Book Description
Creating memorable photographs is a process that starts before you edit an image in Photoshop, before you capture the image, even before you pick up the camera. You must first approach the subject with the proper sense of perception, with the ability to visualize the finished print before you commit a scene to pixels, but still be flexible and spontaneous. Master Fine Art photographer Vincent Versace has spent his career learning and teaching the art of perception and how to translate it into stunning images. In Welcome to Oz, he delves into what it means to approach digital photography cinematically, to use your perception, your camera, and Photoshop to capture the movement of life in a still image.
- Adapt your workflow to the image so you always know how best to use your tools
- Turn a seemingly impossible photographic scenario into a successful image
- Practice âimage harvestingâ to combine the best parts of many captures to create an optimum final result
- Create black and white prints that have the look, feel and ârichnessâ of traditional silver prints without ever leaving the RGB color space
Customer Reviews:
Dust collector big time.........2007-09-24
A postprocessing photoshop book. But a bad one of its kind. The first example he uses is a portrait of an female actor he tries to make better in photoshop. It ends up with very very yellow skintones. Im surprised he didnt see it himself before publishing. He uses a lot of time, too much, explaining about selective focus done with gaussian blur and layermasks. Why not get a fast lens and save all that paintwork- it didnt take me to OZ!!
3rd Party Req. not mentioned.......2007-09-12
After much anticipation and excitement....This book requires third party plug-ins, to complete the lessons as described..only good for 15 days. Sorry to say I am disapointed because nowhere in the Descriptions, Editorial reviews etc... does it mention this oversight!!!. I'm feeling kinda deceived right about now!!..... made it to page 17.
Not for the faint-hearted.......2007-08-27
In my opinion, this book is aimed squarely at the photographer aiming at exhibition quality work, with no concessions. Having said that, there is a lot of valuable information for others as well. It requires a willingness to push the philosophical boundaries of the ethics of manipulated image, because Versace's approach is to take multiple shots of the same subject from subtly diferent viewpoints, then combine them to produce a single image that matches his artistic vision. He is quoted as considering Photoshop an imagination enhancer, and says in his forward that one of his aims is to teach the reader to be able to make magic, starting at the point of capture. Indeed, this is what he proceeds to do. His methods require that you take pictures of subjects that move you, capture the image with spontaneity while being able to conceptualise the end result, and have advanced Photoshop skills. He then offers an insight into the ensuing conversation between photographer and image, with a great deal of the "how" and the "why" along the way. The final results are stunning, but the process is somewhat tortuous, and not for the faint-hearted. This is not your generic "how-to-do-it" Photoshop book, but a glimpse into what drives one man's quest for as near to perfection as possible. It wasn't what I expected - I bought it on the strength of the review in Photoshop User - and it won't be one of the books that lives by my Mac for constant reference. It will, however, be one to which I refer to be reminded of the potential of digital imaging towards which I might aspire for my art prints.
I gave it 5 stars because Versace succeeds in what he set out to do. It won't be for everyone, though.
Versace is amazing.......2007-07-24
This book is excellent. Rather than writing another how to use Photoshop book, Vincent Versace teaches you WHY you use Photoshop and some of the key techniques that can make an incredible difference in your digital photography. If you already have a basic understanding of Photoshop then this book will help you kick it up a notch!
No what I hoped for.......2007-07-23
This book is aimed at photographers who have never worked in a darkroom before. If you have started working as a photographer in digital, there is a lot to be learned from this book. However, if you know how to dodge and burn, and you know how to do it in Photoshop using layers, you will find nothing new here.
Book Description
This is the ultimate recipe book for visual effects artists working in Apple Shake, Adobe After Effects, and Apple Motion. An impressive lineup of Hollywood and independent effects pros have pulled together this compendium of the coolest and most useful effects from A to Z ("Adding Clouds" to "Z-Depth Effects"). The book includes everything from practical everyday commercial techniques to breakdowns of well-known shots from blockbuster films. Readers learn to create light sabers from the artists who created them for Star Wars Episode 3; learn to freeze time from the wizard who invented the effect for The Matrix; and learn to create matte paintings from the pros who did them for Lord of the Rings. Coverage includes rotoscoping, painting, warping and distortion effects, dramatic lighting, adding lightening and fire, matchmoves, 3D CG integration techniques, advanced blue- and greenscreen techniques, and much more. DVD-ROM included. Foreword by Ron Brinkmann.
Customer Reviews:
Provides the building blocks to VFX with Shake........2007-06-27
Four stars. A fifth star would have been earned for a better indexing or cross-reference. Otherwise a top notch, very informative book.
