Exploring 3D Modeling with Cinema 4D R9 (Design Exploration) [Paperback]

Tony Alley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 19, 2005 | ISBN-10: 1401878776 | ISBN-13: 978-1401878771 | Edition: 001

In his much-anticipated new book, veteran 3D modeling and animation expert Tony Alley introduces the key concepts of building scenes and models using the latest release of Maxon's Cinema 4D, a 3D program embraced by the design community for putting the focus on creative production rather than on learning complex software. Explaining the technology in clear, design-oriented terms, Exploring 3D Modeling with Cinema 4D V9 covers basic modeling techniques, working with materials and textures, lighting, and, rendering. Throughout, the emphasis is on how designers can use Cinema 4D to meet client needs with eye catching scenes and models while exploring their own artistic impulses. Cinema 4D continues to grow in power and popularity in the design community. Its highly customizable graphic user interface is especially easy to learn and makes the software a solid choice for 2D designers making the transition to 3D and for those individuals new to graphic design, computer graphics or 3D.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tony Alley is a professor of Art & Design and Mass Communication at Oklahoma Christian University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Delmar Cengage Learning; 001 edition (July 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401878776
• ISBN-13: 978-1401878771
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #637,697 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:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect book for those who know nothing about 3-D programs, August 18, 2005

By 

Paul Siegel "Visuals Design" (connecticut) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Exploring 3D Modeling with Cinema 4D R9 (Design Exploration) (Paperback)

This is the best book to not only give you the basics of C4D but of 3-D in general.

It does not give you the really advanced techniques but gives you a great basic understanding of what makes the program tick. The book's explore and trial and

error technique to learning seems a much better approach than some other books

and tutorials. They just give you the steps in doing somthing but don't explain what they do so you are left with little understanding of what you did. Tony shows the

concepts and then gives you ways to experiment with the concepts and solidify

your understanding. I am a 2-D designer learning 3-D and the book makes the program exceptionally understandable.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, September 25, 2005

By 

David Smith - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Exploring 3D Modeling with Cinema 4D R9 (Design Exploration) (Paperback)

Being a newbie to 3D with absolutely no experience I thought it would be best to buy a book to help familiarise myself with the program. Of the few available for Cinema 4D, Anne Powers book was the best rated. However, it was pre Cinema 4D R9 which is the software version I have. This book by Tony Alley had just come out at the time and there were no reviews to assist in the purchase decision. Added to that there was no preview to see inside the book's contents which is always helpful.

After long deliberation I decided to take a chance and buy this book and hope for the best. Well, I was not disappointed. This book is absolutely amazing and already I am becoming familiar and comfortable with the program. Mr Alley's writing style is clear, easy to understand and follow. He deserves a full 5 stars and furthermore if this is an indication of the quality of his books I will next be purchasing his "Exploring 3D Animation" book also.

I would recommend to the publishers though to subscribe to the "See inside the book" so that when potential customers are looking at the product on the Amazon page they could click on the book's thumbnail icon to get a preview of the book's contents as this is very helpful.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Introductory Book, November 9, 2005

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Exploring 3D Modeling with Cinema 4D R9 (Design Exploration) (Paperback)

Aimed at the beginner through intermediate user, this book uses a series of tutorials to lead you through the design and implementation of several projects using Maxon's Cinema 4D. Through these projects, most of the features of the program are illustrated and the reader quickly understands what the program is all about.

To be sure, Cinema 4D has so many features and capabilities that they cannot all be covered in a book even twice this size. Instead the book attempts to teach the core, fundamental capablilities of the program and leave the reader to experiment with the other features by himself.

The CD of the book is more complete than usual. It has a Demo version of the program for both Mac and PC - Version 9.1. It has all the images used in the book, and the files you'll need to complete the tutorials in the book. It also includes the Cinema 4D Reference Manual, Quick Start Manual and the files used in the Quick Start tutorial. While you can get these off of the Maxon web site, it's a lot faster to get them off the CD. Finally, the CD also has three issues of 3D Attack, the Cinema 4D Magazine.

I really like the writing style that the author uses, for me it comes across as clean, easy and yet conveys the information I wanted. I also like the fact that some of the color illustrations in the book were done by the author. Often I get the feeling that the writers just write and don't actually use the software they are describing.