Description:
FormZ Modeling for Digital Visual Effects and Animation is a valuable reference for Auto-Des-Sys's complex and versatile modeling tool. The book explores using FormZ for many types of modeling, including terrain, mechanical, and organic character modeling. The book uses the first three chapters to discuss preconstruction considerations such as working from model sketches, using storyboards, building animatics, and building stand-in models. Building models in layers and integrating FormZ with other 3D programs is also explored. It's great to see important topics like this covered--3D modeling and animation is hard enough without having to reinvent the production wheel every time you start a project. Specific FormZ modeling techniques, such as profile lofting, surface trimming and blending, and conformal modeling, are explained in the next set of chapters. Each chapter contains a generous number of illustrations, complemented with an eight-page color plate section in the middle of the book. The latter half of the book is a set of tutorial projects that utilize previously covered techniques and introduce some new ones. This is the fun section, where one builds entire landscapes (terrain modeling), a sports car (mechanical and contour modeling), and hands and a face (organic modeling). The accompanying CD-ROM includes the project files for each chapter in case you're having trouble following along or just want to tear apart a project without worrying. Overall, this is a solid book for new users of FormZ. --Mike Caputo
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