Maya is the first choice of digital content creators producing award-winning games, 3D animation and visual effects. Built on a procedural architecture called the Dependency Graph, Maya offers incredible power and flexibility for generating digital images of animated characters and scenes. Learning Maya 5: Foundation takes you through over twenty project-focused lessons that offer hands-on experience with key tools and techniques. This book introduces you to the following topics: * The Maya User Interface * Working in 3D space * NURBS (spline) Modeling * Polygonal Modeling * Keyframes and Motion Paths * Trax(TM) Non-linear animation * Forward and Inverse Kinematics * Surface Deformations * Cameras and Lights * Shaders and Techniques * Particles and Dynamics * MEL (Maya Embedded Language) What you need to use this book: * Maya Complete(TM), Maya Unlimited(TM), or Maya Personal Learning Edition(TM) version 5 software * A DVD-ROM or set-top player Project One: Bouncing Ball Quickly get your feet wet by animating a basic bouncing ball. Add a squash and stretch, create a ring of fire using a particle clip effect, then add sparks as the ball hits the flames. Project Two: Jack-in-the-box Learn the basics of modeling, animating, and rendering a scene. Use Maya Artisan(TM) tools to sculpt Jack's face and to paint a color texture in 3D. Refine the scene's rendering using IPR (Interactive Photorealistic Rendering). Project Three: Space Battle Starting with a more in-depth look at polygonal and NURBS modeling, this project sets up a motion path animation, complete with Opti-FX explosions. Use Maya Paint Effects(TM) to create a realistic starfield. Project Four: Primitive Man Using Maya's Trax non-linear animation, you cycle for a bi-ped Inverse Kinematic skeleton. This lesson will also explore basic character skinning and deformation. Project Five: Salty the Seal This project brings together the skills developed in earlier lessons into a more complex scene where you learn how Maya lets you fully integrate modeling, rendering, and animation tasks.

"The Rendering book does something every book should do--certainly every excellent book--it offers you content unavailable anywhere else." --3DNY.org Learning Maya 5: Rendering is your solution to creating stunning images in Maya. New for Maya 5! Updated from the popular Learning Maya: Rendering, this book will teach you what you need to know when using the Maya rendering engine and mental ray for Maya. You'll learn to take advantage of options new in Maya 5, such as Hardware and Vector Rendering. Get the information you need to master Caustics and Global Illumination, Final Gather and HDRI. Learning Maya 5: Rendering includes an inspiring photo gallery of images rendered in Maya and mental ray(r) for Maya so you can see the types of results you'll learn to achieve. Features: This book will allow you to explore lighting, cameras, shading networks, and other rendering issues from an introductory level and will also allow you to explore advanced concepts in a comfortable format. Each topic is explored in both theory and practice so that you'll not only understand the concepts presented, you'll be able to complete easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials. In addition, you'll take advantage of valuable chapter-by-chapter overviews provided in QuickTime(r) format on DVD-ROM. Offered by one of the book's contributors, Cathy McGinnis, an Alias|Wavefront(TM) Certified Instructor, these helpful movies will allow you to gain additional insight as you work through the book. With this books you will: * Create materials and textures. * Set up lights and cameras. * Work with shadows and raytracing. * Learn to control your renders. * Understand rendering for special effects and compositing. * Explore Hardware Rendering and vector Rendering. * Create Caustics and Global Illumination effects. * Understand Final Gather and HDRI techniques. * Create Maya and mental ray Shaders. And much more...

"This book will teach you what you need to know about Dynamics from an introductory level and will also allow you to explore advanced concepts in a comfortable format." --Ian Cairns, Editor, MAYA Association Learning Maya 5: Dynamics is your solution to creating stunning effects in Maya. New for Maya 5! If your animations don't follow the laws of physics, this book is the tool you've been looking for. You'll approach Maya Dynamics from an introductory level and explore advanced concepts in a comfortable format. You'll work with both Rigid and Soft Body dynamics, particle animation and rendering, emitters, and much more. Helpful step-by-step exercises guide you as you build smoke, dust, fire, and water. Maya's Dynamics engine will allow you to add realism to you animations and create realistic effects without having to go back to school. Learning Maya 5 | Dynamics will help you prove that you don't need to be a rocket scientist to make one fly! Features: Each chapter included a theoretical discussion to help you understand the concepts at play, as well as easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials so that you can start working right away. This book also includes a DVD-ROM featuring chapter-by-chapter overviews offered by the book's writer, John Patton, an Alias|Wavefront(TM) Certified Instructor. Gain additional insight and assistance from these valuable bonus discussions. With this book you will: * Create and animate Rigid Body Objects. * Create and animate particles using fields, goals, ramps and expressions. * Render particles with hardware graphics and software techniques. * Dynamically animate NURBS and polygonal surfaces using Soft Bodies. * Instance geometry with particle motion. * Use Rigid Body constraints sand Soft Body springs And much more...

