Are you familiar with the basic Maya tools? Can you complete most tasks with little or no reliance on the help files? Do your questions about Maya center on how to put all the pieces together and use the software in a production setting? If so, Inside Maya 5 is just what you want and need. Industry professionals who have worked for such houses as Digital Domain, ILM, PDI/DreamWorks, and Pixar provide insights into making great production decisions that take advantage of the power of Maya without compromising production quality - real-world solutions to real-world challenges!
You'll get coverage of:
Using Maya in the digital studio pipeline
MEL and the Maya API
Modeling techniques for NURBS, polygonal modeling, and subdivision surfaces
Modeling characters, sets, and props
Maya's node-based architecture
Particles and dynamics
Character animation and rigging
Lighting, shading and rendering
Bonus interviews with Scott Clark (Pixar) and Paul Thuriot (Tippett Studios)