Animation: Master Handbook - Softcover

This book serves as a useful guide for all users of Animation: Master 5.0, Hash, Inc.'s 3-D animation program for PowerMac and Windows. The author, Jeff Paries, first teaches you how to approach the task of creating a storyboard, and then runs you through the package's menus and toolbars. Next you learn how to create basic characters with the Lathe tool and with Unibody construction; create advanced models with Hooks, smooth surfaces, and realistic facial features; and create mechanical models such as an airplane and a spaceship. You add simple and complex textures, apply decals (image maps), use Constraints, and add Bones to models, and then create path animations and actions. Paries also teaches you how to create the environment you desire, and set the mood with proper camera and lighting effects as well as extra effects such as fog, background color, and motion blur. Finally, you get advice on rendering your projects and creating composite scenes. Paries does a nice job of supplying technical and design tips along with ample screen shots and step-by-step instructions. The CD-ROM includes the models used in the tutorials and a demo version of Animation: Master 5.0 for both platforms.

Jeff Paries avows having been abducted by aliens numerous times. This may give credence to his particular attraction to tin foil, parametric singularity, and the Cartesian coordinate system. It is not commonly known that Jeff derives pleasure by occupying his free time with diverting TVRO satellite transmissions, Rottweilers, his Yamaha XJ1100, Dremels, writing (yes-it's true), and very occasionally, the company of another human. To date, he has written numerous articles for various private productions, The Graphics Resource Club, Digital Producer, Computer Graphics World, and 3D Artist, as well as having completed three successful books.