* Provides creative professionals with ideas for how 3D software, specifically Maya, can help them achieve stunning, original, and affordable illustrations
* Concentrates on the introduction of 3D into photography and illustration, using tutorial projects presented in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step manner
* Examines 3D workflows that incorporate the Adobe suite of products as well as traditional photography
* Introduces readers to water effects, bubbles, shadows, neon, smoke effects, cloud enhancements, swapping props, trees and leaves, digital hair, galaxy scenes, and much more
* The packed DVD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and a plug-in created exclusively for this book, which gives artists Maya’s 3D painting tools directly within Photoshop

• Provides creative professionals with ideas for how 3D software, specifically Maya, can help them achieve stunning, original, and affordable illustrations
• Concentrates on the introduction of 3D into photography and illustration, using tutorial projects presented in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step manner
• Examines 3D workflows that incorporate the Adobe suite of products as well as traditional photography
• Introduces readers to water effects, bubbles, shadows, neon, smoke effects, cloud enhancements, swapping props, trees and leaves, digital hair, galaxy scenes, and much more
• The packed DVD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and a plug-in created exclusively for this book, which gives artists Maya’s 3D painting tools directly within Photoshop

• Provides creative professionals with ideas for how 3D software, specifically Maya, can help them achieve stunning, original, and affordable illustrations
• Concentrates on the introduction of 3D into photography and illustration, using tutorial projects presented in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step manner
• Examines 3D workflows that incorporate the Adobe suite of products as well as traditional photography
• Introduces readers to water effects, bubbles, shadows, neon, smoke effects, cloud enhancements, swapping props, trees and leaves, digital hair, galaxy scenes, and much more
• The packed DVD includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition and a plug-in created exclusively for this book, which gives artists Maya’s 3D painting tools directly within Photoshop

The Digital Studio: 3D for Photographers, Illustrators and Graphic Designers provides creative professionals with ideas for how incorporating 3D, specifically Maya, into their toolkit can help them to achieve stunning, original and affordable illustrations. With a concentration on the introduction of 3D into photography and illustration, this book will provide tutorial projects presented in an easy-to-follow step-by-step manner. The book will examine workflows that incorporate the Adobe suite of products as well as traditional photography and 3D solutions.

The packed DVD will include the Maya Personal Learning Edition, which is a free version of Maya for non-commercial use, a necessary component for those just starting out. It will also include a plug-in created exclusively for this book -- a Maya PaintEffects plug-in for Photoshop, which will give artists 3D painting tools directly within Photoshop and enable them to apply oil, watercolor, chalk and other effects directly onto textures and polygon meshes.

The DVD will also provide instructor-led tutorial movies, as well as scene files, including some pre-built shaders and tools specific to the workflows explored.

Table of Contents: 

1. The State of Graphic Design
2. 3D Introduced
3. Tutorials
   1. Digital Backdrop
   2. Digital props
   3. Shadow Play
   4. Bubbles
   5. Virtual Office
   6. Water effects
   7. Neon sign
   8. Swapping props
   9. Digital environment
   10. Smoke effects
   11. Cloud enhancements
   12. Compositing CG and real images in Photoshop
   13. Digital Mosaic
   14. Digital Hair
   15. Cartooning it up!
   16. Architectural environments in Maya
   17. Trees and leaves
   18. Galaxy scene

Very informitive, practical book

I would say the book is oriented towards the graphic artist who have already been

experimenting and are familiar with Maya 3D, and incorporating imagery produced in that program into their overall design projects. What’s not apparently clear is what level of accomplishment the enthusiast or professional should be in regards to their respective skillsets to effectively utilize the techniques described in the book effectively. If you’re on the more steeper end of the learning curve, you’ll need your previous editions of beginner Maya books as a side reference. There are some neat techniques in the book, however, that can help to add the 3D CG look and feel to whatever you already produce through your photography, Photoshop & Illustrator graphic work. In this respect, this book is great.

Very informitive, practical book

I would say the book is oriented towards the graphic artist who have already been
experimenting and are familiar with Maya 3D, and incorporating imagery produced in that program into their overall design projects. What’s not apparently clear is what level of accomplishment the enthusiast or professional should be in regards to their respective skillsets to effectively utilize the techniques described in the book effectively. If you’re on the more steeper end of the learning curve, you’ll need your previous editions of beginner Maya books as a side reference. There are some neat techniques in the book, however, that can help to add the 3D CG look and feel to whatever you already produce through your photography, Photoshop & Illustrator graphic work. In this respect, this book is great.