Book Description
Let this in-depth professional book be your guide to Blender, the powerful open-source 3D modeling and animation software that will bring your ideas to life. Using clear step-by-step instruction and pages of real-world examples, expert animator Tony Mullen walks you through the complexities of modeling and animating, with a special focus on characters. From Blender basics to creating facial expressions and emotion to rendering, you’ll jump right into the process and learn valuable techniques that will transform your movies.
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2007-08-25
If you are new to Blender and 3d animation, this book will help you to "open your mind to the possibilities". You will learn to build and animate your own character step by step. Easy to follow and very well explained. The included DVD has a lot of animation samples and source files used in the book. Go for it!
Great Blender Intro and Character Design.......2007-08-17
Of all the books I've read on 3D, this is the first that actually has been useful and direct to me. I have been using Blender 3D for a year now, but I found that there was alot of cool features that I missed that I then learned from this book.
Besides a great introduction, this book flows smoothly with the creation of a face from only a reference photo (with all the intermediate steps to get there), and then the rest of the book is showing how to build a a fully rigged (ready for animation) character from scratch. I am so amazed with this book.
This is a definitely a worthwhile book. I teach Blender 3D for a organization at Texas A&M University, and I suggest this to them all.
Animation Motivated Novices .......2007-08-13
Great book for the Blender Project. The intro says it all, for Blender Pros and highly motivated novices. Great tutorial and all the pieces included on CD.
excellent deal.......2007-06-13
This product arrived around a month from the day the purchase was made. the product arrived in excellent conditions, And I also found it{s cheaper than in other websites.
Exactly what I needed........2007-06-01
I've been learning Blender for a while now, piecing it together from stray tutorials and such, but with this very affordable book, I've found exactly what I needed. I already knew a lot of what the book covers, but it helped fill in some gaps that most online tutorials take for granted, and gave me a whole, more complete view of how to go about my business with Blender. I would definately buy another book from this author.
Amazon.com
It isn't easy finding a job these days and for those working in the creative fields like graphic design, illustration, photography, filmmaking, and music, a digital portfolio is just the shiny object you need to catch the attention of a prospective employer. But you can't just slap a few files on a CD and call it a night. As Cynthia Baron points out in Designing a Digital Portfolio--a thorough guide to digital portfolios--your first impression is critical and good preparation will pay off.
The books begins with soul-searching: what work are you hoping to get, who's your audience, what style of presentation should you choose, and what technology--Zip, CD, DVD? Effective portfolios from various fields are analyzed, for example, one for an industrial designer or a flash animation artist. If you happen to do both or are otherwise a jack-of-all-trades, Baron outlines your strategy for targeting your audience and deciding how to focus your presentation.
There're several great chapters on prepping your work, collecting it (do you have your process materials, like pencil sketches?), digitizing the non-digital and cleaning it up (like stitching together scans or effective cropping), nitty-gritty items like optimizing and encoding (crucial if you don't want your future boss frustrated by large files), and dealing with that neglected cousin of the visually creative: good written content.
Next, the book considers delivery (for example, Web versus a portable portfolio on CD or DVD), a presentation metaphor (for example, gallery or diary), and the navigational master plan. The chapter on copyrights and attribution are worth the cover price alone. (For example, do you know who owns the artwork you just created for that latest brochure? Do you know how to present a large project on which you worked as part of a team?)
Throughout the book, Baron profiles some stellar examples of digital portfolios, most of which are viewable online, for example, illustrator Michael Bartalos's Web site at bartalos.com. And the appendices offer even more resources to help and inspire you. --Angelynn Grant
Book Description
The world has gone digital--which means that a paper portfolio is no longer good enough. These days, as a creative professional, you're expected to be able to show your work on demand--whether that means emailing it to a client, displaying it on a Web site, or delivering it on CD or DVD. This book shows you how. Using a combination of step-by-step instructions and inspiring examples, veteran author
Cynthia Baron takes you through the entire process of designing a digital portfolio--from developing a concept and choosing a medium, to scanning work created with traditional materials; optimizing digitized art; repurposing digital material; creating a portfolio Web site, CD, or DVD; producing a portable portfolio; and avoiding technical pitfalls when digitizing, organizing, and delivering the final product. You'll also find loads of insights from the professionals who evaluate artist portfolios everyday--agency heads, art directors, and designers--plus handy checklists, a run-down of dos and don'ts, case studies, and tips.
Customer Reviews:
comprehensive material........2006-03-01
Most artists can't do everything - usually they are somewhere in the middle of a chain of production responsiblities that don't include the skillsets involved with presenting a portfolio, digital or otherwise. Many points of insider knowledge are invaluable - I was on the cusp of using PowerPoint for my CD portfolio (my wife has strong skills with this) before being warned that this bussiness presentation software's would be viewed with derision by art directors, and that a high resolution version of a website format is the way to go here - this one parcel of knowledge was worth the price of the book alone, but it is far from the only lesson imparted. Highly recommended - it doesn't stray into realms of esoterica for the sake of pagecount.
