Digital Lighting & Rendering

Amazon.com

New Riders' [digital] series is performing a tremendous service to the computer animation and graphics community. The newest addition to this family is [digital] Lighting & Rendering. Author Jeremy Birn has long been regarded as a talented computer graphics artist and generous writer, and he's been sharing his techniques and discoveries for years.

Using computer graphic and 3-D tools to create accurate images is easy; using them to produce beautiful, inviting, memorable images requires more than technical skill. [digital] Lighting & Rendering introduces reasons and techniques for using light, shadow, texture, and composition. The book is not software-specific, but demonstrates techniques that are applicable to almost any 3-D graphics application. It is assumed, however, that your 3-D software of choice supports such basic rendering features as soft shadows, light maps, colored gels, depth-of-field blur, motion blur, and so on.

The first half of the book discusses lighting and shadow: lighting workflow; light types; using lighting rigs, such as three-point lighting; shadows and shadow type; and light quality. Lighting--how it's used, where it's placed, the kind of shadow it casts, its intensity--is critical to any image, whether you're creating a photorealistic computer re-creation or a surreal fantasy picture. [digital] Lighting & Rendering explains not just how to use various lighting techniques, but why.

An outstanding chapter on color and its use through composition and lighting offers insight into how colors are perceived and how color affects a scene. The importance of color, hue, and saturation should not be underestimated, and the examples in this chapter, like in every other, drive home that point.

Additional chapters cover exposure, composition and staging, materials and textures, and compositing. There is no accompanying CD-ROM, but the platform-generic nature of the book (and of the subject matter itself) makes it unnecessary. The book is designed to educate and inform; it is up to readers to apply what they learn to their own projects.

Although fewer than 300 pages long, [digital] Lighting & Rendering is an informative and important book, useful to any computer graphics artist. Each page is filled with fascinating, immediately helpful information about the craft. The publisher spared no expense on the book's production, either--every page is in color, with at least one color photo per page illuminating the text. Mr. Birn's experience and insight are not to be underestimated, and this book is not to be missed. --Mike Caputo

Book Description

Digital Lighting contains strategies for lighting design that are relevant to any digital artist. It presents an awareness of computer lighting models, how they differ from real-world lighting effects, and how to approach 3D lighting projects differently from practical light. Topics covered include: What good lighting can do for you; Light sources; Shading; Shadows; Exposure and content; Color: temperature, correction, mood; Qualities of light; 3-point lighting; Indirect illumination; Multipass rendering and compositing; Lighting in production; and Case studies: natural lighting, interior lighting, character lighting, and effects lighting.

Customer Reviews:

Get the 2nd edition, not this!.......2006-04-20

This 1st edition came out in 2000 and now there's a new 2nd edition coming out this year ~ I ordered the up~to~date one instead!

Ray.......2006-03-22

Mr Birn makes great effort to illuminate the subtle and unappreciated aspects of creating visually aesthetic lighting and rendering. He helps pin down the elusive "why" factor, as opposed to bombarding the reader with a lot of technical information.

Best book available.......2006-02-09

This book goes way beyond what you need to know, in a good way. I have read and re-read this book numerous times, learning new things with each read. It is like taking 2 courses in lighting and 2 in color. Extremely professionally written from a practicing professional (Pixar Studios). Classic.

My review.......2005-09-18

A delightful book to have if you need to know about lighting and rendering.

Testo dettagliato fatto molto bene.......2005-08-26

Sono molto soddisfatto dell'acquisto di questo testo che mi ha fatto comprendere lati molto interessanti ed altrettanto importanti del lighting. Più sviluppato sotto questo aspetto che sul rendering è un testo da acquistare per comprendere molte sottigliezze. Consigliato

The Raman Effect: A Unified Treatment of the Theory of Raman Scattering by Molecules

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The Raman Effect: A Unified Treatment of the Theory of Raman Scattering by Molecules
Derek A. Long
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471490288

Book Description

Presents a unified theoretical treatment, which is complete and rigorous but nonetheless readable. The theoretical treatment requires a variety of mathematical and physical tools. To keep the main text uncluttered, these tools are developed in comprehensive Appendices to which cross-references are made in the main text. These Appendices also ensure that the main text is useful to readers with a wide variety of scientific backgrounds and experience. These include not only spectroscopists, but also chemists, physicists, biochemists and analytical chemists. The presentation is such that postgraduate and postdoctoral students as well as more established research workers will find it valuable.

