Learning Maya 5

„The Rendering book does something every book should do--certainly every excellent book--it offers you content unavailable anywhere else.“ --3DNY. org
Learning Maya 5: Rendering is your solution to creating stunning images in Maya.
New for Maya 5!
Updated from the popular Learning Maya: Rendering, this book will teach you what you need to know when using the Maya rendering engine and mental ray for Maya. You'll learn to take advantage of options new in Maya 5, such as Hardware and Vector Rendering. Get the information you need to master Caustics and Global Illumination, Final Gather and HDRI. Learning Maya 5: Rendering includes an inspiring photo gallery of images rendered in Maya and mental ray(r) for Maya so you can see the types of results you'll learn to achieve.
Features:

This book will allow you to explore lighting, cameras, shading networks, and other rendering issues from an introductory level and will also allow you to explore advanced concepts in a comfortable format. Each topic is explored in both theory and practice so that you'll not only understand the concepts presented, you'll be able to complete easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials. In addition, you'll take advantage of valuable chapter-by-chapter overviews provided in QuickTime(r) format on DVD-ROM. Offered by one of the book's contributors, Cathy McGinnis, an Alias Wavefront(TM) Certified Instructor, these helpful movies will allow you to gain additional insight as you work through the book.
With this books you will:

* Create materials and textures. * Set up lights and cameras. * Work with shadows and raytracing. * Learn to control your renders. * Understand rendering for special effects and compositing. * Explore Hardware Rendering and vector Rendering. * Create Caustics and Global Illumination effects. * Understand Final Gather and HDRI techniques. * Create Maya and mental ray Shaders.
And much more.