[.uk] Digital 3D Design: The Use of 3D Applications in Digital ... (ISBN 0823012964)

Fantastic Introduction to 3D Terms and Concepts:
Digital 3D Design is like a visual dictionary for the 3D design world. Out of all the 3D books I own, this is the one I recommend the most in teaching 3D and animation classes (with Bill Fleming's Photorealistic Toolkit a close second!). It covers concepts and terms (introductory and advanced) in very clear and concise ways, fully illustrated. It discusses all the major 3D packages, including Maya, LightWave, Cinema 4DXL, ElectricImage, SoftImage and others, discussing advantages of each. It covers views, 3D space, lighting, shading, textures, resolution, UV mapping, splines, curves, polygons, points, advanced modeling concepts, raytracing, rendering, radiosity, setting up skeletons, animation, inverse kinematics--everything you'd expect if you were looking for the ideal textbook for a 3D class (I'm using it for my modeling and animation classes). All this for around less than $30. A book every 3D designer, and instructor, should own! Highly recommended.

lush and beautiful:
A lush, beautiful introduction to the world of 3D. Perfect for newbies and those just wondering what 3D is all about. Plus it includes a Cinema 4D tutorial (building a photo-realistic pool cue). This book left me wanting more from this publisher and this author.

For Rank Beginners(and that's a good thing!):
The BEST book out there for beginning 3D artists. Period. Should be included with all 3D software packages. If you're thinking about getting into 3D design, buy this first!!!!!!

Comprehensive for beginner:
Over the past couple of months I've read a small pile of computer graphics books from the "Inspired" and New Riders \odigital\c series and others. I would put 3D design in the position of being one of the first practial how-to books a beginner should work with. Each section is clearly laid out, doesn't confuse with too much detail, and helps you gently step into CG. This book will get you oriented and everything after this will just be deeper studies in specific areas.