Maya 2025 Essential Training

Get up and running with the latest version of Maya, the powerful visual effects software that lets you create high-quality 3D models and animations quickly with ease.

Introduction

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

1. The Maya Interface

• Overview of the Maya interface
• Working with files and Maya projects
• Navigation in Maya
• Configuring viewports
• Using the hotbox and marking menus
• Configuring workspaces
• Setting preferences
• Configuring plug-ins

2. Selecting and Manipulating Objects

• Selecting objects
• Using the Move tool
• Rotating and scaling
• Manipulating pivots
• Duplicating objects
• Understanding the Channel Box
• Working with the Attribute Editor
• Maintain accuracy with snapping

3. Organizing Maya Scenes

• Working with the Outliner
• Creating hierarchies
• Grouping objects
• Creating layers
• Hiding and showing objects

4. Creating Polygonal Models

• Creating polygonal objects
• Selecting polygonal components
• Using the Modeling Toolkit
• Component tags
• Using brush tools to sculpt meshes

5. Modeling Polygonal Meshes

• Setting up a reference
• Modeling against a reference
• Using the Extrude tools
• Smart Extrude
• Working with edge loops
• Bevel tools
• Combine and Separate
• Object history

6. Additional Modeling Techniques

• Object deformers
• Mirroring and merging components
• Smoothing surfaces
• Working with subdivision surfaces
• Boolean tools

7. Working with Curves

• Creating curves
• Modifying curves
• Extruding along a path

8. Creating Materials

• Basics of Maya rendering
• Standard surface materials
• Opacity and refraction
• Creating and applying maps
• Using bitmaps as textures
• Working with the Hypershade window
• Use Substance materials

9. Applying Materials and Textures

• Apply multiple materials to objects
• UV mapping polygonal objects
• Understanding the UV Editor
• Fine-tuning UVs

10. Rendering in Arnold

• Render settings
• Add and control light
• Arnold light types
• Image-based lightning and skydomes
• Using objects and lights
• Adding cameras
• Adding depth of field in Arnold
• Creating motion blur in Arnold
• Render view and final output

11. Animating in Maya

• Understanding the animation interface
• Animating objects using Set Key
• Modifying keys on the Timeline
• Modifying keys in the Graph Editor
• Using the Dope Sheet
• Creating animation cycles
• Animating objects along spline paths
• Visualizing animation
• Time slider bookmarks
• Draw on screen with Blue Pencil

12. Working with External Data

• Working with standard formats
• Setting up USD stages
• Creating variations in USD

Conclusion

• Next steps