3D animation for the raw beginner using Maya

472 Pages·2015·24.04 MB·English

by  R King

3D ANIMATION
for the
RAW BEGINNER
using
MAYA
Each chapter of 3D Animation for the Raw Beginner Using Maya introduces critical aspects
of the 3D animation process and presents clear and concise tutorials that link key concepts
to practical Autodesk® Maya® techniques. Providing a principles-based, yet pragmatic, ap-
proach to 3D animation, this first-of-its-kind book: Roger “Buzz” King
• Describes the process for creating animated projects in a nonmathematical fashion
• Explains why—and not just how—to apply Maya techniques in the real world
• Includes access to a dedicated Web site, http://3DbyBuzz.com, featuring useful videos,
lessons, and updates
3D Animation for the Raw Beginner Using Maya is an ideal academic textbook as well as a
superlative do-it-yourself training manual. When employed as a text, it frees the instructor
from the painstaking task of developing step-by-step examples to present Maya’s complex
interface and basic capabilities. When used for individual study, aspiring animators revel in
the book’s easy-to-follow, hands-on learning style.
Make 3D Animation for the Raw Beginner Using Maya your book of choice for understand-
ing the essential theory and practice of 3D animation.
K12422
Animation

Using

Using
Roger “Buzz” King
Boca Raton London New York
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Version Date: 20140320
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To my family—Wendy, Martina, Isabelle, and Julien—and to
Alan Apt, technical book publisher and avid outdoorsman,
who set me on the path of writing this book.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments, xxi
Author, xxiii
The Book’s Web Site, xxv
Chapter 1 ◾ G etting Oriented 1
FOCUS AND APPROACH OF THIS BOOK 1
A Necessarily Nonlinear Approach to Learning 3D Animation 2
Perhaps the Most Important Principle 2
3DBYBUZZ.COM 3
WHAT MAYA DOES AND DOES NOT DO 3
THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF GAMING 4
WORKFLOW WITHIN AND AROUND MAYA 4
Other Applications Commonly Used by Animators 4
The Big Picture 4
1. Storyboarding 5
2. Maya 6
3. Soundtracks 8
4. Video 9
5. Deploying Your Video 9
Inside Maya 9
Other Application Needs 10
WORKING WITH PREFAB CONTENT 10
THE CABANA OF COOL CONCEPTS 10
THE SMALL SUBSET APPROACH TO LEARNING 3D ANIMATION 11
Every Animation App Is Unique 11
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 11
vii
viii ◾ Table of Contents
PREREQUISITES 12
CONTENTS OF THIS BOOK 12
Section I 12
Section II 15
A MOTIVATIONAL EXAMPLE 15
ART AND ENGINEERING 18
A FINAL NOTE 18
SeCtion i
Chapter 2 ◾ T he Maya Interface and Modeling Concepts in Maya 21
THE 3D WORLD OF MODELING AND ANIMATION 21
SEEING THE 3D WORLD THROUGH THE EYES OF MAYA 22
A Warning: The Maya Interface Can Be Intimidating, Don’t Be Dispirited 22
The Main Window 23
A Note on Changing Geometry Modes 24
The Hypershade 24
An Object and Its Attributes 26
The Render View for Creating Single Render Tests 26
Render Settings and the Batch Renderer for Creating Multiframe
Renderings for Video 29
How to Find Something in the Maya Interface 31
Maya’s Data Folders 31
TWO KINDS OF MODELING IN MAYA 32
Terminology 32
Meshes 33
Surface—And Not Solid—Modeling 34
Vector versus Raster Graphics 35
Polygon and NURBS Modeling 36
Choosing between Polygon and NURBS Modeling 37
NURBS Modeling Modes 38
MAYA IS ALWAYS RENDERING 38
SUBDIVISION IS ALIVE AND WELL 38
CUDA 38
CURVED LINES, BEZIER, AND NURBS 39
CORE TOOLS: TRANSLATE, SCALE, AND ROTATE IN MAYA 42