Great beginners guide.......2005-08-12
This handbook is targeted at beginners in designing portfolios to submit their artwork or photos when job hunting. It is filled with information, however most is very basic and will only be a review for most readers.
Superb resource for a wide variety of portfolio formats.......2004-11-14
If you set can aside the near 100% focus on digital media (though it is excellent for that kind of format) and not hyperventilate in feeling like you need to come up with Flash or DVDs after reading this, it offers solid points on portfolio content, whatever format you choose.
It covers what should go in, what should not go in, how much should go in, how/if to deal with process pieces, storyboarding,
thematic ties to pull a disparate portfolio together, and sage advice on basics like the kinds of written copy you want to include, such as design briefs, problem statements, and tag lines. It's my favorite book for this effort right now. My husband's, too. I have to pry it off his desk.
It's also savvy when it comes to marketing, so I think it will have a long shelf life in my library for the days when I need to market myself on other things besides landing a job, like marketing my firm.
It has some printed web site design examples which offer visual eye inspiration for printed page layout. It even has great image workflow tips, towards preserving the best image quality with the least needed resolution, that are comprehensible to the lay person as well as meaningful to someone with a high degree of digital photographic processing background.
One of the Best Books on the Topic.......2004-05-07
This is one of the best books on its topic that I have ever seen. From the title, I expected to find advice on preparing images for the screen, how to put them on a CD or DVD, etc. Those things are there, but the book begins in a logical place that I wouldn't have considered. Brown's approach is truly holistic.
Check out page 23 for the first page of a three-page self assessment check list. It has you evaluate your professional strengths and weaknesses, goals and personality.
Chapter 3 asks you a bunch of questions to help you identify who your audience really is and focus on them.
The rest of the book covers various digital formats, how to organize your work, how to get images of 3D and oversized work into your portfolio, including choosing a camera and setting up for shooting.
Ms. Brown covers editing your images to remove the most common problems, such as moire, sharpening needs, bad crops, etc. And ... she devotes a section to creating written content to accompany your stunning images, telling you how to write to that audience you defined earlier.
She explains the differences between a monitor screen and a printed page. You need to know that to design the correct interface for your portfolio. She also has a full chapter devoted to marketing and copyright issues.
The entire book is scattered with quotes (in friendly green type) from experts and those who have gone before you. The quotes tell you what agencies are looking for in a portfolio, how others have found success at this, what things you can do to streamline the process, etc.
The definitive resource.......2004-02-21
For several months I searched for an appropriate textbook for a course that I was developing. Several days prior to the deadline for the course outline, "Designing a Digital Portfolio " was published. After reading the book, I realized this was the authoritative text for anyone in a creative field. The book asks and answers all the essential questions. It is perfect for the technological savvy multimedia programmer or for any artist with limited technology expertise. I urge anyone who is even considering developing a digital portfolio to buy this book. Without qualification, this is the most valuable book on the market
Multimedia Portfolio Instructor/Art Institute/Art Institute Online
Subject Matter Expert / Curriculum Development Multimedia Portfolio
Book Description
An Introduction to 3D Computer Graphics
Maya is a 3D modeling, rendering, animation, and paint software package that delivers all the tools and features 3D artists need to produce animation and visual effects on the computer. From feature films to interactive video games, Maya lets you play the role of director, actor, set designer and cinematographer as you build, render and animate digital characters and scenes.
In The Art of Maya, every page is full of diagrams and illustrations that show you how to build and manipulate geometry, skeleton joints, deformers, particles, shading groups, lights and cameras. The diagrams describe these computer graphic concepts in a way that will help you understand how you can use Maya in your own work.
This book is an excellent resource for all Maya users and includes an introduction to computer graphics that will help people new to the world of 3D animation. The book finishes with articles that outline how Maya was used in actual productions for film, television, and interactive games.
Customer Reviews:
Just a catalogue.......2007-09-11
I'm an Animator and an Animation/VFX teacher and I find this book like an illustrated catalogue (printed on high quality paper) of what can you do with Maya. It goes through the production proccess of animation in a VERY general way. Recommended just for newbies and summer courses.
for people with money to burn only.......2007-01-05
boy, this book takes me back. sophomore year of college this was a "required" book--thanks, teachers, for forcing us poor (literally!!) college students to shell out $60 for what could essentially be information shown and talked about in 45 minutes of class time. all this book does is explain how maya is great (i agree, maya is a great program...but i don't need a $60, glossy, nicely printed REQUIRED book to tell me that!)
You can literally learn everything in this book by googling for information.
Worthy for those with some previous experience..........2004-03-27
If you're looking for an in depth detailing on how to use Maya this book isn't for you, I'd suggest reading the Maya Saavy series instead. As hobbyist Maya user for the last two years I did find this very interesting though. Unlike many technically oriented books, it visually illustrates the different parameters of the tools and methods. The examples are vivid, large and well labeled. Such as the paint effects section, you can see the difference in choosing tube length and the possibilities you have by applying pressure sensitive strokes. The back is filled with case studies and the various ways Maya is integrated into daily CG work, such as the classic Bingo animation or the morph targets used in Vampire the Masquerade game.