I have experience with film making and with Editing on Final Cut Pro. I was new to VFX, but I'm not anymore after reading this book!
Having seen Shake in action, I wanted to learn more. This books focus on Shake and the fact that a trial version ships with the book is the reason I bought it.
This book is a reference book. It explains, in detail, terms used in the VFX industry (clean plate, matchmoving, etc.) that any filmmaker or budding VFX artist will need to know if even just to communicate clearly with VFX professionals. The entries in the book are punctuated with walk-through tutorials that show you how to accomplish (in Shake) the specific effect. This is a good thing.
I had a project on my suite that needed some pretty hefty FX work. This book armed me with the right concepts and understanding so that I could plan the steps I'd need to take to accomplish the FX. In my case it was turning the request to "Make that person a ghost" into build a clean background plate, rotoscope the actor, invent a ghosty look, and then put it all back together. Until I had read the book and understood the individual steps involved, I didn't know where to begin.
Overall, this is a very informative reference book written in a witty and accessible style. It is VERY Shake oriented, which is, again, WHY I bought it. This is the kind of book an FX pro (or newbie) will reference many times as they work on future projects.
Fine book.......2007-06-07
I was already aware of most of the topics covered in this book, but it helped understand them better and be able to explain accurately to anyone asking. Its also well updated to current industry standards. its in no way complete as an Encyclopedia, needs future voulmes to do that.
In short-A text book for every student of visual effects.
Cons: The DVD files can be accessed only in a MAC (not for PC).
A most complete textbook for VSFX..........2007-03-08
My humble congratulations to the authors who have teamed up with Apple to bring us (my Visual Effects Dept. students and I) a most complete textbook. In my opinion, this book rates in the current top five of all serious resources in the teaching & learning of Visual Effects at the College and Graduate levels. In addition to that, for those of us teaching compositing and matte painting, I would rate this book as the current number one textbook on these topics. A must-read, for a serious student of the Art and Craft of Visual Effects.
Deepest respects,
Prof. Tan TASCIOGLU,
Professor of Visual Effects, Savannah College of Art & Design
SCAD-Atlanta campus.
(Review posted: March 2007)
great reference material.......2007-02-24
great book for beginner to intermediate level vfx artists. the book works exactly as the title says, as an encyclopedia or a reference on how to approach specific problems/challenges that a vfx artist usually faces in production.
Good Contribution.......2007-01-29
For those reviewers who are complaining this book does not cover Adobe After Effects or Final Cut Pro should consider one major fact: the title. It's an Apple book dedicated to Apple software. After Effects (strangely enough) is NOT an Apple product. Furthermore, Shake is Apple's premier visual effects software, and promoting it is in their interests. People are glued to either Final Cut Pro or After Effects (I find both endearing and quite wonderful), and Shake is left out in the dust, even though it offers many aspects other software cannot.
In any case, the book doesn't cover EVERYTHING but it does enough. If you want a step-by-step guide to all the possible effects, I suggest you write your own book after years of experience. Or, you can spend $500 for a collection of books which will undoubtably cover many of the same topics.
This book is a good find. Won't disappoint you if your expectations aren't unreasonable.
Book Description
Achieving accurate skin tones is one of the most challenging tasks in digital photography. Master this challenge with professional photographer Lee Varis as he covers a range of skin: women and men, young and old, various tones, in-studio and outdoors, tattoos, and more. His step-by-step tutorials and before-and-after illustrations demonstrate various techniques for topics such as digital-specific lighting challenges and what can and cannot be done in post-process.
A free CD-ROM accompanies the book and contains sample image files to use while following the tutorials, plus equipment recommendations and technical reference materials that enhance and reinforce the instruction.
Order your copy of this practical guide today and get a complete start-to-finish approach to integrating everything from posing models to shooting and retouching candid scenes.
Customer Reviews:
Very helpful.......2007-09-25
I agree with the other 5 star reviews. The only thing I'd like to add is part of the foreword by Gerald Bybee:
"If you're looking for pointers on shooting nudes or tutorials on photographing sexy models in the desert, this book is not for you. There is already a plethora of those pseudo-technical books explointing the throngs of photo voyeurs. Lee isn't about exploitation of our society's fascination with naked skin. Lee's fascination is simply with digital imaging technique focused on the practical application of photographing people, who coincidentally are primarily dermal by nature."
