Mastering mental ray: Rendering Techniques for 3D and CAD Professionals [Paperback]

Jennifer O'Connor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 19, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0470563850 | ISBN-13: 978-0470563854 | Edition: 1

Proven techniques for using mental ray effectively

If you're a busy artist seeking high-end results for your 3D, design, or architecture renders using mental ray, this is the perfect book for you. It distills the highly technical nature of rendering into easy-to-follow steps and tutorials that you can apply immediately to your own projects. The book uses 3ds Max and 3ds Max Design to show the integration with mental ray, but users of any 3D or CAD software can learn valuable techniques for incorporating mental ray into their pipelines.

• Takes you under the hood of mental ray, a stand-alone or bundled product that is often used with 3D or CAD software in the creation of movies, games, architectural renders, and television
• Focuses on only the most pertinent tools and techniques for busy professionals who need to quickly apply them on the job
• Provides compelling, practical tutorials so you can start incorporating mental ray into your own production pipelines
• Includes a DVD with step-by-step videos to help drive home concepts and techniques

Learn effective mental ray techniques with this great guide, then keep this practical book at your workstation for reference while you work!

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Reduce render times and improve your results

Doing a final render for a new product presentation? Trying to finish a rush job without sacrificing quality? If you're a busy artist seeking high-end results for your game, film, product, architecture, or graphic designs using mental ray, Mastering mental ray is exactly the resource you need.

This focused book distills the highly technical nature of mental ray rendering into easy-to-follow steps and tutorials that you can apply immediately to your own projects. Learn valuable techniques for incorporating mental ray into your pipelines—regardless of which 3D animation or CAD software you use—and produce compelling results.

• See how to control and balance lighting with mental ray

• Manage maps and materials to reduce memory usage and speed up render times

• Queue jobs efficiently, using the Batch Render or Backburner render tools

• Master key settings of Final Gather and improve your render quality and speed

• Use the advanced global illumination, caustics, photons, and irradiance particles to create indirect illumination

• Find instructions and scene files for 3ds Max® and 3ds Max Design 2010 and 2011

The DVD includes all project files from the book's tutorials, as well as bonus material from Dosch Design and Spheron VR.

• Learn about Indirect Illumination with Irradiance Particles
• Use Global Illumination in difficult scenes

About the Author

Jennifer O'Connor is an accomplished visual design artist, instructor, speaker, and expert on mental ray and 3ds Max. She is the founder and President of 4D Artists Inc., a 3D rendering and animation company. She is an Adjunct Professor of 3D Rendering, Animation, and Architectural Illustration at the College of Lake County, Illinois. Jennifer has been working with CAD software since 1985 and 3D software since 1992, on projects ranging from museum animations and tropical islands to product visualization.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 1 edition (April 19, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470563850
• ISBN-13: 978-0470563854
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #119,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Computers & Technology > Graphic Design > Rendering & Ray Tracing
  • #42 in Books > Computers & Technology > Graphic Design > 3D Graphics
  • #86 in Books > Computers & Technology > Graphic Design > CAD

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars De-mystifies Mental Ray, April 20, 2010

By 

Gary D. Rackliff (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering mental ray: Rendering Techniques for 3D and CAD Professionals (Paperback)

The book is printed in color and written for the latest release of Autodesk 3ds Max and Max Design 2011. That's huge! When learning Mental Ray nothing is more important than seeing the results (good or bad) clearly illustrated and based on the latest release of the software. For seasoned production artists, the breakdown of some of the fundamentals that may have been lost or glossed over is well needed and clearly communicated. Building on those fundamentals, Jennifer walks you through setting up Mental Ray early on in scene creation and then how to tweak settings as the scene evolves guiding you to the desired result. Using Mental Ray without guidance can sometimes put you in a position of being one radio button or check box away from success. The problem is which radio button or check box will make the difference? Thanks to Jennifer's skillful technical writing and illustrations (in color!), this problem can now be solved allowing the user to create stunning visualizations without the serious time penalty of trial and error or deeper research.
Mastering Mental Ray is a much needed resource for the growing Mental Ray community.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete and detailed, April 16, 2010

By 

Stephen Gabriel - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering mental ray: Rendering Techniques for 3D and CAD Professionals (Paperback)

This book was amazing and contained a vast amount of information that will benefit new users and experienced artists alike. Jennifer has gotten down into the nitty gritty details of mental ray from the materials all the way through indirect illumination, importons and irradiance. This book is a must have for any artist using mental ray within 3ds Max or 3ds Max Design.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, Detailed, And a Mental Ray Book Must Have!, May 22, 2010

By 

S. Othman "Susie Othman" (Tinley Park, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mastering mental ray: Rendering Techniques for 3D and CAD Professionals (Paperback)

Finally, a book that everyone can understand. What a great resourceful book! This book really makes you understand the whole concept of Mental Ray, no matter what experience you have. It's great for Beginners and Advanced users. This book is very Detailed with great colored images that help you understand what each tool excactly does. Jennifer O'Connor really went Above And Beyond for all types of Users. Max, Cad, and Even Revit. A whole chapter on Revit Rendering, How wonderful is that!! After going through this book I have a better understanding on how Mental Ray actually works. Mastering Mental Ray will be a book that I will use as my Rendering Resource and problem solving Book.