About the Author
The author was formerly Professor of Structural Chemistry and Director of the Molecular Spectroscopy unit in the University of Bradford. He is distinguished for his original scientific work in a number of areas of Raman spectroscopy. His book, 'Raman Spectroscopy', published in 1978 and long out of print, was highly successful. He has been co-editor of many books including the Specialist Reports on Molecular Spectroscopy, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry; he retired as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Raman Spectroscopy in December 1999.

Light: Medicine of the Future: How We Can Use It to Heal Ourselves NOW
Average customer rating:

A book of extreme importance

EXCELLENT & HEALING

The medicine of the future

real eye opener

Like the books says - "The medicine of the future"

Light: Medicine of the Future: How We Can Use It to Heal Ourselves NOW
Jacob Liberman
Manufacturer: Bear & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Healing | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

The Healing Sun: Sunlight and Health in the 21st Century

Color Medicine: The Secrets of Color/Vibrational Healing

Take Off Your Glasses and See: A Mind/Body Approach to Expanding Your Eyesight and Insight

Color Therapy: Healing With Color

Health and Light: The Effects of Natural and Artificial Light on Man and Other Living Things

Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device

Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

ASIN: 1879181010
Release Date: 1990-10-01

Book Description

Light: Medicine of the Future challenges the modern myth that the sun is dangerous to our well-being and claims that technological advancements, such as most fluorescent lighting, sunglasses, tanning lotions, and our indoor lifestyles, may be more harmful than helpful.

Customer Reviews:

A book of extreme importance.......2007-07-31

This book offers an understanding into the importance of light and it's implications in health not found elsewhere. This should be read by every health care professional as the information is sure to apply to many of there clients. There is nothing 'airy fairy' or 'new age' about the content either.

Based in scientific research it's message is clear. Light is essential to our health and the misunderstanding around the dangers of UV may well be doing us more harm than good.

EXCELLENT & HEALING.......2007-01-09

I bought that book having researched the subject early-on. As a doctor I was extremely interested in the subject. This book actually was the last step I took prior to introducing Light-Therapy to my Clinic.
One more item: Patients are lining up... and I'm smiling all the way to the bank. Thank you Amazon and good luck with your space flights.
Dr. Simon Stauber
Naples, Fl.

The medicine of the future.......2006-11-10

This book is a master's work. It has an outstanding performance in explaining the incredible healing power and importance of light for humans and other living creatures on this planet. In an easy way the way how human system about vision is explained, including the medical subsystems playing a key role. A 'must read' for all those who are interested or have affinity with natural cure processes.

real eye opener.......2006-03-03

I didn't expect the influence of the eyes to be that important on the human organs. A 'must read it' for everyone who is interested in good health.

Like the books says - "The medicine of the future".......2005-02-26

This is not a new-age book. Dr. Lieberman has worked effectivly with over 15,000 people.

Light is vital to the healthy functioning of the human body. Anyone with SAD will attest to that. The book is easy to understand. There are many footnotes, notes, appendixes, diagrams & color plates. He builds beautifully on the work of Dr. John Ott, one of the pioneers in light therapy.

The chapter on learning disabled children and light is very interesting. Einstien, Beethoven and Edison were thought to be either hopeless, stupid or mentally slow. The studies he quotes are interesting, the success rate was high (yes, I know he probably would not list those that weren't). Another interesting point was in experiments using florescent lighting opposed to full spectrum lighting in schools, blind children were as affected as the sighted ones. In one of the appendixes he lists the colors used for the walls in the classrooms of one of the experiements. The paints used are a majoy manufacturer available in the US and Canada.

The chaper on the Pineal glad was excellent. He combined the esoteric, old knowledge with recent scientific discoveries one interesting quote:

It's activity, regulated by environmental light changes and the Earth's electromagnetic field, is to transmit information to the body pertaining to the length of daylight. Since the length of daylight is a function of season, this transmitted information from the pineal tells every part of the body whether it is light or dark, whether the days are getting longer or shorter, and what season of the year it is. In this way, our bodies stay closely attuned to nature and are thereby able to make appropriate physiological adjustments that will prepare them for upcoming environmental changes.

If you are looking for an educational book on light and the effect on plant and human life this is a good choice. It is easy to read and written for the lay person with plenty of sources to expand on.

