Maxon Cinema 4D 7

By Arndt von Koenigsmarck

In this title, students learn how to use Cinema 4D to create special effects, character animations, and 3D modelling. Project examples illustrate key features of the software. The last chapter... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0201731363
• ISBN13: 9780201731361
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: Peachpit Press
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.3" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

You Want to Learn to Model from A Master? Cinema 4D Style?

I have about 17 years of 3d applications experience. I had virtually hit a wall. Nothing really worked the way I think. Enter Cinema 4D. This book opened my eyes and opens up the power within Cinema 4D. I have made it through Chapter two and it is a wonderful read and experience. I like the way the book allows you to think about what you are modeling so that you can get yourself to where Arndt wants you to be. I would recommend this book again and again. I had to so much fun, I did some of the exercises more than once, because Arndt's method to to teach you to think about what you are modeling. I found the steps to be about intermediate level. I basically put down the Cinema 4D tutorials and have become engrossed in this book. Not every single step is mentioned, and I like that because there are places for one to 'think' like Arndt in modeling things like Hypernurbs and figuring out what modeling technique is best for what you are setting out to do.I would buy more books from this author.

A detailed project-based tour of Cinema 4D 7

This was the first book I ever purchased for Cinema 4D and it remains the best 3rd-party Cinema 4D book that I've ever purchased. Admittedly, that is partially because there are surprisingly few English language Cinema 4D books to choose from. But Arndt's book provides a solid basis in modeling, animating, and rendering in Cinema 4D 7. Maxon revised the application interface substantially in Cinema 4D R8.x, but much of the information in this book still carries over fine into R8.x. But you should probably have a good understanding of both Cinema 7 and 8 before trying to undertake one of the projects in this book using R8.x.This book delves into some focused modeling and animation projects and given its subtitle, "A Workshop for 2D/3D Graphics Pros", that's what you should expect. The person who wrote this up as a "bad book" because it didn't tell them how to install Cinema 4D seems really lost. The manuals that come with Cinema do a fine job of guiding you through the installation - if you even require any assistance. This isn't Cinema For Dummies. Instead, what it is is a trip through some interesting projects that provide some knowledge and thorough usage of many aspects of Cinema 4D 7. It doesn't particularly matter if you are familiar with those aspects as the text provides ample introduction to nearly everything except the most trivial facets (installation of the software, configuration of your machine). Much of the modeling makes use of 3 custom plug-ins (EdgeExtrude, EdgeBevel, and Cutter) which are provided for no additional cost by the author.Overall, as of late September 2003, this is still the best English language 3rd-party companion book available for Cinema 4D. Could it be improved? Certainly. As other reviewers have mentioned, the translation gets in the way a little at times and the subject matter could be expanded plenty. Arndt has written other more recent German language books and I'd love to see them show up in English. He's obviously a very talented Cinema user and author. This book probably deserves more like 4 or 4.5 stars, but the earlier 2-star review was a blatant injustice and needs to be offset. That's why I went with 5 stars.

Great Book!

I noticed that some reviewers downgraded this book because it doesn't offer elementary information that is available (in mass quantities) in the Cinema manuals. This is patently unfair, as the book does not aim to replace the manuals or to provide a basic introduction to Cinema 4D. Rather, it is a guide for intermediate to advanced users that provides clear instruction on some the darker corners of Cinema 4D XL7--information that one would be hard-pressed to glean from the manuals, or even from months of experimentation. It is precisely this that makes the book so valuable! Mr. Koenigsmark explains in exacting detail the nuances of Cinema's material system--including the lightly-documented but powerful SLA shaders. He provides one of the best explanations of radiosity that you will find anywhere. He explains COFFEE scripting. He provides detailed modeling tutorials that address the peculiar strengths and weaknesses of the program. In short, assuming you have a basic understanding of the program to begin with, this book will take your 3D skills to a new level. Very highly recommended.

Brilliant Book

This book is a must have for any Cinema 4D users out there. What I loved about this book is how Arndt von Koenigsmarck went into detail about modelling methods and expressions. Right off the bat, in chapter 2, you start including expressions in the work files. These uses of proramming are extremely in depth of how you can combine your 3d creation with programming. I cant say enough about it. I learned more about COFFEE in this book than anywhere else. He even threw in a few pages about Delta Expressions, just for fun. Those are a valuable tool to learn. The other chapters are very well done, focusing on lighting and texturing. The only downside, which is small, is that some of the translation got a bit wierd. The book mentions the disconnect tool a few times in Chapter 2, but youre supposed to be using the split tool. The author has these listed on his website though. I like reading books with specific projects in mind, rather than just skirting around the basics. If you do to, you will like the book. I learned a ton.

Really nice! But could be better....

Really nice! But could be better.... All book is focused in learning of medium and expert concepts of 3D modelation, and animation. The learning is routed on two examples, modeling of a piston/ckrankshaft, and human body.The author explain various methods of modeling to achieve the same final objective; and provides the pros and conts of this various ways.COFFEE and other interesting things are explained, but only focused in this examples.BUT... all pictures in book are in B & W, could be more examples, and some textures, or plug-ins...This review will be updated!!!see you