The Ray Dream Handbook (Mac and Windows)

"By using The Ray Dream Handbook you'll take advantage of the experience of the contributing artists. Whether you glean a novel use for a basic technique or discover a little-explored feature of the program, both new users and Ray Dream veterans will benefit from the knowledge compiled herein." From the Foreword, Eric Hautemont, President, Fractal Design Corporation.

Create professional 3D graphics with Fractal Design's award-winning 3D software! Current Ray Dream Studio pros share their knowledge and expertise in this first-ever collection of real-world tips, tricks, and time saving techniques designed to help you produce astonishing 3D illustrations and animations. With coverage of the latest versions of Ray Dream Studio and Designer and a host of available extensions including 3D Fun Pack, the Professional Lens Pack, Visible Light Pack, and SuperMesh, you'll have everything you need to create your own 3D masterpieces. Plus, for you Web designers out there, we've provided information on the newly released plug-ins supporting web-standard file formats such as GIF, JPEG and even VRML. CD includes the Ray Dream GalleryWindows and Mac

Table of Contents. INTRODUCTION. THINKING IN 3D; MODELING TIPS; MODELING TECHNIQUES; LIGHTING TIPS; LIGHTING TECHNIQUES; COMPOSITION TIPS AND TECHNIQUES; SHADER TIPS, SHADER RECIPES AND TECHNIQUES; ANIMATION TIPS; ANIMATION TECHNIQUES; RENDERING TIPS AND TECHNIQUES; POST-PRODUCTION TIPS AND TECHNIQUES; ARTIST PROFILES; APPENDIX A: THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE; CONTRIB=UTOR'S DIRECTORY; GLOSSARY; INDEX.

Every Ray Dream Studio user, from beginners to experts, can learn a great deal from this book. The author starts out with a chapter titled "Thinking in 3D," which explains the essential elements you need to address as you plan compelling 3-D artwork--whether realistic, fantastic, or something in between--with sophisticated models, lighting, shading, composition, and animation. In the following chapters, he and various contributing artists teach you how to think through the processes of creating effective models, animations, and special effects--and then tackle these tasks. You also get help on working with lighting, camera angles, shading, and rendering. A final chapter covers Web graphics, including animated GIFs and RealVR scenes. Most helpful is that the contributors approach each subject with general advice, hands-on instruction, and screen shots. The companion hybrid CD-ROM includes practice files that you use as you go through the book's projects. The profiles of the contributing artists are at the back of the book, along with a directory of Web resources for Ray Dream and 3-D design.