This short book is born with the intent of providing people a solid understanding of the basic knowledge necessary to use proficiently Sverchok, Blender's node-based parametric design add-on. Parametric design is getting more and more popular, yet most of the tools dedicated to this field are part of highly priced software packages like Rhino/Grasshopper. Sverchok offers a valid alternative for students, small businesses and hobbyists that are interested in this fascinating field. The fact that Sverchok comes as an add-on to Blender, with direct access to all its powerful Python API makes things even more exciting. At the end of the read you will have what it takes to start exploring Sverchok independently and to start using it to realize your amazing ideas.
Dasha is a gift. Only she’s not very gifted. Both books in the awarding-winning Breathing Sea mini-series in one omnibus edition! Dasha was born at the behest of the gods, her mother’s pledge between the world of women and the world of spirits. The Krasnograd kremlin looks to her to rule with fire, steel, and magic, just as her Imperial foremothers did. Instead, she’s shy, retiring, and the least magically talented girl her tutors have ever seen. Now that she’s almost a woman grown, she needs to learn to harness her gifts, but all she can do is have fits and useless visions. When her father offers to take her on her first journey away from Krasnograd, Dasha jumps at the chance to see her native land. But their journey quickly turns into more than a mere pleasure trip. The wide world is more dangerous than Dasha had imagined, and her rapidly growing gifts may be the most dangerous thing in it. But Dasha is not the only danger in Zem’. War is raging on its borders, and threatens to spill into Zem’ itself. No matter which side Dasha’s people choose, they may not be able to keep their freedom and their way of life. Dasha may hold the key to protecting Zem’—but she may have to lose herself in order to save her people. If you loved First Lessons or The Bear and the Nightingale, try this epic fantasy saga set in a magical Slavic world where trees walk, animals talk, and women rule. With discussion questions at the end.
Master the basics of 3D modeling for art, architecture, and design by exploring Blender 3.0. This book explains modeling, materials, lighting, painting, and more with Blender and other external tools. You will configure a 3D architectural environment and set up the workflow of an art and design project within Blender. You will use Blender's main tools—mesh modeling and sculpting—to create virtual objects and environments. And, you will explore building materials and light scenes, followed by drawing and virtual painting. Chapters cover rendering scenes and transforming them into 2D images or videos. You will learn to use Blender 3.0 for video editing as a compositor and video sequence editor (VSE or sequencer) with a wide range of effects available through the nodal system. On completing this book, you will have the knowledge to create art, design, and architecture with this 3D modeler. What You Will Learn Create objects and architectural buildings with different techniques of 3D modeling Master creating an environment for your objects and how to light them Determine how to create node materials and assign them to your Blender objects Pick up UV unwrapping and texture painting Get closer to painting and drawing in Blender Render your scenes and create stunning videos Who This Book Is For Artists, designers, architects, and animation artists who want to learn Blender by tackling the challenges of building high-end computer graphics, art, design, and architecture. Ideal for readers with little-to-no experience with Blender as it starts with the basics and covers techniques to produce objects, materials, environments.
Unlock the secrets to creating random mazes! Whether you're a game developer, an algorithm connoisseur, or simply in search of a new puzzle, you're about to level up. Learn algorithms to randomly generate mazes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and dimensions. Bend them into Moebius strips, fold them into cubes, and wrap them around spheres. Stretch them into other dimensions, squeeze them into arbitrary outlines, and tile them in a dizzying variety of ways. From twelve little algorithms, you'll discover a vast reservoir of ideas and inspiration. From video games to movies, mazes are ubiquitous. Explore a dozen algorithms for generating these puzzles randomly, from Binary Tree to Eller's, each copiously illustrated and accompanied by working implementations in Ruby. You'll learn their pros and cons, and how to choose the right one for the job. You'll start by learning six maze algorithms and transition from making mazes on paper to writing programs that generate and draw them. You'll be introduced to Dijkstra's algorithm and see how it can help solve, analyze, and visualize mazes. Part 2 shows you how to constrain your mazes to different shapes and outlines, such as text, circles, hex and triangle grids, and more. You'll learn techniques for culling dead-ends, and for making your passages weave over and under each other. Part 3 looks at six more algorithms, taking it all to the next level. You'll learn how to build your mazes in multiple dimensions, and even on curved surfaces. Through it all, you'll discover yourself brimming with ideas, the best medicine for programmer's block, burn-out, and the grayest of days. By the time you're done, you'll be energized and full of maze-related possibilities! What You Need: The example code requires version 2 of the Ruby programming language. Some examples depend on the ChunkyPNG library to generate PNG images, and one chapter uses POV-Ray version 3.7 to render 3D graphics.
