Cinema 4D 9.5: Real-World 3D Animation Production teaches how to produce commercial-quality 3D animation using Maxon's, powerful and affordable, Cinema 4D. Written for 3D animation professionals, hobbyists, and students, this practical, hands-on book uses real-world projects to teach the entire production process. Beginning with a review of how to model photorealistic objects, the book progresses through creating custom materials, cloth simulation, and character animation, to video game and simulation techniques. The book takes a software-integrated approach to 3D animation production with a focus on Cinema 4D and how to use it in concert with several other applications. This Cinema 4D-centric approach shows how real-world 3D animation production challenges can be met, not only with a great tool, but with a great tool box. Throughout the book, you'll learn a highly efficient workflow for creating 3D character animation with C4D. You'll learn various ways of producing motion graphics by integrating Adobe® Photoshop, and After Effects®, with C4D. You’ll explore projects that use BodyPaint to extend your ability to create fantasy and control the realism of how image maps relate to their objects. And you'll use Right Hemisphere Deep Creator 2 and Code Gardener's XPort 1.3 to explore methods for animating video games and simulations. Some experience with 3D animation is assumed, but all levels of users will be challenged to expand their skills.
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
It depends on your definition of "real world", March 20, 2007
By
Bob - that guy from No Where (The Middle of No Where)
Don't get this hoping to learn high quality character animation, but if you want to learn quick animation where time & budget is first concern then this good book. Contrary to what some have said its not all about 3rd party apps. He does cover modeling, Expresso scripting & dynamics - I believe Expresso comes with the basic CD4 and dynamics comes with the complete CD4. Even though the book is far from complete he does cover subjects no one else has the nerve to touch.
interesting anecdotes, November 3, 2006
By
Philo Calhoun (Santa Fe, NM USA)
The book really should be called "how to cheat with animating C4d by buying lots of expensive addons". The tutorials are interesting, but what is missing is basic animating in C4D with the tools already available. For example, there is no section on animating facial expressions. That is so much used in games and movies that it's omission is curious. Many of the human animations are done with using the BodyStudio plugin to import animations done in Poser. Poser's animation tools are moderately good for things like walking, but lack the sophistication of tools available in C4D. If you like premade animations, his technique is good. There is no mention of the InterPoser plugin which is a stronger way of importing Poser objects in C4D.
Also missing is any section of web based animation: rotating 3D objects in response to user input. But there is a section on modeling with IModeller 3D that really doesn't have anything to do with animation.
This book would be useful to someone who already knows how to animate in C4D but wishes to understand various addins that are useful in importing Poser animations, making games, adding keyed video (like the section on Ultra), etc. So it really a book on how to cheat in C4D and save time by buying other programs.
Excellent learning source, May 27, 2006
By
Ms. Lori Renert (Wales, UK)
This was book was extremely helpful and easy to follow. It was used in class to help my students and they found the animation and dynamics information invaluable. I'm always impressed when someone can successfully communicate difficult technical information.
unleash the legend of creative animation, April 25, 2006
By
CaramelKisses (London, UK)
After working with Maya for about 3yrs now I would say this book has opened up another way for me to look at animation. It should be about the creative side to get fantastic results not about computer programming (MEL). C4D helps you get great results in no time and my man Larry has demonstrated that very nicely. Maya is so completed and confusing that you really have to be way experience to get a good enough results. I would highly recommend this book to any beginner who is wants to Learn 3D animation (so those people like me out there get, grab this book and make your first big step into the animation world). Larry Mitchell awesome book, no doubt about it, experience users of Cinema 4D you just have to wait for next book perhaps!!
Cinema 4D 9.5 Excellent! well written, easy to follow., April 25, 2006
By
RoDanFxThis book has provided me with a hands on guid that I have search for many years. I am new to animation, and I think Mr. Mitchell did a fantastic job of explaining and making his real world application easy to follow. This book has taught me more about professional animation than any other books in my library. To me the CD is an added bonus. I would highly recommend this book to any beginner who is trying Learn 3D animation production. The only negative thing I have to say is, why it took you so long to publish a book that gave someone like me the confidence in learning 3D animation. I was able to create my first animated characters by using this book, by adding this book to your library, you will be gaining a wealth of knowledge. By the way, when is your next book coming out? Simply, this book is GREAT.
