The main focus of the site is 3ds Max software from Autodesk, but I also offer generic resources, such as a glossary, that apply to all computer graphics applications.

Now available: Harnessing 3ds Max 8
by Aaron Ross and Michele Bousquet

User Level: Beginner to Intermediate
928 pages
ISBN 1-4180-4813-5

The bestselling book Harnessing 3ds Max is fully updated for version 8. Designed for use in or out of the classroom, this book is packed with over 100 tutorials plus abundant descriptive text. Its comprehensive coverage of the 3ds Max application features makes it the perfect book for beginning to intermediate artists.

Harness the power of 3ds Max with the newest edition of the widely successful Harnessing 3ds Max series. Written to reflect the latest features of the software, this book retains the easy-to-follow writing style that it is known for, providing uses with the perfect tool for learning the world's most popular 3D graphics program. The authors lead you through the complex world of 3ds Max step by step, so you'll build experience and confidence as you progress through the book. Clear and concise explanations, ample illustrations, and easy-to-follow tutorials make this book the ideal choice for users of computer graphics, both inside and outside the classroom.

From the Preface:

Students of 3D computer graphics need a combination of explanation, demonstration, and hands-on work, all in roughly equal measure. Some books on the market consist only of tutorials, while others are heavy on explanation with few hands-on exercises. While these texts have value to the intermediate or advanced user, they aren't much use to the beginner. You can click all the buttons the tutorial tells you to and still not know why you did it or how to reproduce the same effect with variations for your own project.

The sequence of topics contained in this book has been worked out over years of instruction to make the learning process easy and gradual. The tutorials have been tested by hundreds of students. We know from experience in the classroom that these exercises result in the all-important light bulb going on over the head.

Computer graphics are all about creating. Nearly every student comes to class with a vision for a CG project. Clicking buttons alone doesn't aid the creation process. Understanding what you're doing, why you're doing it, and how you can do it again later to make your own vision come alive- that's what learning 3D graphics should be, and what you'll find in these pages.

In this book, we have endeavored to provide everything a student needs to go from baby steps to great leaps of imagination. Our goal is to help each artist gain the skills to create the things he or she has visualized. This book is primarily designed to be used in a classroom environment, but anyone who wants to learn on their own can also use it to get from zero to sixty quite quickly. All you'll need besides this book is practice and imagination.

DVD-ROM

Harnessing 3ds Max 8 also includes a DVD-ROM packed with files. Each of the tutorials in the book is accompanied by at least one scene file. You'll be able to see exactly what the scene should look like, both before and after the tutorial is done. Examples of rendered images and animation are also included.

The DVD-ROM features video demonstrations that lead you through the steps of working in 3ds Max. These video demos are very valuable for getting up to speed quickly in this complex application. It's almost like taking a 3ds Max class in person!

GOALS

When you finish the book, you'll be able to:
· Understand concepts of computer graphics and 3D space
· Navigate effortlessly through the 3ds Max user interface
· Use the 3ds Max Modifier Stack to model a wide variety of objects
· Design natural and fantastic materials
· Use lighting to design the look of your scene
· Control virtual cameras effectively
· Animate with hierarchies and function curves
· Use Controllers and Constraints for complex animation
· Model organic shapes and characters with splines and subdivision surfaces
· Set up characters for animation with Inverse Kinematics and Skin & Bones
· Create pose-to-pose character animation with Set Key
· Create special effects with Particle Systems, Atmospheres, and Render Effects
· Create dynamic simulations with reactor, Cloth and Hair
· Use Advanced Lighting techniques for photorealistic renderings

E.RESOURCE FOR INSTRUCTORS

This book was designed to be used as either a course text or a learning tool for the student working on his/her own. A disc has been developed to assist teachers in planning and implementing their instructional programs for the most efficient use of time and other resources.

The Harnessing 3ds Max 8 e.resource CD-ROM contains tools and instructional materials that enrich the classroom experience and shorten instructors’ preparation time. The elements of the e.resource link directly to the textbook to provide a unified instructional system. The e.resource allows you to spend your time teaching, not preparing to teach. It is available to instructors only.

The e.resource includes the following materials:
· Lesson Plans for each part of the course help you present the material in the text. Areas in which students often need more practice are highlighted, along with additional exercises they can be given to help them keep up with the class. These lesson plans can easily fit in with course outline you have already developed.
· Answers to Review Questions enable you to grade and evaluate end-of-chapter quizzes.
· Supplemental Instructional .AVI Movies explore concepts and techniques more deeply. Special attention is given to common problems and complex procedures. These additional .AVI movies are designed to augment those on the disc that comes with this textbook.

HOW TO ORDER

To order the Harnessing 3ds Max 8 e.resource CD-ROM, contact Autodesk Press at (800) 347-7707. Use the following ISBN number when ordering:
ISBN 1-4180-4814-3

Please order the book directly from Autodesk Press / Delmar Learning.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

AARON ROSS

Aaron Ross is a college instructor and artist living in San Francisco, California. He holds an MFA in Film/Video from California Institute of the Arts, and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has worked professionally in numerous fields, including video production, print production, sound design for computer gaming, and web design.

Aaron’s passion is abstract art. His experimental videos have screened at festivals and museums around the world, including SIGGRAPH, the Inter-Society for Electronic Art, and Prix Ars Electronica. His personal art gallery can be found at www.dr-yo.com.

MICHELE BOUSQUET

Michele Bousquet is an animator, writer and instructor based in southern New Hampshire. She got into animation in 1990 with the first release of 3D Studio for DOS. She has taught 3ds Max in the United States and Australia since 1995. Michele is the author of several books on 3ds Max, and contributed to the 3ds Max User Reference. Michele invites you to visit her website created especially for 3ds Max users, www.mbousquet.com.