Maxon’s Cinema 4D is an animation and rendering application. With the release of version 8, C4D is faster, and contains new features. "The Cinema 4D R8 Handbook" has been updated to cover the advancements and adjusted workflow of this release. The intensive tutorials have been revised to provide practical steps for implementing the numerous tools of C4D, plus tips and techniques from expert users are provided for insightful solutions to a variety of graphics issues and techniques. The book includes five new chapters covering the Mocca (character animation) and Xpresso (graphical expression building) modules, plus thinking particles, facial animation and more.

Handbook presents core concepts and all the major tools for using Cinema 4D. Updated to include the new features of C4D and 8.1. Previous edition: c2001. Softcover. DLC: Computer graphics.

Adam Watkins (San Antonio, TX) is the director of Computer Arts at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. He has a BFA in theater set and lighting design, and an MFA in graphic design. His previous books include The Maya 4.5 Handbook, Final Cut Pro 3 and DVD Studio Pro Handbook, and 3D Animation: From Models to Movies.

Cinema 4D is known worldwide as one of the most powerful and diverse animation and rendering applications available. Cinema4D R8/8.1 is a major upgrade, with a multitude of new functions and modifications that can be dizzying to get through. With The Cinema 4D R8 Handbook, however, you’ll get up to speed quickly. The book has been completely updated to cover the major new functions and provide hands-on methods for analyzing the many new tools. Using a project-based approach, you’ll be creating impressive projects as you learn. Beginning with the general tools and tool layout, you’ll learn how to customize the tools to create a work environment conducive to your workflow, including where to start, how to start, and when to finish. Then the real fun begins with the modeling tools. Modeling is covered, from primitive methods and NURBS, to object creation, polygon creation, and NURBS editing. Next you’ll put C4D’s powerful texture capabilities to work and discover how they function, when they should be used, and what types of effects can be created with simple textures. From there, the all-important issues of cinematography and how to control the camera within C4D are explored. In the same chapter, you’ll learn about the often ignored area of lighting and lighting theory, by using lessons from the areas of photography and theatre. Moving along, you’ll explore the complex and powerful animation tools, including timeline, F-curves, tangents, and Beziers. You’ll find out how to use new timeline tools as well as when, where, and why to use them. Young or old, novice or experienced, amateur or professional; The Cinema 4D R8 Handbook will provide you with the tools, techniques, and tricks to increase your productivity, workflow, and the quality of your work with C4D.

Other ratings unfair

While no book is perfect, I feel the other reviewers were overly harsh. If anyone is expecting to be spoon fed the required information on any 3D program they should consider a new occupation.

3D modelling and animation is, by its very nature, all about problem solving as no two projects are alike. However, for those willing to invest some time and effort to STUDY the book’s concepts and content then a reward can be found. The previous reviewers were correct in that often a complete set of instructions were left out. However, I feel this was Adam’s teaching strategy, and by applying the basic skills with my own problem solving abilities I was able to produce not only the tutorial projects, but also my own uniquely concieved ideas and models.

Again, if you don’t like thinking for yourself and expect a ’how do I have a succesful career?’ book, then perhaps this one isn’t for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy applying what you learn you’ll get as much out of this book as I have.

Other ratings unfair

While no book is perfect, I feel the other reviewers were overly harsh. If anyone is expecting to be spoon fed the required information on any 3D program they should consider a new occupation.

3D modelling and animation is, by its very nature, all about problem solving as no two projects are alike. However, for those willing to invest some time and effort to STUDY the book’s concepts and content then a reward can be found. The previous reviewers were correct in that often a complete set of instructions were left out. However, I feel this was Adam’s teaching strategy, and by applying the basic skills with my own problem solving abilities I was able to produce not only the tutorial projects, but also my own uniquely concieved ideas and models.

Again, if you don’t like thinking for yourself and expect a ’how do I have a succesful career?’ book, then perhaps this one isn’t for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy applying what you learn you’ll get as much out of this book as I have.

Stay Away!

One would be better off using on-line tutorials..... I hold this volume in the most minimal of high regard...

Stay Away!

One would be better off using on-line tutorials..... I hold this volume in the most minimal of high regard...

Avoid

Having used Cinema 4D for 3 years on and off, read and reread the (excellent) manuals and a number of tutorials on the web, I was looking forward to a handbook of tips and tricks from the Cinema 4D gurus. I was sorely disappointed. This book is largely a rehash of the manuals and some of the online tutorials, is badly written, poorly organised and illustrated, and in places even inaccurate. Avoid.

Avoid

Having used Cinema 4D for 3 years on and off, read and reread the (excellent) manuals and a number of tutorials on the web, I was looking forward to a handbook of tips and tricks from the Cinema 4D gurus. I was sorely disappointed. This book is largely a rehash of the manuals and some of the online tutorials, is badly written, poorly organised and illustrated, and in places even inaccurate. Avoid.

You’re better off making origami cranes from the pages.

I took a beginners Cinema 4d class and unfortunately this book was required. Thank God I didn’t pay full price! First of all, reading comprehension is downright atrocious. When you’re finished wading through this muck of a book, you’ll find you know a lot about WHAT things do, but very little about HOW TO use them. If you haven’t bought this yet, turn away quickly and save yourself! You’ll learn more on your own by playing with the software, online tutorials or a completely different book (and author?). If you’re already stuck with it like me, make about 500 or so origami cranes and you’re halfway to being lucky enough to winning your money back in the lottery!

