First, let me extend my heartfelt prayers for Steve Anzovin. He’s currently having health issues (and has posted so). Let’s pray he get’s well soon, and pray for his family as they go through this difficult time.
The review: Welp, I bought the Anzovin “Training CD Bundle”. It consists of:
A:M QuickStart 2,
Secrets of A:M 2003,
Model a Face,
Animate a Face,
Rigging a Face,
Non Linear Animation,
AM in Live Action,
Mastering Materials,
Animating with TSM2
I put my order in Sunday. It was in my mailbox on Tuesday (that’s FAST!). The bundle cost a mere $199…an absolute steal at twice the price. Obviously, I haven’t gone through everything. Infact, I’ve only gone through the Animation:Master Quickstart 2 (specifically JUST the modelling sections, as that’s my primary concern right now).
The Quickstart 2 Volume CD set consists of tutorials on the Interface, Modelling, Surfacing, Rigging, Animating, and Lighting. I just watched the Modelling section, as that’s where I’m currently at, in my studies. Let me say, there’s nothing like watching a master at work. My two main hobbies are art and martial arts (and I stress, I’m only a hobbyist). There’s nothing I enjoy more than watching videos of real masters doing their thing. Whether its watching Chen Xiao Wang doing Old Frame, or Nat Stein on this CD splining away. You see it on this CD set, a real master. The person doing it goes at a good clip and shows AND explains the splining process. Where to use patches, 5 point patches, hooks, etc. The guy’s a lathing machine.
The first tutorial went through and showed making the token wine cups, teapots, tables, etc. Its good to see how fast he does it, and its worth listening to the explanation, but I’m sure if you’re like me, you really wanna see how people are made. This in NO WAY detracts from the first modelling tutorial on here. Its A+ stuff and has a LOT of lessons that taught me how I should be splining. But when I review or watch something, I wanna see a little of the basics, and a little of the advanced. I have to know what the destination is, before I can say I want to go there.
Then he goes forth and models out a basic humanoid (cartoonish) figure on another tutorial on this set. No real details. No face (there’s another CD that covers that). But man, this itself is EXACTLY what I’ve been searching for. In 38 minutes (while talking and showing examples of why you make joints the way you do), he modelled the total figure. VERY impressive. His skills are amazing, and he conveys what he does and what needs to be done in good detail.
Honestly, there are still so many tutorials left on this volume alone that I haven’t watched, but the modelling tuts themselves easily made this an A+ effort. If everything Anzovin does is this quality and this good, I wish that company the best. They are heads and tails above other tutorials I’ve seen. I only mention the good ones, but trust me, I’ve seen plenty of clunkers. This was THE BEST I’ve seen on modelling, explaining splines, and everything. Get it. Just getting this is only like 30 bucks. Its so easily worth the money.
Buy it. Its rare to find anything that’s really worth its price. This is a gem. Can’t wait to watch the rest of it.
lafnjack
PS: If you’re wondering why I posted a review so quickly after just watching 2 tutorials of the many on just one set…its because it made me THAT awed. Good stuff.