Maya 4.5 Savvy

Decriptions:

Maya is famed for its intuitive interface, and yet this high-end 3D application is so powerful that no one masters it without help. Maya 4.5 Savvy is an update to the successful Mastering Maya 3 and provides precisely the help you need to take your skills to the next level, regardless of your field and how much or little you already know. Maya 4.5 Savvy is the first of Sybex's authorized, Alias|Wavefront Approved™ titles.

Read this book cover to cover or use it as a reference, dipping in wherever you need information on specific modeling, animation, and rendering tools or tasks. Everywhere you turn, you’ll find expert advice on the latest Maya features, time-saving shortcuts, and advanced techniques, along with Hands On tutorials that give you the practice you need to achieve results worthy of the real world. Coverage includes:

Maya Fundamentals: interface basics, workflow improvement techniques, features new to 4.5.
Modeling: modeling basics, NURBS, polygons and subdivision surfaces, Artisan techniques, organic modeling.
Animation: paths and bones, deformers, binding, the Trax Editor, rigid body dynamics.
Rendering: rendering basics, shading and texturing, lighting, special light effects.
Advanced Tools and Techniques: Paint Effects, MEL scripting, particle basics, particle rendering, particle expressions, ramps and volumes, soft body dynamics, Fluid Effects.

Updated for version 4.5, revised, and redesigned from the critically acclaimed Mastering Maya 3.

Tables of Contents:

Foreword
Introduction

PART I: MAYA FUNDAMENTALS
Chapter 1: The Maya Interface
Chapter 2: Your First Maya Animation
Chapter 3: Techniques for Speeding Up Workflow

PART II: MODELING
Chapter 4: Modeling Basics
Chapter 5: NURBS Modeling
Chapter 6: Polygons and Subdivision Surfaces
Chapter 7: Painting with Artisan
Chapter 8: Organic Modeling

PART III: ANIMATION
Chapter 9: Animating in Maya
Chapter 10: Paths and Bones
Chapter 11: Deformers
Chapter 12: Binding
Chapter 13: Character Animation Exercises
Chapter 14: Animation Using the Trax Editor
Chapter 15: Working with Rigid Body Dynamics

PART IV: RENDERING
Chapter 16: Rendering Basics
Chapter 17: Shading and Texturing Surfaces
Chapter 18: Lighting

PART V: ADVANCED TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
Chapter 19: Paint Effects
Chapter 20: MEL
Chapter 21: Particle Basics
Chapter 22: Particle Rendering
Chapter 23: Using Particle Expressions, Ramps, and Volumes
Chapter 24: Dynamics of Soft Bodies
Chapter 25: Fluid Effects
Appendix: Interviews

Index