Best HTML5 Canvas Books | Create 3D Web Games and Animations

best html5 canvas book

The HTML5 canvas element is used to draw graphics on a web page. The Canvas API provides a means for drawing graphics via JavaScript and the HTML canvas element. Among other things, it can be used for animation, game graphics, data visualization, photo manipulation, and real-time video processing.

The Canvas API largely focuses on 2D graphics. Below here you will find some of the best HTML5 canvas books. 

HTML and CSS QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginners Guide to Developing a Strong Coding Foundation, Building Responsive Websites, and Mastering ... of Modern Web Design (QuickStart Guides)
Author: DuRocher, David
Published at: 22/01/2021
ISBN: 1636100007

This book is well organized and contains visual examples. It includes assignments so you can practice what you are learning. The author does an excellent job at introducing html & css to beginners while at the same time providing more interesting and complicated material. It is a great book for students, and I am planning on using in my classroom. I love how the author included access to all the examples through github and encouraged use of a text editor. Throughout the book there are reminders where to go to access the online content which I found very helpful so you don't have to hunt down each time where you need to go.



Core HTML5 Canvas: Graphics, Animation, and Game Development (Core Series)
Author: David Geary
Published at: 14/05/2012
ISBN: 0132761610

Core HTML5 Canvas is the ultimate resource of learning HTML5 canvas. This is one of the most beautiful and full presentations of 2D drawing in the context of HTML5 canvas. It has tons of codes and examples. It also covers a wide range of topics related to HTML5 canvas.

The HTML part is described in great detail with a lot of easy to understand examples. One can easily learn the use of canvas from reading, working with the exercises and practicing the codes in this book. It is a complete and comprehensive introduction to HTML5 canvas.

If you want to know about HTML5 and specifically using canvas to develop a game or any other kinds of the application then this book is all you need. It also gives you access to online downloadable codes and chapters which you can download from www.corehtml5canvas.com. Get this amazing resource and learn HTML5 canvas easily.

This book includes the following chapters:

    • Essentials of HTML5 canvas
    • Drawing
    • Stroking and filling texts
    • Implementing text controls
    • Drawing and scaling images
    • Video processing
    • Canvas animation
    • Sprites
    • Game development project
    • Custom control and mobile viewport


    Programming 3D Applications with HTML5 and WebGL: 3D Animation and Visualization for Web Pages
    Author: Tony Parisi
    Published at: 06/03/2014
    ISBN: 1449362966

    Programming 3D Applications with HTML5 and WebGL is your ultimate guide to learn and create high performance and visually stunning 3D applications for the Web using HTML5 and related technologies like CSS3 and WebGL.

    WebGL is the emerging web graphics standard which is very popular. This  HTML5 Canvas book covers the most important topics like Canvas rendering, CSS 3D transforms mobile development and other important topics of modern WebGL development.

    You can easily create 3D Web content by the codes and examples provided in the book. It is easily understandable and is full of examples. This book is highly recommended for any beginner to the professional level 3D developer. 

    Chapters include:

    • Introduction to HTML5 and WebGL technologies
    • WebGL - A real-time 3D rendering engine
    • Three.js - A JavaScript 3D Engine
    • Graphics and Rendering in Three.js
    • 3D Animation

    After the completion of this book you will be able to:

    • Create engaging online 3D games with zero developer overhead.
    • Create artistic expressions that push our boundaries of what is possible on the web.
    • Create new ways for people to engage in products.
    • Create impressive deep dive data visualizations.


    HTML5 Canvas: Native Interactivity and Animation for the Web
    Author: Steve Fulton,Jeff Fulton
    Published at: 03/05/2013
    ISBN: 1449334989

    HTML5 Canvas is a comprehensive resource to learn HTML5 canvas. This book will guide you through the steps of creating interactive multimedia applications. It has solid information, easily understandable codes with a ton of examples.

    It is also well organized which will help you to follow the book till the end. Authors Steve Fulton and Jeff Fulton have tried their best to present a strong introduction on HTML5 canvas providing examples, advice and coding techniques.

    From the beginning, you will learn how to draw, render text, manipulate images and create animation. At the end of the book, you will learn how to create an interactive web game. 

    What's in this book:

    • Introduction to HTML5 canvas
    • Drawing on the canvas
    • Canvas transformations
    • HTML5 canvas text API
    • Images on the canvas
    • Math, Physics, and Animation on canvas
    • Mixing HTML5 Video and Canvas
    • Making a web game on canvas and many more


    Core HTML5 2D Game Programming (Core Series)
    Author: David Geary
    Published at: 30/06/2014
    ISBN: B00LEMOQT4

    Core HTML5 2D Game Programming is a great introduction to game development from an HTML5 perspective and using the resources form HTML5. This book gives you an idea about how to use them freely available browser tools and other open-source resources to create video games that are cross-platform supported.

    This HTML5 Canvas book will show how you can build an arcade-style game from scratch. It is packed with easily understandable codes and examples that provide you in-depth knowledge to build any kinds of HTML5 based 2D games on your own.

    The code examples are clear, concise, and plentiful. All of the book’s source code, including chapter-specific versions of the game discussed in the book, are available at www.corehtml5games.com.

    Topics include:

    • Setting up the environment for game development using HTML5
    • Using graphics and animation
    • Building game infrastructure
    • Loading screens
    • Sprites and its behavior
    • Collision detection and gravity
    • Special effects, sounds, and Music
    • Making the game cross-platform
    • Uploading the game on server and many more


    HTML5 Canvas For Dummies
    Author: Don Cowan
    Published at: 26/12/2012
    ISBN: 1118385357

    If you are looking for the best way to learn HTML5 and HTML5 canvas from the very beginning then HTML5 Canvas For Dummies can be one of the best resources for you to start with. Canvas is a newly introduced tag in HTML5 which is used to create eye-popping and visually amazing animations and graphics.

