The Visual Key to Maya

One look and you?ll see that this Maya book is different from all the others. It presents the core Maya features visually, using pages packed with striking graphics and loaded with concise explanations of the Maya interface. This expanded edition includes more tutorials; updated material on modeling, animation, rendering and dynamics; and new coverage of Toon Shaders, along with other exciting Maya tools. Engaging step?by?step lessons provide hands?on reinforcement as you learn. Start your adventures in Maya with this full?colour, visual guide?the perfect introduction to Maya 8.

• Use Paint Effects to create images from scratch or add painterly qualities to existing images.
• Learn how Maya?s MEL scripts can help with tasks, such as connecting a curve?s CVs to joints to pre?visualize a skeleton.
• The enclosed CD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and all the files you need to complete the tutorials.

This is the visual key to Maya One look and you’ll see that this Maya book is different from all the others. It presents the core Maya features visually, using pages packed with striking graphics and loaded with concise explanations of the Maya interface. This expanded edition includes more tutorials; updated material on modeling, animation, rendering and dynamics; and new coverage of Toon Shaders, along with other exciting Maya tools. Engaging step-by-step lessons provide hands-on reinforcement as you learn. You can start your adventures in Maya with this full-colour, visual guide the perfect introduction to Maya 8. You can use Paint Effects to create images from scratch or add painterly qualities to existing images. You can learn how Maya’s MEL scripts can help with tasks, such as connecting a curve’s CVs to joints to pre-visualize a skeleton. The enclosed CD includes the "Maya Personal Learning Edition" and all the files you need to complete the tutorials.

Your Visual Guide to Maya
One look and you’ll see this Maya book is different from all the others. It presents core Maya features visually, using pages that are packed with beautiful graphics and loaded with detailed explanations on every crucial feature of Maya’s interface. Engaging step-by-step tutorials provide hands-on reinforcement for what you’ve learned. Maya at a Glance is the perfect introduction and reference to the Academy Award winning Maya 3D animation and effects software.

Featured on the CD The CD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and all the files you’ll need to complete the tutorials.

The Visual Key to Maya

One look and you?ll see that this Maya book is different from all the others. It presents the core Maya features visually, using pages packed with striking graphics and loaded with concise explanations of the Maya interface. This expanded edition includes more tutorials; updated material on modeling, animation, rendering and dynamics; and new coverage of Toon Shaders, along with other exciting Maya tools. Engaging step?by?step lessons provide hands?on reinforcement as you learn. Start your adventures in Maya with this full?color, visual guide?the perfect introduction to Maya 8.

Use Paint Effects to create images from scratch or add painterly qualities to existing images.

Learn how Maya?s MEL scripts can help with tasks, such as connecting a curve?s CVs to joints to pre?visualize a skeleton.

The enclosed CD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and all the files you need to complete the tutorials.

George Maestri is an industry veteran and founder of Rubberbug Studios. His clients have included CBS, Fox, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and he has worked on such shows as South Park, Rocko?s Modern Life, and Karen and Kirby.

Mick Larkins is the technical art lead at Hi?Rez Studios in Atlanta and coauthor of Mastering Maya 7.

The Visual Key to Maya

One look and you’ll see that this Maya book is different from all the others. It presents the core Maya features visually, using pages packed with striking graphics and loaded with concise explanations of the Maya interface. This expanded edition includes more tutorials; updated material on modeling, animation, rendering and dynamics; and new coverage of Toon Shaders, along with other exciting Maya tools. Engaging step-by-step lessons provide hands-on reinforcement as you learn. Start your adventures in Maya with this full-colour, visual guide—the perfect introduction to Maya 8.

• Use Paint Effects to create images from scratch or add painterly qualities to existing images.
• Learn how Maya’s MEL scripts can help with tasks, such as connecting a curve’s CVs to joints to pre-visualize a skeleton.
• The enclosed CD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and all the files you need to complete the tutorials.

The Visual Key to Maya

One look and you’ll see that this Maya book is different from all the others. It presents the core Maya features visually, using pages packed with striking graphics and loaded with concise explanations of the Maya interface. This expanded edition includes more tutorials; updated material on modeling, animation, rendering and dynamics; and new coverage of Toon Shaders, along with other exciting Maya tools. Engaging step-by-step lessons provide hands-on reinforcement as you learn. Start your adventures in Maya with this full-colour, visual guide—the perfect introduction to Maya 8.