If you are like me and don't want a book full of nude models sitting around the house, then don't let this book's title keep you from buying it. There is a thumbnail of the most nude picture in the book on the cover (3rd down on the left side) and is the image of a woman's back. Lee Varis does a good job of talking about and showing examples of skin without including pictures you may not want your children seeing.
great book.......2007-09-24
Great book mostly for post processing in photoshop. Espesially about how to treat skincolor. Also a littel bit of how to light. Many usable photoshop techniques. Just get it!
EXCELLENT book.......2007-09-07
One of the most focused books on lighting and Photoshopping people I have ever read - it's very advanced, but well explained. This book will help you push yourself when it comes to this subject. Refreshing and different approach in his writing.
the book is great.......2007-09-05
The book is very helpful. The book is based on Photoshop CS2, so if you're like me and still using CS, some of the tutorials won't work.
A good read.......2007-09-05
I can say I am happy with the book for the price I paid ($23) It is not worth the full retail for myself (newbies will get a lot more out of it) I was hoping it would go into more detail with making correct skin tones, it is sadly only a chapter long, but is a great chapter. The retouching chapter is ok but not for high end retouching, Katrin Eismanns book on retouching (3rd edition) has a lot of great "high end" pore by pore retouching techniques, the ones in this book are good for quick portrait retouches, also a great section for tattoo's and even applying tattoos to the skin. All in all its a good book just don't expect a ton of advanced techniques.
Book Description
Explore the depth and flexibility of Macromedia Flash 8 with Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours. Fundamental topics are presented one-by-one in a series of 24 one-hour lessons that will help you master the basics of Flash. Author
Phillip Kerman, an internationally-known Macromedia trainer and multimedia expert, offers you a clearly-written, well-organized introduction to Macromedia Flash 8 without becoming too overwhelming. You will cover such subjects as:
- Drawing and Painting Original Art
- Using Motion Tween to Animate
- Animatng Using Movie Clips
- Using Actions to Create Non-Linear Movies
- Optimizing a Flash Site
- Publishing a Creation
Not only will you master the basics of Macromedia Flash 8 with Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours, you will also be better prepared to learn more advanced topics in the future.
Customer Reviews:
Good Info but..........2007-05-12
It takes FOREVER to get to the point and many times there is repitition over the instruction. Sometimes in the same paragraph! A good book that gives information yes, but it could easily have been cut to a third the size.
Not worth it a nickel.......2007-04-18
I bought this book last month due to some good feedbacks. But when I read, it seems the book is too much unnecessary words just to make it look thick but the actual content is thin. I would recommend to learn from the help section of the flash program itself. It's much more clear and right to the point not like this book. From there then google up and you will find a lot of more better tutorials than this book and best of all, it's free!
Great book for beginner........2007-03-18
Hi all, first of all, I just want to thank all the people who had written the comments on this book. It had helped me a lot in making a decision in buying this book. Thanks.
As for the book, I just got it. I am in Hour 2 and so far, it has helped me soooo much. I am new to Flash and I think this will be a great book for all the people who are new like me. I gave it a 4 stars rather than 5 since I haven't finished the book yet and can't comment on the whole book. But base on the first 2 hrs, I think once I am done with the book, my rating would be a 5 star.
flash for dummy!.......2007-03-17
u cannot finish this on 24 hours. I have Flash background but I finished "chapter 5" in 13 hours, which was supposed to finish in 5 hours. Sooooooo many text and difficult for ESL students. Not step by step and not too many graphic. No CD or resource files to do tutorials.
I recommend flash 8 24 hours........2007-03-09
I recommend Flash 8 24hours...I believe it will take more than 24 hours to get through the book. But it is a good buy and I found it helpful in understanding flash.
Book Description
This exceptional, full-colour Autodesk Maya Press title - produced by Autodesk, the software's creators - uses Sony's full-length animated "Open Season" for the book's all-new hands-on tutorials for Maya 8. By following the step-by-step tutorials, readers will learn the Maya interface and the basics of modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects using real-world production files from a full-length feature film. The DVD provides further reinforcement with instructor-led tutorial videos and other resources for extended learning.
With this book readers will:
- Become familiar with the Maya User Interface
- Work in 3D space
- Model with NURBS (Spline)
- Model with Polygons
- Set Keyframes and Motion Paths
- Learn to use Trax Non-linear animation
- Apply Forward and Inverse Kinematics
- Deform surfaces
- Set cameras and lights
- Create Shaders and Textures
- Discover rendering techniques
- Explore particles and Dynamics
- Begin to use MEL (Maya Embedded Language)
Customer Reviews:
Great step by step.......2007-08-31
This book is an amazing beginner book. Within the first few lessons you have an understanding of how to use maya and the Projects are excellent.
