Editorial Reviews
Product Description:Create believable CG character models with this unique book and DVD package. The stunning color images show just what you can achieve, and the detailed step-by-step tutorials show exactly how to achieve them.
Every technique and tip is backed up with practical tutorials, using the models, textures and video on the companion DVD to offer a crash course to this vital skill. Jason Patnode takes you from low to high-resolution modeling - helping you span the gap between game and film industry skills. Based on Maya 2008 and ZBrush 3.0.
You'll learn: Pipeline and modeling guidelines . Overview of Maya . Introduction to ZBrush modeling . Concept art . Anatomy . Creating a video game character . Creating a hyper-real character . Creating a photo-real character . UVs and texturing . How to create a demo reel
* Master professional techniques and workflow processes with clear, easy to follow tutorials
* Companion DVD contains video tutorials, plug-ins, models and texture maps as well as high quality art from participating artists
* Interviews with professionals connect the concepts to real world workflow and applications
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
Not worth it for me! , August 20, 2008
By
Kjetil Foss BirtlesThe book arrives and I'm hoping that it will shed some light on the workflow between Maya and Zbrush, with displacement and normals and so forth. I was hoping it would give me some insight to Zbrush and how to use it professionally. Instead.. I really have no words for how bad this book is. It is written for Maya beginners, but it also demands that you know stuff already. It goes in to detail on some things, and then skips other things completely. it is full of pictures, so that the book seems bigger and more pro, but alas, it shines through that this book is is not worth the paper it was printed on. I work with Maya every day professionally. Instead, I would recommend you to do a search for "video tutorial" or something like that on Google or Youtube.
A Real Letdown, August 3, 2008
By
Cross Nguyen (MO, USA)
I bought this book earlier today Borders and I have to say this book is certainly something, but that doesn't necessarily mean its good. For a book titled Modeling with Maya AND ZBrush, this book just barely covers ZBrush. There is a 2 page tutorial on correcting bad topology in ZBrush but thats about it. This book slightly covers the tools and interface of ZBrush but even than its minimal.
On the plus side, this book does a decent job of covering modeling characters with polygons. Matter of fact, I'd say 95% of this book is dedicated to just polygonal modeling.
Side note: Reading through the small section of anatomy, I was unexpectedly hit with several nude pictures. It was totally unexpected and very much unneeded. There was no accompanying text explaining why it was there, it just was. I've spent several months studying anatomy so the pictures didn't bother me, but it felt to me as if the pictures were just thrown in there to add on to the total page count.
Amazing maya and zbrush book, June 16, 2008
By
B. HankenThis is a great book for creating characters in maya and refining them in zbrush. It is written by a pro (the guy was Lead 3D Technical Artist at LucasArts) so he definitely knows what he's talking about. He covers the whole art pipeline process and gives a great overview, but also goes into great detail. It's the best 3D book I own, and I own many!
Doesn't Work for me., June 10, 2008
By
Mateo David Ayala (San Antonio, TX)
I tried atleast 4 different task from this book and none of them worked. I don't think this guy has ever used the applications he is writing about. This book isn't for intermediates or begginners, I think it's for experts who stepped away from 3D for awhile and need a quick reminder course on how to do things. The author didn't draw me into the text, just frustrated me and cut me off with a "see ya sucker". If you like to figure things out on your own or buy books that sit on your bookshelf, this book might be what your looking for. I may not have gone into enough detail about why this book sucks, but the author didn't go into enough accurate detail to make this book not suck.
Excellent Intermediate Book, April 17, 2008
By
xiombarg (Dead Sea)
I found this book to be one of the best intermediate books out there for both Maya and Z-Brush. Be sure to read the recommendations at the beginning of the book. Great stuff with easy to read tips that can be applied immediately. There are lots of things about this book that I like better than the Autodesk books. This gets to the point quicker, instead of spinning you around with overview or "Before you begin.." or "Conventions used in this book.." type of junk. If you've made it through one of the beginning Autodesk books and want to expand out a little, this book works great.