I recommend that users with some degree of Maya experience, that are visual learners give this book a chance. Do NOT expect to learn how to deal with the interface or skin a character, purchase a book more specialized for modelling, creating shaders, etc..
Just what I needed to start using Maya.......2004-01-22
Before I purchased "Art of Maya" I looked through it at a local bookstore. I was impressed with how clearly it laid out a series of quick tips and techniques. As others have noted, it is not a "manual" nor does it claim to be. But, it shows many important techniques that a new user to 3D and Maya can get going on creating with Maya in a relatively short period of time. In many instances, the techniques shown helped clarify areas of operation that I did not understand via the built-in tutorials that came with Maya. I still have much to read in this book. I highly recommend it.
the contents is not suitable for the title.......2003-09-19
the printing is very beatiful,the cover is attractive, but
thier is no wide explanation for the ideas,no depth in the concepts,you can name it dictionary of maya not art of maya.
Book Description
Face it, funny doesn't come in the Flash box. Alas, there's no "make funny" button.
At long last, here's a book with the pure intent of helping you squeeze more entertaining bits out of Flash. If you've ever dreamt of creating your own animated cartoon, this book is a must read.
In The Art of Cartooning with Flash, you'll learn how to:
* Apply the 12 classic principles of cartooning to Flash
* Build bandwidth-stingy digital puppets
* Master the walkcycle and other intricate techniques
* Craft a strong story and dynamic characters
* Storyboard and layout like a pro
* Create an animatic to test your ideas
* Analyze a cartoon, frame-by-frame
Check out the Flash-enabled companion site at www.twinkleland.com/book1.html.
Customer Reviews:
Total waste of time!.......2005-01-25
I don't get why other guys gave 5 stars to this it's not giving enough information.The chapter go like this:
chapter 1 : Is only talking about the author and what he thinks of the book
chapter 2 :It talks about Very Very Very basic stuff of animation
I don't want to bother myself by writing more about this book
it's just a waste of time unless you don't know what is flash!
It's 32.99$ l wouldn't buy it even for 5.00$ I recommend to everyone to buy "Animating Flash characters" it's cheaper and better.
The guys who rated this item with 5 stars are surely the author or his frieds, or maybe they didn't even see what's on the book
Anyway l made the mistake of buying it and l am writing this so you won't do the same mistake as l did.
i'm animation crazy now!.......2004-11-04
A few years ago I tried learning Flash animation by using tutorials on the Internet. I learned a little bit, but most of the tutorials weren't concise and they were confusing and usually I found myself aggravated with Flash deeming it was "too complicate to learn." I found this book for $5 and decided to give Flash another try. Gray made this book easily accessible for novices and advanced users alike with clear instructions. Each chapter begins with a few words on the techniques you will learn in that chapter and some tips. Then the rest of the chapter consists of hands-on exercises. Artwork and sample files are included on the CD-Rom if you do not have any original artwork. These exercises are very easy to follow. I completed the first four chapters and I made a short movie with music. That was only two days after reading the chapters. I read the help file about importing music. This topic isn't covered in the first four chapters but it is in later chapters. It does not take hours upon hours to learn Flash animation using this book. Knowing some basics of Flash beforehand will come in handy, though. I highly recommend this book if you want to learn to make Flash animations. You will not regret your purchase!!
*The CD-Rom also includes software. Macromedia Flash 5, Adobe Photoshop, Bias Peak VST, Bias Peak LE, Bias Deck, and Sonic Foundry's Sound Forge. Most of the programs are PC & Mac compatible.*
This book is not for beginners!.......2004-08-19
I bought this book thinking it was for beginners but it's not. This is what I'd call an advanced flash cartooning book. I was frustrated with some of the examples in the book. I didn't like how the author did his walk cycle. The walk cycle was too complicated for me. I tried several times to read the book with an open mind but that didn't help. I also didn't like the fact that their animatic wasn't created using flash but with quicktime. I did enjoy their flash cartoon "Jicketts Speed Shop Episode 1". Go check out jicketts.com/pilot/index.html
The best flash cartooning book I've come across for beginners is "Flash 5 Cartooning" by Mark Clarkson. I'd recommend "Flash 5 Cartooning" instead of this book.
Pretty Good Value.......2003-08-05
Shows you how to make use and organize symbols. Also some helpful hints and how to make use of alpha and tint functions. I learned how to make use of the transitions and shape tweens in animation very helpful. If only it were more specific on character animation and staging it would get a five star rating.
Its a decent book.......2002-09-04
This is a pretty decent book. However, for the most part it had nothing new or original to offer that I hadn't already seen in other animation books. Nice artwork thought and it's definitely pretty to look at so I guess in a way it's useful in providing inspirational material. But you're not really going to gain anything new by reading it.
