Publisher description.

Written by specialists in teaching computer animation, this text addresses key international topics of computer animation, such as: mathematics, modelling, rendering, and compositing. Each chapter discusses a particular topic and how it is applied, including state-of-the-art techniques that are used in computer animation. The handbook provides a complete and up-to-date picture of computer animation and will be a valuable reference source for programmers, technical directors and animators in computer animation, computer games and special effects and also undergraduate and postgraduate students. The editor, John Vince, has written and edited over 20 books on computer graphics, computer animation and virtual reality.

Any questions you have about 2D or 3D animation in this new digital age are answered in this comprehensive guide for all budding digital animators, games artists and media production students. It is lavishly illustrated with inspirational colour throughout to show you what you can achieve. Whether you want to create moving digital imagery for TV, computer games, or new media you need to understand the production and creative processes, the constraints of each and how they fit together. Ensure you have all you need at your fingertips to compete in this fast-moving arena with this unique book and web package. www.guide2computeranimation.com provides the moving imagery outcomes of some of the animation discussed in the case studies chapter, where top FrameStore-CRC and 3 Ring Circus creatives give you their invaluable behind the scenes perspectives. In addition there are non-software specific 3D tutorials and direct links to a comprehensive range of related websites with further downloadable resources to make sure you stay up-to-date. Marcia Kuperberg is Deputy Head of the School of Media, Arts & Technology, West Herts College, UK. Contributions are also included from Martin Bowman, Rob Manton and Alan Peacock.

Written from an animator's point of view, this guide introduces readers to working with new computer animation systems. Includes all major techniques, from scanning drawings to image processing, coloring, adding backgrounds and shadows, and more. Covers leading software including Anima and Toonz, and the included CD-ROM contains animation clips and demo software.

"A manual of methods, principles and formulas for classical, computer, games, stop motion and internet animators"--Cover.

"The Animator's Reference Book" serves as a visual reference guide for animators to show common human motion. It is an update of a classic series of reference books by Eadweard Muybridge. Although these books are generally heralded as the best reference books available, Muybridge's photographs were taken more than 100 years ago at the dawn of photography and are of poor quality. This updated book is designed specifically for the animator. It will help animators understand how to create better animation by studying actual motion. It will also serve as a valuable reference for game developers who wish to incorporate realistic human motion into their game design. In addition to human motion reference, this book will also contain instruction and tips for animating characters.

This manual provides easy to follow, step-by-step instruction in the use of various graphic, animation and video production software for the Commodore Amiga personal computer. The manual assumes that the user knows nothing about computers so each step and its consequences are explained completely from turning on the computer to saving a disk and printing the screen image. Many excellent programs have been designed for the Amiga which are compatible with each other sharing the IFF format. They may be used to create art by computer without prior computer experience or any knowledge of programming. This manual introduces some of these programs and present applications for their use. In addition various hardware peripherals are described which allow multi-media and video production. The book should be used with the various programs operating as their own illustrations on the monitor screen. The final chapter is a gallery of computer generated images.