Digital Character Animation 2, Volume II: Advanced Techniques [Paperback]

George Maestri (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0735700443 | ISBN-13: 978-0735700444 | Publication Date: August 3, 2001

As soon as George Maestri's classic (digital) Character Animation was released, people began asking when he was going to do on edition for trully high-end users with the most advanced skill sets. Here it is; George writes directly to CG professionals, with more non-software-specific approaches to character animation.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

George Maestri broke new ground with his first book, Digital Character Animation 2: Essential Techniques, which quickly became a fixture on the recommended reading list of just about every contemporary digital animator. It demonstrated solid methods for building characters and preparing them for animation, and touched on animation itself, all the while staying away from hardware and software specifics. Maestri explained the "why" of doing something. It was up to you to know "how."

The second volume, Digital Character Animation 2: Advanced Techniques, delves deeper into the art of animation itself without losing its digital perspective and yet while still maintaining some distance from hardware platforms and software applications.

The book cuts right to the chase; there are no chapters on modeling, lighting, or rendering. Every chapter focuses on character motivation, character movement, framing a story, preparing a character for animation, and acting itself. As the animator, you are also an actor, and the more you know about acting, the better you can animate.

As if one section about motion isn't enough, there are separate sections on "human motion," "animal motion," and "anthropomorphic animation," each with some powerful visual examples and demonstrations on ancillary topics such as rigging the underlying skeletal structures and creating morph targets.

This book may not be the massive tome that something like Inside 3ds Max 4 is, but in its 200-plus pages is more information designed to help animators of any level take their careers up one notch. --Mike Caputo

From the Publisher

At last, George Maestri’s advanced-techniques volume of his groundbreaking [digital] Character Animation book. Completely new: No updated material from the first volume (covering Essential Techniques) or from the first edition (published in 1996 and now out of print). If you are into 3D animation at all—learning, practicing (or managing those who do), teaching—you owe it to yourself buy this book. If you’re into other 3D disciplines—modeling, compositing, lighting, etc.—it’s highly recommended that you at least take a look at this volume; it provides a ton of insight into what the folks over in modeling do 16 hours a day and as a result, might make you more valuable as a member of the project team. See why Maestri’s books have been adopted as teaching texts around the world and are on the bookshelves of so many working pros in CG: it’s all about the foundational techniques and the secrets involved that bring life and verve to the characters you’re working on. Nobody teaches this stuff better than Maestri these days. And the books are just fun to look at and use: full-color, lots of visuals, to-the-point writing style, all backed up by George’s years of industry experience. Wrapped up nicely with the contributing help of Angie Jones (game-design hero and now becoming an MVP in Hollywood’s CG effects community).

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Waite Group Press (August 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735700443
• ISBN-13: 978-0735700444
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,218,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tad Scheeler MyMac.com Book Review, December 11, 2002

By 

Tim E Robertson "Publisher MyMac" (Battle Creek, Mi United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Digital Character Animation 2, Volume II: Advanced Techniques (Paperback)

With Digital Character Animation 2, volume 2: advanced techniques, the maestro of animation, George Maestri picks up where he left off in volume 1 and delivers an amazing amount of knowledge in 218 easy to read, well illustrated, full color pages. Every page is short, sweet, to the point, and packed with tips that any aspiring digital animator needs to know. It is full of essential information that will help the reader turn out effective, believable animation.

Digital Character Animation 2, volume 2: advanced techniques is written from a software-neutral perspective and focuses on fundamental concepts that can be applied in any program. It begins with chapters on real world production and story development from an animator's point of view. The heart of the book contains chapters on rigging characters, tips and tricks, human and animal motion, acting, and anthropomorphic animation (animating the inanimate). It ends with a chapter on animation for games.

George Maestri's credentials are impressive. He has worked on projects for Nickelodeon (Rocko's Modern Life), CBS (The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat) and was the original animation producer of South Park.

Whether you are a student of animation, a hobbyist or a professional, this book should be in your library right next to Digital Character Animation 2, volume 1: essential techniques. I consider both volumes required reading for any person interested in character animation. My copies are already dog-eared from constant use.

The only negative comments I will make are the lack of an accompanying CD to augment the text and the relatively high price tag for the book. At $50 (US), I would expect a CD, especially with a book on animation. Volume 1 of this series did come with a CD and I found it very helpful in understanding the concepts presented in the text.

MacMice Rating: 4 out of 5

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Tad Scheeler

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, December 30, 2001

By 

K. Sink "Jack of all trades" (Seattlle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Digital Character Animation 2, Volume II: Advanced Techniques (Paperback)

A must for anyone working with CGI. This book is fantastic. I also recommend volume I. Both are excellent books. The great thing about these books is that they are not specific to any software program. It explains how to use the features of all programs. Great!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Animation Book on the Shelves, January 3, 2002

By 

Francisco Acevedo Jr. (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Digital Character Animation 2, Volume II: Advanced Techniques (Paperback)

I am with out words! I own volume I and was a "Extreme Beginner" in the 3d Animation environment, but with Maestri's books I have escalated to new heights and this book can move you further to your demands.

One thing I would definitely point out, that the book is DEFINITELY NOT SOFTWARE SPECIFIC, rather he does keep many small legends as to what the translation to the commands are.

By the time you go through these books (Vol. I & II) you would have a very good knowledge on modelling for yourself. I rather give it 10 STARS, because that's were it will lead you to success!