Turn 3D models into film-worthy digital animations by mastering mental ray rendering once and for all. This must-have guide is the only book on the market to focus exclusively on mental ray in Maya, 3ds Max, and XSI, and it's packed with techniques and insights you can't get anywhere else. Best of all, the book's advanced rendering concepts apply to other rendering software as well, including V-Ray, Brazil, Maxwell and RenderMan.

From scattering light to reducing render artifacts to deciphering rendering and shadow algorithms, you'll get a high-level look at advanced lighting, camera, and workflow techniques that usually take professionals years to figure out. This valuable book also covers the very latest on HDR image editing, viewing, and compositing tools—and features a sixteen-page color insert that showcases final rendered images.

• Get the fundamentals on light, cameras, and mental ray output

• Render from the host application or from the stand-alone renderer

• Explore the full array of mental ray shaders and shader libraries

• Get exclusive coverage of custom shaders that don't ship with any of the host applications

• Simulate light bounce with indirect illumination for more realism

• Apply textures, projections, and light profiles

• Perform subsurface scattering and Nuke compositing

• Master the fine points of Final Gather and ambient occlusion

• Create photo-realistic characters, objects, and landscapes