Industrial Light & Magic: Into the Digital Realm

Average customer rating:

The 2nd decade of ILM in a great book!
Fantastic!
Pricey, but well worth it.
The Future of the Magic
Extraordinary

Industrial Light & Magic: Into the Digital Realm
Mark Cotta Vaz
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Industrial Light & Magic: The Art of Special Effects
Digital Domain: The Leading Edge of Visual Effects
Special Effects: The History and Technique
Special Effects: An Oral History--Interviews with 37 Masters Spanning 100 Years
The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting

ASIN: 0345381521
Release Date: 1996-10-01

Amazon.com

This 330-page coffee-table book combines the writing of Mark Cotta Vaz and Patricia Rose Duignan with more than 600 photographs and illustrations to chronicle the accomplishments of Hollywood's hottest special effects company. Industrial Light & Magic, where Duignan spent two decades of her career, was founded by George Lucas to create the effects for his groundbreaking movie, Star Wars. Since then ILM has continued to pioneer new technologies which have led to SF classics such as "E.T.," "Terminator 2" and "Jurassic Park". This books offers a behind-the-scenes look into the magical moments ILM has helped create.

Book Description

Includes a foreword by Steven Spielberg!

The supernatural wonders of Ghostbusters.  The lively three-dimensional toons from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?  The unstoppable liquid-metal T-1000 cyborg of Terminator 2.  The incredibly life-like digital dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.  The thunderous African stampede in Jumanji. These award-winning special effects have one thing in common: Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).

For more than twenty years, George Lucas and the technical wizards at ILM have literally changed the face of movie-making with their stunning, often unbelievable, visual effects.   Industrial Light + Magic: Into the Digital Realm chronicles ILM's second monumental decade--from 1986 through the mid-nineties--and includes a special discussion on the latest groundbreaking visual effects in the soon-to-be released Special Edition of Star Wars: A New Hope.

During this seminal period, ILM virtually redefined visual effects and blazed a trail into the digital realm.  With more than six hundred lavish full-color photographs, this fascinating book takes you behind the camera and into the rarely seen workshops, offering an amazing look at the men and women who create movie magic.  We follow the intricate crafts of matte painting, model making, and optical compositing as they are transformed into digitally driven systems, and we track the contributions of model and creature makers, animation specialists and optical technicians, and the unsung stage hands and pyrotechnic experts.

Packed with astounding information about ILM's technical innovations and remarkably clear explanations--including a revealing look at ILM's work with TV commercials and theme park attractions, a comprehensive glossary of essential terms, and detailed screen credits for all the company's film projects--this volume will enchant and enlighten all of us who have ever marveled at what we've seen on the screen and wondered: how did they do that?

Customer Reviews:

The 2nd decade of ILM in a great book!.......2006-11-05

First there was ILM, covering the 1st decade of this fantastic Special Effects Company.
This is the second book of the series, covering the main movies from the second decade of existence of this company.
An execelent finishing, great value book (although it is a litle expensive, the book quality is exceptional).
Essencial to all Special Effects lovers.

Fantastic!.......2005-06-17

One of the greatest 'making of' writers Patricia Rose Duignan's Industrial Light & Magic: Into the Digital Realm is one of my all-time favorite books, charting the journey of ILM from fledgling company in George Lucas' garage to the No.1 Special Effects company in the world. Insightful and comprehensive, this is flawless reading and has some great accompanying images from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and surprisingly some of their lesser-known movies like Willow and Hook. An essential movie book, I just love every page, so carefully written, so rich in detail, it leaves the reader feeling that they have experienced something very special. Fantastic and brilliant. BUY IT NOW!

Pricey, but well worth it........2004-01-25

The book is huge and heavy. Every single page has at least several great color photographs and it is a big book. You will love to read about ILM's ventures into the digital realm. It is very technology orientated, but not too much and does talk about the film making process and ILM in general. This is well worth looking at especially for fans of ILM or those who want to see what goes on behind the scenes or for those looking for a career in this direction. This is a good place for inspiration.

Although it does not cover the more recent movies you will still get the picture here. It starts by talking about go-motion and then moves onto the first ever digital sequence and how much people slaved over it before going into detail with the evolution of that process and of the special edition of Star Wars and Speilberg's "J. Park".

The book looks fantastic. Keep it for your grandkids. I am sure they will love you for it. This is the kind of book that you will turn to time and time again just to see "how they did that".