I have learnt so much from this book.
Follow it page for page and you will be able to master Maya
Helpful Book.......2007-08-10
This book is well structured and easy to use for reference. It is set at a good level for beginning learning. If you want a book that goes more in depth about more advanced things in Maya, this might not be for you. This book contains a good foundation for learning, but does not go in depth when it comes to critical processes such as skin weights.
An Excellent Way to Learn Maya.......2007-08-07
I purchased this book recently for a 3D animation class I am taking at school, and I have found it to be an excellent way to learn Maya. Although this book is for Maya version 8, I use version 8.5 and have noticed only very minor differences (nothing to worry about).
This book is in full color, which makes the screenshots easy to follow. The introduction starts out with a general overview of all aspects of Maya, which helped me to understand better how things worked together from the very beginning. Each of the five major projects in the book focus on reproducing elements from Sony Picture's CG movie Open Season, as shown on the book cover. These projects are completely new from the Maya 7 version of this book. It was kind of cool to create things that were used in a real movie.
I felt the learning curve was pretty well thought out. The writers of the book realize how complex the Maya software is, and they give you instructions on how to perform certain tasks several times before expecting you to remember on your own. The book also comes with a supplementary DVD which contains lots of extras, including the completed Maya files from every chapter in the book, just in case you get stuck or want to skip ahead.
This book is an excellent learning tool for someone new to Maya, or perhaps an intermediate user who wants to more fully understand how to use the software.
for beginner.......2007-07-23
this book shows very easy way to study maya program.
colorful and thoughful.
Excellent resource.......2007-07-08
Learning Autodesk Maya 8|Foundation +DVD
by Autodesk Maya Press is an excellent guide to the wonderful world of 3D animation using the Maya 8 software. The authors guide you through the complete process involved in working on an animated feature film and the hands-on projects provide you with an excellent opportunity to develop the skills to work at a major studio.
George Leslie Hicks
Hicks Animation Studios
Book Description
One big advantage Photoshop professionals have always had was the understanding of channels. It was their secret weapon, and it enabled them to do things, and work in an entirely different way than their competitors, and maybe that's why the secret power of Photoshop's channels has been such a closely guarded secret. Until now.
Award-winning, bestselling author Scott Kelby (Editor of Photoshop User magazine) shows you how to unlock the power of Photoshop's Channels and really start using Photoshop like a pro. But this isn't a book of theory and technical explanations, this is a step-by-step project-based book that will teach you exactly how to the pros use channels in their everyday work (Using channels is one of the secrets they use to get twice the work done in half the time).
You'll learn how today's top photographers and graphic designers employ channels to make impossible selections, to speed their production workflow, to color correct images, to mask images, to create stunning color to black and white conversions, and to do dozens of inside tricks that set them apart from the field. There's a reason there's always been a mystique to using channels, and why Photoshop users who understand and use them stay on the cutting edge. Now, their secrets are revealed using the same plain-English style that has made Scott one of the leading Photoshop authors and instructors in the world today.
You'll be amazed at not only what you're able with channels, but you'll love the competitive advantage that using channels will give you. If you're ready to take your Photoshop skills to the next level, you're holding the book that will take you there, and you're gonna love it!
Customer Reviews:
Accessible, concise information.......2007-08-30
Scott Kelby uses an easy style to get the information he wants to present across to the reader. It may not be for everyone but it made the material more accessible for me. I was able to quickly absorb a lot of information. I read the entire book first and now I am going back and doing the excersizes. I have been using Photoshop for several years but I have not used channels until now. Recommended.
A must for photo compositing, but not much else........2007-07-30
I've had Katrin Eismann's book Photoshop Masking & Compositing (VOICES) for about a year before finally seeing this in a bookstore. I had read several unflattering reviews of it, and one positive one which sparked my interest in it. That review mentioned it offered advice about channel masking Eismann's didn't. This proved true.
Esimann's book, although a superb one in its own right lacks one method of using channels for mask which is completely essential: combining channel masks. She does cover it, but for some reason the way in which she does is either completely baffling or a different and unnecessarily complicated method of doing it.
Kelby's book here covered that method with good detail and without any confusion. I bought the book for this reason alone.
There is other information in it which is useful as well most notably, keeping an object's original shadows. But for anyone not interested in using Photoshop for composites, this book has almost no, if any value.
