This book is the ideal primer to getting started with Maya, the premier 3D animation and effects software used in movies, visual effects, games, cartoons, short films, and commercials. You’ll learn the Maya interface and the basics of modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects. Professional visual effects artist and instructor Dariush Derakhshani explains the nuances of the complex software, while creative tutorials offer realistic, professional challenges for those new to 3D. You’ll be up and running in no time with the world’s most popular professional 3D software application.
Provides a thorough, step-by-step introduction to Maya 2012
Explains the core concepts of CG and working in 3D
Covers modeling, rigging, HDRI lighting, mental ray rendering, and more
Concepts are reinforced with tutorials that offer realistic challenges and clear explanations
Color insert provides real-world examples from talented beginning Maya users
Build your Maya and animation skills from the ground up with this practical, thorough guide.
Create realistic characters with Maya tools and this project-based book
Maya character generation tools are extremely sophisticated, and there’s no better way to learn all their capabilities than by working through the projects in this hands-on book. This official guide focuses on understanding and implementing Maya’s powerful tools for creating realistic characters for film, games, and TV. Use a variety of tools to create characters from skeleton to clothing, including hairstyles and facial hair, and learn how to use Performance Capture. A DVD includes supplementary videos, project support files, textures, tools, professional shaders, and more.
This project-based book focuses on Maya’s powerful tools for creating realistic characters for TV, film, and games
Covers key techniques necessary to make a character work in a professional setting: texturing, sub-surface scattering, hair, fur, homemade motion-capture, muscle systems, and clothing
Includes a DVD featuring supplementary videos, project support files, textures, tools, professional shaders, and more
An Autodesk Official Training Guide
Maya Studio Projects: Photorealistic Characters is an excellent training aid for both Maya newcomers and seasoned pros.