* Helps beginning and intermediate users gain the upper hand on the world’s bestselling professional 3D graphics software, which is used by an estimated 170,000 animators in film, television, games, and other industries * Covers the essentials, such as the 3ds max interface, navigation, and * display tools, then moves on to modeling, modifiers, mapping surfaces, rendering, using lighting, and creating 3D animations * o Clear explanations, example projects, and lots of illustrations help readers get up to speed fast * o Explores the substantial updates and enhancements to 3ds max * o Author has written more than twenty computer graphics and animation books