Datasheet

Basic Film Concepts  27
The more massive an object is, the more force is needed to accelerate or decelerate its •
motion. This law deals with an object’s momentum.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. When you press on a brick wall, •
for example, the wall exerts an equal amount of force on your hand. That way, your
hand doesn’t smash through the wall.
Momentum
It’s important to understand what momentum is all about. When an object is in motion,
it has momentum. The amount of momentum is calculated by multiplying the mass of
the object by its velocity. The heavier something is, or the faster it’s moving, the more
momentum it has, and the bigger the bruise it will leave if it hits you. Duck!
That’s why a tiny pebble on the highway can cause such a significant impact on your
windshield, for example. Its sheer speed greatly increases its momentum. Likewise, a
slow-moving garbage truck can bash your car, relying on its sheer mass for its tremen-
dous momentum.
When one moving object meets another object—moving or not—momentum is
transferred between them. So, when something hits an object, that object is moved if
sufficient momentum is transferred to it. For more on this notion, see the axe-throwing
exercise in Chapter 8.
SuggeSted reading
The more you know about all the arts that make up CG, the more confident you’ll feel among
your peers. To get started, check out the following excellent resources.
Art And design
These books provide valuable insights into the mechanics and art of design. The more you
understand design theory, the stronger your art will be.
Bowers, John. Introduction to Two-Dimensional Design: Understanding Form and Function. New
York: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
Itten, Johannes. Design and Form: The Basic Course at the Bauhaus and Later. New York: John
Wiley & Sons, 1975.
Ocvirk, Otto G., et al. Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008.
Wong, Wucius. Principles of Form and Design. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1993.
Cg
CG has an interesting history, and it’s evolving at breakneck speed. Acquiring a solid knowl-
edge of this history and evolution is as important as keeping up with current trends.
Keller, Eric. Mastering Autodesk Maya 2011. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2010.
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