Book Description
Motion Graphic Design and Fine Art Animation teaches aesthetic visual concepts and practical techniques used by todays motion graphics and animation professionals. Its cutting-edge layout and rich visuals provide a comprehensive investigation of how images and type are choreographed over time and space, providing artistic inspiration and establishing a basis for individual creative development.
Since the early 1900s, fine artists have embraced the power of animation in motion pictures. Since the late 1970s, graphic designers have explored motion in the televised medium. More recently, animation has become a powerful force in interactive digital media. Today, fine artists and graphic designers have the opportunity (and are often expected) to be animators, as well.
Inspirational and informative, this book is intended for practicing artists, graphic designers, educators, and students who are new to the incredible world of animation both independently and commercially.
This book offers an historical and critical overview of how animation has evolved as an artistic and commercial practice in film, television, and digital media. It also explores conceptual processes by which fine art animators and motion graphic designers develop creative ideas, and it investigates how aesthetic principles apply to animation.
Jon Krasner offers a thorough investigation of common processes such as frame-by-frame animation, interpolation, and compositing. In addition, he explains how designers can approach progressive phenomena, such as motion and transition, and choreograph them to enhance artistic expression and conceptual impact.
As film, television, and digital media introduce certain standards that must be honored during production, this book provides innovative solutions for overcoming the challenges often presented by these conventions.
*Engage yourself in a technical and aesthetic investigation of 2D motion graphics for digital media design
*Grow your understanding of timeless design concepts with a straightforward explanation that you can apply to future projects
*See the rich, full-color illustrations of work by leading motion graphic designers and fine art animators
*Play the DVD to view a full motion gallery of international creative work from studios and major designers of the 21st century, as well as interview clips with graphic design professionals
Customer Reviews:
almost an all-encompassing motion design book.......2005-08-28
I have several other animation books and this book condenses most of the information into a well organized and well printed book. I am alos impressed with the DVD that is included as it gives several examples of motion graphics and fine art animation. I am using this book to teach a tim-based media course at an art school and it is a great resource which combines animation and commercial motion design principles in a way that will be easier for students to understand.
The book unlike other book which should really be printed in colour is beautifully printed and bound-not cheap at all. This perhaps explains the price. I do wish however that the author would have included more about some of the early fine art animators like Norman McLaren and Oskar Fischinger. I guess 'Experimental Animation' by Cecile Starr and Robert Storr cover this but that book is black and white and doesn't provide av examples. Overall however it is a good book that takes a slightly new direction.
A Natural Introduction to Motion Graphics.......2005-05-03
Jon Krasner's approach to motion graphics is a natural for learning the medium as an artform and commercial process. Rather than simply teaching tools and how to mechanics as most books are prone to doing, he builds an understanding of the media from the bottom up-from ideas to execution with an experienced eye for the use of tools and special effects. The emphasis is on how to organize ideas and build a coherent, interesting visual animation using the tools.
This book has the added advantage of retracing a history of motion graphics that will introduce the reader to the ideas and artists that pioneered the form and its evolution to the desktop digital environment. The author then introduces the reader to a wide array of processes and software applications for developing varied approaches to animation.
It is as good an approach to the subject as I've seen, and a valuable introduction to motion graphics animation.
Great book for basics and beyond.......2005-04-27
Maybe like me, you remember the days when Desktop Publishing was in its infancy and millions of ugly pages were created by people who had no talent or experience in design, but did own new software that would let them create those ugly pages very quickly.
But not all designs just sit on a page; they move across screens large and small. And again, as hardware and software become ever more powerful, we're in danger of being deluged with video and motion graphics that suffer from a lack of understanding of the fundamentals of good design and production.
But this book just might keep history from repeating itself. The writer offers insights into the history of motion graphics and then shines a spotlight on groundbreaking examples of more recent work. He talks about concept & design (and even how to come up with good ideas) and then takes you through production and distribution of the work. Some of it is pretty basic, but that's what happens when you're trying to create a book that covers ALL the bases. This guy is apparently a teacher and there's definitely a method to his approach.
And BTW, the accompanying DVD alone is worth the price of the book! It's got a great sampling of work and then the creators of that work talk about what they did and why they did it. You might not recognize the names, but you will certainly recognize some of the images.
If you're looking for a how-to book tied to a specific piece of software, I don't think this book is for you. But if you want a clear and complete understanding of the past, present and future of motion graphics you, this is one is a winner.
How else can you describe boring?.......2004-10-16
This really is a very good book, but it has it's limitations and requires a narrow audience (not for everybody). It's written by a Propeller-Head who does little more than state the obvious. If you've been away on the planet Mars for awhile, then this book is a good introduction to the genre. Although it might stimulate some ideas, although there again it might not. If you've already got a good fix on where you're going and where you're coming from, in motion graphic design, look for something else with a little more depth and breadth.
New Twist On Learning.......2004-08-24
i really enjoyed the approach of this motion graphics book. If you are
familiar with books that come out in this area, they are all generally
geared towards either learning software or recording the latest and greatest designs being done. Nothing wrong with that kind of approach,
but this book takes on some new territory, including a look at the history and roots. Even more importanly it tries to cover the toughest element
of all- having an IDEA. This book does a good job explaining that
motion graphics start with ideas, not knowing which buttons to push.
