Essential LightWave 7.5 [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Timothy Albee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2, 2002

This book explains even the most complex concepts and tools a LightWave artist needs to know, in a way that makes sense.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Timothy Albee has worked in the entertainment industry since 1990 as a writer, director, animator, concept artist, producer, and studio owner/executive, and has used LightWave 3D since 1991. His credits include Walt Disney Feature Animation, Warner Brothers/Infogrames, Babylon 5, and numerous commercials and video game titles. He is also the author of LightWave 7 Character Animation from Wordware Publishing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Wordware Publishing, Inc. (June 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556222262
• ISBN-13: 978-1556222269
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,249,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top of the Line, February 7, 2004

By 

Jan Letoha "Delve into 3D! It's a whole new ... (Baxley, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Essential LightWave 7.5 (Paperback)

Essential Lightwave 3d 7.5 is nothing short of fantastic. Being an enthusiastic newcomer to both 3D and Lightwave, I bought several Lightwave-related books in a burst of eagerness. They are all good -- I haven't read a bad Lightwave book yet. Finding this one, however, is like discovering a glowing diamond in the midst of a scattering of other, assorted gemstones. No pun intended, but this book really rocks.

The author's knowledge of, and respect for, his subject matter is evident. He covers the basics clearly, in an entertaining style, but the real value of this book, for me, lies in the way he explains tools that are often avoided or glossed over in other works. Rail bevel and rail extrude, for instance. I fought to understand those tools for a month, but -- after reading Albee's book -- I can work 'em! Examining the illustrations was crucial, I admit, but at least Albee tackled an explanation and presented a demo for these challenging tools. He walks boldly into territory that even the writers of the Lightwave manual merely tiptoe through.

If you are a beginner -- or even an intermediate user, looking to do more than "scratch the surface" of Lightwave -- I highly recommend this book. I would imagine that even seasoned Lightwave users could discover pearls of wisdom among the pages because, as Albee points out, one will never know everything about Lightwave. It's just too awesome.

Two thumbs up! I am anxiously awaiting the publication of Essential Lightwave, V8.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!, November 17, 2003

By 

"froggyplat" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essential LightWave 7.5 (Paperback)

As a seasoned Lightwave user, I wasn't expecting to learn much from "Essential Lightwave3D 7.5". Well, I was wrong! And what a great surprise: this book isn't just another "quickstart" guide to explain the interface and what all the buttons do. Rather, it's packed full of useful explanations and guides to using the program. You will find information that most pros will tell you took them months to discover on their own. And, there are several useful tutorials that explain good modeling and animation workflow, without bogging down the inexperienced user with too much detail. Top that off with a CD chocked full of plug-ins, scenes and objects to play with (it also includes a demo version of Lightwave3D) and you are well on your way! If you are a new user to Lightwave, this book is a must-have in your arsenal.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best lighwave book I have purchased, December 30, 2003

By 

Norvell Maples (Lubbock, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Essential LightWave 7.5 (Paperback)

I have over 20 books on 3D animation and modeling and most of it covering Lightwave specifically....
I have to say that Timothy Albee certainly spoke my language when it came to this book.... I, being more an artist by trade than a techincal person was able to follow his logic and flow than just about every other book on Lightwave I own...
He certainly showed me some Lightwave stuff I didn't know. He also showed me some new ways of using some LW's tools that I had not concidered until now... it was good reading and the tutorials were clear... I did not miss a beat on a single one... this is the only LW book I have gotten, and not put down until I had gone through the whole thing start to finish...