Book excerpt: Get a jump-start on Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 essentials—with the Essentials! The new Essentials books from Sybex are beautiful, task-based, full-color Autodesk Official Training Guides that help you get up to speed on Autodesk topics quickly and easily. Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 Essentials thoroughly covers the fundamentals of this popular 3D animation effects, and visualization software, teaching you what you need to become quickly productive. By following the book's clear explanations, practical tutorials, and step-by-step exercises, you'll cover all the bases. Topics include modeling, animation, rendering, rigging, compositing, and much more. Whether you're an aspiring 3D designer or a professional brushing up on the basics, here is the essential grounding you need in 3ds Max 2012. Covers Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 fundamentals, so you become quickly productive with the software Uses straightforward explanations and real-world, hands-on exercises and tutorials to teach the software's core features and functions Helps you develop the skills you'll need throughout an animation production pipeline, whether you're a beginner or a more experienced user brushing up on the basics Uses a task-based approach and covers topics such as polygon modeling, materials and mapping, lighting, using mental ray, HDRI images, and more This book is an Autodesk Official Training Guide If you want to get quickly up to speed on 3ds Max, Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 Essentials is the place to start.