Of course everyone in the this area needs solid information also,
which a number of writers do well with. Still, a well rounded approach
makes beginners and professional consider the big picture. History, concept and practical information all in one.
I would highly recommend this.
Book Description
Master the Art and Science of Matchmoving
Written by a matchmoving expert, this book is much more than a technical primer. It helps you think like a pro so that you can find the right solution for your matchmoves, no matter how tricky. You'll also find coverage of tasks that commonly go hand-in-hand with matchmoving, along with advice on the contributions you can make on the set of a live-action shoot. Whether you're a student or professional, Matchmoving: The Invisible Art of Camera Tracking gives you the knowledge and perspective you need to quickly and successfully solve every matchmove.
Coverage includes:
- Understanding how matchmove programs work
- Perspective matching
- Getting optimal 2D tracking data
- Calibrating/solving cameras
- Using automatic tracking
- Fitting matchmoves into a CG set
- Mastering matchamation techniques
- Modeling from matchmoves
- Troubleshooting bad matchmoves
- Multi-purposing matchmove data
Customer Reviews:
Tracking Matching.......2007-09-01
Excellent book with a very easy exposition of photogrammetry an the newest applications it offers. Very good to understand what's behind camera tracking software in the postproduction market.
Its the one.......2007-06-08
If you want to know about "black" art of matchmoving this would be the author and this would the book.
Great for the novice and experienced user........2007-05-31
Recently, I started doing matchmove work again, after a two year break. Before starting the new job, I wanted to brush up by reading this book. This is an excellent reference and I wish I had it when I started matchmoving four years ago. For the novice I can not recommend this book enough. For a manual, this book is easy to read and breaks down all aspects of matchmoving in just 250 pages. I did not go over the tutorials on the CD, I am just reviewing the written portion of the book.
Great overall book.......2007-01-08
The book covers the general theory behind of matchmoving and photogrametry pretty clearly. There's step by step tutorials that guide you thru the matchmove process such as manual and auto tracking. I was a beginer and learned quiet a lot. I only wished he covered more on the interface of matchmover. Still a great book though.
The only Matchmoving book.......2007-01-05
Since this is only the Matchmoving book out there, there not much to say. The book has some really nice tutorials, is clearly written, and once you finish the book you should be able to go out and shoot your own footage for CG animation/fx.
Average customer rating:
- very inspiring
- A valuable resource
- Absolutely Terrific
- Loved it.
- A must have book for all aspiring animators/, illustrator/artists and writers.
|
Prepare to Board! Creating Story and Characters for Animation Features and Shorts
Nancy Beiman
Manufacturer: Focal Press
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Similar Items:
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Creating Characters with Personality: For Film, TV, Animation, Video Games, and Graphic Novels
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The Art of Ratatouille
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Storyboards: Motion in Art, Third Edition
ASIN: 0240808207
Release Date: 2007-03-02 |
Book Description
Packed with illustrations that illuminate and a text that entertains and informs, this book explains the methods and techniques of animation preproduction with a focus on story development and character design.
Story is the most important part of an animated filmand this book delivers clear direction on how animators can create characters and stories that have originality and appeal. Learn how the animation storyboard differs from live action boards and how characters must be developed simultaneously with the story. Positive and negative examples of storyboard and character design are presented and analyzed to demonstrate successful problem-solving techniques. Artwork from an international array of students and professionals supplement the authors own illustrations. Three never-before-published interviews with well known development artists and a comprehensive glossary are also included.
·Written and illustrated by a renowned animator with 30 years experience as producer, designer, and story artist.
· Storyboard and character design examples from an international array of students and professionals.
· Positive and negative examples illustrate the techniques.
Customer Reviews:
very inspiring.......2007-09-26
Although I haven't read all the chapters of the book, I can tell you that I'm very enthusiastic about read all the book. The reason why I bought this book was because although I can draw well (I think), I got stuck trying to create my own characters and animations, but this book shows me a new way of thinking, and really inspired me to create situations, stories and new characters. It offers nice guidelines to create better characters and put this characters in the right situations or viceversa, create characters based on the story or situation.
A valuable resource.......2007-09-15
Nancy Beiman is a well-known figure within the world of animation, having been a long-time animator at Disney, Warner Bros. and elsewhere, and also having taught in a variety of contexts, including her current position at Rochester Institute of Technology. Anyone who knows Nancy fairly well understands three things about her: she is a very gifted artist, she has high expectations of excellence for her students, and she is very broadly knowledgeable about the arts, traditions of humor, and animation itself. Combine these characteristics with the fact that Beiman is one of the most accomplished female animators within the US industry, and you can understand why I was eager to see this book come to life.