Written by renowned author and 3D artist Kelly L. Murdock, Autodesk Maya 2022 Basics Guide is designed to give new users a solid understanding of the fundamental skills needed to create beautiful 3D models and stunning animations with Autodesk Maya. Using clear and easy to follow instructions this book will guide you through learning all the major features of Maya. The text is complemented by video instruction. Each chapter has a corresponding video tutorial that introduces you to the topics and allows you to watch and learn how functions are performed in a way that a text alone cannot do. Autodesk Maya 2022 Basics Guide makes no assumptions about your previous experience with Autodesk Maya. It begins by helping you get comfortable with the user interface and navigating scenes before moving into modeling, texturing, lighting, animating, rendering and more. Additionally, more advanced features such as character rigging, skinning, animating with dynamics and MEL scripting are also introduced. Each chapter begins by examining the concept behind each task, the goal and the necessary features that are involved. Then you go in-depth with the objective of your task as you study examples and learn the steps necessary to complete it. Working your way through the comprehensive, step-by-step lessons, you'll develop the confidence you need to create incredible renderings and animations using Autodesk Maya. Who this book is for This text was created specifically for users with no prior 3D modeling or animation experience. If you want to work in a creative field or are just curious about how 3D animated movies are made this book is the perfect way to get started. Users who are migrating from another 3D application or upgrading from a previous version of Maya will also benefit greatly from this text. What you'll learn • How to create models using primitives, curves, NURBS, Polygons and more • How to assign materials and textures to make realistic-looking models • How to use Paint Effects to paint on and quickly create complex 3D Models • How to use lights, cameras, and depth of field to render captivating scenes • How to use keyframes, motion paths and the Graph Editor to create animations • How to use character rigging, skinning, and inverse kinematics to animate realistic movements • How to use various deformers to manipulate objects, animations and special effects • How to add influence objects, skin weights and hair to a character for a more realistic look • How to use dynamics to create fire, smoke, lightning, explosions, cloth and ocean effects • How to enable raytracing, motion blur, and fog effects for increased realism • How to render stills and animations using Maya Vector and Mental Ray for different looks • How to use the Command Line and MEL Scripting to work faster About Autodesk Maya Maya is a program, created by Autodesk, used to model, animate, and render 3D scenes. 3D scenes created with Maya have appeared in movies, television, advertisements, games, product visualizations, and on the Web. With Maya, you can create and animate your own 3D scenes and render them as still images or as animation sequences.

"...the best book out there for learning how to do MAYA rigging and animation." --Ian Cairns, Editor, MAYA Association Learning Maya 5: Character Rigging and Animation will teach you everything you need to achieve effective character set-up and animation in Maya. Learn what you need to become a true puppet master! New for Maya 5! Updated from the popular Learning Maya: Character Rigging and Animation, the book's latest edition will allow you to explore powerful new features in Maya 5 such as IK/FK Blending and Parent Constraints. We've also updated Melvin to a polygonal model from a NURBS path model to make him easier to manipulate. In addition, you'll take advantage of updated graphical selectors and controls that will make your rigs more customizable and easier for artists to work with. Features: This book will allow you to explore character rigging that is based on a human character - walking you through the process as you rig arms, legs, a face, and more. Learn the fundamentals of properly setting up a character to avoid pitfalls as you animate. Starting from an introductory level, this book covers advanced concepts in a comfortable format. Each topics is explored in both theory and practice so that you'll be able to complete easy-to-follow, step-by-step tutorials. In addition, you'll take advantage of valuable chapter-by-chapter overviews provided in QuickTime format on DVD-ROM. Offered by one of the book's authors, Bill Dwelly, an Alias|Wavefront(TM) Certified Instructor, these helpful movies will allow you to gain additional insight as you work through the book. With this book you will: * Create Skeleton Chains and edit Joint Orientation. * Render particles with hardware graphics and software techniques. * Set up Single Chain, Rotation Plane, and Spline IK Solvers. * Use Set Driven Key to create powerful control systems. * Use of both Forward and Inverse Kinematics. * Simulated the deformation of clothing using Wire Deformers and Set Drivin Key. * Drive Joint Rotation with a Blendshapte Slider to help consolidate you control windows. * Understand the difference between Smooth and Rigid Binding. * Use Pole Vector constraints as a fast and easy way of achieving realistic motion in arms and legs. * Create a complex and subtle character deformations.

Alias Wavefront's Maya is the premier tool for 3D modeling, animation, and rendering. It is used by such film houses as Industrial, Light & Magic, Pixar, and Disney for creating 3D animation and special effects. This Maya Press title—a cooperative publication between Sybex and Alias Wavefront—is the perfect introduction to 3D and Maya. Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

A compilation of key chapters from the top Focal game art books available today - in the areas of Max, Maya, Photoshop, and ZBrush. The chapters provide the CG Artist with an excellent sampling of essential techniques that every 3D artist needs to create stunning game art. Game artists will be able to master the modeling, rendering, rigging, and texturing techniques they need - with advice from Focal's best and brightest authors. Artists can learn hundreds of tips, tricks and shortcuts in Max, Maya, Photoshop, ZBrush - all within the covers of one complete, inspiring reference.