    It gives you the ability to add images, animation and sound to mobile and regular websites with the help of JavaScript. This book shows you how you can use the most out of HTML5 canvas.

    By finishing this book you will be able to create 2D drawings and images, add video and audio, build a basic game framework, weave spellbinding animation, and more.

    Chapters include:

    • A quick introduction to canvas
    • Drawing into canvas
    • Create, enhance and animating objects
    • Work with color, texture, and multimedia elements
    • Developing engaging imagery and motion
    • Developing complex applications and many more


    HTML5 Canvas
    Author: Steve Fulton,Jeff Fulton
    Published at: 16/05/2011
    ISBN: 144939390X

    HTML5 Canvas is an essential guide to learn HTML5's most exciting feature of the canvas element. This book will guide you and show you how to build interactive multimedia applications using text rendering, manipulating images and creating animation.

    The authors first give you an idea about what HTML5 canvas is and what it can do. In that section, they describe canvas like drawing different shapes on the canvas. After that, you will discover the colors, gradient, patterns and various ways to manipulate texts.

    Then you will learn the advanced techniques of image loading and creating animations like transforming images with code, cell-based stripe animation, etc. After that, you will learn how to create complex animations by adding math and physics.

    What's inside:

      • Create and modify 2D drawings, text, and bitmap images
      • Incorporate and manipulate video, and add audio
      • Build a basic framework for creating a variety of games on Canvas
      • Use bitmaps and tile sheets to develop animated game graphics
      • Go mobile: port Canvas applications to iPhone with PhoneGap
      • Explore ways to use Canvas for 3D and multiplayer game applications



      HTML5 Canvas: From Noob to Ninja
      Author:
      Published at: 22/03/2016
      ISBN: B01DCPPO32

      HTML5 Canvas: From Noob to Ninja, as the name suggests, this book can be a great companion for you to be a professional in canvas and web game development. This book is not like conventional books written on HTML5 canvas.

      It is based on the hard parts of the canvas and easy explanation of it. Each of the chapters is written in such a way that even an absolute beginner can understand the language. This book is divided into three sections.

      The first one is discussing the basics like drawing on canvas, the second one describing the addition of animation and the third one is the use of interactive applications.

      Topics include:

      • Basics of HTML5 Canvas
      • Drawing lines and curves
      • Drawing different geometrical shapes
      • Working with colors and texts
      • Images and transformation of images
      • Structuring drawing code
      • Creating animations and sprites
      • Working with mouse and keyboard


      HOW TO DESIGN 3D GAMES WITH WEB TECHNOLOGY - BOOK 01: Three.js – HTML5 and WebGL
      Author: Jordi Josa
      Published at: 07/02/2017
      ISBN: 1520547455

      How To Design 3D Games With Web Technology is an outstanding book which blends Three.js, HTML5, and WebGL and makes you capable of designing and creating 3D Web Games.

      Finally, the incorporation of 3D WebGL technology supports hardware acceleration, motion detection and virtual reality technology in the web system. This book is aimed to show you how to create 3D animation, add visual elements to web pages and also build a 3D game for the web. 

      This book is suitable for anyone with basic knowledge of JavaScript and HTML. No knowledge of advanced mathematics or WebGL is needed.

      What's in this book:

      • Use of Three.js library to create and animate a basic scene
      • Preparing a proper development environment
      • To use geometries and materials offered by the default library
      • To create advanced textures and transparencies
      • To illuminate the scene and create shadows
      • To load objects made with third-party platforms and animate them using different techniques
      • To use the keyboard, mouse and even body movement to control the camera


      HTML5 Canvas Cookbook
      Author: Eric Rowell
      Published at: 25/11/2011
      ISBN: 1849691363

      HTML5 Canvas Cookbook is a great book filled with tons of examples and codes. This book begins by covering the basic functionality of HTML5 Canvas and then progress through the advanced techniques used for Web.

      This book covers Animation, Charts, WebGL, Image and Video manipulation along with Transforms, Events, Games and many other demos. It has lots of code, yet simple and to the point, with clear demonstrations and easy to follow.

      The book starts out very gently and progresses through making custom events, interaction, animation, and finally a game.

      This book contains:

      • Introduction to HTML5 Canvas
      • Drawing lines and working with texts
      • Drawing shapes and patterns
      • Working with images and videos
      • Mastering transformations
      • Adding animation into the canvas
      • Attaching event listeners to shapes
      • Creating graphs and charts
      • Developing a game
      • Introduction to WebGL and many more


      Canvas API: Quick Guides for Masterminds
      Author: J.D Gauchat
      Published at: 01/01/2018
      ISBN: B078RHJRGN

      Canvas API this book provides a quick overview for the professional web developers about HTML5 Canvas. Readers with no prior knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript should face some difficulties reading this book.

      But if you have basic knowledge about them this book can be most helpful for you. It will teach you how you can create graphics applications for the Web with the Canvas API.

      After reading this guide, you will know how to create graphics for the web, how to manipulate images, and how to generate animations and small video games.

      Table of Contents:

      • Introduction to Canvas
      • Drawing shapes and patterns
      • Working with text and shadows
      • Working with Image transformations
      • Working with animations and videos
      • Building a real-life application


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