Revisionist Revolution in Vygotsky Studies brings together recent critical investigations which examine historical and textual inaccuracies associated with received understandings of Vygotsky’s work. By deconstructing the Vygotskian narrative, the authors debunk the 'cult of Vygotsky', allowing for a new, exciting interpretation of the logic and direction of his theory. The chapters cover a number of important themes, including: The chronology of Vygotsky’s ideas and theory development, and the main core of his theoretical writings Relationships between Vygotskians and their Western colleagues The international reception of Vygotskian psychology and problems of translation The future development of Vygotskian science Using Vygotsky’s published and unpublished writings the authors present a detailed historical understanding of Vygotsky’s thought, and the circumstances in which he worked. It includes coverage of the organization of academic psychology in the Soviet Union, the network of scholars associated with Vygotsky in the interwar period, and the assumed publication ban on Vygotsky’s writings. This volume is the first to provide an overview of revisionist studies of Vygotsky’s work, and is the product of close international collaboration between revisionist scholars. It will be an essential contribution to Vygotskian scholarship, and of great interest to researchers in the history of psychology, history of science, Soviet/Russian history, philosophical psychology and philosophy of science.
Russian and Soviet cinema occupies a unique place in the history of world cinema. Legendary filmmakers such as Sergei Eisenstein, Vsevolod Pudovkin, Dziga Vertov, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Sergei Paradjanov have created oeuvres that are being screened and studied all over the world. The Soviet film industry was different from others because its main criterion of success was not profit, but the ideological and aesthetic effect on the viewer. Another important feature is Soviet cinema’s multinational (Eurasian) character: while Russian cinema was the largest, other national cinemas such as Georgian, Kazakh, and Ukrainian played a decisive role for Soviet cinema as a whole. The Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema provides a rich tapestry of factual information, together with detailed critical assessments of individual artistic accomplishments. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema contains a chronology, an introduction, and a bibliography. The dictionary section has over 600 cross-referenced entries on directors, performers, cinematographers, composers, designers, producers, and studios. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Russian and Soviet Cinema.
Due to its comprehensive tool-set and great potential for 3D modeling, more and more architectural design and interior design firms are adapting Autodesk Maya and integrating it into their practice. There has been no book aimed at architects and designers who wish to harness the opportunities presented by this software, until now..... The book promotes parametric design. It integrates the theoretical research of computational design and Maya non-linear modeling techniques associated with simulation, animation, digital fabrication and form-finding within 2D & 3D design. Readers will learn: How to use Maya polygon and NURBS modeling tools to create non-linear procedural model. How to use Maya driver keys and relationship tools to generate parametrically negotiable solutions across various design professions. The design logic and generative processes, as well as the potential of parametric thinking as a resourceful tool for achieving diversity and complexity in form generation and fabrication. How to use Maya to prepare files for rapid prototyping and the integration of Maya into various fabrication techniques such as laser cutting, CNC milling, and 3D printing. How to create a digital simulation to simulate all aspects of surface properties and dynamic forces with Maya physics engine. How to use Maya skeleton system and animation tools to control complex architectural forms. How to create photo-realistic renderings with Maya lighting, material and texture mapping. Using several real projects as examples, the book will go through the entire rendering process step by step. How to combine Maya with various CAD/BIM tools to create an efficient design pipeline. How to use Maya MEL script to create customized tools and interface. The book includes case studies from Zaha Hadid Architects, Greg Lynn Form, Gage Clemenceau Architects, Tang & Yang Architects, as well as step by step exercises, demonstration projects and crucially a fantastic online resource which includes video tutorials, scripts, and Maya source files.
Russian literature for children and young people has a history that goes back over 400 years, starting in the late sixteenth century with the earliest alphabet primers and passing through many different phases over the centuries that followed. It has its own success stories and tragedies, talented writers and mediocrities, bestsellers and long-forgotten prize winners. After their seizure of power in 1917, the Bolsheviks set about creating a new culture for a new man and a starting point was children's literature. 70 years of Soviet control and censorship were succeeded in the 1990s by a re-birth of Russian children's literature. This book charts the whole of this story, setting Russian authors and their books in the context of translated literature, critical debates and official cultural policy.
This book reports research and development that represent the state of the art in artificial intelligence in design, design cognition, design neurocognition, and design theories from the Tenth International Conference on Design Computing and Cognition held in Glasgow, UK, in 2022. The 48 chapters are grouped under the headings of natural language processing and design; design cognition; design neurocognition; learning and design; creative design and co-design; shape grammars; quantum computing; and human behavior. These contributions are of particular interest to design researchers and design educators, as well as to users of advanced computation and cognitive science. This book contains knowledge about the cognitive and neurocognitive behavior of designers, which is valuable to those who need to gain a better understanding of designing.