The Future of the Magic.......2000-06-15

For 25 years Industrial Light and Magic has woven magic into countless films, either subtle images through `invisible' effects such as matte paintings or through eye-popping visuals that stand out vividly against the film backdrop. ILM has made it's mark on history, for not only have they been and still are the premiere effects house in Hollywood, they have innovated and invented more technology than any other studio, additionally they have won awards for the processing and compositing technology they have created. ILM had to be the best at special effects, because their flagship title - STAR WARS - demanded the best, because that's what Lucas wanted.

`Into the Digital Realm' isn't so much an abandonment of ILM of the traditional methods of special effects, rather a point of departure for the new technology and all of things that led up to it. Indeed, ILM's work on `The Hunt For Red October' submarine work involved flying the submerged vessels from wires in a smoky room - effects do not get any more traditional than that. Released in 96, the book doesn't mention that Phantom Menace or even that the film is in production. It does have some revised images from the Star Wars special edition. As with the previous tome, this one is packed with hundreds of color photos, plus the same beautiful gate fold images.

If the center piece for the previous book was Star Wars, Digital Realms' focus is obviously Jurassic Park, because it was the first film to use CG on so large a scale, even more than Terminator 2, which ILM also did. Jurassic Park was also the test bed and showcase piece that convinced Lucas that computers had finally matured enough to bring what he had in mind to the screen for the new Star Wars films. More is the pity, because I came to loathe most of the aliens in the Phantom Menace. Digital Realm clearly explains in easy to understand terms how effects - both new and old - are accomplished, be it something as simple as making it appear as if buildings are actually much taller than they or having a velociraptor walk _behind_ a plant situated in the foreground. I have both of these wonderful books, and I strongly recommend them to anyone who is curious about ILM's history and the process of how effects are made.

Extraordinary.......2000-04-09

An extraordinary book about an extraordinary company. You will know all you want to know about special effects wizardry. The book is well published, even watching its pictures is joyful.

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia: The Hands-on Desktop Reference for Digital Photographers (O'Reilly Digital Studio)

Average customer rating:

One of a great series
So You Want to Learn About Photoshop's Filters
Having the best of filters
Great Photoshop Filters Reference
Great filter reference

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia: The Hands-on Desktop Reference for Digital Photographers (O'Reilly Digital Studio)
Roger Pring
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Photoshop Blending Modes Cookbook for Digital Photographers : 49 Easy-to-Follow Recipes to Fix Problem Photos and Create Amazing Effects (Cookbooks (O'Reilly))
Photoshop Photo Effects Cookbook: 61 Easy-to-Follow Recipes for Digital Photographers, Designers, and Artists
Photoshop Fine Art Effects Cookbook: 62 Easy-to-Follow Recipes for Creating the Classic Styles of Great Artists and Photographers (O'Reilly Digital Studio)
Photoshop Retouching Cookbook for Digital Photographers: 113 Easy-to-Follow Recipes to Improve Your Photos and Create Special Effects (Cookbooks (O'Reilly))
The Photoshop Channels Book

ASIN: 0596100213

Book Description

Adobe Photoshop has become the tool of choice for professional photographers, designers, and amateur enthusiasts. But it's a complex application with many features-and scant information on how to use them to best advantage. A case in point: there are 100 built-in filters in Photoshop, designed to enable the user to easily make subtle or dramatic image adjustments, and there is very little online help available with the application, and no printed manual. Users can spend hours trying to use filters effectively-an inefficient and often frustrating way to work.

In Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia, author and educator Roger Pring explains and decodes the settings of every filter that Photoshop CS2 has to offer, from Artistic filters such as Colored Pencil, Cutout, and Watercolor to Stylize filters like Bevel, Emboss, and Extrude. And, unlike many reference books that give you a lot of information you'll never need, it is filled with easy-to-follow, step-by-step, practical recipes for creating truly amazing effects, such as:

Creating selective focus
Simulating motion blur
Adding special lens and filter effects
Working with tone and color
Creating dramatic solarized and posterized images
Working with artificial lighting
Simulating textures
Creating multi-layered images and photomontages
Reproducing graphic arts effects

and much more.

The best part is that you don't have to be a Photoshop expert to create sophisticated, professional-looking results-the recipes take the guesswork out of the process, so you can work quickly and efficiently. Packed with hundreds of full-color photographs, clearly written instructions, and practical tips, this book is the ultimate, no-nonsense Photoshop CS2 Filters reference for creative photographers, designers, and artists.