Most of the complaints I see in other reviews of this book are about Kelby's lack of explaining the settings he uses. This can be easily overlooked if you have a good understanding of most of Photoshop's adjustment features. I personally was easily able to fill in the blanks Kelby left but I can definitely see how a beginner would be completely lost reading about setting blend slider settings and using the displace filter.
My only real complaint is Kelby never goes into much detail about anything. He says what things do, and how they're done in as few words as possible. Esimann on the other hand goes into nearly pornographic details about every topic and concept she mentions. A combination of these two books is all one should ever need for masking and compositing in Photoshop.
The bottom line:
If you're familiar with Photoshop and are serious about photo compositing, buy this and Esimann's book immediately. If you're still learning the program and have only a passing interest in composites, you'd be far better off looking for something else more tailored to your interests because it holds almost no value otherwise.
a very good start.......2007-06-30
This is a very good start to understanding what photoshop's channels can do to improve your photographs. Be prepared to give up a lot of your spare time revisiting old photographs that you will want to rework. After this book, if you want deeper understanding, follow Scott's advice and buy Photoshop LAB Color by Dan Margulis.
Photoshop Channels so much fun to use once you have discovered how to use them accordingly !.......2007-06-07
I found this book to be incredibly useful to me not having much knowledge on how to use channels in Photoshop.... defenately gives you so much more possibilites to expand your range of creativity and use of Photoshop may it be on your digital camera pictures or digital creative images of your own. I found this book to be very practical and not just "theoritical", it's fully illustrated with "tutorial" examples on how to use the type of channels depending on the result required in your image(color change,fast selections,sharpening, contrast.. and so on and that all with the use of channels)...which does help you work more efficiently and faster! and you can even download the examples of this book's tutorials (website link given to grab the images to work on) and follow the tutorials step by step on your own computer. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more on the subject.
Best $20 I have ever spent.......2007-05-28
I am a Graphic design student and consider myself in the upper amatuer catagory, before reading this book I knew how the channels worked and how to make basic masks. This book shows you how to make very complex masks very quickly, as well as grayscale conversions, spot colors and much more. Very easy to read compared to other books. Bar none the best $20 I have ever spent.
Book Description
Do you like to learn by doing? Do manuals leave you bored and craving real-world examples? Do you want to concrete training that goes beyond theory and reference materials? If so, this book is for you.
These hands-on exercises teach you to start creating Flash animations and interactive files with little effort. You’ll learn to create vector animations using a wide variety of drawing tools and Timeline effects, and add interactivity and dynamic content to your projects by using ActionScript 2, Components, and the Behaviors panel. You’ll also learn how to import bitmaps, sounds, and video to make your Flash projects more engaging, and find extensive coverage of the new Flash 8 features: the improved text tool, new text rendering engine, new graphic filters, and more.
Complete with insider tips, illustrated with detailed graphics, and accompanied by a CD loaded with classroom-proven exercises and QuickTime movies, this book ensures you’ll master key features of Flash 8 in no time.
Customer Reviews:
thorough, clear and comprehesive introduction to flash.......2007-09-23
I used this book for a class I took. I found it very useful. The hands on training in the form of color tutorials was very useful for learning flash. This book is only an introduction to flash as is shown by the fact that you only learn how to use preexisting Actionscript rather than program your own code. Also, the new version of flash (CS3) uses a different version of Action Script so what you learn here will not be useful. Still, this book is more than adequate even for the new version of flash. Although it is expensive you get what you pay for in this case.
Not for a Flash newbie or an H O T books fan.......2007-08-23
If you are a fan of the hands-on-training (H O T) books series (as I am) you might tend to be disappointed in this particular one. Indeed it is the least effective of all of the hands-on-training series books I have used.
A novice to Flash, I had used the H O T series books with great effectiveness, in particular the entire Dreamweaver H O T series from DW3 on up. I therefore figured that H O T was the way to go to bootstrap myself into Flash. This did not prove to be the case. Unlike other beginner's level H O T books this one seems to be uncomfortable with issues such as its level of approach and depth. It hangs somewhere between giving you the constant feeling that it is being dumbed down for you on one hand and that Flash is really too complicated to be taught to you on the other. The publisher's own Beginner AND Intermediate level rating is an accurate tip off.
As a teacher I know that if I go into a classroom (even on a topic I know stone cold) still unsure of how I am going to approach a topic, there is a good chance of an ineffective classroom experience. This author undoubted knows Flash; he simply doesn't know how to teach it well in this format.
