Inside LightWave 6 [Paperback]

Dan Ablan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Inside | Publication Date: July 24, 2000

LightWave 6 is a revolutionary release from NewTek. It promises to have groundbreaking new architecture, revolutionary rendering technologies and amazing character animation and modeling tools for lifelike animation. In order to keep pace with the software changes, New Riders presents its second Inside LightWave book, this one covering all the technology advances that are introduced in LightWave 6. Inside LightWave 6 takes the reader beyond their basic knowledge of the features in LightWave, to learning how to apply that knowledge to create professional-level scenes and animations. Inspirational graphics combined with real-world tutorials and insider tips make Inside LightWave 6 a must-have for every LightWave user. The CD-ROM features the material you'll need to work with the author as he walks you through Lightwave's feature set and capabilities. You also get dozens of sample files and demo versions of plug-ins: explore, create, and expand your skill set!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

NewTek's LightWave has been a dominant player in the 3-D animation tools genre since its origin on the Amiga platform, and the latest version really shows its developers' commitment to keeping it at the head of the pack. Inside LightWave 6 sheds light on the many new features for the experienced LightWave user, and it's also a solid learning tool for new users.

The author is an experienced LightWave user and author--he's written two widely respected books (LightWave Power Guide and Inside LightWave 3D). His savvy is evident in the construction, layout, and content of this guide.

An introduction to LightWave--along with workflow and style--makes up the first part of the book. This section also covers features that are new to version 6, but because there is so much that is new (NewTek rewrote the program from the ground up) you won't find a simple list of what's been changed. Instead, the book approaches the program from the beginning, describing in detail how the two separate modules--Modeler and Layout--work together to form a powerful animation system.

Experienced users might find themselves skipping this section, but they might miss out on something important if they do. After all, this section gives a solid background of features that are particular to LightWave 6--the Surface Editor, Modeler, Layout, Graph Editor, and LightWave 6 Cameras.

The next two sections speak to those with some experience. Part II discusses modeling and the features of the Modeler, using lights, creating environments, and methods of character construction. Part III covers features of Layout, the part of LightWave in which scenes are constructed, including models, lights, cameras, render options, skeletal structures, kinematics, and compositing.

Appendices A and B wrap up the book with discussions, explanations, and examples of LightWave's Expressions and LScript features. Expressions are mathematical formulas bound to a section of a model that can be used to free the animator from the mundane task of key-framing every last element. LScripts are used for automating and repeating a given set of LightWave actions.

For new LightWave users, and for experienced users who are upgrading to LightWave 6, this book is a handy resource and clear guide to most, if not all, of LightWave's features--a must-have reference. --Mike Caputo

Review

"Dan Ablan has been in the LightWave community for many years and has always provided well-written, to-the-point, informative materials." -- Brad Peebler, Vice President, 3D Graphics Group, NewTek, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 896 pages
• Publisher: New Riders Press (July 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 073570919X
• ISBN-13: 978-0735709195
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,677,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dan Ablan is president of AGA Digital Studios, Inc., a 3D animation, photography, and training company in the Chicago area. AGA Digital has produced 3D visuals for broadcast, corporate, and architectural clients since 1994, as well as post-production services in conjunction with Post Meridian, LLC. AGA Digital Studios, Inc. also provides lifestyle photography services with Dan.
Dan is the author of 13 books from New Riders Publishing, Thomson Course Technology, and Sybex. They are: LightWave Power Guide (v5.0), Inside LightWave 3D (v5.5), Inside LightWave [6], LightWave 6.5 Effects Magic, Inside LightWave 7, Inside LightWave 8, and co-author of LightWave 8 Killer Tips. His latest books are Digital Photography for 3D Imaging & Animation, Inside LightWave v9, and The Official Luxology modo Guide. He also is the author of [digital] Cinematography & Directing, and served as technical editor for [digital] Lighting & Rendering. Dan was also a contributor to After Effects 5.5 Magic, from New Riders Publishing. His 12th book is just out this month - The Official Luxology modo 301 Guide. Book #13 is now available, also from New Riders Publishing and Adobe Press -
Photoshop CS4 Studio Techniques. Dan has written the revision to this popular series from Ben Willmore.

Dan is also the founder of 3D Garage.com, a website dedicated to computer software based video training. 3D Garage is owned and operated by AGA Digital Studios, Inc. and offers high quality DVD-ROM based LightWave 3D, modo 3D, Mac and Photoshop training courseware. Dan offers a two day, one on one digital photography workshop through 3D Garage.com as well. AGA Digital Studios, Inc. is a NewTek authorized LightWave training facility and reseller. Dan Ablan has written columns and articles for LightWave Pro magazine, Video Toaster User magazine, 3D Design magazine, 3D World magazine, and NewTek Pro magazine. Dan has been teaching LightWave seminars since 1995 across the country, and at AGA Digital Studios, Inc. Some of the companies Dan has trained include Fox Television, ABC-TV New York City, CBS-TV Indianapolis, WTTW-TV PBS Chicago, Lockheed Martin, and many others. Dan served as Editor-in-Chief of Keyframe Magazine (now HDRI 3D magazine) for two years.

In addition to his daily duties at AGA Digital Studios, Inc., Dan Ablan is also an accomplished photographer having photographed since 1980. Coming from the days of film and darkrooms, he has studied photojournalism in college, and has made the full transition to digital. He and his wife have a portrait studio in the Chicago area (www.AblanGallery.com).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bread and Butter, August 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Inside LightWave 6 (Paperback)

Lightwave 6 could very well be the most signficant upgrade in the history of the program, so it's hard to imagine that one book could do such a comprehensive job of introducing/explaining this new package. With two previous Lightwave books to his credit, Dan was definitely the author to take on this task. He writes in an interesting and informative manner, injecting personality in to the material and making it so much more than a traditional "how to" book, but a really great read. The human head modeling/mapping/lighting tutorials alone are worth the price of the book. This book is the bread and butter for Lightwave enthusiasts!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I sincerely recommend it to you, September 23, 2000

By 

Argentaria (Vigo, Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside LightWave 6 (Paperback)

If you are a lightwave user and recently have upgraded to version 6, you should read this book. It is complementary to lightwave user manuals, but not redundant or repetitive.

It has great things like examples in using skelegons, weightmaps, uv, radiosity&caustics, expressions, ik, and many other important features of lightwave6. What is more, you will find a huge tutorial in order to model, texture and render that head you see in the cover!

Also, chapters and exercises are not destined to explain a function or button, but they are destined to illustrate common, useful, and complex tasks, like modelling/texturing/rendering of a house in a forest, setting a complete bone structure for a human figure, lip sincronization, creating a broadcast animation, etc...

things i didn't like: there are too many examples and exercises with Relativity plugin (that is really cool, but not shipped with lw6..)..., and other minor stuff..

to resume: if you want to start with lightwave[6] and begin to use all its potencial and marvellous capabilities since now, this practical and useful book will really help you. Sincerely, it worths each penny you pay (and more).

good work, mr.Ablan & his co-writers

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've overcome my fear of 6!, August 1, 2000

By 

Kim Stickler (Columbus, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside LightWave 6 (Paperback)

I have to say this is the most useful book I've ever seen for Lightwave, and I too have been using LW since the Toaster days. I've learned more in the first 100 pages than I learned in - when did the Toaster come out? - 85? This one takes the confusion out of learning the new interface, and guides you to an understanding of WHY things things are different now.

I have overcome my fear of 6!