Cinema 4D: The Artist's Project Sourcebook

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Firstly, I think this book is getting mixed reviews because of people's motivation for learning Cinema 4D. If you are a highly technical person, who is interested in super-polished technically correct realism, dense techincal concepts and knowing each and every button in the programme... then don't buy this book.If however you are like me - an artist - this book is truly excellent introduction to the software. I am a professional Motion Graphic Designer, expert in After Effects along with the other usual software packages and I needed to add C4D to my skillbase.This book gets you producing models and animations from the start - the payoff is high, and I found this approach very inspiring and motivating and so I continued through the book.Core concepts are covered - materials, animation, lighting, cameras etc. So as you progress through the book you pick up all the necessary skills in more and more detail. The book also encourages you to explore alone and build projects with less guidance by using supporting material on the accompanying DVD.The focus on this book is creativity - something which I could not find in all the other dry C4D books out there. After all, if you complete the book and find your technical knowledge lacking there are plenty of books to supplement *that* aspect of 3D learning. This book is a refreshing approach to a discipline that artists would usually find intimidating.

Reasons to my disappointment :1 - PresentationThe book looks terrible, the color printing does not help the poor, confuse and disorganized layout and the unrelated illustrations around.2 - MethodExercises does not take you anywhere is not continuous and does not give you a reason or explanation of what and why you are doing something.3 - Low quality of project filesI do not see I reason to learn what the book teachs as the graphics produced at the book look extreme outdated like rendered 10 years ago.This book is a waste of time and money. I have returned my one and bought the CINEMA 4D R10 HANDBOOK which is really good, serious and didactic book.

Fairly pretty to look at but why would you want to create stuff like this? I guess you'll learn something if you go through the projects but there is nothing that inspires or excites about the strange cartoonish models and renders. There is no attempt to teach you how to create anything that comes close to looking real.