You’re better off making origami cranes from the pages.

I took a beginners Cinema 4d class and unfortunately this book was required. Thank God I didn’t pay full price! First of all, reading comprehension is downright atrocious. When you’re finished wading through this muck of a book, you’ll find you know a lot about WHAT things do, but very little about HOW TO use them. If you haven’t bought this yet, turn away quickly and save yourself! You’ll learn more on your own by playing with the software, online tutorials or a completely different book (and author?). If you’re already stuck with it like me, make about 500 or so origami cranes and you’re halfway to being lucky enough to winning your money back in the lottery!

3d is complex enough as it is...

I am currently taking a 3d class for cinema 4d, with a focus on character animation. This book has some tutorials on using bones and weighting along with some IK and expressions to set up the rig for animaiton. The "step by step" instructions that are given leave out important details, are incomplete, and disorganised. Too bad this is the only other reference besides the manual on cinema 4d. Too muddy for a beginner, because if you follow the directions he gives in the book, you end up with more problems than before. Don’t trust all of the images either, because they are sometimes not the one the caption is refering to!

3d is complex enough as it is...

I am currently taking a 3d class for cinema 4d, with a focus on character animation. This book has some tutorials on using bones and weighting along with some IK and expressions to set up the rig for animaiton. The "step by step" instructions that are given leave out important details, are incomplete, and disorganised. Too bad this is the only other reference besides the manual on cinema 4d. Too muddy for a beginner, because if you follow the directions he gives in the book, you end up with more problems than before. Don’t trust all of the images either, because they are sometimes not the one the caption is refering to!

Could do Better

Needlessly explained in parts. Under explained when it matters. Too much "you can read about this in the manual", the reason I bought this book is so that I don’t have to refer to the manual. This book would have been half the size if it had been written correctly. If your stuck then this book won’t kill you, but if you can get something else..........

The best C4D book to date

This book has something for everyone. The first few chapters are great for getting you up to speed with all the tools and core concepts of modelling, texturing, lighting and animation. However, the jewel in the crown is the Character Animation tutorial (written by Naam). There is precious little info available elsewhere (WWW, mags, etc.) on this topic and I found the C4D Mocca manual indecipherable. In 2 chapters, Naam gives you a run-down of the core tools and concepts, then a detailed character setup (i.e. rigging) tutorial. As an intermediate user I found the rigging heavy going. However, it has given me new insights into all aspects of C4D including expressions. Dissecting the tutorial files has also taught me a lot of invaluable tricks.

I’ve only given the book 4/5 stars because it’s not perfect. Firstly there are a few typos and inconsistencies (like a couple of the rigging diagrams that don’t match the text). This can make a complex topic difficult to understand. Also, the black and white diagrams are sometimes blurry and some of the topics, especially lighting and rendering, would have benefited from good quality colour images. There are colour images on the accompanying CD-ROM but I always find this a hassle.

Overall this book is the best yet written for C4D. It touches on all the core topics, as well as a couple of specialised ones. It discusses the relative merits of different options in a way that’s more relevant an accessible than the C4D manuals. Well worth the price just for the character animation chapters.

Great for beginners/intermediates!

I needed a book to teach me quickly all the in’s and out’s of Cinema 4D, as I needed it for a project in university. It has clearly laid out text, which simple and easy to read. The pictures are in black and white, some are hard to see most of them are good. It goes through the Mocca, XPresso, Advanced Render and Character animation as well. But doesn’t cover any of the other modules, i.e. pyrocluster, thinking particles, dynamics. Great value for money I say! Good to use as a reference book as well for experts.

confusing

As a beginner in C4D I found this expensive book difficult to follow w/ poorly printed images (screen shots). I get better results from few online tutorials. I wonder if experienced C4D users will be able to learn anything new from this confusing book.

Simple to follow but detailed tutorials.

This is a friendly book - written in a gentle, face-to-face like manner. The tutorials introduce new techniques in an evenly paced way, providing pleasing results with minimum head-scratching. But don’t think that this means the book is just for beginners. There is depth here too. Each aspect of modelling, texturing, lighting, rendering and animation is covered in detail with plenty of clear examples.

The included disk contains files from the book so that you can see how they look ’for real’. Note though that these do not work on Cinema 4D 6 CE (currently being given free on a number of magazines) - the book is relevent for issue 6 owners though as the modelling has not really changed much.

I am pleased with this book and have it permanently by my side - at the PC as a tutorial book and everywhere else as a reference book.

Simple to follow but detailed tutorials.

This is a friendly book - written in a gentle, face-to-face like manner. The tutorials introduce new techniques in an evenly paced way, providing pleasing results with minimum head-scratching. But don’t think that this means the book is just for beginners. There is depth here too. Each aspect of modelling, texturing, lighting, rendering and animation is covered in detail with plenty of clear examples.

The included disk contains files from the book so that you can see how they look ’for real’. Note though that these do not work on Cinema 4D 6 CE (currently being given free on a number of magazines) - the book is relevent for issue 6 owners though as the modelling has not really changed much.

I am pleased with this book and have it permanently by my side - at the PC as a tutorial book and everywhere else as a reference book.