• Use Paint Effects to create images from scratch or add painterly qualities to existing images.
• Learn how Maya’s MEL scripts can help with tasks, such as connecting a curve’s CVs to joints to pre-visualize a skeleton.
• The enclosed CD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and all the files you need to complete the tutorials.

The Visual Key to Maya

One look and you’ll see that this Maya book is different from all the others. It presents the core Maya features visually, using pages packed with striking graphics and loaded with concise explanations of the Maya interface. This expanded edition includes more tutorials; updated material on modeling, animation, rendering and dynamics; and new coverage of Toon Shaders, along with other exciting Maya tools. Engaging step-by-step lessons provide hands-on reinforcement as you learn. Start your adventures in Maya with this full-colour, visual guide—the perfect introduction to Maya 8.

• Use Paint Effects to create images from scratch or add painterly qualities to existing images.
• Learn how Maya’s MEL scripts can help with tasks, such as connecting a curve’s CVs to joints to pre-visualize a skeleton.
• The enclosed CD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and all the files you need to complete the tutorials.

Good Book.....CD included is useless.

I’m a little familiar with computer animation(online college - 2yrs.) and
i’ve seen my share of pc animation tools and programs. I chose this one just to get a basic knowledge of this thing they call "Maya" and to my dismay...i was kind of dissapointed.
Now i am in no way knocking the book nor any ’Maya’ program itself and here is a short list of why i was dissapointed in this particular product.

1. CD that comes with the book would not fully install.
- when asked to ’register’ your product i was taken to the ’Autodesk’
website (Ok..no problem , that’s a typical software protection procedure)
but the thing is when you finally do go to register , you are asked to type in the ’Installation Key’(which by the way does not come with the book)- Hmm...I’m thinking "Hey isn’t the reason why I’m here in the first place is because the installation needs a "Key" to unlock the installer" ??? How can i give you the key code to register it when that’s
precisely what I’m here for??? Then i thought..Ok, maybe i did something wrong between actually inserting the CD and pressing the "Software" icon in the CD menu..hey it’s possible right? But that was not the case here.

2.Maya 7 PLE (personal learning edition) is the program included w / the book , yet the website directs you to a ’Maya 8.0 or 8.1’ PLE edition.
Again....no problem. Maybe it’s an updated version being that the CD that came w / the book is dated 2006 , so i downloaded it.
Fine...i can deal with that , but how about those who are are entirely new
to this and cannot see through all the vagueness of the procedure ???

3. No help at all from the site itself about installing the version that’s
on the CD. Very vague help files that re-direct you to faqs pages on (Q&A)
that will leave a new commer just as confused as (he or she) was when they were asked to register to get the install key.

In short...If you have never worked with Maya at all, then this book/cd combo is *NOT* for you. It’s not for beginner’s no matter what you read in *ANY* of the Amazon review’s because( Ten to One) most of these reviewer’s are familiar with ’Maya’ in some shape or form..they’re just not familiar with version #8. I don’t dislike this package but then again
i am familiar with animation on the pc...but how about those who aren’t ??
Search carefully for other programs if you are an *Absolute* beginner , Amazon has quite a few of them , but before you buy , do some research on the web about the one you want to buy.

5 STARS for the book , i am enjoying it , but the final score is (3 Stars)
due to the lack of help and confusion you’ll get when you install "Maya 7 PLE" and get the runaround on thier site.
B.T.W - Don’t waste your time calling or emailing this company for support on this product...because "It ain’t gonna happen"
Once again..This is not recommended for the absolute beginner , but there
is another ’Maya’ program that i have just glanced at on this site with the words "Maya - for beginner’s" or something close to that in the title , so maybe I will check that one out as well.
-Remember..there’s a reason why the (NO#8) follows the programs title.
-angelknight8

Maya Means- Not Real; Maya At A Glance- Unreal

I’ve Been drawing since the age of 5 (my mommy says so) and started painting at 13. Making the transition to Digital Artist was very hard for me. One subject is digital sculpturing! If your a beginning Artist or an Old Timer like me, Listen Up! Get This Book!!!
I Got It and started reading, studying & doing every single day almost none-stop, I couldn’t put the book down, I fell asleep at my desk twice reading & doing, And, Get This; I learned Maya in 1 Month!!!
This book is Awsome for beginners or Old Timers like me!
It’s made the transition from traditional to digital so much more easier for me!
Simple yet powerful!
Like the bullets for a gun, This book is made for Maya!
I Love This Book!
Isabelino Gonzalez

Great book for Newie!