Customer Reviews:

One of a great series.......2007-06-12

The O'Reilly Studio put their thinking caps on for all ages and levels of expertise at Photoshop. The step by step instructions with options made this, as well as all their other Cookbooks, a delight to learn from and practice with, in an easy-to-understand format. I would love to see them come out with CD's for their books included.

So You Want to Learn About Photoshop's Filters.......2007-01-18

To be frank, I bought this book because to get free shipping, I had to add one more book to my order of "Photoshop Cosmetic Surgery, by Barry Huggins. It was one of many that I could have chosen for this purpose, but I chose it because it appeared that it could illuminate in detail an area of Photoshop that I was interested in exploring in greater depth than I had previously been able to do. In general, I am satisfied with my choice, although there were some areas where I would have liked greater detail and explanation. This book is not for a newbie to Photoshop. It assumes a reasonable degree of familiarity with the program, and simply proceeds, without fanfare, to describe how to use the many filters and their settings. I recommend this book for a reasonably competent Photoshop user who wants to continue to increase his/her mastery over this wonderful and hugely flexible program.

Having the best of filters.......2006-03-29

As all the collection of this books it is good to have this in your personal library to check out how filters work with different kind of pictures, of coarse these books are directed to professional photos, but you can maybe experiment with your personal as well, I just wanted to point that out because in the book the examples given are for applying filters to pictures you maybe wanna show or give to a client.

But as a reference book is just great, I mean someone took the time to write and visually show you all the filters in photoshop and as its name it is a real encyclopedia, where you can look every filter how is going to look like and then decide.

Buy this it will always be useful

Great Photoshop Filters Reference.......2006-02-19

Of all the things that Photoshop can do, the Filters option certainly is one of the coolest options available to users. Taking a digital picture or just a standard graphics file, you can use the power of Photoshop Filters to create unique art for whatever purpose you want. From a colored pencil effect to blurring images to one of the newest filters "Vanishing Point", this book is an absolute gem.

If you use Filters on a daily basis and want to see what can be done to take a normal image and make it stand out from the "blah" that is out there in the world, this book is for you. If you are a heavy Photoshop user but want to go beyond the basics of just resizing images and cropping pictures, you will also heavily enjoy this book. Of the 4 books in this Photoshop line I love each one of them and feel that all readers should rush out and pick them all up for their reference.

The only downside of this book really isn't a fair one at all, and that's that I wish there were more pages and examples dedicated to all of the filters covered here. Obviously this isn't a realistic gripe so it's barely even worth mentioning.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Great filter reference.......2005-12-06

Each filter is described in a page or two and has a very simple introduction and a great "How it works" section with full color examples. Most filter descriptions also include "why you might use this" information which is equally useful. Whether thumbing through for ideas or learning the specifics of a filter, this book educates the reader. It's a no-nonsense, straight-forward reference book.

I have no complaints, it is a great reference guide of the Photoshop CS2 filters.

Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems

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Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems
John T. O. Kirk
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics: Fundamentals and Large-scale Circulation
Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics
Stable Isotope Ecology

ASIN: 0521459664

Book Description

Penetration of light into aquatic ecosystems is greatly affected by the absorption and scattering processes that take place within the water. Thus within any water body, the intensity and color of the light field changes greatly with depth and this has a marked influence on both the total productivity of, and the kinds of plant that predominate in, the ecosystem. This study presents an integrated and coherent treatment of the key role of light in aquatic ecosystems. It ranges from the physics of light transmission within water, through the biochemistry and physiology of aquatic photosynthesis, to the ecological relationships that depend on the underwater light climate.

Introduction to the Theory of the Raman Effect

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Introduction to the Theory of the Raman Effect
J.A. Koningstein
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Industrial Light & Magic: The Art of Special Effects

Average customer rating:

Behind the Scenes, Behind the Magic
Well presented and clearly written explanation of specialfx
One of the best on Special Effects
Un gran bel libro
If you love "Star Wars" then you must have this book.

