3D Animation Essentials

3D Animation Essentials covers the fundamentals of 3D animation and computer graphics (CG) and teaches you what it takes to become a professional. You'll learn how animators create interactive 3D and CG for movies, television, games, tablets, and smartphones, as well as how to design products that can be printed in 3D. Whether you're contemplating a career as a 3D artist or just expanding your skills, this is the perfect primer on what you need to know.

Learn these 3D animation essentials—and more:

• Digital imaging and video terms and concepts

• The production pipeline, start to finish

• Essential equipment—hardware, software, and more

• The basics of stories, scripts, and storyboards

• Creating 3D models, adding texture maps, and lighting

• Rigging, skinning, animating, and rendering

• Future technologies, such as motion performance capture and real-time 3D

• How to get your foot in the door in today's market

This striking Essentials book features:

• Chapter-opening learning objectives

• Step-by-step tutorials

• Four-color screenshots and illustrations

• Essentials and Beyond—summaries and additional suggested exercises

• Downloadable exercise files