publishing and books

Dan Ablan is an extraordinary teacher, and 'Inside Lightwave6' an astonishing achievement. Well laid out, well-organized, intelligent, insightful, and interesting. Dan presents and addresses a range of problems in a matter-of-fact manner with thoughtful, detailed guidance, and there is a good dynamic among degrees of difficulty. One of Dan's much appreciated qualities is his global outlook - he gives a specific answer to a problem but also explains how this method/solution can be applied toward other situations. He consistently explains the 'why' along with the 'how to'. His books seem to read my mind and anticipate questions, responding with clear and logical answers. I am self-taught, having started with Dan's 'Inside Lightwave 3D' (5.6). For anybody just starting out, the 6.0 manuals stink, don't bother with them. Pick up Dan's Inside Lightwave 3D (5.6) for starters, then continue with his 6.0 book. That tangled darkness of confusion and I can't be this dumb, can I? feeling evaporates with Chapter One of either book. Dan is 100% there all the way, and hardworking (VERY hardworking, it's a huge in-depth book), and will teach you the joy of LW knowledge.

Mr. Ablan has created the best LightWave books in the past few years - but this one sets a new standard. The first 6 chapters introduce you to LightWave [6]. This is a welcomed addition, as there are SO many new and cool features in this 3D program. I'm a seasoned veteran with LightWave, and was at a stand still until I got this book. The other 16 chapters in this 900 page monster cover just about everything to help you learn the software and make money! Broadcast Animations is great for me, since it teaches how to create an entire project, not just a simple beveled logo. I often do architectural animations, and while the book doesn't really cover CAD conversions, it does demonstrate how to build from real world sketches and concepts, which is often how much 3D work is done. I don't use expressions, but it's covered extensively, as is LScript. When I began doing character work in LightWave 6, I was at a loss. This book helped me understand modeling (like the pretty cover girl) and inverse kinematics. I'm now on the skelegons, bones, and bone weight section.

Overall, I can't believe there is this much information in one book for $50. The tips and notes throughout the book alone can be a book in and of themselves!

BUY THIS BOOK before they're all gone!

I have spent a lot of money on 3d books in the past but this is the best by a distance, that I have bought. The head modeling tutorial in particular is just fantastic, I defy anyone to find a better modeling tutorial than this, its just brilliant. The really great thing is that the methods taught are easily transferable to other software packages and not just relevant to Lightwave. The only thing I would say is that if you are a beginner, prepare to work very hard, learning to make good 3d is tough, but if you are really prepared to do the hard work this book can take you a long way down the road. I would give it six out of five if I could !