Maya Book for Beginners

# 1 07-03-2008 , 08:20 AM

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Hi!
I'm looking for a Maya Beginners book. I've found the following one, which sounds good: https://hugendubel.de/cat/introducing...470183564.aspx

Do you have any books you would say it is a very good one for beginners?

Best regards,
kimsay

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# 2 07-03-2008 , 10:44 AM

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Yeah thats a good one to start off with, The official Maya foundation is a good one to as it covers all aspects. However I really think the best tutorials are the video ones. For me i find it easier to learn something when i see it rather than read it.

I've got all the official maya books and I hardly ever use them. My advice is get a good general introduction book and then look around on this site for the beginner tutorials.

Hope this helps

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# 3 07-03-2008 , 10:47 AM

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Thank you very much! By the way I think the price is really ok for more than 500 pages. Will purchase it user added image

Bye, kimsay

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# 4 07-03-2008 , 12:10 PM

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Maya the complete reference is a great book (theres one for version 8 but thats the latest), some of the tutorials have a couple of mistakes but overall it goes over pretty much everything.

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 5 07-03-2008 , 02:03 PM

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yeah I've had a look at it at my local bookstore. But it is more for the advanced maya user isn't it?? And I am TOTAL NEW user added image

so what is the better choice? complete reference or introducing maya?

greets,
kimsay

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# 6 07-03-2008 , 02:26 PM

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In my opinion get an introduction book, the reason being it gives you a good start without being too advance. Some tutorials ive seen are a little bit too complicated and you might get hacked off before you start.

Another reason is that Maya is a popular piece of software so if you do get stuck on something there are loads of reference sites and tutorials on the net. Plus i've found that most people on this site are really helpful and guide you in the right direction.

good luck

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# 7 07-03-2008 , 06:57 PM

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I found the videotutorial from lynda.com very usefull i think it was called essential training, it covered some basics on every level, modeling, animation and so on.

Just buy a book that explains how they do it and also if not more important why they do stuff a certain way.
I for starters found the learning maya books a bit lacking, the simple stuff is explained over and over, but when you come to the part were you really need to know something they say do it yourself.
Learning maya books are more usefull as a refference book in my experience.
I found the game artist guide to maya(by mc kinley ) a great resource also mastering maya 7 from sybex was a great book.

But the best advice i could probably give you is start simple don't expect to much in the beginning and you will learn maya.

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# 8 08-03-2008 , 02:44 AM

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when i wanted to learn maya i took out a book called "the ultimate resource for professional game artists' from the library. it wasnt ultimate, but it had all the steps involve din making a character and more importantly it was free

you can supplement that with youtube tutorials, as well as regular text tutorials after you get the basics

imo you cant go wrong with any maya books, as long as you have an understanding of the program

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# 9 08-03-2008 , 04:05 AM

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thank you for all your replies! After work I'll go to my bookstore and buy Maya 8 The Complete Reference. :attn:

Thank you so far!!!

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# 10 08-03-2008 , 04:33 AM

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Hi,

mcrae do you mean The Game Artist's Guide to Maya? If so, I found it very helpful, not only a resource for game art but a good introduction to a lot of tools in Maya.

I'd recommend going through all the tutorials in the help files too, there not thorough but they give you a quick hands on with pretty much everything.

gubar

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# 11 08-03-2008 , 08:09 AM

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Back in the day Maya 4 Fundamentals was my favorite. If I were buying today, I would pick up Laearning Autodesk Maya 2008 series...the foundation and Modeling/animation one.

https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Autod...5329744&sr=1-1

I've flipped through them at B&N and they're really good and the lessons seem fun (the foundation book revolves around creating characters, sets, effects, from "Surf's Up". The other one...well I dig it because I like exaggerated cartoony characters).

If game characters are your bag, then you can't beat Mike's two books.

"Terminat Bora Diem, Terminal Auctor opus."

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# 12 08-03-2008 , 10:09 AM

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haha, I just looked at the admin's avatar, and recognized it as the one on the back of my book, sure enough the author is the admin of this site, lol.

And yes the book is called the game artists guide to maya.... I haven't slept in 26 hours and read what I thought was the title off of the back cover, haha.

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# 13 08-03-2008 , 10:34 PM

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the best 1 ive found that helped me alot was An Essential Intro to Maya Caracter rigging (it deals with rigging,animatoin,modeling,and all ) it gives u a cource to follow like a class and assignments its a very good teaching book!!!

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# 14 10-03-2008 , 05:19 AM

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hi there. I just have finished the first 45 Pages of Mastering Maya 8.5. It is very interesting. It covers a lot about the Maya interface but I've got to say that it is a bit boring sometimes. But I think it is useful. The english is very nice and for a english fool like me it is very well written user added image

But I think I will buy another book in addition because this one I'm reading is more a reference but it is nice, infact!!!

The learning maya series is really cool I looked in it too user added image

So far I have to say I like the interface of Maya!

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# 15 10-03-2008 , 07:49 AM

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Might I suggest any of the new three intro books that autodesk has released?
The links are below.
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Autod.../dp/1897177380
https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Ma...301575-7721764
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Autod...d_bxgy_b_img_b

All of the new books for beginners and Maya are very good, however new to 2008 is the fact that each book has a theme.
For example the first book is going to feature characters, the second trains, and the third characters but in the form of birds.

As all three cover the same basic principles the projects in each will cover different material. So if you have any idea what kind of material would interest you the most then you should get the corresponding book(s).

I've scoured through the pages of the second link and wish I had that book 6 months ago when i was doing the intro to Maya. It covers mechanical building, and you build the train. You rig the train for animation, and then animate the mechanical parts as another project.

I suggest you do your homework, and decide what's best for you. If you have maya 2008 you'll be able to find a LOT more content that may interest you and apply to 2008.
Good luck!

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