Looking for 3D Animation Book recommendations:

[tracyjeannine]

Hello all,
I'm fairly new to AWN and to animation. I am currently a software/systems engineer with 20 years experience in IT, but have recently become intrigued by 3D animation and am signed up for my first course in 3D Animation Production. In this course, I'll be using Maya, AfterEffects and Adobe CS.

I'm looking for recommendations on books or other training resources that will help me learn this art. Does anyone out there have any recommendations regarding which are the best intro books vs. the best books to have on hand as reference for experts?

thanks in advance,
Tracy

[Adam Duff]

Here are some fantastic titles....I'm the right person to ask, because that's exactly what I've been learning over the last 6 months, and I've researched everything, and have bought ever book that covered the topic well..


To start, I highly recommend..."introducing Maya 6 - 3D for beginners" by Dariush Derakhshani....excellently written, perfectly explained, it'd a GREAT start, and'll give you all of the great fundamentals, covering every element.

The next is "Maya Character Creation" by Chris Maraffi...written in a more-full chapter, not sectioned off as much as the other one, but still very clear, and teaches everything clearly and thoroughly.

Other fantastic books to own, once you've gotten yourself well on your way, and have covered many of the important technical fundamentals, then hitting books like "Stop Staring-Facial Modelling and Animation done right" is an incredible book for really attacking the human face and animation well. After reading the other books that cover topics like "NURBS and Polygon modelling" this one is a good book for finding very efficient and useful approaches combining both methods. Again, very well written, and easy to follow.

A great reference book for general things that everyone should know regarding 3D animation, and not only Maya animation is..."The Art of 3D Animation and Effects" by Isaac V. Kerlow. Just a fantastic book that'll open your eyes to many great things.

Great learning internet sites are www.3dbuzz.com (http://www.3dbuzz.com) and www.gnomononline.com (http://www.gnomononline.com)

Both of which I'm members of. The gnomon online site is a paid membership, with loads of quicktime tutorials that take you step-by-step through many different tutorials covering every element of Maya animation. They're extremely well explained and hosted by top professionals in the field. Something that I recommend only after you've taken yourself to at least the Beginner-Intermediate level though, otherwise, you can get lost. You need to know your way around the maya interface comfortably first.

I had bought, returned, rebought, researched, read reviews on all of the books that I'm recommending, and they all passed the test. I look not only for important information, but someone who takes that time to explain things thoroughly and clearly, so you don't get lost. Their very informative and very easy to follow. It's books like these that encourage you to actually enjoy learning, and not discourage you.
And I own every book and use every book that I've recommended as well.

So go shopping!

Adam