Looking for a digital maya book, any help?

# 1 11-08-2012 , 01:49 AM

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Hey everyone, i recently have some free time again and decided it's about time i learn some parts of maya i have been avoiding like different modeling techniques, lighting, rendering, texturing and the like. I recently got a Kindle Fire and would hope there is a digital book i could download someone could recommend but i could always get a real book if it gets good recommendations.

Thanks for everyones help!

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# 2 13-08-2012 , 04:56 PM

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*crickets chirping*

I guess not?

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# 3 13-08-2012 , 06:39 PM

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I have to be honest. I have not seen any good maya books in some time. They are rehashes of the same ones like "Introduction to Maya xxxx", and "Maya Foundation xxxx" but it's basically the same 10 year old book just redone for the latest version of Maya.

Personally, I feel the best way to learn the product is to follow project based video tutorials. Not just Maya specific ones either. What I want is to see different work flows and approaches to solving similar problems. You quickly learn that there are about as many ways to do things as there are artists and by trying each one you find what works best for you.

The key is workflow. Anyone can write a book that steps through each and every command and it's options. What you really want to see is how and when to apply those tools and options in a real world situation.

This however, brings up the main critique I have about almost all video tutorials. Lack of complexity. Because authors are encouraged to keep every tutorial down to a certain time for each lesson they are forced to simplify the projects. Each project can be broken down into the large shapes, the medium and small details and the fine and intricate details. In almost all the tutorials I have seen they focus on the large and medium details and then skim quickly over the small and intricate stuff. Which unfortunately is where all the real pop comes from.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 13-08-2012 at 06:43 PM.

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# 4 15-08-2012 , 10:30 PM

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Thanks for the reply. I was feeling i might lurk the internet and find an older maya book to get some needed info from. I like having a tangible book to reference when needed. Although the last book a friend got for maya was horrible, i dont have much experience but it seemed they were cutting a lot of important corners that would screw them over a lot in the long run if they continued those styles of working. Which is why i wanted recommendation.

I have tried following vid tuts, i even own a dvd of the farrari tut from this site(that i still have not finished sadly). I guess i could stalk more sites for tuts.

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# 5 16-08-2012 , 03:45 AM

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This one is probably the most comprehensive ones I've ever come across (832 pages of goodness). Well worth the price: https://www.amazon.com/Game-Character.../dp/073571438X

It's from 2004, so the menus will be different, but the tools and techniques are exactly the same.

You can take a look at his style of writing on his tutorial pages. Keep in mind, that these online tutorials are only overviews. The book contains a LOT more information.

https://ant-online.co.uk/realtime-character-modeling/
https://ant-online.co.uk/realtime-character-rigging/

It covers the step-by-step modeling, texturing, and rigging of two unique characters. A female, and a monster. You can take a look at the two final models below.

https://ant-online.co.uk/2010/07/22/f...ged-character/
https://ant-online.co.uk/2010/07/23/f...haracter-lods/

You can find two chapter samples at the bottom of this page: https://ant-online.co.uk/2011/12/15/f...ook-downloads/

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Last edited by NextDesign; 16-08-2012 at 03:53 AM.

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