Industrial Light & Magic: The Art of Special Effects
Thomas G. Smith
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Industrial Light & Magic: Into the Digital Realm
Special Effects: The History and Technique
Digital Domain: The Leading Edge of Visual Effects
Special Effects: An Oral History--Interviews with 37 Masters Spanning 100 Years
Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop

ASIN: 0345322630
Release Date: 1987-10-12

Book Description

A lavish, profusely illustrated volume that tells the remarkable story of the organization whose name has become synonymous with state-of-the-art special effects: Industrial Light & Magic. From its early days in a large empty warehouse in Southern California's San Fernando Valley, to its Oscar-winning accommplishments creating special effects for the STAR WARS trilogy, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, ET, POLTERGEIST, and a host of others.

Customer Reviews:

Behind the Scenes, Behind the Magic.......2000-06-15

No one would ever have guessed that when Industrial Light & Magic opened its doors in Maren County that day way back in 1975 that they would produce the standard by which other special effects and other effects houses would be judged. ILM has formed the cornerstone of LucasFilm Ltd. a company that has spawned more spin-offs such as THX Sound, Skywalker Sound, all held neatly under the Lucas Digitial banner. Back in the days of Star Wars it was mostly using what was already known, and inventing everything else. ILM has been at the forefront ever since, from the early days of motion control cameras controlled by Apple computers the latest CG marvel like Galaxy Quest, Phantom Menace or Mission to Mars.

The Art of Special Effects deals more with the older films-those before 1986, illustrating a time when computers were not so large a part in the film-making process. It gives the reader a great look at the sheer amount of detail that went into the models, the props, costumes from Star Wars to Explorers, from Raiders of the Lost Ark to the some of the Star Trek films, ILM constantly and consistently proven to innovative. The book as a whole is on a level lower than, say, Cinefex magazine, assuming that the reader doesn't know how blue screening and rotoscoping works or how miniatures are lensed. It is light reading without getting itself bogged down in too much technicality, for those who want that, read Cinefex.

It also strikes me that this book is also best at presenting a dying era. A time when model makers kit bashed hundreds of plastic models just to build a Super Star Destroyer - few companies bother with that any more when everything can be rendered on a Silicon Graphics box and Maya and Soft Image software. Such films as Star Trek: Insurrection used few practical models and a completely CG Enterprise-E. The time of the supremely detailed, hand crafted model or set may be at an end, and I think the industry will be sadder for it. Partially because when I read Cinefex, a lot of what I see is the same-different movie, different space ship, but they're all rendered the same way and most use the same software, with only minor modifications or original code going into it to get a certain look or solve a certain problem.

I suspect the Digital Realm of the movies, while producing better special effects, lacks the mystique of knowing that several people labored for months to build that model. That instead it was modeled by a few people over a period of a week. (Though it should be noted that a lot of films, including the Phantom Menace, used practical models). I suspect their days are number.

Well presented and clearly written explanation of specialfx.......2000-05-18

Thomas Smith was general manager of Industrial Light and Magic a year before he came to write this impressive book. The book is centred around the film special effects creations of ILM between 1975 and 1985. This includes the then "Star Wars" trilogy, two Indiana Jones movies and other lesser known projects. For the Star Wars fan theres plenty to learn about one of your favourite movies. This book is lavishly illustrated with full colour photos including triple page or gatefold images. The focus though is on how the effects are done and who did them at ILM. From the art work in developing concepts of storylines, through modelling, creature creation, the actual filming methods and matte image creation to the finishing touches of animation and optical compositing this book gives a gradual demonstration of the work of a special effects company. For someone with no knowledge what so ever of special effects this is a good introduction and to those involved it must be fascinating as well. As Thomas Smith points out, while film fans still love the movies from this era (1975-85), movie goers constantly seek new visions on screen. The digital era has brought movies like Toy Story etc but these were just figments of imagination at the writing of this book so its worth noting Thomas Smith's far-sightedness in the final chapter on digitized movies. The format of the book is to take each department of the special effects process and show what it does and where its part comes in the crafting of a movie. In each chapter there are short biographies of the leading people in each area of effects, this is a nice touch as it can serve as guide for those interested in getting involved. Its worth noting, many of those profiled have a long interest in their specialty going back to their youth and through the various twists and turns of working in an industry knew of other members of the ILM company before actually joining this now esteemed organisation. Thomas Smith by no means is setting out to sell ILM's considerable expertise though he tells the story of a company making dreams into reality, itself moving from an idea to a serious business proposition. (As a final note another book on movies of this period Paul Sammons "Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner" contains insightful descriptions about the crafting of a movie not least its special effects.)

