Customer Reviews

Edgeloop Character Modeling For 3D Professionals Only

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First off, labeling this book "for 3D professionals" is almost insulting to those who actually do CG on a daily basis. This book is clearly just a primer and nothing more. There are no advanced techniques or anything you can take back with you in the professional arena, especially if your models are targeted for animation. If you're looking for an advanced resource, look elsewhere. Maybe a good training DVD.

Second, saying that this book is about edge loop modeling is nearly as misleading as saying that a clothing catalog is about the fashion industry. Sure, the book discusses the concept of an edge loop, but the author clearly tosses the knowledge aside when it comes to actual practice. The model is clean looking, but not at all professionally constructed. Again, the idea of actual edge loops, such as those usually found around the key joints, is nearly a foreign concept here.

The book does NOT give you a strong enough foundation because there is no practical application of actual edge loops philosophy that would be required in a production ready model. If you've ever seen the work of Bay Raitt, Steven Stahlberg, Liam Kemp, or even 95% of game artists, you'll notice how misguided and underwhelming this book's content really is.

Simply put, the concept of proper topology with an eye to deformation (animation), detailing/sculpting, or repurposing is non-existent in this book.

If, like me, you work with CG characters on a daily basis, this book is pretty much a joke. You can find much better information online and on CG industry forums - for free. You can even learn more by simply examining the wireframe screen shots of a good character artist than you can this book.

Again, if you're after "professional" techniques and advice, look elsewhere. The D'Artiste books and the Kurv/Gnomon DVDs spring to mind. They cost a little more than what's being charged here, but you certainly get what you pay for.

Being as objective as possible - putting aside the misleading title and the questionable example model, the book doesn't even stand up as a good character tutorial. It's very basic, full of gaps, and limited in scope.

If you can get this book for a used price... Maybe. You'll have to go to the next level all on your own though. There's nothing professional about this book. Its too amateurish.

When I got the book in the mail I was very happy at first, the book is beautifully designed and absolutely gorgeous. I bought this book based on the assumption set forth in the title--edge loop modeling. In the back of my mind I thought the title seemed akin to marketing hype (like in weight loss drug advertisements, where the intended product is for users who ONLY want to loose 20-30lbs), and in retrospect that is indeed what it is. The book is good reference for anatomy, the illustrations are great, the modeling instructions set forth are sound etc, but not what I wanted. I wanted a book that would show diagrams showcasing where to put the edge loops, the value of putting the edge loops in that particular location, and a reference guide showcasing in black and white with outlines where the major edge loop lines should be placed. I would have also settled for some edge loop theory, for a book which title purports "for professionals only", you would think it would be more theory, and less "follow along with me". This book avoids that dilemma by applying smoothes, in which case edge flow is obviously not as important.

A problem I have with this book, is if you use a Mac or Linux, you cannot use the CD less you have a windows machine sitting somewhere, Why an author would alienate it's users like this I do not know. Another disappointing thing is the images used throughout the demonstrations (simple line drawings) are not made available on the CD--though several beautiful reference images are made available on the CD it's not a total loss!

If you want to get started on Character Modeling and really learn a decent amount about edge flow then check out Game Character modeling for Maya or Alias's Hyper Real modeling DVD. If your wanting a quick and easy method to knocking out a character, complete with texturing and rigs, then check out Maya 8 Character modeling with Maya--though I do not advise the method it uses for modeling, the other parts are very well done and overall complete.

If you are new to 3d or a certain package this book is easy to apply to your toolset, whether you use modo or maya. The book is not a total loss, it just fails to live up to the title.

The book was a great help on modeling characters. It was well written and easy to understand. the seller was prompt and the book was good condition. The CD had helpful tutors and example files, that went along with each chapter of the book. If you are a professional or studying animation and working with 3D Max or Maya this is a book that will help you.

The description is misleading, but I am an intermediate Blender user, and this book is proving quite helpful at helping me practice realistic character modeling. It also helps with understanding 3DSMax rigging, which is something I want to get into eventually. Other than those, I love the reference images, but you could probably find the same images online somewhere. I just think this book is a great convenience to me in many ways, and I highly recommend it to others, especially those just starting out.

Difficulty: EASY
Amount of content: LOTS
Replay value: REFERENCE

Skills learned: basic 3d modeling in 3ds max or a similar tool.

Helpful extras: CD comes bundled with lots of reference images to help make realistic female bodies and faces.

Half way decent book, but not as the title suggests-for Professionals. The book relies too much on Sub-D modeling to be useable in games without extensive and exhastive work.

Having just finished a 3D Animation Course and wanting to delve further in to Character Modelling this book provided exactly what i needed. My course was good, but went over character modeling very quickly. This booked helped fill in the missing gaps in my education.

This definately is not aimed at a 3D professional, more geared towards someone with some 3D knowledge looking to improve character modeling workflows.

Would have been nice if it provided a little more information on UV Unwrapping and texturing techniques.

Long story short...

Not a bad book, perfect for someone who has just finished a course and who is looking to improve modeling techniques.

This text is actually easier to follow than the title suggests. Works as well for a beginner as it might for a professional. Accompanying software is helpful.

While reading this book, I felt it was a great book, but upon trying out the steps on 3D Studio Max, I found this book presumes way too much. It leaves steps out and the final project you make will look nothing like the examples in the beginning. It jumps around in steps that do not make sense in a logical modeling process. It does however outline every single piece down to the nails and eyelashes. So, if you are making a super realistic character this would be helpful.

There are some really helpful tips in this book, but it definitely makes some assumptions about your present knowledge of 3DS Max. It isn't a great book for tutorials in my opinion, but it definitely explains what edgeloops are and the value of creating edgeloops for your character. That knowledge alone probably makes the book worthwhile.

Edgeloop Character Modeling hits the nail on the head. If want to learn about character modeling stop here, you've found the golden ring. This is not a software dependent book, its about concept and how to bring an idea to realization. This is not a beginners book, it is for the serious modeler who wants to know more about the craft.