Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/16269
Education Supplement Modo training centers throughout the world; one of the fi rst examples exists in Augsburg, Germany. Lastly, Luxology recom- mends a book—Real World modo: The Authorized Guide: In the Trenches with modo by Wes McDermott—to aid in eff ectively applying Modo in real-world production environments. Self-taught Project-based learning is a highly desired method among digital content creators. Sybex, an imprint within Wiley that publishes books for career technical professionals, recently launched the Maya Studio Projects series with that preference in mind. “We developed that series based on feedback that we received from training centers and self studiers who really wanted project-based learning,” explains Neil Edde, vice presi- dent and publisher at Sybex. “For 3D animation and graphics, we have found that people really want to feel like once they have gone through a learning process, they have something to show for it.” Books in the series—including the latest title, Game Envi- ronments and Props—take readers through various detailed steps; and, by the end, readers have completed a project of which they can be proud. “That’s something we are excited about; we see it as a natural evolution,” Edde adds. “These books also include a lot of video walkthroughs; they are our own blended learning solutions for the self studier.” Many diff erent learning styles exist, Edde admits. “Some people like classroom training, and some learn a lot from videos, but many still like to have a book at their side when working on the computer. It is maybe the clearest reason why books are still a very relevant part of the continuing education process, whether in 3D animation and graphics, postproduc- tion, and any other fi eld these days. “Personal fi nances are also another reason,” continues Edde. “A lot of our books are for a broad audience, including the aspirational artist, who doesn’t know for sure they want to do this, so spending $1000 on a sophisticated, and probably very eff ective, online training course is too intimidating. A book is generally an easy investment and, if they are disciplined and committed, they can get a lot out of it. I break it down to learning styles, personal fi nances, and aspirations.” All new Sybex books are converted into various e-book for- mats; yet, says Edde, the jury is still out as to whether e-books are going to catch on, particularly with the design commu- nity. “Some of these small devices don’t really work well when you have customers who want to see beautiful pictures and a big screen to see them on,” he explains. “Our books provide that in print, but a lot of our books also come with download- able fi les or CDs that include those visuals.” Another publisher, Focal Press, off ers a wide variety of books in media technology, says Amanda Guest, marketing manager at the company. “Most are geared toward profes- sionals, but many are adopted as textbooks. There’s also a big segment of our market that are self-taught advanced ama- teurs,” she explains. These books have been employed by a range of artists, from indie fi lmmakers who used Focal Press books to shoot their fi rst movie, to animators who were in- 22 • Education Supplement • July 2010 Autodesk has been focusing on education for quite some time, off ering a wide range of software training, professional development, and educator accredita- tion, among other things. light box. It’s the traditional apprenticeship, but in a book and DVD package. You can watch, listen, and experience an award-winning animator demonstrating everything you need to know, right at your own desk.” On the topic of visual eff ects, the company’s biggest seller currently is The Visual Eff ects Producer, a compendium of all the industry-standard methods for eff ective VFX budgeting and scheduling, evaluating vendors, working on set and off (and overseas), data management, legal matters, and more. “We’ll also soon be publishing The VES Handbook, which will be the bible of the elite Visual Eff ects Society.” Many Focal Press books include such ancillary materials as DVDs with project fi les and videos, as well as companion Web sites. Yet, “there’s still something so gratifying about holding a book in your hands and fl ipping through the pages that hasn’t been duplicated in the online realm yet,” Guest concludes. No matter how artists prefer to learn, a wealth of educa- tional options are available—many at no cost. To remain cur- rent and competitive, artists should continue to hone their skills and perfect their craft through the employ of a variety of methods—online, in books, and in person. Courtney E. Howard is a contributing editor for Computer Graphics World. She can be reached at cehoward@twitchinc.net. spired by the company’s Digital Art Masters series. Focal Press provides two big must-haves in animation. The fi rst is the two-volume set Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes, which is a collection of the legendary lectures from longtime Disney animator Walt Stanchfi eld. “It was these very teachings that infl uenced artists like Tim Bur- ton, Brad Bird, Glen Keane, and John Lasseter,” Guest notes. “We found last year that the books were a huge hit at graduation time—making a perfect gift for aspiring animators of all levels.” Another must-have animation book, Guest contends, is Tony White’s How to Make Animated Films. “Back in the Golden Age of traditional animation, budding artists were paired up with master animators as part of an apprenticeship program; but over time, this practice was abandoned, and there hasn’t been anything to take its place,” she says. “White’s book allows artists to peek over his shoulder as he works at his animation