Over the last year, I finally completed work on a production-related book, and during that time I consulted with Nancy on various topics. She told me about her own book and, knowing about her ecclectic background and broad knowledge base, I was eager to see how her project would be realized. What I found is pretty much what I expected, a book that introduces essential concepts, but enhances them with discussion of aesthetic issues and is grounded in an appreciation for the history of classical Hollywood animation, with breadth in examples from other animation practices.
So many animation students struggle with story and developing the cinematic aspects of their work, in order to tell their story visually. Beiman's book offers instruction in chapters devoted to the development of story, storyboarding, types of stories (situation driven, character driven, ways to manipulate the `real'), character development and design, scale and location. As the book's title suggests, a large portion of the text is devoted to storyboarding in various respects: sketches and working out roughs; story beats, sequences, and pacing; and visualizing a script, among other topics. She also focuses on refining characters and art direction, including the use of color. Finally, she addresses topics related to the presentation of storyboards and their use in the production process.
Beiman's writing will appeal to anyone from the beginning artist on up, as she writes in a colorful manner and uses a range of examples drawn from her own experience and her analysis of many films. Included in the appendix are interviews she conducted with A. Kendall O'Connor, T. Hee, and Ken Anderson, and the book itself is filled with quotations and short Q and As with the likes of Tex Avery and other well-known figures. Many illustrations--both instructive and humorous--enhance the book, adding extra appeal for the reader. A number of these images come from students Beiman has worked with through the years, attesting to her influence on many young artists.
Prepare to Board is highly recommended for libraries at institutions where production is taught, particularly at the high school and undergraduate levels, and for all artists wishing to learn more about character development, story, and boarding.
Absolutely Terrific.......2007-08-26
This is a very strong book.
When it comes to storyboarding and character design there is a ton of material to cover, yet this relatively short volume captures it beautifully. The writing is never digressive or self indulgent - from page one, it's down to business. At the same time it's very accessible, especially since the illustrations complement the text so simply and effectively. Often both negative and positive examples are compared, explaining not only what to do but what NOT to do. (Something I wish more art books would try!) Topping off the book is a series of interviews from some unimpeachable masters of story and character.
Perhaps what I love the most, though, is that the book isn't just about story and character, it's about marrying story and character. They are not discrete disciplines - the one can't shine without the other! Understanding how they harmonize is critical for any artist, and this guide imparts an intimate understanding of that harmony.
All told, there's a wealth of material to absorb here. Nancy Beiman makes it both engaging and straight-forward. Whether you want it for your nightstand, your bookshelf, or your drawing table, Prepare to Board is a great buy!
Loved it........2007-07-31
I am not an artist, so can't comment much on the core of the book (although, as a layman, I found the explainations extremely clear).
I LOVED the interviews with Ken Anderson, Ken O'Connor and T- Hee as well as the way they were illustrated (there were quite a few documents that I had never seen before).
A must have book for all aspiring animators/, illustrator/artists and writers........2007-07-15
This book will help open up any locked doors in the far reaching corners of your mind. Nancy Beiman's easy writing style and uncomplicated approach make this book an enjoyable tool for anyone interested in the Arts.
Ruby Persson
Artist, New York, New York
Average customer rating:
- Force Dynamic Life Drawings for Anomators
- Helpful, but needs more...
- most important book i ever read
- This is what I was missing..
- Big, Awesome.
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Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition
Mike Mattesi
Manufacturer: Focal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0240808452 |
Book Description
Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators
Capture the force in your life drawing subjects with this practical guide to dynamic drawing techniques - packed with superb, powerfully drawn examples that show you how to:
* Bring your work to life with rhythmic drawing techniques
* Create appealing and dynamic poses in your drawings
* Experience the figure's energy in three dimensional space
* Use the asymmetry of straight and curved lines to clarify the direction of force in the body
* Build on your foundational anatomy and figure drawing skills to animate your drawings
*Apply the theory of force to your on-location and animal drawing observations
Whether you are an animator, comic book artist, illustrator or fine arts' student you'll learn to use rhythm, shape, and line to bring out the life in any subject while Mike Mattesis infectious enthusiasm will have you reaching for your pencils!
Mike Mattesi is the owner and founder of Entertainment Art Academy (www.enterartacad.com) based in Southern California. He has been a professional production artist and instructor for the last fifteen years with clients including Disney, Marvel Comics, Hasbro Toys, ABC, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, DreamWorks and Nickelodeon.
Audience level: Intermediate to advanced
* Discover and master the techniques of rhythmic drawing and bring your work to life
* Learn from a professional production artist who has successfully taught his unique techniques for the last fifteen years
* Written in an accessible, enthusiastic style which will have you reaching for your pencils!
Download Description
Prepare to experience a brand new thought process on the drawing of life and the expression of energy. This important concept is also the least talked about subject in figure drawing classes today. Artist Michael Mattesi is your guide on an exciting and provocative journey through multiple methods of thinking using easy to understand critiques of dynamic drawings. Learn to approach drawing through Michael
Customer Reviews:
Force Dynamic Life Drawings for Anomators.......2007-09-12
This book is a very practical source for animators to bring life and drama into their work. Excellent renderings and examples for developing each concept presented in the chapters. The book is intended to be used in sequence in order to build from one concept to the next. Easy read and approach for students that already have some background in drawing.
