Customer Reviews

3D Graphics & Animation (2nd Edition)

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Let me guess: You're completely new to 3D graphics and you're desperately struggling to find that one book that's going to have you mass producing Square Games quality FMVs, but you're finding titles that are confusing you even more, right?

Well, I've got some good, and some bad news. A more positive approach would be to offer you the bad news first: There's no book on store shelves that can teach talent, or your inherent ability to adapt proficiently with applications such as Maya and 3D Studio Max.
After some months of studying 3D, last year, I finally came to this conclusion and had to face the facts. I read all I could read, learned how to get around and operate the programs and even give instructions and tutorials to others, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the imagery in my head to appear in my scenes. This is something that is inside you and is triggered through hands-on experience. Just like not everyone can draw, not everyone can model.

Now for the good news.

Aside from discovering your talent and how well it applies to 3D CG, there are quite a lot of other questions that CAN be answered through text. Generalization of how to work your application of choice, what is 3D, how it's been applied, and how you can apply it.
Mark Giambruno's new book: 3D Graphics and Animation is the most thorough text, that I've come across, answering newbie questions with in depth explanations and even contributing more than expected. What has been summed up in it's 500 + pages, is what took me most of last year to find out on my own through extensive research and many unwanted, beginner questions in forums. If only this book had been out during my many trips to Borders last year, I could've covered 7 to 8 months of really bad road in a manner of two weeks.

What impressed me most was how thoroughly Mark walks you through common and necessary features of 3D software and concepts. As example, there are six pages alone, explaining the rhyme and reason behind the oh-so-confusing X,Y, Z Axis, where as other titles I've read had only invested two paragraphs at most.

Included are some tutorials for 3DS Max, Maya and Lightwave, however the overall theme of this book appears to have remained non-application specific, which is a blessing to the many of us who are using some of the still-yet-to-be-covered programs such as Cinema 4D and Animation Master.

In the end, what a lot of you have is beginner questions, and as some of you have found, it can get quite frustrating trying to answer all of them from random trips to the local bookstore and haunting relevant sites and forums. Once these questions are answered, the doors will open and you'll have the opportunity to find out if you've actually been gifted with the talent of getting your dreams and stories on screen, or if, like me, it's back to the old pencil and paper.
3D Graphics and Animation is a time saver, a survival guide that should've been available so long ago. If you're just starting to get your feet wet in the world of 3D I highly suggest picking this title up along with an In-Depth and Bible title relevant to your application of choice.

As with the old saying: "If I only knew then what I know now.", 3D Graphics and Animation gives you the info you need to get started right on the spot. Kudos to Mr. Giambruno!

The book "3D Graphics and Animation" is like some one way ticket to the world of 3D graphics. Since I've bought the russian version of it - my life has changed. Finally I desided to connect my future life with CG.
Whether you are experienced graphist or you're beginner this book is for you. Here you can find all concepts of 3D modelling(polygonal-, spline-, patch-, NURBS-modelling, etc); although it contains chapters about different types of animation, texturing, lighting and special effects.
This book does not refer to some specific software and, I think, this is it's advantage(for better understanding). And what is more - the book builds on lessons, during which you're studying how to deal with 3D.
The most peculiarity of this book is chapter "Finding the Job in 3D Industry "-which I haven't yet found in other books. It was really cool to find it, when I have not any idea about the job in 3D. The other big surprise was to find in detail notices about software and hardware used in 3D.
I think this book is perfect for the peoples who has some experience in working with 3D and doesn't know how to "convent it into cash". Book comes with a lot of helpful information (advicements, internet links, lessons on applied CD)
Thanks to Mark Giambruno - the book is realy nice.

Capably captaining readers through every major facet of the 3D computer-graphics genre in a single text is a monumental endeavor, but that's precisely what veteran 3D guru Mark Giambruno has done with his 588-page (excluding electronic content) sequel to "3D Graphics & Animation: From Starting Up to Standing Out" (1997).

Nearly pulsing with an exponential quantity of pertinent industry facts, this title virtually threatens to explode--like a "bomb" object in 3ds max--into innumerable chunks of invaluable insider information, technical terms, key tips and techniques. Nevertheless, Giambruno's straightforward, concise and conversational writing style eases the burden of what otherwise might prove an overwhelming exercise in information overload for readers relatively inexperienced in 3D.

The text thoroughly explores the fundamental components of 3D work, and in fine detail: modeling; texturing; lighting; animation; rendering; cinematography; post effects. But it delves infinitely deeper than this, including interesting and revealing interviews with significant industry talents, addressing trade applications, the work environment, demo reel development, art direction and project planning, employment issues and more. Authored as a text targeting beginners and intermediate-level talents in 3D computer graphics, "3D Graphics & Animation (Second Edition)" also equips readers with a fairly comprehensive list and explanation of key field terms, including some with which many experienced users possibly aren't familiar. All the nuts and bolts of 3D development are here, but it's Giambruno's passionate dedication--as alluded to in his foreword--to inspiring and educating novices and other genre enthusiasts that really sets this title apart as a complete, general industry reference. The author's interviews with former coworkers and continuing associates illuminate the ingredients helpful or essential to a successful career in 3D graphics.