One of the best on Special Effects.......1999-04-22

Years ago I longed for this book, as it sat on the shelf in the local book store(it was not cheap). I received it with much gratitude on my birthday. Now as a teenager I found a reinterest in this book, and was overjoyed when the next book "into the digital realm" came out. For anyone who is captured by the magic of special effects, this is for you.

Un gran bel libro.......1998-08-24

Pér tutti quelli che vogliono sapere come fanno i film, per tutti quelli che amano Star Wars con tutti i suoi segreti, direi che questo è il libro che fà propio al caso vostro.Scritto in un inglese molto facile è un libro che può veramente appassionare

If you love "Star Wars" then you must have this book........1996-12-29

This book shows how I.L.M. made most of their films. It goes into full detail about special effects for their films

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Handbook of Optics, Volume IV
Optical Society of America
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Professional
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Handbook of Optics, Vol. III
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Book Description

A new volume in the field's bestselling optics reference--an entirely new opus focusing exclusively on fiber-optics. Contains an ultra-handy, comprehensive index to all four Handbook of Optics volumes.

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Painting Spectacular Light Effects in Watercolor

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VIDEO REVIEW : LIGHT EFFECTS WATERCOLOR
Interesting Information, short on technique
Review of his Video: "Painting Light & Landscapes"
A beautiful book, but how much do I actually use it
excellant!

Painting Spectacular Light Effects in Watercolor
Paul Jackson
Manufacturer: North Light Books
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ASIN: 1581805896

Book Description

From soft, atmospheric effects to powerful images, this guide provides artists with the insight and instruction they need to illuminate their paintings with the magic of light.

Utilizing 7 complete painting demonstrations, artists will learn how light behaves, where and how to find the best light, and how to use the personality of light to express the feeling and character of a subject. In-depth guidance features specific instruction for capturing light effects on glass, metal, water, landscapes and architecture-and also offers methods for experimenting with candlelight, shadows and more.

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VIDEO REVIEW : LIGHT EFFECTS WATERCOLOR.......2005-07-08

Really good and sound illustrations and excellent explanations of techniques. It was very helpful to me and taught me a lot of the wonderful styles he uses. I would recommend this video to anyone, beginner or master to learn more about light effects.

Interesting Information, short on technique.......2005-03-01

This book has a lot of interesting observations on the interactions between light and various surfaces. The value of this book is in these observations, which help the artist notice more. For example, what shadows look like, and how reflections and transparency impact water and metal and glass. These observations focus mainly on topics that will be useful to people interested in painting still life, buildings, and perhaps nature scenes. These observations will be less helpful for painters who are interested in figure painting, as the interplay of light on skin & hair is not addressed. Overall, this aspect of the book is very well done and deserves 4 to 5 stars.

The watercolor technique aspect of this book is not as well done. The main teaching technique used are step-by-step paintings. These are done better than most but, frankly, I fail to see the value of step-by-step instruction. For me, these fail to generalize the author's knowledge into useful watercolor techniques. The step-by-step instruction appears to be aimed at a beginner painter, whereas the rest of the book is intermediate to advanced.

Overall, this is a very nice book that is well worth purchasing. "Painting Spectacular Light Effects in Watercolor" is particularly nice as an inspirational book for watercolor artists.

Review of his Video: "Painting Light & Landscapes".......2004-01-09

This is a review of his *VIDEO*, "Painting Light & Landscapes".
I couldn't find it on Amazon.com so I'm putting the review under his book.

This title is separated onto two videos, part 1 about 1 hour 15 min, part 2 about 1 hour. (I couldn't get an exact time count for tape 2. It varied every time I timed it. Maybe the tape material was stretching?)

It begins with a brief bio of his training and awards, showing several of his painings in the background.

Then, a brief intro to some basic techniques, flat wash, graded wash, wet in wet, but nothing else.

Then he begins to demonstrate his painting, a foggy landscape, mostly done wet in wet.

The value of these videos is to see his demonstration of him actually painting. You see every stroke, which is very good for learning. Camera angles and audio are excellent.

But he doesn't teach design, composition, value sketch, color mixing theory, etc. If you want to learn these basics of painting you are better off with Tony Couch or Tom Lynch videos. But it is valuable to see Paul do his demo because he talks about his thinking process as he paints. It is always valuable to see how a painter thinks about his painting, his process, rather than just staying with cold techniques. These videos are excellent for that.

