Learning Maya 7: The Modeling and Animation Handbook [With DVD]

This book was a great way to learn the concepts of Maya. It is colorful and engaging. The book uses fun examples to teach the reader about creating animations. This book starts out with basic concepts and runs up all the way into complicated animation details. It would be a great book for any level - but absolutely perfect for someone starting out, and looking to become a Maya pro.

This is exactly what i was looking for, i think this is an amazing book if you want to learn....you have to get it.

My title is not a idictment of the book, but an appreciation for its clarity. I believe the authors were conscious of the need to appeal to a broad audience, and as a modeler with about four months of experience before purchasing this book, I found it slightly lofty, but useable. It simply requires a bit of commitment. The author's are careful to highlight some of the pitfalls that can trip up the novice during the workflow. Alias has always been good about using real life projects as examples and teaching tools, and this book benefits from that philosophy.

This book is really awesome. It goes deep in character modeling, with polys and nurbs. You learn how to rig and animate your character, and you'll create a walkcycle with your character and learn all about blend shapes. I'm new to Maya, but I'm quite experienced in 3D (using Max). With this book and the others from the Learning Maya 7 series I'm learning way much faster.

These books are a spectacular edition. Alias has been good about teaching in their books, but these books actually have FUN projects! I have enough books that will tell me how to do something (and these are VERY easy to understand) but the only ones that I can actually have fun working with are the ones contained in this new series. Not for the advanced user though. If you want advanced, go for the Maya Tecniques series, not the Learning Maya series. Great books!