3D Animation Essentials - (Essentials (John Wiley)) by Andy Beane (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The essential fundamentals of 3D animation for aspiring 3D artists

3D is everywhere--video games, movie and television special effects, mobile devices, etc. Many aspiring artists and animators have grown up with 3D and computers, and naturally gravitate to this field as their area of interest. Bringing a blend of studio and classroom experience to offer you thorough coverage of the 3D animation industry, this must-have book shows you what it takes to create compelling and realistic 3D imagery.

• Serves as the first step to understanding the language of 3D and computer graphics (CG)
• Covers 3D animation basics: pre-production, modeling, animation, rendering, and post-production
• Dissects core 3D concepts including design, film, video, and games
• Examines what artistic and technical skills are needed to succeed in the industry
• Offers helpful real-world scenarios and informative interviews with key educators and studio and industry professionals

Whether you're considering a career in as a 3D artist or simply wish to expand your understanding of general CG principles, this book will give you a great overview and knowledge of core 3D Animation concepts and the industry.

From the Back Cover

Learn 3D Animation Quickly and Easily

3D Animation Essentials covers the fundamentals of 3D animation and computer graphics (CG) and teaches you what it takes to become a professional. You'll learn how animators create interactive 3D and CG for movies, television, games, tablets, and smartphones, as well as how to design products that can be printed in 3D. Whether you're contemplating a career as a 3D artist or just expanding your skills, this is the perfect primer on what you need to know.

Learn these 3D animation essentials--and more:

• Digital imaging and video terms and concepts

• The production pipeline, start to finish

• Essential equipment--hardware, software, and more

• The basics of stories, scripts, and storyboards

• Creating 3D models, adding texture maps, and lighting

• Rigging, skinning, animating, and rendering

• Future technologies, such as motion performance capture and real-time 3D

• How to get your foot in the door in today's market

This striking Essentials book features:

• Chapter-opening learning objectives

• Step-by-step tutorials

• Four-color screenshots and illustrations

• Essentials and Beyond--summaries and additional suggested exercises

• Downloadable exercise files

About the Author

Andy Beane is an animation artist who has been teaching and working professionally since 2002. He currently oversees the animation major at Ball State University and previously taught animation at the Art Institute of Orange County, California. His production experience includes a children's television show pilot with Xzault Studio, Korn's Coming Undone music video, and Barnyard from Paramount Pictures. He wrote curriculum for the Autodesk Animation Academy 2010 and is also a board member of the MG Collective, an Indiana-based motion graphics and animation community group. He has an MFA in computer animation from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.