Author, Author!: with Andy Kopra

The book "Writing mental ray Shaders" is an introduction to shader programming with the mental ray renderer. Andy Kopra will describe the strategy he used to create a book that appeals to both artists learning how to program as well as to programmers interested in learning more about an artistic approach to rendering.
There will be a drawing for five copies of the book after the presentation ($160 value). The book includes a CDROM with free mental ray license.
Andy Kopra has over twenty-five years of computer graphics production and software development experience, including work at Digital Effects Inc., Symbolics Graphics Division, DeGraf/Wahrman, VIFX, Anohana PM&T, and Walt Disney Feature Animation. With an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from Rice University and graduate studies in both Cinema Studies and Computer Science at New York University, Andy has throughout his career attempted to bridge the synaptic gaps between art and technology. As a Visiting Artist at CalArts in the Center for Integrated Media, Andy taught programming and conducted workshops in the use of computers in artmaking. He is currently at mental images, Inc., where he focuses on training, custom applications, and the integration of mental ray into current production pipelines. In 2008, Springer Wien published Andy's book about mental ray shader programming, "Writing mental ray Shaders".