Helpful, but needs more..........2007-08-28
As a comics creator, I applaud how this book reminds me about injecting more dynamism into the forms I draw, whether they be human, animal, or environmental. I would have given this book five stars if the author had included final art versions of the framework drawings. Or, to take finished illustrations and make some kind of commentary or diagram overlay. As the book stands now, it needs more interesting content given the cover price.
most important book i ever read.......2007-08-13
been drawing all my life, and this book taught me everything i've been looking to know but couldn't teach myself. simplified everything to the point where i feel like i'm weilding the most powerful tools in the world, and even a child could use them.
This is what I was missing.........2007-08-05
I have been illustrating professionally for 15 years. I am self taught, meaning I rely on books and the advice of my peers.
I've always noticed there was some elusive thing that was usually missing from my figure drawings that made them less dynamic. Burne Hogarth's books were very helpful, as in Dynamic Figure Drawing (Practical Art Books). But they didn't teach me how to get into the flow. How to make them go POW!!
Remember those John Buscema roughs in How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way? I used to think that his talent was the ONLY thing that made his work so forceful. This book gives you the direction to feel out these forces and shapes. I used to think that these things couldn't be taught.
When Mr. Mattesi's lessons click in your brain, you are truly feeling this power.
For me it makes all the difference in the world.
Brian LeBlanc
Big, Awesome........2007-03-03
The way the examples are drawn in the book is through beautiful sweeping gestures, all of them very full of motion. The book contains very little analysis of the body's physical presence, but this is not a downside at all. Mattesi emphasizes the balance and weight and volume of the form instead of going back to the dreary analysis of human biology (completely necessary to know)that is in so many of my other books.
I wouldn't recommend it for the FIRST life drawing or figure drawing book, but perhaps after a year or so of study of muscular structure.
For the price, this book is huge, and an amazing deal. A must-have for any figurative artist or animator.
Average customer rating:
- Not really there yet
- Thorough...
- A very decent book
- Make your..dream (animation) come true!
- Well worth having....
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Softimage ®|XSI Character Animation f/x and Design
Chris Maraffi
Manufacturer: Coriolis Group Books
ProductGroup: Book
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Experience XSI 4: The Official SOFTIMAGE | XSI 4 Guide to Character Creation
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SOFTIMAGE | XSI 5: The Official Guide (Revealed)
ASIN: 157610642X |
Book Description
Readers will discover the important pre-production steps in creating a 3D character through developing inspirational illustrations, character bio, and creating a design sheet. This book will take the reader through the storyboard process from thumbnail and inspirational sketches for a 3D storyboard and 3D animatic. Advanced features and techniques are covered including examining shape animation, muscle control, squash/stretch effects, and modeling techniques needed for realistic and cartoon characters. Tips for creating a good demo reel is also provided in this book.
Customer Reviews:
Not really there yet.......2002-02-28
I, too, was glad that when this book came out, there finally was some kind of documentation. However, it wasn't really the kind of user guide I was looking for. There is an awful lot of pages wasted in this book, on such things as storyboards, drawing charaters, and so forth. Really what I wanted was a technical manual, that guides me through the features of XSI. If I want a book on storyboarding or cinematography, I'll buy one. For this proud price the Softimage book really left me dissapointed. If you are looking for a comprehensive user guide that introduces you to all the features of XSI and guides you through using them, you've come to the wrong place...
Thorough..........2002-01-18
This book really goes well beyond just using XSI to do character animation. The first chapter discusses fundamentals of XSI, doing a rushed but adequate job of it. The next several chapters discuss the "animation process", including things like the necessity of creating a character profile, storyboarding, style and color selection, etc. This stuff was genuinely useful and interesting, but not really the meat of the book.
The really excellent information comes in the later chapters of the book, where he discusses the basics, tricks, and advanced proceedures for character rig setup (specific to XSI). He shows you how to create a rig, and then layer controls all over it. While some controls can be manipulated directly, he shows you how to hook most to sliders in organized property pages. He goes further to show how to created automatic animation (through expressions) such as automatically rolling the foot as the character takes a step, breathing, automatic muscle flexing, etc. He touches *very lightly* on control of clothes and the like. Beyond that, lip syncing and facial expressions are covered in fair detail, all in XSI specific discussions so you know right where to find the tools that you need to accomplish the tasks (you won't, however, get a comprehensive list of lip shapes for English phonetic sounds for example).
He shows you how to make animated "clips" for use in the animation mixer, and then how to mix those clips together to achive a fluid animation. Lip syncing in the animation mixer is also included. There is enough detail in the animation mixer discussion that even if you know nothing about the animation mixer, you will be producing solid animations once you finish the book.
