Maya 2020 Essential Training

Learn to create high-quality 3D models and animations in Maya 2020. Learn core Maya skills—modeling, texturing, rendering, and animation—in a real-world project-based workflow.

Learn to create high-quality 3D models and animations in Maya 2020. This course covers the core Maya skills—modeling, texturing, rendering, and animation—in a real-world project-based workflow that translates equally well to film, motion graphics, and game design. Learn basics such as selecting and manipulating objects, organizing scenes, and customizing the interface. Next, review polygonal modeling, creating and refining meshes, sculpting, and NURBS modeling. Next it’s time to create and apply materials to surfaces—adding color, texture, and reflectivity. Then integrate cameras, lighting, and depth-of-field effects using the Arnold for Maya renderer. Last but not least, instructor George Maestri shows how to add movement and life to your work with the Maya animation tools.

Introduction

• Create high-quality 3D models and animations with Maya
• Maya system requirements
• Make the most of the exercise files

1. The Maya Interface

• Overview of the Maya interface
• Work with files and Maya projects
• Navigation in Maya
• Configure viewports
• Use the Hotbox and Marking menus
• Customize preferences
• Use Maya workspaces

2. Select and Manipulate Objects

• Select objects
• Use the Move tool
• Rotate and scale
• Manipulate pivots
• Duplicate objects
• Understanding the Channel Box
• Work with the Attribute Editor
• Reset and freeze transformations
• Snapping objects

3. Organize Maya Scenes

• Work with the Outliner
• Create hierarchies
• Group objects
• Understanding the Hypergraph
• Create layers
• Hide and show objects
• Work with selection masks

4. Create Polygonal Models

• Create polygonal objects
• Extend polygonal objects
• Select polygonal components
• Use Soft Select and Symmetry
• Use brush tools to sculpt meshes
• Use the Modeling Toolkit

5. Modeling Polygonal Meshes

• Set up reference
• Modeling against reference
• Use the Extrude tools
• Work with edge loops
• Combine and separate
• Welding components
• Mirror and merge components
• Use Polygon Bridge
• Use the Bevel tools

6. Additional Modeling Techniques

• Understanding Quad Draw
• Smoothing surfaces
• Work with subdivision surfaces
• Add creases to smooth surfaces
• Boolean tools
• Manage object history

7. Work with Curves

• Basics of NURBS curves
• Create curves
• Modify curves
• Extrude along a path

8. Create Materials

• Overview of Maya renderering
• Understanding the basic shader types
• Work with Arnold materials
• Opacity and refraction in Arnold
• Create and apply maps
• Using bitmaps as texture
• Work with the Hypershade window
• Create materials in Hypershade

9. Apply Materials and Textures

• Apply multiple materials to objects
• UV mapping polygonal objects
• Understanding the UV Editor
• UV mapping complex objects
• Maintain UV scale

10. Render in Arnold

• Render settings
• Basic Maya lights for Arnold
• Maya point lights
• Use Arnold area lights
• Use objects as lights
• Image-based lighting and skydomes
• Add cameras
• Add depth of field in Arnold
• Create motion blur in Arnold
• Render view and final output

11. Animate in Maya

• Understanding the animation interface
• Animate objects using Set Key
• Modify keys on the timeline
• Modify keys in the Dope Sheet
• Modify keys in the Graph Editor
• Work with the Time Editor
• Animate objects along spline paths
• Create animation cycles
• Visualize animation
• Animation playback using Playblast

Conclusion

• Next steps