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Summary: Finally, A Thorough Reference Book On Lightwave Texturing!!!
Review: After reading the negative comments that were left here on this book I felt compelled to share my opinion. This is a badly needed book. I've been working with Lightwave for two years now(so i guess I'm sort of an intermediate user), and while I've managed to create textures that sufficed in my projects, I've known that this was a weak spot in my work. Online tutorials are fine, and the author of this book has created some of the best, but what I want is a physical book I can curl up with and study and learn from. THIS BOOK IS IT!!! Thank you Leigh. This is exactly the general reference book on Lightwave texturing that I've been waiting for for the last two years. Leigh's writting style is very readable, and easy to digest. She takes a complicated subject and makes it understandable. I havn't had a chance to finish it yet, but from what I've read so far, I feel confident that all of my texturing questions will be answered.If you're looking for the best book on texturing in Lightwave that's available today, BUY THIS BOOK!!! Pay attention to the positive comments and disregard the negative ones.
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Summary: Best LW Texturing Book EVER!!!!
Review: As the Back Cover of the book indicates... this book was writen for Beginner to Intermedate... (some people don't know how to read I suppose...) The Techinques that are taught in this book you will definately 'have' to know in order to get to the Advanced level of Texturing in Lightwave.... So from that perspective... this is definately a MHB 'Must Have Book' Leigh most certainly is one of the most impressive texturing artist in the Lightwave community... ask most anyone in that community and they will tell you the same... her artwork has appeared on several lightwave specific magizine covers and articals... and other pubications both in print and on the net. Leigh's approach to presenting the matterial is well done and logically and calmly layed out. The text assumes little of the users ability other than a basic knowledge of Lightwave so that beginers can make just as much use of the information as anyone else... Some may say... "all the matteral here can be found on the internet!
Aaaaaaaa that maybe true grasshopper.... But when it is placed in one place in a printed text one no longer has to spend hours or days searching for it Only to find that the webpage that had it
is now down for maintance due to some hackers virus... (books don't get viruses) (guess some people haven't figured that out either)
(and they claim to be an Advanced user?) This book will teach you plenty... (even if it is not all) of the texturing tricks that will get you to the next level with Lightwave.
It did me, And I'm not a spring chicken to Lightwave but neither do I concider myself an Advanced user either...
And even though I have diffrent methods for accomplishing some of the texturing tricks that she teaches...
The way in which she presented her methods were 'so' impressive... That I have begun using the 'Leigh method' on just about everything... Google for Leigh van der Byl to see her website and just see if your not impressed by her stuff too? Then figure out who is giving the more truthfull review here... Hey B+ (Bee Positive)
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Summary: This book Rocks.
Review: Hi, As a creative person, I enjoy a good read. This book is not only excellent for those who want to learn about texturing in LW [8], but is also a good read. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn about texturing, and how to think about texturing in daily work flow and when you are out and about in the world. Best Wishes Dave Lewis(aka daveythegravy)
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Summary: Just what the doctor ordered, and what the 3D artist needed
Review: I was waiting for this book since my birthday, and when it arrived early June, all I did was run to my room and read it. Now mind you, I am very good at modeling and animation, but my knowledge of texturing humans is kind of sparse. After reading this book, back and front, I suddenly got the urge to draw characters and texture my organic models properly. With Leigh's direction, the writing was a great relation and those who understand the idea behind texturing (especially someone who is a young person). Some tutorials I have read on the net are good, but sometimes, it is not enough. Tutorials skip ahead and not tell you why, exploiting their veteran status in the field. After reading it again (I finished the whole book in one night) and using the demos on the CD, I am definitely recommending this book to anyone, beginner or advanced, and students, who really wants to learn about texturing models. Despite its title, and most of it is geared toward Lightwave, it can be helpful to any high end software program. The pictures in the book (black and white) are very great and well understood, as well as colored versions on the CD. The tutorials are great, but some of them are very involved...(I do wish the book had a unwrapping of human eyes tutorial but that is something unimportant here) Bottom line, the book is great for those who want to learn the features of Lightwave, which is a truly excellent program, but also to learn how to create believable environments. I also visit the CGTalk forums, and the work there reflects. Those who want dead on info on making believable textures, get this book!! GET IT!! You will not regret it...
