Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics) - Hardcover

Parent Ph.D., Rick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1558605797 ISBN 13: 9781558605794

Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann, 2001

Synopsis

Whether you're a programmer developing new animation functionality or an animator trying to get the most out of your current animation software, Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques will help work more efficiently and achieve better results. For programmers, this book provides a solid theoretical orientation and extensive practical instruction-information you can put to work in any development or customization project. For animators, it provides crystal-clear guidance on determining which of your concepts can be realized using commercially available products, which demand custom programming, and what development strategies are likely to bring you the greatest success.

* Expert instruction from a pace-setting computer graphics researcher.
* Provides in-depth coverage of established and emerging animation algorithms.
* For readers who lack a strong scientific background, introduces the necessary concepts from mathematics and physics.
* Illustrates advanced programming techniques with highly detailed working examples.
* Via the companion Web site, provides lecture notes from the author's course for professors, example animations based on the programs covered in the book, Java applets, and links to relevant Web sites.
* Special contributions from Dave S. Ebert on Natural Phenomena in Chapter 5
* Special contributions from Scott King, Meg Geroch, Doug Roble, and Matt Lewis on Articulated Figures in Chapter 6.

About this title

Review

What many digital animators fail to realize is that someone needs to make the software that's used to bring images to life. Without the tools, the ideas can never be materialized. In Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques, the concepts and formulas used behind the scenes and under the hood of contemporary animation software are clearly explained for the programmer and the technical director.

Hardbound, liberally illustrated, and with an eight-page color gallery, there are six chapters and three appendices. The book starts with an overview of animation and works through some technical background information, and then delves into interpolation and basic techniques for representing 3-D motion and space on a 2-D display. Later chapters walk through advanced algorithms (kinematics, rigid body simulation, constraints) and then a discussion of ways to represent natural phenomena. There's also a focus on modeling and animating articulated figures. It's important to note that these chapters are not about which buttons to push in a given software package, but rather about the use and explanation of formulas for representing a specific simulation.

Perhaps the best feature of the book is the information and samples available on a companion Web site. Rather than include a CD-ROM, which raises the cost of the book and whose information can grow stale, the reader can find sample animations and ready-to-use code snippets, as well as links to other relevant Web sites.

There are any number of books available on computer animation software packages, but precious few on how they do what they do. Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques is an invaluable resource, a textbook for anyone interested in computer animation programming or for anyone who simply wants to get under the hood of their favorite animation application. --Mike Caputo

From the Back Cover

"This book is hands-down my recommendation on the technical aspects of computer animation techniques. It's both a broad overview of the field, as well as a handy reference. I expect it to be a common sight on the bookshelves of students, teachers, graphics researchers, and practitioners in the field." ―Larry Gritz, Exluna/Nvidia

Whether you're a programmer developing new animation functionality or an animator trying to get the most out of your current animation software, Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques will help work more efficiently and achieve better results. For programmers, this book provides a solid theoretical orientation and extensive practical instruction-information you can put to work in any development or customization project. For animators, it provides crystal-clear guidance on determining which of your concepts can be realized using commercially available products, which demand custom programming, and what development strategies are likely to bring you the greatest success.

Features:
*Expert instruction from a pace-setting computer graphics researcher
*Provides in-depth coverage of established and emerging animation algorithms
*For readers who lack a strong scientific background, introduces the necessary concepts from mathematics and physics
*Illustrates advanced programming techniques with highly detailed working examples
*Companion website provides lecture notes from the author's course for professors, example animations based on the programs covered in the book, Java applets, and links to relevant websites
*Special contributions from Dave S. Ebert on Natural Phenomena in Chapter 5
*Special contributions from Scott King, Meg Geroch, Doug Roble, and Matt Lewis on Articulated Figures in Chapter 6

Edition details

• Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 1558605797
• ISBN 13: 9781558605794
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 552