The Carrara Studio 3 Handbook (Graphics Series) (Paperback)

~ Mike de la Flor (Author) "Polygons, vertices, curves, normals, edges, and coordinates; this list sounds more like a syllabus from a geometry course instead of tools used by computer graphics..." (more)
Key Phrases: Carrara Studio, Hot Point, Anything Grows (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Whether you are just starting in 3D or are new to Carrara Studio, The Carrara Studio 3 Handbook will get you up to speed quickly with the powerful modeling, texturing, and animation tools. Nearly 30 step-by-step tutorials and exercises guide you through modeling with subdivision surfaces, spline modeling, UV mapping, shader creation, character rigging, animation, and more.

Coverage begins with an overview of general 3D concepts, and quickly moves to customizing the improved Carrara Studio user interface for your own projects. From there you’ll master the powerful modeling tools as you work through tutorials on character, technical, organic, and terrain modeling. Next, you’ll learn to harness Carrara Studio shaders for texturing 3D models, including creating procedural shaders, using projection mapping, shading domains, and putting the new UV Editor to work. To learn the animation tools, you’ll work through tutorials on creating a walk cycle using Inverse Kinematics, rigging a character with bones, and testing out the physics and particles tools. Finally, you’ll explore the new, multi-hybrid render engine and gain practical experience with High Dynamic Range (HDRI) lighting, Global Illumination, and Caustics to create ultra-realistic lighting effects, as well as non-photorealistic rendering techniques. This is the one resource you need to master Carrara Studio 3.

On the CD!

* Images and figures from the book in full color

* Carrara Studio files and support files for the tutorials in the book

* Mac and PC demos for Carrara Studio 3 and Amapi Designer 7

* Demos for Digital Carvers Guild plug-ins, UV Mapper, Ultimate Unwrap3D, Creature Creator, and Project Dogwaffle

* Dozens of Digimation and DAZ 3D models

* Silver Wings Aircraft 3D models

* Dosch Design HDRI probes

* Inspirational User Gallery

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
PC: Pentium II 300MHz or better, Windows 98/2000/ XP/ME/NT 4.0 (with SP3 or later), 128MB of Physical RAM, 16-bit Color Display (24-bit recommended), 3D graphics accelerator card recommended, CD-ROM Drive, 300MB free hard drive space. MAC: Power Macintosh G3266MHz or better, Mac OS 9.1 or Mac OS X 10.1 or later, 128MB of Physical RAM, 16-bit Color Display (24-bit recommended), 3D graphics accelerator card recommended, CD-ROM Drive, 300MB free hard drive space

About the Author

Mike de la Flor (Houston, TX) is a medical illustrator, graphic designer, instructor, and writer. His clients have included NASA/SAIC, Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas, and MD Anderson Cancer Center among many others. His work has been published in numerous academic books and journals, as well as commercial magazines.

Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Charles River Media; 1 edition (December 22, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584503106
• ISBN-13: 978-1584503101
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #373,114 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carrara Studio 3 Handbook by Mike de la Flor, February 21, 2004

By	J. Blower "Animation enthusiast since 2003" (Lancashire - UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of the best software handbook I have ever bought.
(I started buying computer books in 1979, incidently. I'm new to 3d modelling though, started 3 months ago.)
The author has the ability to take you through a sequence of learning stages, using very clear language, but achieving sophisticated and complex outcomes, in a painless manner.
Covers all the key aspects of Carrara 3, and gives insider tips that aren't in the manual, on key board short cuts, for example that really speed up your workflow. Might not suit everyone, but it suited my learning style perfectly. Doesn't replace, but complements the manual. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're new to Carrara, you need this, August 13, 2004

By	CharlieGreene "CharlieG" (Satelite Mexico) - See all my reviews

This book is a must buy, specially for novice Carrara users. In fact, you need to buy this book and shelve the user manual, because the user manual is no where near being a tutorial. The book is a handy on guide to the most important 3D concepts and Carrara features, with practical exercises throughout every concept treated. Being paperback and printed in black and white with no color insets I do think it is an expensive book. But you get your buck back from all that you'll learn.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Notch Book, March 16, 2004

By	"fpatna1" (Odenton, MD USA) - See all my reviews

As an experienced graphics user with a number of graphics books, this one was a breath of fresh air. All of the aspects of Carrara are covered with information and instructions that should be easy for a beginner to follow while also having what an experienced user needs as well. The examples are top notch and not only show off what the software can do, but does it using examples that are not normally seen. A lot of quality tips and tricks in the book as well. A CD with a lot of quality content is included and it is too bad that some of those execptional images did not make it into the book as well. Certainly worth spending time on. It also includes the full demo copy of Carrara 3, the latest version. A great way to explore the software before you put down the full price for it. With the execptional output from this software and the high quality of this book, you will want to keep both close by.