The authors attempt to offer an overview of careers within the growing field of computer graphics--to describe what opportunities exist and how one may develop a career within the field. Though the book states as its objective the examination of both the producer and the user possibilities, it is heavily biased toward the former. As computer graphics is increasingly the medium for many creative arts, this imbalance is regrettable. The most useful information in the handbook may be gleaned from a set of career profiles. These are uneven in quality but provide insight into the excitement that creators of computer graphics tools and solutions feel. The remaining sections are of considerably less value (particularly to one who knows little about the field and is seeking useful data).
The handbook is composed of six sections. An introductory section is followed by a segmentation of the field of computer graphics, a series of 21 career profiles, a summary of institutions that teach various aspects of computer graphics, a listing of possible employers (corporations using or creating computer graphics), and an overview of “the job search process.”
The introduction sets the expectation that the handbook will guide both users and developers. The first paper (by Judith Brown) is adapted from a longer piece and suffers from poor editing. For example, it unexpectedly jumps to computers in theater and then leaves the subject abruptly without giving any sense of its relevance. This unevenness and some inaccuracies (for instance, the statement that a strong background in crystallography is required for molecular modeling applications is only partially true) contrast with the same author’s much more readable piece in the career profiles. Del Coates’s paper does not suffer from editing problems but is maladapted for the content of the book. It focuses heavily on users of computer graphics. As later sections show, the book is only relevant to those considering a career in developing software or hardware.
The segmentation of the field produces categories that are not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, the book gives no sense of their relative sizes or growth rates. Such data are vital for someone considering a career. The statistical data are gathered from SIGGRAPH attendees and must be viewed in that light with appropriate caveats about generalizations. Several conclusions drawn from the statistics are not meaningful and, in fact, the first two are subject to strenuous disputation. “Multidisciplinarian” may just mean that the categories are poorly defined or that the sample does not adequately represent the population. In this instance, both are probably true. The second claim (on the importance of communication skills) smacks of motherhood. The interpretation of this claim is plausible, but the converse is just as possible. In fact, my observation is that pretty pictures sell better than words, and people will often buy just to have that edge. A table of overall required skills is presented. Reading it would lead one to believe that one will derive no advantage from having a relevant advanced degree or from on-the-job training. Does this ring true?
The finer-granularity statistics are equally meaningless: do we really believe that almost half of those using computer graphics in commercial or fine art need to have skills in data structures or that, for the same community, graphic arts ability is only the sixth most important requirement behind such likely needs as “personal (sic) management” and public speaking? These data have precious little relevance to the industrial world.
A series of career profiles describes, in the subjects’ own style, their personal odysseys in computer graphics. Despite an unevenness in both subject matter and quality, this information is by far the most useful provided. Some articles are entertaining. They give a definite sense of being “turned on” to graphics (the catalytic event is often attendance at SIGGRAPH). In general, the bias toward developers is evident. Of the 21 people profiled, 7 are producers, 2 are users, 4 teach, 3 consult, and 1 writes. Three others both use and build, and one uses and teaches.
The section on computer graphics education continues to show the bias toward developers (though some user programs are identified). This section appears comprehensive at first glance, but closer examination stops one short. How could such a summary of educational institutions omit the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie-Mellon University (only shown as offering courses in computer art), and Stanford University? Peering further (and drawing on personal acquaintance with some local graphics experts) reveals that important regional institutions are absent. These omissions make the entire section suspect. My skepticism is deepened by the presence of an apparently random selection of foreign colleges. What is their relevance, how representative are they, and given the inaccuracies in the US data, how much faith can the reader place in the information about them?
The listing of employers obviously presents a limited sample of the total number of companies developing or using computer graphics, yet no preface is provided to explain this fact or to suggest other means of locating companies. Company profiles are based on company-provided data. Useful additional information would be the size and age of the company and the percentage of employees utilizing or producing computer graphics. Finally, the section on job searching merely scratches the surface, but it does recommend a number of well-known, useful, and comprehensive guides.
The references are generally good, but some are outdated. For example, the percentage of graphics developers who need to understand more about the “Graphical Kernal (sic) System” than its historical relevance is small and diminishing. Some references are incomplete, listing just the author and title (no publisher, year, or city of publication). One glaring omission of the book (telling failure or unfortunate cost containment?) is that this document, ostensibly designed to illuminate people about and attract them into the field, contains not a single color image. The front matter shows some of the better-known computer-generated images of the explosive decade just finished, but within the book, the only images presented are in black and white.
In summary, what utility this book offers is only for those interested in becoming graphics developers. Only the career profiles are of value. The market accumulates tens of billions of dollars of annual product sales; surely something more accurate and useful could be prepared for the industry. This handbook may fill a gap but, compared with career information on other fields, does so poorly. I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking career advice.
