The Animation Master Handbook, Second Edition (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Animation:Master Handbook, updated for Animation:Master 98, helps intermediate and advanced users tackle the essential features--those that are both new and hard to master--of this 3-D modeling and animation tool for Windows and Macintosh.

Author Jeff Paries begins by explaining the essence of storytelling and storyboarding, focusing on elements of the program's interface as well as the basics of modeling. You learn advanced modeling techniques such as using hooks, solving surface ambiguities, and modeling humans. You'll also find hands-on tutorials enabling you to master mechanical modeling and the process of adding textures to models.

In addition, Paries teaches you how to create path animations and how they relate to skeletal, muscular, and other actions. Simple and complex environments also receive coverage, including involved special effects like volumetric attributes, particle systems, and weathering.

The book also shows you how to add mood by working with multiple cameras, lighting, fog, and motion blur. You even learn the various options for rendering and outputting your work. The companion CD-ROM includes the models used in these tutorials as well as supporting image maps and materials. The disc also contains sample animations and a demo version of Animation:Master 98. --Kathleen Caster

From Library Journal

Animation:Master is the new name for a piece of software previously known as Martin's Hash. This is one of the coolest pieces of 3D software on the market. It actually makes sense of 3D design, runs on both Mac and Windows, and is relatively cheap compared with LightWave and SoftImage. Paries's book is the perfect introduction to 3D design generally and Animation:Master in particular. From a total introduction for 3D novices, it quickly moves the reader into real design mode. It won't quite produce Toy Story, but the results will look better than South Park. The CD-ROM includes a limited version of Animation:Master that allows folks to learn 3D for less than $50. Cool software, cool book, great buy.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 564 pages
• Publisher: Delmar Thomson Learning; 2nd edition (February 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886801827
• ISBN-13: 978-1886801820
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,017,960 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Animation Master 2000 Handbook, November 22, 2000

By	Ren Zai (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Animation : Master 2000 Handbook (Graphics Series) (Paperback)

The only reason I bought this book was to learn how to use Animation Master. I have the Book that came with the software which is about a "2 ½ star" book. After much research and review of other animation programs, I have concluded that Animation Master is a "5 star" program with "2 ½ star support".

Here is a simple analogy. A person needs to get to a street called "E street" and in order to get there they must know that there is an A,B,C,D, street. In comparison the author of this book constantly gives directions like take A,B,D, or A,C,D leaving out essential details thus leaving the student of this excellent animation program frustrated and confused. Basically the author of this book is probably an excellent animator and story teller. As a writer myself I remind the author that if the details of a story are left out a percentage of the audience will bail thus creating inappropriate and negative views about the potential of becoming animators and I believe that the author is trying to help people to become animation enthusiast not discourage them.

If you want to be as good in writing your tutorials as you are hopfully an animator then please take the time to avoid assumptions about your readers. If on the other hand you have written the book to get quick cash because of very little competition. Then I will ask that someone who has more tolerance of beginners and understands the essential nature of including all of the steps A,B,C,D,E please take the challenge.

In conclusion I believe that this is a program well worth the price of admission . I only ask for a larger group of us who are newer and can learn well with a more detailed tutorial book that someone please take on this needed to be done task.

P.S. to Jeff Paries I an not trying to insult you. I'm simply asking for a more complete and linear set of tutorials from you or anyone else. There is a business need at this graphic revolutionary time even if you write two books. Beginning to Intermediate book one followed by Intermediate to Advance. Then we are happier to give the writer more money that they deserve and word of mouth advertising is expanded to a higher level.

Thank you for your time. [e-mail]

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Version One + Two + Addendum = A:M 2000 Handbook, August 27, 2000

By	Mark Seely (Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Animation : Master 2000 Handbook (Graphics Series) (Paperback)

I have two takes on this book. First, if your a beginner with no other reference other than the manual, this book will walk you through some of the basic features of A:M. It will introduce you to some of A:M's abilities plus it will provide some reference to support applications and plug-ins. My second take on this book is that if you've been using A:M for some time and are comfortable with many of the features of A:M I would strongly suggest that you re-think the purchase of this book. It lacks detailed instruction of many of the new features of A:M 2000 (springs and masses are the first thing that come to mind). Much of this book makes use of the same examples as seen in previous editions. Though totaly relevant to the subject to be discussed it seems a bit tacky and unaccetable when paying good money for a NEW handbook edition. The manual included with the software itself provides as much instruction as does the Handbook. The use of the mailing list plus accessing the tutorial sites will answer many of your questions and to superior levels of detail. To sum it up, having purchased both editions one and two, The A:M 2000 Handbook will be the last edition I'll be buying from this author.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Read this book with a lot of patience, July 28, 2001

By	Mr. "mark_18" (Berkeley, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Animation : Master 2000 Handbook (Graphics Series) (Paperback)

Its not a question whether I can recommend this book or not. Why do I say this? Its because the original manual that comes with Animation Master is so awful that you have to buy this book to make sense of it all.

Now in the case of reviewing the book, there is some good things to say and some bad things to say:

First of all, Jeff Paries is extremely knowledgable on the subject matter. The book is packed with so much information (600 pages worth) so that makes it a valuable tool.

The biggest complaint is that some of the tutorials need clarification. I went through a lot of them and I find bits of essential information missing. Somethings I have to improvise and experiment (which is not necessarily a bad thing but it can be frustrating). I think the author (and the editors too) should take some test subjects and let them go through the tutorials and point out any inconstancies in the text.