Learn Form-Z for 5.0 for Architecture: Book 1

A great set of tutorials which will have FormZ beginners producing quality visuals in a relatively short space of time. As a freelance architectural designer this book has proved invaluable to me and will continue to do so. It offers a step by step approach - learning the basics of modelling, lighting and rendering - to producing a fully rendered architectural case study. Unlike other FormZ guide books and tutorials, the reader is not baffled by science but is shown how realistic results can be obtained by keeping things simple. With this in mind I am sure it will also be a helpful resource for existing users. If you want to learn FormZ this is where you should start!

This is a very interesting book and in many respects the best one I have read to date. What's good about it is its simple step by step approach which I found very easy to follow and to understand. It avoids the excessive tool by tool approach taken by most of the other books I own (if I want that I‚ll look in the FormZ user guides!). More importantly though the exercises explain how to use the tools in combination with each other in a tutorial style. Chapter 4 and 5 are excellent in that you model and render a complete building project, which is all backed up with files on the CD. This is the first time I've ever been shown/given a complete project to complete and the finished model and render were great. This bit has certainly had an impact on my work, especially when setting up lighting and texture maps. If you are looking for a book that explains how to use and set up FormZ, or you're someone (like me) who drops in and out of FormZ and needs a refresher, then don't hesitate. Given its cost vs how much I would have paid a trainer for the same info it's a no brainer!