If you're just beginning to dive into the world of 3D, this is the book for you.

-Animation Magazine

Alias' Academy Award(r) winning Maya(r) 3D animation and effects software is the first choice of film and video artists, computer game developers, and design professionals throughout the world. Now you can gain access to this brilliant tool and discover how to build, render, and animate your own digital characters and scenes with Maya.

Brought to you by Maya Press, a publishing partnership between Sybex and Alias, Introducing Maya(r) 7 is the ideal initiation to 3D and Maya. This revision of the best-selling Maya book starts with the already proven concepts and foundation and builds anew from the ground up, combining straightforward text with practical examples to make it fun and easy to learn Maya's core features. Clear-cut, engaging lessons let you experiment with these features using the wealth of files provided on the CD. You'll also find an abundance of instructional and inspirational art on the CD and in the full-color insert.

Enter a New Dimension

* Get a solid grasp of the core Maya and 3D concepts

* Learn to navigate the Maya 7 interface

* Experiment with Maya modeling by creating a hand, an axe, and a locomotive

* Explore the basics of NURBS, polygons, and subdivision surfaces

* Discover the nuances of shading and texturing

* Try your hand at animation

* Rig a locomotive model for automated animation

* Get a feel for Maya lighting, rendering, and dynamics

* Find out how to use Maya and Photoshop in unison to texture your scene

The enclosed CD features images, movies, and scene files that let you view material from the book right on your own computer. It also includes Maya Personal Learning Edition software, plus a searchable glossary of Key Terms.