The Art of Maya: An Introduction to 3D Computer Graphics [With CD]

If you're looking for an in depth detailing on how to use Maya this book isn't for you, I'd suggest reading the Maya Saavy series instead. As hobbyist Maya user for the last two years I did find this very interesting though. Unlike many technically oriented books, it visually illustrates the different parameters of the tools and methods. The examples are vivid, large and well labeled. Such as the paint effects section, you can see the difference in choosing tube length and the possibilities you have by applying pressure sensitive strokes. The back is filled with case studies and the various ways Maya is integrated into daily CG work, such as the classic Bingo animation or the morph targets used in Vampire the Masquerade game. I recommend that users with some degree of Maya experience, that are visual learners give this book a chance. Do NOT expect to learn how to deal with the interface or skin a character, purchase a book more specialized for modelling, creating shaders, etc..

Before I purchased "Art of Maya" I looked through it at a local bookstore. I was impressed with how clearly it laid out a series of quick tips and techniques. As others have noted, it is not a "manual" nor does it claim to be. But, it shows many important techniques that a new user to 3D and Maya can get going on creating with Maya in a relatively short period of time. In many instances, the techniques shown helped clarify areas of operation that I did not understand via the built-in tutorials that came with Maya. I still have much to read in this book. I highly recommend it.

The ART of Maya is just that, it is first about the art one can create using A|W's Maya software package. It is part coffee table book, part inspirational book, and a general how-to as well. It does not provide nitty-gritty details of how to accomplish many things, but rather gives a good overview and direction towards possible ways to accomplish certain goals. This may not be the first book you want when studying 3D, but it is well worth reading for its inspirational qualities. This will apply to 3d artists using any software, though Maya users will of course gain more.The point of this book is that most volumes out there are straddled with the obligation of teaching some hard and cold how-to facts. They get bogged down with numbers, workflow directions and lots and lots of dialog boxes. There is no way around this. But it leaves little room on the pages, nor time from the author to show what can be done and how beautiful your work can be. This book is specifically about those subjects, and quite obviously is not trying to be an instructional book. Think of purchasing this book after you have gone through much of the learning curve and are looking to take your work to a higher technical and AESTHETIC level. At that point it will be well work your time.

There are dozens of manuals and "how to" books out there for 3D artists. However, there are very few that help the reader understand the fundamentals of how the software works and why the workflow is set up the way it is. The Art of Maya explains the process of working in 3D better than anything out there. I've been a professional animator and 3D artist for over ten years and this book blew me away. The illustrations are terrific, the text is very clear, and the illustrations are amazing. Nope, it's not a manual. You won't learn which button to click while holding down the alt key, but you will come away with a better understanding of the software and the field. A great book, buy it!