LightWave 3D is one of the most powerful and popular tools for creating computer graphic imagery, animation, and visual effects. This update to the best-selling Essential LightWave 3D 7.5 introduces you to the incredible new tools available in LightWave [8] and expands upon LightWave's existing feature-rich toolset.

• Get up and running quickly with straightforward, easy-to-follow tutorials.
• Learn industry-proven techniques for modeling and animation.
• Discover the secrets of creating special effects quickly and easily.
• Expand your knowledge of splines by building a feature-quality head model.
• Imbue your objects with real-world physical properties using LightWave [8]'s new hard, soft, and cloth Dynamics.
• Explore the basics of character animation using inverse kinematics, forward kinematics, and IK Booster.
• Delve into SasLite to simulate hair, fur, and grass.

ON THE CD:

• All scenes, objects, and images referenced in the exercises, along with completed scenes and models
• Over 160 MB of plug-ins and other programs for modeling, painting, surfacing, and animating