Instead of using the Gonzalez book I dropped back to the Flash 5 Hands-on Training by Kymberlee Weil book of the same series. The book was just great, everything the Gonzalez book was not. It was classic H O T learn by doing, step by step, instruction. At two chapters a day, in a little more than a week I was up-to-speed despite having to spend the extra time bridging the differences between a Flash 5 book and the Flash 8 Professional application.
So if you are buying this book based on past positive experiences with the H O T series, beware!
Yes! A 'must have' book for the beginner and intermediate user........2007-08-23
By using this book, a know-nothin' beginner can be up and running with Flash 8 in a weekend. No kidding. I never even opened the program before receiving this book, and after a weekend I was designing some pretty decent stuff. I have extensive experience with Photoshop and Illustrator, but even without these as a background I feel that anyone can create something useful after only 8 hours with this book.
The step-by-step instructions are precise and quite explanatory. That's not to say that exercises go on forever, they're just thoroughly explained. For example: four pages are devoted to the sometimes frustrating concept of Merge and Object Drawing Models. A newbie may find this concept confusing unless they have had it shown to them. (Example: A student next to me was getting furious over the fact that his overlapping ellipses kept eating away the shapes behind them. That is until I showed him page 50.) Simple to some, but without some formal training it would just seem frustrating.
The disc includes some decent exercise files and the typical instructional videos that we have come to expect at the point in the game. Not that they are bad in any way, just not much different than other I have seen. I personally enjoy the videos when it comes to a complex topic.
Another notable that was important to me was the big section at the end on importing content from Photoshop, Illustrator and Fireworks. Nice and easy once you know how to do it properly.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to learn Flash 8. It will give you the basics and functionality of the program. If you are not very experimental and don't have the time to push the limits on your own, there may be another book out there for 'tricks, tips, cheats' to help you go wild with it. This book is not the 'tricks, tips, cheats' kind of book that will show the 'hidden secrets' so many others claim. But, it is complete in the fact that it will show you how to perform the basics of each function. And for some areas, a little beyond the basic functionality.
Not that it should matter, but you will deal with the single concept of the snowboarder for almost every exercise in the book. Not every exercise is the same file or image, but almost all of them are snowboarding-related. You'll see why when you get to the motion and video portion of the book.
Great Book for Helping Someone Learn Flash.......2007-07-19
I got this book for a course that I was taking on Flash. It is a great book and I am happy the teacher recommended it.
The chapters are arranged in easy to follow exercises that teach all the basics of Flash. I really liked this style of teaching because it forces you to open up Flash and do the exercises. Much more useful than a book that you just sit and read.
The author of the book is also very good about telling you multiple ways of doing something. In the course of the exercises there are little colored boxes that will talk about how you could have done the above action this way or this way or this way. The fact that these tips are usually separate is nice if you don't care and want to skip the additional information.
So far I am about 3/4 the way through the course and the book and have been very happy with it. A great book; especially for a newbie that doesn't have any programming background.
Beginner Flash Programmers MUST Have This Book.......2007-06-27
I was building a website, and wanted to add a Flash slideshow to it, but had no idea how to do that. I used the Flash tutorials that came with the program, but they were somewhat lacking in detail. I ordered this book from Amazon, and two days later it was at my door. I used the book from page 1, performed all of the easy to understand exercises, watched the included videos, and by the end of the month I was able to finish programming my website and publish it on the internet. This book made understanding Flash a breeze; I couldn't have completed my website to my satisfaction without it. [...].
Book Description
- Written by an industry veteran who has used Maya in such films as Mortal Kombat and Shrek, this full-color book offers advanced, professional-level techniques for texturing and lighting for rendering 3D models in Maya
- Begins with an introduction of various lighting concepts, then offers readers detailed explanations of Maya's numerous hidden features so they can achieve amazing results quickly
- Features an unparalleled exploration of Maya's Hypershade, where animators create connections between shaders, texture maps, lights, cameras, and geometry
- Provides a thorough look at rendering in Maya, including everything from batch rendering to global illumination workflow and HDRI techniques
- The CD-ROM includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition, textures, tools, professional shaders, and more
Customer Reviews:
Excellent for Professionals.......2007-08-13
I bought this manual to help me ugrade from Maya 7.0 to Maya 8.5 and it's become my most prized and relied upon resource. Every tutorial I've gone through has worked perfectly (no missing steps or errors so far), Mr. Lanier writes coherently & well, and each new topic is presented in a straightforward and matter-of-fact fashion.
As a professional Video Game Artist, I've reccommended this manual to our enitire company of 300, and will continue to do so to everyone else. In the past, decent documentation on the finer points of Maya has been elusive, but Mr. Lanier has saved us! I will be adding his other manuals to my library.
