Introducing Autodesk Maya 2014: Autodesk Official Press

What you need to get up and running on Autodesk Maya 2014 Autodesk Maya is the industry-leading 3D animation and effects software, and this detailed Autodesk Official Press book is the ideal way to get you started using Maya like a studio veteran. Professional visual effects artist and Maya expert Dariush Derakhshani clearly explains the basics of modeling, texturing, animating and visual effects for new users, while leading you through fun and challenging lessons that give you plenty of hands-on practice. The book includes a color insert featuring dazzling examples from talented beginners, so you can see what's possible. Gets beginners and those migrating from other 3D applications up and running on Autodesk Maya 2014 Helps users master the Maya interface and the basics of modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects Provides practical and fun, step-by-step tutorials that illustrate realistic, professional challenges Includes a full-color insert of amazing examples from talented beginners Written by an Autodesk Authorized Author and is an Autodesk Official Press book Whether you're new to 3D or migrating from another 3D application, Introducing Autodesk Maya will kickstart your creativity and get you up and running on Maya.

Table of Contents:
Introduction xvii Chapter 1 Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D 1 Art? 2 Computer Graphics 2 Th e Stages of Production 4 Th e CG Production Workflow 8 Core Concepts 10 Basic Film Concepts 21 Summary 26 Chapter 2 Jumping in Headfirst, with Both Feet 27 You Put the U in UI 28 Project Overview: Th e Solar System 33 The Preproduction Process: Planning 33 Creating a Project 34 The Production Process: Creating and Animating the Objects 36 Hierarchy and Maya Object Structure 51 The Solar System, Resumed 53 Outputting Your Work: Playblasting 61 Summary 63 Chapter 3 The Autodesk Maya 2014 Interface 65 Navigating in Maya 66 Exploring the Maya Layout 66 Building a Decorative Box 82 Mapping the Box’s Reference Planes with Hypershade 85 Organizing Workflow with the Layer Editor 90 Modeling the Decorative Box 91 Editing the Decorative Box Model Using the Shelf 96 Continuing the Decorative Box Model 102 Finishing the Decorative Box Model 105 Summary 113 Chapter 4 Beginning Polygonal Modeling 115 Planning Your Model 116 Polygon Basics 119 Poly Editing Tools 121 Putting the Tools to Use: Making a Simple Hand 130 Creating Areas of Detail on a Poly Mesh 136 Modeling a Catapult 148 Suggestions for Modeling Polygons 170 Summary 170 Chapter 5 Modeling with NURBS Surfaces and Deformers 171 NURBS! NURBS! 172 Using NURBS Surfacing to Create Polygons 184 Converting a NURBS Model to Polygons 186 Editing NURBS Surfaces 187 Patch Modeling: A Locomotive Detail 189 Using Artisan to Sculpt NURBS 201 Modeling with Simple Deformers 203 The Lattice Deformer 207 Animating Through a Lattice 211 Summary 214 Chapter 6 Practical Experience 215 Evaluating the Table Lamp 216 Modeling the Base 217 Creating the Lamp Stem 219 Modeling the Lampshade 231 Making the Toy Airplane 236 Using Maya File References 263 Finishing the Toy Airplane 265 Updating the File Reference 268 Summary 269 Chapter 7 Autodesk Maya Shading and Texturing 271 Maya Shading 272 Shader Types 272 Shader Attributes 276 Shading and Texturing the Table Lamp 280 Textures and Surfaces 286 Textures and UVs for the Red Wagon 293 Photo-Real Mapping: Th e Decorative Box 327 For Further Study 344 Summary 344 Chapter 8 Introduction to Animation 345 Keyframe Animation: Bouncing a Ball 346 Throwing an Axe 357 Replacing an Object 374 Animating Flying Text 375 Rigging the Locomotive, Part 1 380 Animating the Catapult 383 Summary 388 Chapter 9 More Animation! 391 Skeletons and Kinematics 392 Skeletons: The Hand 410 Inverse Kinematics 425 Basic Relationships: Constraints 430 Basic Relationships: Set-Driven Keys 435 Application: Rigging the Locomotive 438 Creating a Simple Character Rig 445 For Further Study 454 Summary 455 Chapter 10 Autodesk Maya Lighting 457 Basic Lighting Concepts 458 Maya Lights 463 Light Linking 469 Adding Shadows 471 Raytracing Soft Shadows 475 Mental ray Lighting 477 Mental ray Physical Sun and Sky 479 Lighting Effects 484 Lighting the Table Lamp and Decorative Box 488 Further Lighting Practice 494 Tips for Using and Animating Lights 495 Summary 497 Chapter 11 Autodesk Maya Rendering 499 Rendering Setup 500 Previewing Your Render: The Render View Window 509 Reflections and Refractions 511 Using Cameras 513 Motion Blur 520 Batch Rendering 521 Rendering the Wine Bottle 522 Mental ray for Maya 525 Render Layers 531 Final Gather 540 Ambient Occlusion 543 HDRI 551 Displacement Mapping the Decorative Box 553 Rendering the Lamp and Decorative Box 561 Summary 571 Chapter 12 Autodesk Maya Dynamics and Effects 573 An Overview of Dynamics and Maya Nucleus 574 Rigid and Soft Dynamic Bodies 574 Animating with Dynamics: The Pool Table 578 Fun Dynamics: Shoot the Catapult! 587 nParticle Dynamics 590 Emitting nParticles 590 Animating a Particle Effect: Locomotive Steam 596 Introduction to Paint Effects 602 Toon Shading 606 Getting Started with nCloth 609 Customizing Maya 614 Summary 617 Where Do You Go from Here? 618 Index 619

About the Author :
Dariush Derakhshani is an award-winning visual effects supervisor, author, and educator. He has worked on movies such as The Fantastic Four and Pan's Labyrinth, the South Park TV series, and countless commercials and music videos. He teaches Maya and 3D animation, and is the author all the Introducing Maya books, as well as coauthor of Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 Essentials and Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 Essentials. Dariush is also an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) and Autodesk Certification Evaluator (ACE).