Rating: 
Summary: Teach yourself advanced 3D modeling & rendering!
Review: Based on many years of teaching 3D modeling and rendering at Columbia University, 'Inside form*Z' was designed as a comprehensive textbook to facilitate similar courses in engineering and architecture. However, we kept it concise and profusely illustrated with 3D work so it's also an ideal tool for those who are learning 3D on their own. We included all the good stuff that we wish someone had told us, when we were learning form*Z--tips and hints that can save you weeks on the learning curve. The tutorial examples range from easy to complex, and all allow you to follow along step by step. The actual 3D model files used in the book are on the accompanying CD-ROM, along with a demo copy of the form*Z software for Mac or Windows, so you can start right away and see how powerful and intuitive form*Z is. The CD-ROM also has QTVR movies of the tutorial objects and renderings. The authors wish you luck in your new 3D career!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent for the beginner and expert
Review: I am teaching formz to architects and designers and have found inside FormZ indispensible for my class. It is an excellent book for beginners, giving them simple step-by-step exercises. It also acts as a wonderful tutorial and set of examples for my most advanced students. One other thing that I have found in my teachings that that NO OTHER BOOK covers animation - Inside FormZ provides an special in depth section on animation.I recommend this for those people that are just starting to learn and trying to teach themselves, as well s for those that just need a supplement to the manual.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for the beginner and expert
Review: I am teaching formz to architects and designers and have found inside FormZ indispensible for my class. It is an excellent book for beginners, giving them simple step-by-step exercises. It also acts as a wonderful tutorial and set of examples for my most advanced students. One other thing that I have found in my teachings that that NO OTHER BOOK covers animation - Inside FormZ provides an special in depth section on animation. I recommend this for those people that are just starting to learn and trying to teach themselves, as well s for those that just need a supplement to the manual.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Good
Review: I bought this book thinking there would be step by step tutorials which are the best way to learn a program. Instead there are long "user manual" type chapters on describing the tools, menus, etc. More than halfway through there are some exercises, but they are simple and do not explore the full capability of form z. My recommendation is look for another book. This one is good as a reference only, not as a learning tool.
Rating: 
Summary: Deep program, so-so book
Review: I have the first edition of this book (1998), so some things hopefully may not apply any more. FormZ is not an intuitive or easy program, and I found this book (the only one available at the time) only moderately helpful, with a number of problems. It starts with a one-by-one review of the menus, options, palettes and tools, and then has a series of examples. The review of commands was OK, but not very deep -- looked like it was pulled directly from the manual. I felt the examples were also not very thorough given the nature of the program. FormZ has an odd (but, I'm told, powerful) interface, and nothing in this book hints at how to really exploit it. There were many errata in Chapter 5, the modeling tools section. One can't expect a literature masterpiece from something like this, and it's understandable that a typo occurs here and there, but when figure references don't match the pictures, when pictures are switched, or when images are plain wrong, I begin to distrust all the presented information. When you're going through things carefully, one page at a time, those things have a big impact. I got the distinct impression that there was no editor for the whole chapter -- it was littered with errors. I expect a little more for ( ); hopefully was better in the revised edition. There is an advanced book for FormZ that looks pretty good, but I'm still waiting for a introduction that goes into technique/strategy. Couldn't recommend this book over online resources; I think one could learn elsewhere what's given here.
Rating:
Summary: Deep program, so-so book
Review: I just received Inside formZ yesterday and after just a few hours with it, I must say that it is absolutely fantastic! I have been teaching this program for over two years now and this is by far the most logical, comprehensive, and digestible tutorial and reference guide for formZ I have seen to date. I am going to start requiring my students to purchase it! It's about time that a book of this quality about such a fantastic program has arrived.
Rating:
Summary: This book is very good for the Form Z beginner.
Review: Inside Form-Z is a very helpful book to have next to your computer so that you can quickly get pretty specific help once you have learned the program. And it is great for teaching the program by reiewing the exercises at the end. Overall, it is a great resource.
Rating:
Summary: it's easy
Review: maybe it take easy to make someone rea
Rating:
Summary: Wait for "3D Modeling Using Form Z"
Review: The book is helpful in understanding the capabilities of 3D modeling in Form Z. However, I bought this book with expectations that there were step by step instructions on performing the various modeling tasks that are available in the program. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I found much more help in the tutorials that can be downloaded at formz.com. Hopefully, "3D Modeling Using Form Z" will be much more helpful when it hits the shelves.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, easy to use, perfect for learner
Review: The format is so clear and easy to navigate, I felt so much pleasure in going thru each chapter as it progresses very logically, from using all the tools and what everything means in the menu foldout, all the way to tutorials to begin learning and exploring , then ending with the more advanced stuff like animation and rendering.
I highly recommend this book for 1st time learners and intermediates.
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