Product Description

Turn 3D models into film-worthy digital animations by mastering mental ray rendering once and for all. This must-have guide is the only book on the market to focus exclusively on mental ray in Maya, 3ds Max, and XSI, and it's packed with techniques and insights you can't get anywhere else. Best of all, the book's advanced rendering concepts apply to other rendering software as well, including V-Ray, Brazil, Maxwell and RenderMan. Discover advanced lighting, camera, and workflow techniques that usually take professionals years to figure out.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #90409 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 740 pages

From the Back Cover
Render them speechless with this in-depth guide to mental ray

Turn 3D models into film-worthy digital animations by mastering mental ray rendering once and for all. This must-have guide is the only book on the market to focus exclusively on mental ray in Maya, 3ds Max, and XSI, and it's packed with techniques and insights you can't get anywhere else. Best of all, the book's advanced rendering concepts apply to other rendering software as well, including V-Ray, Brazil, Maxwell and RenderMan.

From scattering light to reducing render artifacts to deciphering rendering and shadow algorithms, you'll get a high-level look at advanced lighting, camera, and workflow techniques that usually take professionals years to figure out. This valuable book also covers the very latest on HDR image editing, viewing, and compositing tools—and features a sixteen-page color insert that showcases final rendered images.

• Get the fundamentals on light, cameras, and mental ray output

• Render from the host application or from the stand-alone renderer

• Explore the full array of mental ray shaders and shader libraries

• Get exclusive coverage of custom shaders that don't ship with any of the host applications

• Simulate light bounce with indirect illumination for more realism

• Apply textures, projections, and light profiles

• Perform subsurface scattering and Nuke compositing

• Master the fine points of Final Gather and ambient occlusion

• Create photo-realistic characters, objects, and landscapes

About the Author
Boaz Livny teaches mental ray and advanced Maya courses at New York's prestigious Center for Advanced Digital Applications and heads the Advanced Maya training at the New York Film Academy. He is also owner of Vision Animation Studios, providing film, TV, and media services for clients such as Nicktoons, AOL, The Wilderness, Cinema Factory, and more.

Customer Reviews

An excellent Mental Ray Bible
This really is a fantastic book on Mental Ray. You learn many various aspects to a degree unmatched in any other book that I've seen; and the fact that it covers multiple 3D platforms, is icing on the cake. Truly a "must have" for anyone working in 3D animation and Digital Arts.

My only wish for this book, would be a more in-depth tutorial set, perhaps a companion book. But it is "nearly" a perfect book. :-)

Mental ray Maya,3ds, XSI---Excellent!!
This book is the book that goes under the hood of the mechanics of mental ray. I learned so much by reading it. The MR features in all three apps are equally explained. The author describes the topics in detail:

Shaders,Shaders and more... (Architectural shaders little explanation)
Final Gathering and Ambient Occlusion
Subsurface Scattering
Indirect Illumination
Textures and projection, and more....
A Bonus chapter on Surface Approximation on CD

I recommend it to all CG artist.

For Intermediate Users
This book is for Intermediate users. If you are just starting out with Mental Ray I wouldn't suggest that you purchase this book. So far from what I can tell this book is a great learning tool.