Mark Christiansen Book order (chronological)

This book serves as a comprehensive resource dedicated to the creation of visual effects using After Effects, presented in a friendly and accessible manner by veteran author Mark Christiansen. It offers in-depth explanations that clarify the intricacies of visual effects creation. The guide covers essential concepts, features, and techniques crucial for producing seamless, movie-quality visual effects. For those already familiar with After Effects, it provides a helpful review of fundamentals such as managing footage, editing layers, and animating text, enabling users to enhance their efficiency. Readers at all skill levels will gain insights into core compositing techniques, including color matching, keying, rotoscoping, motion tracking, and using expressions, with contributions from expert Dan Ebberts. The book also explores creative projects that inspire readers to recreate professional effects. Additionally, it includes comprehensive updates on new features in CS6, such as variable mask feathering, Rolling Shutter Repair, Camera Tracker, and a ray-traced 3D rendering engine for designing in 3D space. Accompanying the text are sample clips and projects, including HD footage from Pixel Corps and Artbeats, along with plug-in demos for hands-on experimentation with effects.

This book is the only dedicated resource for creating visual effects specifically for After Effects users, offering in-depth explanations that simplify the complexities of visual effects. Veteran author Mark Christiansen presents a friendly and accessible guide packed with essential concepts, features, and techniques crucial for producing seamless, movie-quality visual effects. Users familiar with After Effects will benefit from a review of the fundamentals, including managing footage, editing layers, and animating text, enabling smarter and more efficient workflows. Readers of all skill levels will learn core compositing techniques such as color matching, keying, rotoscoping, motion tracking, and using expressions, with contributions from expert Dan Ebberts. An appendix on scripting in After Effects by Adobe engineer Jeff Almasol adds further value. The book also explores creative applications, showcasing professional effects commonly found in films and games that readers can replicate. Comprehensive coverage of new features in this version of Adobe's effects program includes the innovative Roto Brush, the New Refine Matte effect, support for Color Look-Up Tables, enhanced 64-bit workflows, and third-party tool integration. Free updates for Adobe After Effects CS5.