If you are a first-time animator, or are just starting out, this book is a good place to start. It provides a good overview of the animation process, with plenty of pictures and examples. It covers equipment, lighting, techniques, models, sets, and performance. It also covers the history of animation. In depth. In great depth. In fact, about one-third of the book is dedicated to the history of animation. That's all well and good, but I was really wanting (and expecting) quite a bit more in some of the other areas. For example, the section on models and model making gives several examples of Aardman models, and briefly describes the processes involved in making them. Although there are many helpful hints in these pages, I would have liked an in-depth description for at least one of the models. I want to know what tools I need, what supplies I need, and step-by-step instructions for building a simple model with a wireframe skeleton. Unfortunately, the pages that described that were replaced by 50 pages of history. If you are interested in animation, and need a place to start, 'Creating 3d Animation' is great for beginners. On the other hand, if you are looking for answers to the many problems that face 3d animators, you may be disappointed.