I am an 3D Max user for 3 years. Now I’m straving to learn about Maya. At first, I wasn’t sure I want to spend all of my time with big thick book like "Learning Autodesk Maya 8|Foundation" since I know nothing about Maya. When I first open the Maya PDE 8 and take a look thru the interface of it. It looks so complicated so I decided to stick with 3D Max for a while. Now finally I found at a store a book called Maya 8 at a Glance. After I took a look pages by pages, I knew its a great start for me. The book is thin and full of photos with simple descriptions. Great to start with! Instead of reading so much from a thick book. It’d easily turn me off.. Run out of patience. Anyway, now I’ve finished that book and am totally ready to buy Learning Autodesk Maya 8 Foundation" or "Mastering Maya" since I feel more comfortable with what I’ve learn so far with Maya thanks to that great book. So I recommend that book any newies to start off with! It’s better off starting with basic thin book than thick book! You’ll understand mostly what the author is talking about after reading Maya 8 at a Glance.

Good but not good enough

I personally thought that this book was a bit advanced. It didn,t have a detailed enough walk through. It would have a final image split into the stages to have the reader personally create it but would not give a good enough description on how to actually create the same look as in the book. The book also expected the reader to instantly know what complicated terms were after reading through the first section of the book which meant alot of flicking back and forth. However the book does give a good example of the images that can be created but personally i would not have picked this book.

Ridiculous CD

I initially really enjoyed the fast pace of this book, but was pretty dismayed to find out that the CD for this Maya 8 book only has Maya 7 on it. How could this have happened? Its nonsense.

Good for begginers

This book covers most of the basics in MaYa 8. It is ok to get you a feel of how the program works. The CD has examples of the info covered.

Very good book.

This book helped me a lot, this book gives you a quick general overview of all the major functions of Maya, without going into too much detail. It’s not too long and is full of lots of colourful pictures, which makes it easy to read compared to other Maya books which can be huge and daunting in their detail.
I recommend this book to people who have never done any 3d animation who are interested in trying it, as the name suggests it is essentially a beginners book; don’t expect to be able to produce a short movie at the end of it. This book merely skims the surface of a giant program, but it’ll give you an idea of how to go about creating an animation.
It’s good to just start out with this book to give you an idea of what Maya involves, and after finishing you can start with one of the larger Maya books that are out there to explore it deeper and be able to produce your own short animations or models depending on what you want to use Maya for.

A good complement to a technical manual

Definitely a book for the beginner or improver, it should be used in conjunction with a more detailed manual. It provides a very quick visual route map to the key aspects of Maya. If the reader wants more depth then they can turn to the manual. But this books helps the reader to know what questions to ask and key words to look for in the detailed reference work. Certainly better than such books as ’An Introduction to Maya 3D for Beginners’ which is much less user friendly.
Maestri also provides clear visual step by step guides to modelling a character, mapping with multiple textures, lighting a scene and rigging a character with a skeleton, for example.

Great book for any Animator

I bought this book not knowing what to expect. What I found was a book full of valuable resources and tips to help out any aspiring or current animator. The book was simple to understand coupled with the tutorials at the end of each chapter makes this an essential for anyone interested in computer animation.

Great for newbies

don’t know anything about 3D? don’t know anything about Maya? like pictures? this book is great! it has hundreds upon hundreds of color illustrations and explains in lamen terms what you are doing. there is more than one picture, and in most cases four or five, for everything explained and for every variation that he talks about.

if you know anything about 3D or Maya then this book may not be for you, but i have spent a lot of money buying books on Maya and 3D modeling and animation and this is the first one that i can actually follow. he explains everything very well and then moves on, but the book is laid out in such a way that if you need to look something up you don’t have to read the entire chapter again to understand it! if my dog could read then he could learn how to use Maya with this book. definitely for beginners though... if you want to make the next "Gollum" this book doesn’t do that, but if you want to start somewhere this is definitely the place.