The Art and Science of Digital Compositing: Techniques for Visual Effects, Animation and Motion Graphics (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics)

I started my career in visual effects around the same time the first edition was published and have referenced it constantly through out the 9+ years. I bought the 2nd edition for two reasons, my copy of the first edition was falling apart and nostalgia. I was not expecting much new information and was mostly just looking for an intact copy of the first edition with a few new tidbits here and there. I could not have been more wrong. The second edition has so much NEW information in it was like reading a time capsule of the technological advances of the last ten years. There is not a topic or subject used in compositing that is not covered here. Only two books have sat on my desk my entire career, the first edition and the cinematographers manual. I have read many books available on visual effects, but none compare, honestly. The main reason for that is complete software independence, not partial, complete. There is no other book that teaches you the raw knowledge you need to be an artist. Anyone can teach you how to push certain buttons of a specific app, this is the only book that clearly teaches you when to push them and why. Artists in today's marketplace need a deep core knowledge of what the software packages are doing so that they can easily switch to other packages. This is especially true in feature film compositing where the industry is at a point of impasse and there is no clear winner of the package wars, fingers crossed for NUKE ;). There is no standard tool anymore so the best way to stay employable is to know what this book teaches, the math, the science, the art. This book is chock full of examples, color photos and production examples. Whether you've been at this for a while or are new to the art, own this book. Own it for years and years and years. Yes, it's more expensive then any other book on the subject but it is worth so much more then the others that it will pay for itself very quickly. If you already have the other books, sell them, get this.

For anyone who wants the clearest, most comprehensive reference on digital compositing, this book is a must. Platform agnostic, all aspects of compositing are covered, with specific case studies from recent films. "The Art and Science of Digital Compositing" strikes the right balance between specific data and details and overall concept coverage. I love the fact that it's completely accessible for novices but yet has enough "meat" in it that I can return to it for refreshers and reference. The first edition never left my desk, and now the expanded 2nd edition will take up permanent residence within easy reach. You need to know the bigger picture issues of compositing, not just the button pushes of a specific package. This book is the best source of that "big picture" knowledge.

Hi I'm a 3D Artist finishing college at sva and I do my own compositing and to me this book is a must own. Pros: This book will teach anyone how to do professional composites. You will learn concepts over application effects which isn't reall useful for non compositers but if you want to do your own composites and get them done right you need to get down and dirty and understand compositing. That's where this book shines you get all the detials relevant to all software applications. This book is the perfect guide to getting professional work done fast and clear def recommended for production based artist. Cons: If your not into conpositing this thimg is pretty much an alien language that takes a long time to grasp.

I am a seasoned digital compositor (30+ years in the profession!) and I have enjoyed reading this book. Mr. Brinkman's discussions of color space, bit depths, digital image representation systems and compositing order (premultiplied, straight alpha, unpremultiply etc) are among the clearest I've encountered. Although most if not all of the information in this book can be found elsewhere, it is scattered among many disparate sources, which makes it difficult for someone entering the field to get a comprehensive understanding of how digital images are created, stored and manipulated. I'd recommend this book for pretty much any level of person involved in - or aspiring to be involved in - digital compositing... not necessarily as a handbook, but more as a discussion of the theory of compositing. Many (if not most) modern software packages somewhat hide the underlying math and concepts from the user, sometimes leaving newer users wondering what causes certain visual artifacts. Many of the answers are in these pages. This information is not always easy to come by, in a practical setting. Sometimes, the techniques of applying of this information are jealously guarded, and sometimes technical "misinformation" is widely accepted as fact.

There is suppose to come a DVD-ROM with this book. I didn't get it! I only got the book! Can I please get the DVD!?

You know that saying "You learn a new things every day"? well that pretty much sums this book up... I've been in the VFX industry for nearly five years and this book really goes in depth and explains everything really nicely. Beginner or professional this book will defiantly teach you something. Highly recommended. I bought the hard cover version and when I received it the cover it self was a bit damaged but everything inside was perfectly fine.

Great foundation to understand the basics of complex modern compositing softwares and methods. Reading this will definitely help those new to compositing or anyone without a solid comprehension of the underlying mechanics to dramatically improve their capabilities and avoid many of the confusions and pitfalls that seem to create frustration and wasted time for many in this highly technical field. Dense with highly practical information and fairly comprehensive, prepares the reader to take things to the next level faster and more efficiently than if they tried to acquire the same knowledge and skills by consulting an assortment of different sources. of course there's no end to the depth of things a person could learn about and apply to the art of compositing, but this book will place you on solid ground from which to embark further.

This book is a bible for digital compositing that starts from the basics to advanced techniques used. I love examples of compositing from many popular movies and I wish more of the book was about case studies from different films and showed more detailed steps of the techniques used rather than spending the first chapters explaining the basics of visual graphics and etc. But overall this is a must have book for those who want to learn all the basics of CGI and compositing. Users of compositing programs like Adobe after effects can benefit from the the included DVD that has videos/pictures and use those in the program to practice the techniques explained in the book.