Wow.......2007-03-09
This Book is just Perfect...it tells you EVERYTHING about the Lighting and the Texturing.... if you want to learn about that 2 things... Buy This Book NOW
A Maya book absolutely worth owning.......2007-03-08
Lee Lanier has approached the writing of his latest book with the same intensity, accuracy, and zeal that he demonstrated when he was my teacher at De Anza College several years ago. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Maya, and of Maya lighting in particular. The material is laid out methodically and in great detail. Lee never glosses over a topic, but goes in depth to provide insight into the theory behind every concept. I highly recommend this fine book.
Great resource, lots of good information.......2007-01-04
I've read a number of Maya books over the past few years. Most focus on basic-intermediate usage. Lanier's book is a great resource for learning advanced tips and theory, with many color pictures. This is the best book I've found about using Hypershade nodes to build professional materials.
I particularly liked that the included DVD contains Maya project files for every scenario pictured in the book (although most of the cool models are not included, just simple geometric primitives). These project files contain great setups comparing different lighting and rendering settings. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in learning intermediate-advanced Maya topics.
Excellent !.......2006-11-18
I've been reviewing several books on this topic, and this one's a winner! It's specific and useful and goes into great detail about nodes in Hypershade and how to use them that the manuals don't.
If you're serious about reaching an advanced level with your Maya rendering skills, then this book is for you. Just buy it now, and you can thank me later! In terms of lighting design and the esthetic side of things, I also like the book Digital Lighting and Rendering, 2nd Edition by the Pixar artist Jeremy Birn, I think the idea to buy both of these together is an unbeatable combination for any serious Maya user!
Book Description
Learn by doing! The lessons in this book guide you step-by-step through the creation of a project Web site, âYoga Sangha.â With Macromedia's official guide, you’ll learn how to use the leading, best-selling Web editor and gain a thorough understanding of how you can use Dreamweaver 8 to effectively manage and maintain Web sites, develop sites that are accessible to a wide audience, and work in an environment that integrates visual and code editing. As you complete the tasks, you’ll develop the skills and techniques that you need to create Web sites on your own. In addition to the basics of creating a Web page that incorporates text, graphics and tables, you'll learn about all that's new in Dreamweaver 8: visual authoring with XML data, advanced CSS support including a unified CSS panel and a style rendering toolbar, integration with the latest Web technologies and standards, and more. The companion CD-ROM contains all of the lesson files as well as a free trial version of Dreamweaver 8.
Customer Reviews:
dreamweaver 8.......2007-09-11
This is a really excellent book for learning dreaweaver software the main software for web design
A good book to have..........2007-05-29
As a newbie in web publishing (I've been in print for 16 years) I have yet to find a book or forum that is 100% beneficial. The forums are mediated by experienced web designers who speak their language and not the language of the beginner. Somewhere, someone (and I'd be glad to do it with proper backing) needs to write a book that says, 'Want to do (one simple function)? Use these commands. NEXT...' That would have saved me months of grief.
So I bought books and slogged through tutorials until I gleaned enough of what I wanted in order to design my pages. Tutorials NEVER cover exactly what YOU want to learn, so they can drag on forever.
As for this book, I thumbed through it at my local Borders and saw that it had a few interesting tips that I might employ in future pages. I buy books such as this even if there is only ONE tip I need, and it's worth it, even at the price some of these titles command (this also justifies Amazon Prime, by the way).
The book is from Macromedia which is a plus because you are learning the program from the company that created it. The bottom line is this: When learning this stuff, you need a reference library to depend on, and this book is a key player. Forums are great as long as the mediators are online late on a Sunday night when you're struggling to learn a new technique. Buy this book, buy lots of books and EXPERIMENT as you go...that's the best way to learn.
Great Introduction.......2007-03-30
This book is a great intro the basics of Dreamweaver, It will get you up and running quickly.
Perfect for first time web designers.......2007-03-13
This book works like a charm for people looking for interactive learning from the perspective of a novice.
Macromedia Dreamweaver 8: Training from the Source.......2007-02-13
Very good book for starters and someone who already worked with Dreamweaver. Easy to follow and good exercises. Covers many subjects very well. If you need to go deeper into the application you have a good base for it.
Book Description
The fastest, easiest, most comprehensive way to learn Adobe After Effects 7!
Classroom in a Book, the best-selling series of hands-on software training workbooks, helps you learn the features of Adobe software quickly and easily. Classroom in a Book offers what no other book or training program does--an official training series from Adobe Systems Incorporated, developed with the support of Adobe product experts.
