#Let's talk theory…
3 messages in this thread
Wow, that's IS a lot – I'm not sure that I could afford my CI$ bill answering
all those!<g>! They are actually very legit. questions that deserve some
answers though.
Lighting, anmimation, perspective, color, composition – these are all
subjects that are important to 3DS but hardly unique to it. I don't mean to
seem glib but your best resource for learning these subjects is studying the
fields that have employed them for ever (art, sculpture, stage, cinema). The
lessons learned from these are directly applicable to 3DS. Actually that's
the beauty of it – 3DS was designed to work in a manner that pulled together
the techniques of many arts.
For the computereze side (NURBS, rendering modes, etc.) there are several
books on general computer graphics and some new ones on 3DS specifically.
Your best learning tool is the program itself – take simple situations and
study the effects of basic, incremental changes (it is not a "spectator
sport" <g>).
My writing partner (Steven Elliott) and I have tried to put down on paper
much of what your asking about and it will be available soon from New Riders
Publishing in the book "Inside 3D Studio". You may want to take a look a it
when it becomes available (iin early Feb.) and see if it is answering any of
your questions to your satisfaction (there are chapters dedicated to basic
theory – color, light, motion, composition and the program is discussed in
terms of how it works and is used rather than command syntax).
Hope this was of some help,
– Phil
Hello Phil,
Yeah, I've got a lot on my mind… You're suggestions of learning away from the
desk are right on the money. I myself have worked in various positions in film.
Have played music for a few years. My biggest weakness is a lack of traditional
art skills (the pen and paper, paint and canvas). I wondered to John T. if it
would be worth buying a program like Fractal Painter, rather than the
equivelent in artists supplies. Like you say, the theories are the same, inside
and outside the box.
I have talked to Steven about your guys' book and I am very excited to see it.
I had bought a book a few months ago and was disappointed at how "basic" it is.
Steven assured me that you all wouldn't be repeating anything than is in the
tutorials or in the Referance Manual (and if you did, it would be from another
angle). I'm very, very interested in finding out how then renderer works, how
the lighting is calculated, etc. If you have any other book tips (other than
Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques – don't understand a damn thing!
<g>) then please let me know.
I had a product demontration of the Vertigo line of software up here in
Vancouver. A great system! Anyway, I was amazed at how much I could follow what
they're software was doing, just from my work on 3DS. At the time we bought
3DS, we were wondering if it would be a wasted investment, as we had wanted to
start fairly "high" up the chain. Now I'm so glad I did take the time to learn
the program – it's a feat and something I won't leave behind. Software as
lifelong companion. <g>
Thanks Phil James
Phillip,
is your book the same one that Greg Phillips is involved in too?