Rating: 
Summary: If you are NEW to MAYA, grab this BOOK !
Review: I started with MAYA FUNDAMENTAL 4, which I find very useful, step by step instruction, clear description of whatever going on in your screen. MAYA 4.5 FUNDAMENTALS is just another amazing masterpiece from Jim lammers and Lee gooding. I find the chapters are easy to follow. If you are new to MAYA (like me) or you have some experience with other 3d software, this book will guide you to work like a pro. You will learn from "What? MAYA?" to "Particle System and Dynamics" in no time If you still cant understand what's going on with some of the chapter, the video in the CD-ROM will get you up and running in no time! cheers!
Rating: 
Summary: Great for someone with absolutely no experience at all
Review: I used this book in my first Maya modeling class. I believe that the book is good because it takes you step by step on very basic concepts. On the other hand, the CD files for modeling polygons is weak, not well explained. The approach is pretty general for the topics discussed. I should say that the book is good to have an overview of the software and some of the tools, but not to have a strong base to start building advanced skills.
Rating:
Summary: Great for someone with absolutely no experience at all
Review: I used this book in my first Maya modeling class. I believe that the book is good because it takes you step by step on very basic concepts. On the other hand, the CD files for modeling polygons is weak, not well explained. The approach is pretty general for the topics discussed. I should say that the book is good to have an overview of the software and some of the tools, but not to have a strong base to start building advanced skills.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic beginner's book
Review: I wanted a book to help me thoroughly familiarise myself with Maya basics when i moved to Maya 4.5 from lightwave, and not only does this book deliver excellent video tutorials and well written entertaining information, but it actually has a chapter dedicated to familiarising lightwave and 3dsmax users with Maya. This book has been in my bag ever since i got it, and i am truly grateful to the authors. My productivity with Maya skyrocketed after the first 10 chapters. However, it should be noted that this book does not cover subdivision modelling. It does have a tutorial involving smooth proxy modelling, but a subd tutorial would have been nice.
Rating:
Summary: Best intro Maya book I know of
Review: I was much impressed with the quantity of positive reviews for this book on Amazon. I bought this book about 9 months ago, and it was worth every penny. Probably the best software-oriented book I've ever read. The CD tutorials are helpful, the writing style is lucid, and it really shows you a TON of stuff about Maya. The one drawback is that there's no Subdivision Surfaces section, but the Smooth Proxy section is fairly close to what you'd be doing with Sub-D's, so don't worry about it. This book is simply excellent. I'd highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Best intro Maya book I know of
Review: I was much impressed with the quantity of positive reviews for this book on Amazon. I bought this book about 9 months ago, and it was worth every penny. Probably the best software-oriented book I've ever read. The CD tutorials are helpful, the writing style is lucid, and it really shows you a TON of stuff about Maya. The one drawback is that there's no Subdivision Surfaces section, but the Smooth Proxy section is fairly close to what you'd be doing with Sub-D's, so don't worry about it. This book is simply excellent. I'd highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Book No Student or CG Artist should Be With Out
Review: Maya fundamentals is ultimately the best source for beginners to pro Maya users to learn and improve there skills in the world of CG,
The whole entire book is nicely written and orchestrated in providing a wealth of knowledge
In a step by step easy to read instructions and tutorials,
And if that wasn't enough they went a step farther and made a CD_Rom of all the chapters instructions, demonstrations and tutorial for reader to fallow along if it got to frustrating , which I thought was very COOL. I only wish other authors would do the same.
I was a maya beginner and wanted to learn maya but didn't know really where to start
Intel I stumbled across Maya fundamentals and now I can model texture and bring to life lively Humans and creatures, to name a few. THANK YOU Lim Lammers and Lee gooding.
If you guy where here I would give you guys a form hand shake
But for now a cybor hand shake will do.
Rating:
Summary: Great book. With video clips tutorilas too, wow!!!!!
Review: This book come with a cd in which you can find all chapter in window media video files,is like the instructor is rigth there with you teching a lesson to you,great simple idea,the video clips are for each chapter of the book,so what I do is complete a chapter,then I play the video and BINGO,very good book to help anyone with zero experience or someone with some experience in 3d software,I never use a 3D software before,now I can said,I LOVE THIS BOOK,and Maya is not hard to learn,compared with other
3D softwares. Thanks Mister Lammer and company. Manuel.
ps.
All the tutorials are easy to fallow
Even for me,with a english as a second lenguage,ji ji..
Manuel.
Rating:
Summary: It is a great source for learning Maya 4.5
Review: This book is a good source for learning Maya 4.5 and you can promote your knowledge from begining to some advanced level. If you don't have any background about computer graphics this book teach you foundation and esential subjects about graphics and working with Maya then takes you step by step to the some advanced projects. Even If you already knew about Maya still you can learn more features.
This book you gives you the basics of using Maya, interacting with Maya, modeling, texturing, rendering and your first animation. In the further steps you will learn about NURBS mdeling basics, modeling with polygons, materials, lighting, character animation, cameras and rendering. One of the good point of this book is video movies on the CD providing demonstration of every tutorial that you feel your'e at the class.
It is a uesful book for self studying and great for learning Maya 4.5.
Rating:
Summary: If you're just beginning Maya...
Review: This book is as the title states" fundamentals." It is aimed at those who are beginning the app for the first time. It is full of tutorial examples which are on the included CD. The chapters are linear with the project you are working on progresses from one stage to the next. If you are familiar with Maya you may feel let down because the content doesn't really go beyond introduction to concepts and techniques. It is written in a relaxed style and is easy to follow. Recommended for the beginner.
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