Product Description

* Companion website provides new updates and tutorials for version 6!

If you are an artist who's new to Alias's Maya, or are moving over to use this powerful, oscar-winning animation and effects software from another 3D package, you will find this book invaluable. It provides you with all you need to know to get up and running with this difficult software, fast!

Focusing only on the key things you need to know when starting out it doesn't overload you, so speeds up your learning process.

Highly illustrated in color throughout this book benefits from a clear, concise, jargon free style. Written by a LucasArts professional it will provide invaluable knowledge that will help you get that elusive first job in animation!

* Save time - focused, concise coverage of just the key features you need to get started with Maya
* Written for Maya 5 but relevant for all versions - including Maya (Complete) and the free Personal Learning Edition
* Ideal for professionals new to Maya as well as students wanting to get to grips with this Oscar-winning animation and effects software

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1441027 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

About the Author
Jason Patnode teaches modeling and animation at The Academy of Art University, he has worked in both game and film production and was previously Lead 3D Technical Artist at LucasArts, a division of LucasFilm, California, USA.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Guide!
I found this book extremely helpful in learning how to model, texture, animate, and even add effects. The step-by-step instructions make the exercises easy to follow, and the list of common hotkeys proved indispensable -- making it easy to navigate around Maya quickly. Jason Patnode also explains texturing and creating bones very clearly, two things I've found difficult in the past. My skills have vastly improved, and I am confident now I can create all kinds of scenes and objects in Maya.

Not so great -
I'm a beginner, in the first tutorial "modeling binoculars" so many of the steps are not explained - Turn on Snap to Points mode - no instructions on howto. The author lost me after step 15..
And then the rest of the chapter is a loss. I wouldn't get the book if I was just starting out learning Maya..

A Must-Have For All Maya Users and CG Afficianados!
This Focal Easy Guide to Maya 5 is amazing! I have used Maya extensively for nearly 4 years in the motion picture business and this book even showed me things that I didn't know. Jason Patnode's style is easy to read but not patronizing and I think that if I had this book when I first stumbled into the world of professional CG, I'd be light years ahead of where I am now!