BA2: Animation Fundamentals

Oh, Hello Maya! 

Last Tuesday we had our first Maya tutorial and my word, it was SO MUCH FUN! I have a friend who is doing a similar course at a different uni and he is very skilled in Maya. Over the summer I asked him to give me some advice and a casual introduction to the software as I had never used it before. This was so helpful because it meant I wasn’t blind sighted when we had the session, I felt slightly familiar with the software despite being a complete novice. 

I took some notes whilst experimenting on Maya and being given step by step guides on how to do different things on the programme. I made a car (well, a 2 wheeled car with twin exhausts, so it wasn’t really a car, more a box with exhausts. This is why I haven’t gotten any examples of the work, only the notes I took. However, I was so excited to get stuck in with the software that I really want to start experimenting with it. I’m in the process of building a beast of a computer which will run the programme as smoothly as possible so that I can being to comfortably experiment. 

So, that’s about it for now, here are my notes!  

·     When using 2 screens and wanting to transfer to a laptop or just 1 screen, Maya will forget what’s on that second screen (i.e. hyper shades etc) and will not open the file correctly. Always remember to put your work and all of Maya back onto one screen before transferring it so that when you then open it up on the single screen/laptop so that all your work is there. 

·     Top left tab set to “polygon” which is used to make things/ a starting point. (Animation, surfaces, dynamics[explosions, particles, anything physics related], rendering, N dynamics/customize)

·     Set “the shelf” (the bit with all the default shapes) to Polygons. 

·    The shapes along “the shelf” are what you will use to create your model (sphere, cube etc). 

·    You can change the sizes of the grid to customizable sizes. The default setting seems fine.

·     You can use the sizing tool on the left hand size in case your model is too large (6^th icon down) blue sphere with red arrows. 

·     Snap to grid hold X and drag to the surface then pull up the shape to make it 3d.

·     Using the tabs along the top you can select Edit Mesh > Insert Edge Loop (it splits up the model into chosen sections, smaller quads) > click the square to open special menu and manually set the edge loops. 

·     Tools on the left (where the re size tool is) are modelling, moving and selecting tools for your model. Use the 4^th one down to move certain components after your edge loop. So you can move certain areas of your model around. 

·     Below the default shapes is a selection tab: View > Shading > Lighting > Show > Renderer > Panels. 

·      Panels: Perspective is the normal 3D view, it’s the default. Orthographic is the 2D graphic. 

·      F8 is last selection, turns the model green and then you can move the model as a whole as opposed to individual selections. 

·    F9 is vertices which can move corners where the edges of the model meet. 

·    F10 is Edges which connect 2 vertices. You can move the straight lines on your model.

-    F11 is Faces (you can use this to select faces) which will enable you to select faces of your model and move them as a whole.

·     When using edge loops you can manually position it yourself by Relative Distance, you can position the edge loop yourself on your model.

·     Anything symmetrical, it is easier to build simple shape (remember the torso) and then delete half of it. 

·    Edit  Mesh > Extrude is to pull out certain parts of your models i.e. the arm of the torso. DO NOT FORGET ABOUT EXTRUDE, MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS PULL OUT THE PART OF YOUR MODEL THAT YOU NEED TO BE PULLED OUT.  (Hold Z to undo if you accidently click on extrude) – Shift click to select multiple faces for extrusion. 

·     You can use the selections on the left to move, make bigger/smaller.

·     Make sure that you check your model from all possible angles to ensure that it isn’t flat block. PANELS > PERSPECTIVE (3D) & ORTHAGRAPHIC > FRONT/SIDE/TOP ETC. 

·     Underneath the movement buttons you can select “perspective” which will show you 4 mini screens showing your model from different angles so you can check it looks correct.  

·     You can use “smoothing” to times your polygons by 4 every time you use it.

·     While in 3D hit the “4” key so that you can see wire frame of your model. Hit “5” un textured. Hit “6” and it becomes textured but not lit.

·         FACE: Face of the model/shape.

·         EDGE: Edge of the shape/model. (Think of the cuboids) 

·        VERTEX/VERTCES: The corners of a shape.

·        Hit the space bar for the different views.

·        Games usually work with polygons.

·        “alt” makes you “tumble” around your creation. 

·        Right mouse click & vertex means you can move the corners of your object. 

·        World & ALT – double click “move object”. 

·        If you want to select 1 side face to move, just right click. 

·        “control D” duplicates the selected item.