Product Description

If you’re new to Maya, the industry–leading 3D animation and effects software, Introducing Maya includes step–by–step tutorials and easy–to–follow explanations to teach you the basics and nuances of this complex software. Whether you’re a student or a hobbyist, you can learn all about the Maya interface and the fundamentals of modeling, texturing, animating and visual effects with realistic examples. If you’re new to 3D animation or transitioning from another 3D application, this book will provide you with the tools you need to become proficient at Maya.

Note: CD–ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #183377 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 672 pages

About the Author
Dariush Derakhshani is a Creative Director and Head of CG for Radium|ReelFX – Santa Monica, a creative and design studio with offices in Dallas, Texas; San Francisco; and Santa Monica, California. Dariush has been working in CG for over twelve years and teaching classes in CG and effects production for close to ten. He is the best–selling author of a handful of books, including the popular Introducing Maya series. Dariush started using CAD software in his architecture days, then migrated to using 3D programs when his firm’s principal architects needed to show their clients design work on the computer. Starting with Alias PowerAnimator version 6, which he encountered when he enrolled in the University of Southern California Film School’s Animation program, Dariush has been using Alias animation software for the past twelve years. He received an M.F.A. in Film, Video, and Computer Animation in 1997 from USC. Dariush also holds a B.A. in Architecture and Theatre from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and worked at a New Jersey architecture firm before moving to L.A. for film school. He has worked on feature films, music videos, and countless commercials as a 3D animator, CG lead, and sometimes compositor. He is bald and has flat feet.

Customer Reviews

Excellent content but let down by poor binding
This is an excellent introductory guide for the Maya newcomer. Well laid out chapters walk you through the basics of modelling, texturing, lighting and rendering. Initially step-by-step and then gradually with more general instructions that force the student to apply the knowledge gained in the early steps rather than blindly following the text. The wealth of screenshots illustrate the text well although some of them are a little small and in black and white which sometime means that exactly which edge is being highlighted, for example, can be a little hard to work out. It might have been good to include the screenshots in colour on the accompanying DVD. However that's only a fairly minor niggle with what is otherwise a superb guide that I would highly recommend for those just begining their journey into the complex world of Maya.

A rather more serious flaw with this book and the reason I haven't given it 5 stars is the quality of the actual physical book rather than it's contents. Although printed on glossy high quality paper, that quality doesn't seem to have extended to the glue used in the binding. I was barely though chapter two before the first 50 pages had detached themselves from the spine and by the time I had finished I was left with a very attractive cover and a collection of loose pages.

I wouldn't use that to recommend against purchasing this guide but it is something let down compared with the otherwise high quality of the content of the book and accompanying DVD.

Introducing maya
This is a brilliant book for almost all maya users. It looks great and makes things much easier to understand

I Love this book
OMG.. This book is amazing. very easy to understand, even I wasn't supposed to enter in this complex 3 Dimensional world of Maya, but when I got this book and started reading, this book attracted me so much. It helps me to understand what 3D is all about and what Maya 2009 software can do to make an artificial 3D word-
CD included with this book is very helpful - also I want to appreciate the paper quality, I wasn't expecting a that good quality book in very reasonable price...

I just Love this book.


(Updated: April 16, 2009)

Many pages of this book have been unbounded from the book within just 2 days- seems like this book isn't well manufactured. It is very disappointing.