Maya 8 for Windows and Macintosh

By Nathaniel Stein, Morgan Robinson, Morgan Robinson

Uses a combination of task-based instruction and visual aids to take readers step by step through Maya's essentials such as: navigating the interface, modeling elementary and complex objects,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0321476751
• ISBN13: 9780321476753
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Peachpit Pr
• Length: 532 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.3" x 7.3"

Customer Reviews

Maya 8

I used this book in my Maya class at school. Having no talent at art, drawing or artistic rendering, this book was very helpful. Following the chapters to learn how to use Maya, by the end of the class I was quite comfortable creating shapes for different purposes. The use of lighting, shadowing, projecting, etc were fairly straight forward. I still am not able to render detailed things like faces or animals but, I am able to do rather nicely with furniture and other basic items around the house or office if a scene calls for it. Definitely recommend for the beginner to intermediate. Also a good reference.

Very helpful...

I'm currently taking a Maya class and my teacher recommended this book. I have to say, it is very helpful. The directions are very clear and easy to understand. I mainly use this book as reference when I want to review some of the lessons I learned in class. So far I have no complaints. If you are interested in learning Maya, I would recommend this book. There aren't any tutorials (for example, how to model a hand, a foot, etc.) but it does teach you the basic tools to help you get there.

pretty good reference for us noobs

I'm currently taking an introductory Maya class, and this book was the recommended text for the class by our instructor. I'm definitely glad that I have this book. I use it quite often as a reference. For times when you forget how to say move a pivot, or are having trouble getting snapping to do what you want, this book is easy to pick up and find such answers. On the flipside though, if you are new to Maya, and trying to learn it on your own, I don't think that this book is a very good "cover-to-cover" type of read. For that, and more of a "course substitute" I recommend the "learning maya" books. I also recommend video tutorials by digital-tutors (you can "google" them, they have a website). Those tutorials take you step-by-step how to do various full projects in maya, which is extremely helpful and supplements these books really well.

This book saved my life!!

Yes, this book saved my life in my beginning Maya class. My teacher recomended it, and I'm very disapointed that he doesn't require it. It gives simple, step by step instructions for individual tasks that can be used for modeling, rigging, parenting, animating etc. My one complaint is that it does not mention anything about using locators, but as a basic "How To" Maya book, I highly recomend it.