At last, a software book that?s as much about the art of 3D modeling and animation as it is about the specific features of the software! Exploring 3D Modeling with Maya® offers a rock-solid introduction to the workings of Alias/Wavefront?s industry-standard 3D modeling and animation software. But throughout the book the authors?award-winning animators and experienced educators?keep the emphasis on how designers can use Maya to meet client needs with stunning animation while exploring their own artistic impulses. Coverage includes basic modeling techniques, working with colors and textures, lighting, cinematography, and rendering.

BUY THIS BOOK!!!!

Amazing book!!! Best 3d Instructional book I have ever bought for ANY 3d program. I would even venture to say that it’s the best graphic Design book if it weren’t for the WOW! series of books and "Real world Illustrator."

KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS BOOK ONLY FOCUSES ON MODELING! But it does a great job explaining the complex in a simple way.

Bottom Line: GET THIS BOOK!!!!

fun modeling book

I had both of the authors books for an online class.

This book was a lot of fun, even though Maya itself is a bit much to take on with 4 other classes. The tutorials allow you to be creative, but still follow directions.

I really liked the information from Loomis - and got introduced to a whole new topic. I found several of his books on line, and they have helped me with composition. The authors introduce you to a couple cool new resources like that.

I wrote the authors for some advise, and they actually wrote me back :)

fun modeling book

I had both of the authors books for an online class.



This book was a lot of fun, even though Maya itself is a bit much to take on with 4 other classes. The tutorials allow you to be creative, but still follow directions.



I really liked the information from Loomis - and got introduced to a whole new topic. I found several of his books on line, and they have helped me with composition. The authors introduce you to a couple cool new resources like that.



I wrote the authors for some advise, and they actually wrote me back :)

Excellent resource for teachers

I teach in a tech program at a community college. Recently, due to the loss of an adjunct, I had to take over the 3D course. I have experience with 3D Studio Max, but very little with Maya. This book has been wonderful. It is structured in a way that is very simple to build a class around. The skills are sequential, but get students creating interesting objects very quickly, so that they remain engaged. The teaching tools, available separately, include a course schedule, and Powerpoint slides to introduce the basic skills of each chapter. This has allowed me to walk in and teach a program that would have been very difficult otherwise.

Tutorials are great, but the book itself fell apart.

The tutorials are really good, complex and thorough and the book does its’ job of teaching you a lot about the tools in the program and how to make them do what you want them to. However, I had the book for a few days and pages began falling out of it. Not one or two but a lot. I never had a book do this before. The second complaint is that there seems to be a step left out of the tutorials here and there. I went crazy trying to figure out the brief introductory part about projecting a curve onto a surface to ’cut out’ a shape; turns out it was because the instructions were incomplete.

The tutorials themselves are otherwise great and I still recommend this book despite these annoying flaws.

had this text for class

took a CC class on Maya and used this book. i got a lot out of it. usually i work with 3d max. now i feel confident in maya. really good chapter on shading networks.

makes me think

This book made me think. It is not a rote reiteration of buttons. There is a how and a why to the writing.

I was able to get my drawings into model form after reading this book, something I had trouble doing with the books that center on spaceships and robots. It was fun, too.

I highly recommend this book.

One of the best!

This book offers a unique introduction to Maya. It concentrates on Modeling, presenting the myriad of tools in a simple way for the beginning 3D Artist.

I use this book to teach, and the students are very successful with it. I then add the ’bible’ Maya texts to the library for additional reference, if required. We really don’t need those in the curriculum, as they end to offer too broad a topic. We also reference this text in the advanced art classes because the tutorials are so good.

The best feature of this book is how the tool used to create art, and the student examples supporting the method. I love how they brought in famous artists and arranged student productions them.

Very good book.

very good for artists

This book is very good for artists. I did not have to model a space ship, a chess piece, or any other boring model. You can be very creative with the examples. I am especially grateful for the chapter on polygonal modeling. It is clear and inventive.

The authors even answered my questions when I wrote to them. They were very nice and gave me some good links.

I am very happy with my purchase.

Actually pretty good

I gave this to my brother, because I considered myself advanced. I borrowed it for the explanation of shader networks. Now I am reading a few more chapters. The animation chapter actually has some good stuff in it, Want some more video tutorials though.