He points out how the water & paint behaves, how he corrects or covers up mistakes, how he layers paint to get rich values, how he choses colors he is using, how he changes his designing, etc. Its amazing how he gets his effects with his huge brushes and lots of water.

He usually names the colors he uses, mostly Winsor & Newton. But as he doesn't talk about color mixing theory, or quality of paints, he doesn't talk about permanant or fugitive clolors. At one point he mentions he is now using a *permanant* Alizarin Crimson, a historically fugitive color. (Genuine Alizarin is fugitive, which means it will fade or change over time with sunlight shining on it, and you shouldn't use it since there are permanant substitute paints for this color. *Premanant* Alizarin is most likely made up from these permanant substitue paints, but companies preserve the old name so thay can make money.) But then he uses *huge* amounts of Winsor Violet, which I belive is made of of Dioxazine, which is a fugitve color! (I hope I'm correct in this and not making a fool of myself. If I am, I appologize in advance.) According to Michael Wilcox's book, "The Wilcox Guide to the Best Watercolor Paints", he states that Dioxazine is a fugitive color. So why 1) does Mr Jackson use it if he switched to a *Permanant* Alizarin, and 2) why does Winsor & Newton continue to put out fugitve colors for sale at all???? (Read Wilcox's books to learn how to mix violets and purples using permanant colors as well as find out which paints are fugitive and which are permanant.)

While it is wonderful to see Mr. Jackson demo his painting, the whole video is *continually* broken up everytime he needs a break to dry his paper with *numerous* silly interviews of clients and samples of his paintings. These breaks happen at different times, after 5min, 12min, 17min, 24min, etc.

Showing samples of his beautiful paintings at these breaks is acceptable, although time consuming if you want to keep the actual demo on *one* VHS tape. You can go to his web site to see all his paintings. But the interviews are totally frustrating.

The interviews are of some of his clients/patrons: eg. Gov of Missouri, his 1st Lady, and several Doctors. These are more like infomercials. All they say is how wonderful Paul Jackson is, how much they like and are amazed by his art work, how his art is so detailed "it looks like photographs", how he paints upside down even though "that's impossible, but he does it!", etc. These "infomercial" commentaries are TOTALLY USELESS!!! They take up valuable video time and waste the viewer's time. These are all distinguised people, clients, patrons, nice people who really appreciate his work, but with all due respect, who cares about their comments! They are not artists. I bought the video to see Paul paint, not hear non artists babble on and on singing his praises and their amazments! I already know how wonderful he is and am amazed by his art myself, otherwise I wouldn't have bought the video and his book! I don't need nor want their comments. Its a total waste!

These breaks are short, 30 sec to 1 min each, but are so numerous, between 20-30 of them or more, they break up the flow of the video. I tried to time them to see how much time they took. Between the two videos, the infomercial interviews totalled to about 8 min, and the gallery of his paintings totalled to about 8-10min. Not much time total, but because there are so many of them, they are very frustrating and intrusive.

If the tapes had totally eliminated these useless interviews/comments and edited down the samples of his gallery of paintings, he could have fitted his *actual demo* onto a single 2 hour tape. Why, we need to ask, was it spread out onto 2 tapes with so much filler?

I rated the video with 4 stars instead of 5 because of these useless interviews. I would recommend this set of videos to actually see him paint. You just need to ignor the interviews. You can learn a lot just from observation and hearing *HIS* comments! If you get his book, you will get more step by step instructions.

If he ever does another video, which I would love to see of his tighter style, I would recommend: 1) DROP THE USELESS INFOMERCIAL INTERVIEWS! LET YOUR ART SPEAK FOR ITSELF. LET YOUR PAINTING DEMO SPEAK FOR ITSELF. and 2)show more of your planning, design stage. This is just as important as seeing you actually paint.

A beautiful book, but how much do I actually use it.......2003-08-19

I am an intermediate level painter. I appreciate the technique and artistry that goes into the paintings in this book. I also study them and read the artists comments and recomendations. They are sometimes vague and it is more of a read than a workshop book. I do not use it nearly as much as I hoped I would. This book does contain very impressive work and I would like to apply some of what I see to my own art.

excellant!.......2002-03-18

This is the best watercolor book I have found yet. The light effects are stunning and inpiring. I really learned a lot and improved my skills after reading this book.

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