The essential fundamentals of 3D animation for aspiring 3D artists3D is everywhere--video games, movie and television special effects, mobile devices, etc. Many aspiring artists and animators have grown up with 3D and computers, and naturally gravitate to this field as their area of interest. The essential fundamentals of 3D animation for aspiring 3D artists 3D is everywhere--video games, movie and television special effects, mobile devices, etc. Many aspiring artists and animators have grown up with 3D and computers, and naturally gravitate to this field as their area of interest. Introduction xiiiChapter 1 3D Animation Overview 1Chapter 2 Getting to Know the Production Pipeline 21Chapter 3 Understanding Digital Imaging and Video 55Chapter 4 Exploring Animation, Story, and Pre-visualization 83Chapter 5 Understanding Modeling and Texturing 135Chapter 6 Rigging and Animation 177Chapter 7 Understanding Visual Effects, Lighting, and Rendering 213Chapter 8 Hardware and Software Tools of the Trade 249Chapter 9 Industry Trends 275Appendix A Answers to Review Questions 291Appendix B Gaining Insight into 3D Animation Education 299Appendix c Learning from Industry Pros 313Index 327