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Summary: Let's be honest, -not immature
Review: I' ve been using Lightwave for about a year now, so I' m in the beginner/intermediate bracket and this is the perfect book for me. I started off just making models and I' ve now progressed to making models for a game mod. I now have to UV map and skin my models, which I never did before, because it looked scary ! I used to just use a quick procedural for dirt mainly and never had the confidence to make my own maps. However, along comes this book at just the right time for me. There' s lots of texturing books out there, but nothing really compares to a book specifically for the 3D package you are using. So ,what' s in this book ? Well, the author starts off with a quick overview of surfaces, trying to get us to study the surfaces around us in more detail ( The way light falls differently on different surfaces, the effects of weathering on materials and so on). After all, attention to detail is the difference between good maps and great maps. After a quick review of different lights, it then goes into extensive detail of the Surface Editor, explaining just about every button in there, with example pictures of what each one does beside it. Reflections, transparency, shaders, you name it, it' s in there ( the pages explaining how to use Surface Baker was particularly good. I' ll definitely be trying that on game models ). After 30 pages on procedurals, again each with pictures of what they look like, we get to the tutorials. First is gradients with 3 tutorials on that, then one on weight maps, a load more on image maps ( seamless textures, using photos for textures, colour, glossy, luminosity, diffuse and lots more, all explained with short tutorials on each one.) After another overview of the rest of Lightwaves buttons, we then learn about every kind of image map, each with thorough explanations of each one, and how to avoid mistakes beginners make when applying them. Then my favourite part of the book and which I found most useful, UV maps ! A total of 60 pages are devoted to that alone ! How to unwrap a head and fix stretching, planer, spherical, cylindrical, atlas, all have tutorials and are explained very well, plus an explanation of all of Lightwaves UV mapping buttons. Then to finish off, there' s yet more tutorials ! Texturing a cars body, painting a gun, rust, wood and finally one on painting a face. A huge amount of work has been put into this book and it shows. ( Screen grabbing all the pictures must have taken ages ! These are in B/W, but are reproduced on the CD ).This is an excellent book for beginners and intermediates and is packed with tutorials and loads of useful tips from the author, which will prevent easy ( usually frustrating ) mistakes. If you have this, plus Essential Lightwave, and the Character animation book from Timothy Albee, you have everything you need to learn and produce great animations. Thumbs up ! Highly recommended !
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Summary: mhb
Review: Just another book about texturing?!
Yeaah Right! This is different. I've read this with pleasure and I've learned many things where I never even tought about. The whole Idea behind texturing and how you become good at it is just there!
Leigh did an amazing job sharing all of her talent!
I would strongly suggest this book to anybody who want to improve their texturing skills or is intrested in that subject!
One last thing ... emm get it :)
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Summary: confident addition
Review: Leigh's book, the very first (TMK) dedicated solely to the subject of LW texturing, will be found invaluable to beginners, intermediates, and I dare say professionals will learn a thing or two. (btw, if you are above learning, close this window). The writing style, while tending towards light and airy, is nonetheless logically laid out and concisely presented. I honestly do not know of another LW book with this much focus in material and writing. Leigh's effort shows through on every page, it is sincere and her presentation is complete. This book is a confident addition to your library, LW and CG, as it has been to mine for a while now.
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Summary: Bashing Alert
Review: Lightwave 3D8 Texturing is an excellent resource for all Lightwaver's. Texturing is a crucial part of the skill set and doing it well is not easy. Leigh, makes the learning process accessible, and the writing style is a good blend of technical tips and ideas. I recommend it for all levels.
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Summary: A must have book for newbie and pros
Review: Texture and shading knowledge is a key in a 3d world, and Leigh did a wonderful work to write a clean and well document book on how different parameters works, and how texture alter it.
if you don't understand texturing and shading work in Lightwave, you will understand it after reading of that book. She did a good work on tutorials and interaction with daily work of texture artist.
texture and shading not have segrets, need only to understand how they work in different software. i reed many books, but most of authors are very foggy on "why" and very generous on "do that", Leigh wrote why and where of texturing work.
Wonderful book Leigh
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Summary: Lightwave 3d 8 - Texturing
Review: This book is exactly what I was hoping for...I'm new to 3d and mapping and texturing always seemed difficult for me...but this book has helped me out tremendously! It's answered many of my questions...and inspires me to even work harder.
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