Aside from some occasional, cumbersome and overly technical explanations of such factors as lighting temperature scales and binary math, the author squarely and applicably strikes the mark in every respect. An industry professional with 12 years of 3D experience as an artist and art/project director on both conventional and contractual employment bases, Giambruno discusses the types of jobs available in 3D, the production processes and learning methods. He tackles all essential modeling methods and techniques, interface elements, perspective, texture acquisition/creation/tiling, mapping details, illumination types and methods, low-polygon creation wares, material shaders, digital imaging, photography, character choreography and animation.

An invaluable topic in the text is the intricacies of lighting: basic photographic arrangements; lighting characteristics; lighting mood; methodologies; volumetricity and more. These are critical details of 3D that often are neglected not only in how-to texts, but also--embarrassingly so, to the perpetrators--by renowned digital visual effects studios in the development of feature-entertainment material. Giambruno also deeply explores cinematography, including camera focal length, focus and aperture, movement and viewpoints.

In addition, "3D Graphics & Animation (Second Edition)" embraces important rendering and output issues, including media resolutions, palettes, alpha channels, atmospherics and post FX. Of key interest to broadcast enthusiasts, too, is detailed information about video standards and caveats, render settings, safe zones and aspect ratio. Furthermore, both the printed tutorials and those archived on the companion CD are well-structured and easy-to-follow. Carefully progressing through these instructional sessions certainly will leave beginners achieving a substantial sense of accomplishment and early competence--something that all too often cannot rightfully be said about published tuts.

A non-product-specific printed guide to "everything 3D," the softcover text is supplemented by 48 CD-archived tutorials whose versions are tailored to 3ds max (release 4 or above), LightWave 3D (v. 7 or higher) and Maya (4 or higher), and numbered steps, crisp screenshots and finished visuals accompany these exercises. Also included on the CD are some stellar finished sequences produced by former Giambruno employer Mondo Media. Rounding out the CD-based material are the 3D Graphics & Animation Web List (HTML), five PDF appendices and Chapter 12: Getting the Job. The Web List includes references to CG-specific sites, organizations, schools, 3D software-producer contact information, image and mesh library publishers and interviewee contact data. An extensive terms glossary and a useful index appear at the publication's aft.

As for the book's visuals, project and software screenshots are illustrative, the "Notes" informative, and the occasional "Definition" entrees enlightening. The full-color "Image Gallery" is interesting, inspiring and fairly extensive.

This book does slant somewhat toward the game-development market and, although this arena is burgeoning at present, some 3D enthusiasts may not be inclined in this direction. (But then, the author's expertise, to a large degree, comprises game-creation efforts, so it's difficult to avoid this emphasis.) Some slightly annoying manifestations appear, such as a two-page-plus "Acknowledgements" section at the outset and the illustrative mini-dramas that precede the chapters. The former is difficult to avoid, though, as artists often easily form "mutual admiration societies." (The author very well might respond: "Touché.") As for the latter, well, each brief dialogue is only a page in length. These asides probably serve more to gratify the author's affinity for storytelling than anything else, but they also may be his method for taking the edge off what, for some, may be intimidating material. No harm done. And one final thing: For those 3D folk who aren't enamored with Discreet's 3ds max, the frequent references to this product might miff a bit. Some camps are very possessive of their software, and these do include ones that much-prefer another or other products. (But it's difficult--if not impossible--to deny max's saturation and prowess in the game genre.)

The bottom line: If you're interested in exploring a career in 3D or just in dabbling in the medium as a hobbyist, this text is nearly a must-have. For intermediate-level 3D types, much of the technically specific material may be quite useful. And again, even some genuine pros--particularly if untrained in filmmaking and/or color theory--may at least learn a few terms previously unknown to them. Regardless of user experience level, "3D Graphics & Animation (Second Edition)" serves--at least to some extent--as a valuable reference of industry terminology.

For the beginner bent on creating a viable 3D animation beginning to end, this book is for you. The text may overwhelm you in places, but that is not the author's fault. 3D modeling/animation is an overwhelming subject. It takes time to digest its many aspects, and this book introduces you to them all -- not only modeling and animation, but the whole process from concept to script to storyboard/animatics to scene editing to post-production effects. The end result is a demo reel. Not that any beginner will reach this point soon. It is a monstrous undertaking, and anything of length and complexity will require a team and considerable resources. If you are intermediate to advanced, this still makes a wonderful reference tome, a careful perusal of which will likely turn up some of your blind spots. Several very carefully thought out tutorials are woven through the text, of which a blimp with blinking lights, moving propeller and video screen is central (you animate it when done). While the book does not kowtow to any particular software package, the CD contains detailed steps for these tutorials in 3D Studio, Maya, and Lightwave (I have not tried all of these and cannot vouch for their accuracy, but Mr. Giambruno does instill me with trust). Lots of supplementary material is provided, from interviews with leading 3D artists to hardware considerations to 3D markets to job types to getting in the door, etc.

