While there are a lot of people that I could sincerely acknowledge as having played a part in my being able to ultimately write this book, many of them of course coming from the world wide CG community, I am going to keep things simple and say a huge and heartfelt thank you to anyone and everyone that has had a positive influence on my life.
At the top of that list would of course come my wife Karen and son Joel who have borne the brunt of many frustrating days and nights spent trying to get computer hardware and software to work in perfect harmony in the pursuit of art and creativity. Not only have they themselves been an inspiration as regards perseverance, but also in terms of creativity, providing a never ending flow of observations, suggestions, and where ever beneficial, even criticisms. To you, I say, "Drinks all round".
There is also one honorable mention that I would like to make with regards to our own inspiration in becoming trainers and educators in the CG world. Many years ago we stumbled across, what was at the time a brand new site, giving away high quality computer graphics training to anyone who would write and ask for it. The site was 3dbuzz.com and in the years that followed, the inspiration from that team, especially Jason Busby and Zak Parrish, is something for which I will always be grateful and remember fondly.
Thank you all for reading; this is Brian Bradley saying take care, and bye for now.
About the Reviewers
Matthew Bohne is currently a fourth year architecture student at the Rhode Island School of Design. His interests include interdisciplinary methods of working, including conceptual architectural drawing, as a vehicle to subvert and expand upon architectural discourse and ideas of imagination, ritual, and narration. He recently was a finalist in the international Ken Roberts Memorial Delineation Competition.
Joel Bradley is a self-taught 3D generalist and training instructor, who has been using 3D, image editing, and graphic design applications since the age of nine.
Spending 10 years working as a partner in his family-run multimedia and training business has given him the opportunity to develop skills and insight into the way people and production processes work, as well as affording the opportunity to work in a diverse number of industry areas including the production of content for the web, print, video, and interactive applications to name just a few.
In recent years, he has been enjoying the focus and challenge of helping others get to grips with the software tools and design principles that he loves as a full-time Training Author producing 3ds Max and Blender titles for both lynda.com and infiniteskills.com.
Ross Cantrell graduated from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) in 2012 with his BFA in Animation. He is a 3D digital artist with a focus on lighting, compositing, modeling, and rigging. Since his graduation from SCAD, he has worked as a 3D artist and compositor within the television industry on shows and commercials for Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, and Sprout. He has also worked within the film industry producing 3D stereoscopic animation for National Geographic. Ross currently works for TRICK 3D producing photorealistic images and animations for Delta depicting commercial airline interiors for marketing and advertising use.
MathieuGodet is a French 3D artist specialized in modeling, texturing, and shading. He graduated from the ESIAJ in Namur, Belgium, in 2012 and has been working in the industry for about two years.
Tom Hankins developed an interest in drawing, animation, and creation at a very young age. Film and animations have always been a big part of his life. At the age of 18, he had his first 3D lessons at the Utrecht School of Arts, shortly after which he changed courses and enrolled into the 3D Computer Animation and Visual Effects program.
In his third year, he was an intern at Rosto A.D. in Amsterdam, working on the film The Monster of Nix , character designing, and developing one of the leading characters of the film, voiced by Terry Gilliam.
In his fourth and final year at the academy, Tom and three of his fellow students created the successful animated short Mac 'n' Cheese as his graduation film. He graduated with honors as a bachelor of Art and Technology.