Things that are *not covered* are features in XSI that are relatively unrelated to character animation, such as texturing and the render tree, simulation, etc. Hair isn't covered either (the book was written for XSI 1.5, not 2.0). Also, while modeling is discussed, the book does not go into great detail about the modeling of your character, as the focus is more on controlling the animation rather than building the character (he does mention several interesting points about why the animation stage is more important than the modeling stage, particularly for a new-comer like me). Finally, advanced features of XSI such as the ability to transfer animated clips betweem unrelated character rigs is barely touch on, and the transfer of envelope weights between characters is not mentioned.
Overall, a *very* informative and useful read for those who *don't* have a rock solid knowledge of XSI and who really don't know much about rig setup and the animation mixer. Oh, and the CD has a couple *excellent* skeleton rigs pre-built with slider controls and all.
A very decent book.......2001-12-08
Considering the almost complete lack of real documentation in XSI (even in the program itself), this book is almost a godsend, even though it's a bit weak in some areas.
Overall, it works as a primer for beginners, touching lightly on interface and basics, but has some excellent chapters on technique and workflow.
I would recommend this to a beginner (there's really nothing else out there, anyway, but it's still a good book to have) with no problem. It makes a few assumptions about knowledge (in other words, pair this with some other animation and modeling books) but again, it's an excellent way to get started using what is really, in my opinion (and I know Maya users' hackles will rise at this), the most intuitive 3D application I've ever used.
Final analysis: give it a whirl, you really can't go wrong. Any documentation is better than no documentation, and you WILL learn something from it (and likely, you'll learn quite a bit).
Make your..dream (animation) come true!.......2001-07-06
This book shows you everything you need to know about character set up and character animation in XSI.The first part of the book shows you how to develop your character and other things (storyboards,camera staging,lighting ect) you need to know about production and on the second part you learn all the secrets about character animation.The author guides you from a basic rig to an advanced rig with sliders, expressions and other powerfull features of xsi but it's not only that.He encourages you to dive deeper and explore all these cool features the pro's use.The new animation mixer is covered in depth and some advanced ways of facial animation are explained step by step.Even though this book was written for XSI users it's valuable for every serious animator who wants to explore powerfull character animation!
Well worth having...........2001-03-04
Thankfully, this book covers character animation very comprehensively and also goes into some of the preceeding tasks that often aren't covered. The first few chpters don't bother with the software but cover possibly more important issues such as character design, storyboarding and creating rough animations in various manners, which is much truer to how most animaton studios would work. I feel this is far better than jumping straight in and hitting the "ok, what next stage" since everything is pre planned. Elements such as cinematography are given a nice introuduction too to give the reader more angles to think about to improve their end product. The character set up stages are well thought out with consideration for areas which can cause problems. The ik setups are solid and flexible. The expressions add extra value too. Various controllers are used for facial animation in the later sections, so most areas are covered very well.... I think this one is a worthy addition.
Book Description
Through five releases of Macromedia's industry-standard Web graphics software program, James Mohler has become the indispensable resource for those looking to master the power of Flash. Flash:8 Graphics, Animation & Interactivity delivers Mohler's widely praised hands-on approach to learning for the newest version of Macromedia® Flash. Exercises and examples in the book, and the on back-of-the book CD, combined with step-by-step explanations, provide the best of both worlds-not just telling you how flash works, but showing you as well. For those new to flash, there are plenty of exercises designed to quickly get users up to speed quickly. Intermediate and advanced Flash users will find new exercises that demonstrate the latest features of version 8 as well as a valuable series of examples that illustrate some of the more complex elements of the software. The book features chapters on graphic techniques, bitmap graphic integration, typography and text, symbols, libraries, sound, animation, interactive techniques-plus an essential introduction to Flash's internal scripting language, Action Script.
Customer Reviews:
Great book for experienced software users trying to pick up Flash.......2007-09-23
After working through many "do something right now" tutorials - I felt like I could butcher my way through simple Flash projects and action script, but wasn't really using the software the way it was designed to be used.
I think this book is an ideal read if you've been through Flash tutorials that show you how to use the program, but don't walk you through an overview from top to bottom, explaining the idiosyncrasies, gotchas and tips along the way. While the lessons are not particularly project oriented (like Classroom in a book style), you get a framework for continued learning.
For a programmer / experienced software user who wants to learn Flash, I would recommend reading this book and finding tutorials online to go in deep on areas relevant to your specific project.
Worst software book ever.......2007-07-12
I had the misfortune to buy this book for an online class on VR. We were supposed to work our way through the book chapter by chapter, as we took the class online. Admittedly, the online class did not support the flash part of the instruction in any way.
Having said that, I found this book to be the worst book ever for learning a software. The progression of the lessons was clunky and the files that were included as a support for each lesson were hard to use and sometimes impossible to understand. Instead of giving projects to work on, the book focused on explaining each and every button and menu item. One problem with this was a button or pallett or menu item would be mentioned in the text with no graphic to show where to find it. Often you could get lost in trying to find what the heck was being discussed. In fact, the book was very short on graphics, period, which is bad since the program itself is very visual.
I would never recommned this book to anyone who wants to learn flash.
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