If you're new to the world of 3D, you've got a long (but fun!) journey ahead of you. Why not spend some time with this friendly, comprehensive introduction?

Unlike many 3D books, this one is relatively program-agnostic (although biased a bit towards Max and game developers). In addition to generic tutorials that can be completed in any 3D program that supports the features being utilized, it also includes very helpful, program-specific tutorial instructions on the CD for those using Lightwave 7, Max 4.2, or Maya 4.

The book introduces you to basic 3D concepts that will most likely be relevant regardless of the 3D program you ultimately choose to work with (and if you're like me you'll ultimately wind up playing with as many of them as you can get your hands on!). I think this approach may be easier to swallow for newbies than having to learn 3D concepts *and* master their program of choice all at once (sometimes the program-specific books get so focused on which menu item to choose that they fail to clearly explain the concepts behind what they're asking you to do). Plus if you work your way through the book's tutorials you will have completed a fairly complex scene (a Blade Runner-style advertising blimp). The book is also sprinkled with informative interviews with people making their living doing 3D.

I wish this book had been available when I started learning Lightwave a while back. Combined with the Lightwave-specific tutorial on the CD, this book is a great intro to both 3D and Lightwave (and quite welcome since many of the books out on Lightwave are fairly advanced).

It would have been great to see a program-specific tutorial for Cinema 4D (my current favorite) and perhaps even for Caligari trueSpace and Eovia Carrara (either of which might be a better fit for newbies than Lightwave, Max, or Maya) and some of the material (while still surprisingly relevant) appears to be from the mid-90s. All in all, though, an excellent effort.

NOTE: New Riders kindly provided me with a preview copy of the book to review.

It amazes me how Mark aims sooo wide but hits so precise! He treats every aspect within 3D art without missing a step. I couldn't imagine a better guide for climbing the sometimes steep and treacherous paths of "Mount 3D".

It's hard to specify who this book is "for". In such cases it might be easier to define the negation: This book is NOT for those who DON'T want to LEARN 3D, because they inevitably will :)

Apart from being a superb 3D artist Mark Giambruno is an excellent writer as well. As if that wasn't enough he's also a great teacher!

What's really cool is that the book has a generic approach. It's not specific for any software but applicable to all. So instead of just learning to master 3DS Max or Maya or any other 3D package, you'll learn to master the art of 3D modelling! Isn't that great? I mean, software are just tools (pretty fancy friggin' tools if you ask me, but still tools) the real stuff is what you got inside you're head, right? On the other hand one can't dismiss tools just like that, it's not like you can blow 3D models out your nose (or acctually... nah I won't go there) so you're still depending on them. Mr. Giambruno is well aware of this and includes versions of the tutorials in the book for 3 different packages on the companion CD.

I use Softimage XSI myself which has no corresponding version on the CD. I have no problems following the tutorials, and I'm a newbie to both 3D modelling and Softimage XSI.

This book won't spend to much time on the shelf if any. If you want to learn 3D you will waste valuable time by not buying this book. If it's not the standard for teaching 3D in schools it sure as heck should be! There's no point that I tell you what areas the book cover since it's better specified elsewhere but I'll do it anyway: EVERYTHING :)

BUY IT!

A great book that not only gives general info about the industry but offers an extensive multi-platform tutorial to get you on your way. Definitely for begginers, but it does what it is supposed to do well.

I went through the book and was quite impressed with its depth. The interviews are insightful ,real and give an artist new to the field an insiders perspective. The lessons were straightforward and easy to follow. Overall I would reccomend this book to anyone looking for a good 3d book that touches all aspects of creating 3d graphics.

Despite this book's age (was published in 2002) it provides an excellent introduction to the beginner to the field of 3D animation. All the basic concepts are discussed in a rudimentary fashion but in-depth enough for any beginner to get a handle on all the basic concepts one needs to start. For example, textures, wireframing, splines, camera angles, lighting , surfaces and rendering are all discussed in a few pages but enough for the beginner to get an intro to the topic. There is also a pretty good intro to hard and software (much of software author discusses is still in use albeit in later editions) although this is dated - no suprise considering the rapid technological movement in the field and the fact this book was published in 2002. There is also a DVD that illustrates the concepts the author discusses in numerous chapters. All and all a very good intro for the beginner. For intermediary or advanced readers, however, this book would be too basic.

Great reading and reference to animation concepts. Strong background and big name artist in the field. Excellent source.