more about combustion than I knew before . so, so far so good. I think the book breaks things down pretty good to get a good understanding from what I have read so far. I would recommend it to someone who is new to it and would like to experience what combustion can do.