- Paperback: 340 pages
- Publisher: Peachpit Press; 1 edition (26 Dec 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0201771381
- ISBN-13: 978-0201771381
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 17.5 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
3,186,664 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #43 in Books > Computers & Internet > Digital Video > Post Production > Special Effects
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
If thickness were a guide to quality, books on 3D graphics would be among the best in the world, bettered only by medical texts, dictionaries and encyclopaedias. If you're starting out in 3D CG, this can be more than a little intimidating. Maya 4 for Windows 3.5 for Macintosh Visual Quickstart Guide is reassuringly slim.
One of Maya's strengths is that beginners can quickly get the hang of its interface and the book builds on this accessibility by quickly but thoroughly covering the basics in two introductory chapters. Subsequently, each aspect of 3D modelling and animation using Maya's tools is explored in the clear, succinct style that has become the Visual Quickstart trademark.
Each topic gets a concise introduction followed by a selection of step-by-step demos. Chapter 5 "Transforming Objects and Components" is a typical example, and kicks off with 'Moving, Rotating and Scaling Objects, followed by "To translate and object or component using the move tool", "To Scale and object or component" and "To rotate an object or component".
The design--text in the outside columns and screengrabs on the inside--is easy to follow, and parcelled up in portions that could be managed in a 10-minute coffee break. Alternatively you could complete an entire chapter in a couple of hours.
Maya 4 for Windows 3.5 for Macintosh Visual Quickstart Guide would be an ideal companion to Maya's Personal Learning Edition for anyone looking for an inexpensive introduction to 3D modelling and animation and a useful primer. --Ken McMahon
Product Description
Maya is the high-end tool responsible for bringing to life many of the 3Dhumans, animals, plants, cars, and machines you see in film, videos, andgames. This all-in-one modeling and rendering package is a favorite amonganimators, thanks to its extensive tool set, speed, and easy extensibility.Maya: Visual QuickStart Guide walks you through the program'selementary theory, interface, and features--there's no quicker, easier wayto get up and running with Maya.
Maya: Visual QuickStart Guide's task-based format makes it both aneasy-to-follow introduction for beginners and an indispensablequick-reference guide for more seasoned users, who can use the page tabs toskip straight to specific topics. No wordy explanations here; each task isbroken down into simple, concise steps, accompanied by numerous screenshotsto keep you on track as you work. With Maya: Visual QuickStartGuide, you'll be producing professional-looking 3D models, texturedobjects, and animations in no time.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book can't be beat price wise. And the page count is not as scary as most books on this topic (1000+). I guess as such is a good reference for a beginner in Maya. Above that level, I wonder if the more experienced reader will not quickly find it not comprehensive enough. It also depend on your learning style. I prefer to learn via tutorials that take me through the paces. This is one has very little of that, but is mostly like, this button does this and that menu is for that, and then you figure out yourself how to use it all in a project. But I suppose that will do if you are experienced in another 3D application, and you want to switch to Maya. Complete beginners are better advised to look for books like New Riders' Maya 4 Fundamentals (to be honest I don't own that book, but their 3DS Max 4 Fundamentals), that will make a point of explaining everything in this new 3D world.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
9 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Inexpensive book for experienced 3D people new to Maya...
22 April 2002
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book can't be beat price wise. And the page count is not as scary as most books on this topic (1000+). I guess as such is a good reference for a beginner in Maya. Above that level, I wonder if the more experienced reader will not quickly find it not comprehensive enough. It also depend on your learning style. I prefer to learn via tutorials that take me through the paces. This is one has very little of that, but is mostly like, this button does this and that menu is for that, and then you figure out yourself how to use it all in a project. But I suppose that will do if you are experienced in another 3D application, and you want to switch to Maya. Complete beginners are better advised to look for books like New Riders' Maya 4 Fundamentals (to be honest I don't own that book, but their 3DS Max 4 Fundamentals), that will make a point of explaining everything in this new 3D world.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Good start for Maya
29 Aug 2002
Format:Paperback
This book is easy to read and follow, and will give you a good basic knowledge of Maya.
There are pictures on every page, illustrating what the steps are telling you to do. The steps are short, and not mystic. A good training book will tell you how to do something, and if it requires knowing how to do something else first, it will teach you how to do that and then continue. This book does that. It doesn't get you lost looking for a command you have never heard of before.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Definitely a worthy buy!
5 Feb 2002
Format:Paperback
Price-wise you can't beat it! Unlike the other books which are several inches thick, this book provides a straightforward approach to getting started with Maya 4. The book is a little more than an inch thick, and certainly worth every penny. A lot of the instructions and illustrations were easy to follow and straight to the point. If your broke from buying Maya or are exploring the possibilities with Maya: Personal Learning Edition, then this book is certainly worth getting. No fillers, just down-to-earth instructions.
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