Adobe After Effects 7.0 Classroom in a Book contains eleven lessons and a bonus DVD with lesson files. The book covers the basics of learning Adobe After Effects, and countless tips and techniques to help you quickly become an After Effects artist. You'll get thorough training in digital video effects and production as well as learn about After Effects 7.0's new features, including motion tracking, powerful animation and keyframing controls, HDR color support, network rendering, and more. You can follow the book from start to finish or choose only those lessons that interest you.
Customer Reviews:
good intro, one flaw.......2007-07-11
good, basic intro to a professional tool. while it might not "be for beginners" as some have said, neither is after effects. the one problem i have with the book is that several of the lessons require effects that only come bundled with the Pro edition of AE7. given that the title of the book does not mention Pro, the authors should probably have taken more care to avoid using features limited to the Pro edition.
Average Tutorial from Adobe.......2007-04-05
Actually this is about what I expected from Adobe. It's a basic instruction book for After Effects 7 that shows a beginner some of the mechanics of the program. The lessons pull the reader through the steps needed to produce the required results without much explanation.
As another reviewer noted, the examples aren't that good. Watching the sample movies before doing the lessons, you find yourself saying "And why would I want to produce something like that?" Or maybe "It takes over an hour just for that 10 second cheezy cartoon?"
After Effects is an extremely powerful program that's used by many professionals in countless video applications. Watch any TV program and you'll surely see the results of what After Effects can do. Much additional instruction beyond this official training book from Adobe, that you have to pay extra for, is obviously required to get the most out of After Effects.
I just got 2 more books,"After Effects" by Fahs & Weinman and "Creative After Effects" by Taylor. I'll see how they compare with Adobe's book.
Update: After reading "Creative After Effects" by Angie Taylor, this Adobe Classroom in a Book looks like a Pulitzer prize winner in comparison. Don't even think about wasting your time on Taylor's so-called "book".
A must-have if you own After Effects!!!!.......2007-04-01
I sat for a solid week trying to make sense out of the confusing owner's manual for After Effects, and never got anywhere. After just the first "lesson" in this book, I already knew my way around in AE smoothly, and then with each lesson, I was accelerating rapidly with knowledge. The official AE owner's manual will definitely be tossed into a dark corner for a long time.... this Classroom In A Book should be listed as a manditory requirement for learning how to use AE. It is very easy to understand and takes you through some very cool steps to help you create videos like the pros. Without this book, I would still have no clue as to how to function inside AE.....If you want to learn how to use AE in a flash, then you HAVE to buy this book!!!!! I recommend it 100%!!!!!
Good~.......2007-03-19
Haven't used the CD yet but book arrived in a timely matter and in good shape. Thanks
Life Saver.......2007-03-16
I had a project that I needed to start and finish in a couple of weeks. I had trouble learning it until I received this book. Very helpful. My only issue is with DHL. I paid for 24 hour service and got it in about four work days.
Books:
- When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race
- Wide Open: Inspiration & Techniques for Art Journaling on the Edge (Book & Card Kit)
- 302 Advanced Techniques for Driving a Man Wild in Bed: The New Book by the Bestselling Author of 203 Ways to Drive a Man Wild in Bed
- 500 Animals in Clay: Contemporary Expressions of the Animal Form (A Lark Ceramics Book)
- Adobe After Effects 7 Hands-On Training
- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers,The (Voices That Matter)
- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers,The (Voices That Matter)
- Agile Web Development with Rails, 2nd Edition
- Aim for the Heart
- All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets & Witnesses for Our Time
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge
- The Inspired Aquarium: Ideas and Instruction for Living with Aquariums
- Quiet As It's Kept: Shame, Trauma, and Race in the Novels of Toni Morrison
- Spoiled Rotten America: Outrages of Everyday Life
- Taking Shots: Tall Tales, Bizarre Battles, and the Incredible Truth About the NBA
- Probability, Random Variables, and Random Signal Principles
- The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens
- Where the Bodies Are: Final Visits to the Rich, Famous, & Interesting
- My Experiences in War and Business: One Man's Story of Success in America
- Behind the Tall Walls: From Palace to Prison
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Skin: The Complete Guide to Digitally Lighting, Photographing, and Retouching Faces and Bodies
Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Celebrity and Editorial Photography
The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers
George DeWolfe's Digital Photography Fine Print Workshop
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers,The (Voices That Matter)
![Digital Lighting and Rendering (2nd Edition) ([digital])](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0321316312.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
