Learning Maya | Foundation

Learning Maya | Foundation is your solution for gaining hands on experience in Maya. An update of our very successful Learning Maya 4, the book takes you through over twenty project-focused lessons that offer hands-on experience with Maya’s key tools and techniques. Join thousands of other Maya users who have successfully completed projects like the bouncing ball and Salty the Seal. The tutorials and workflows in the book have been optimized for Maya version 4.5 and provide step-by-step instructions for utilizing the powerful tools that are available in Maya. With Learning Maya | Foundation you’ll model with NURBs and Polygons, animate, texture map, add visual effects and render your scenes. We’ve also added instructor-led chapter overviews, presented by Alias|Wavefront Certified Instructor Alan Harris, to further demonstrate the concepts covered in the book.

Learning Maya | Foundation is a full color book that includes EVERYTHING you need to get started: Maya Personal Learning Edition software provided on a CD-ROM with support files, tutorial movies and how-to lessons, as well as a second CD-ROM containing chapter overviews provided in QuickTime format.

With this book you will:

Become familiar with the Maya User Interface
Work in 3D space
Model with NURBS (Spline)
Model with Polygons
Set Keyframes and Motion Paths
Learn to use Trax Non-linear animation
Apply Forward and Inverse Kinematics
Deform surfaces
Set cameras and lights
Create Shaders and Textures
Discover rendering techniques
Explore particles and Dynamics
Begin to use MEL (Maya Embedded Language)

What you need to use this book:
A working knowledge of 3D space
Maya Complete 4.5 Maya Unlimited 4.5, or Maya Personal Learning Edition
A CD-ROM drive and Netscape Navigator 4.0 or Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher.
QuickTime 5.0.1

This exceptional, full-color Maya Press title – produced by Alias, the software's creators – is a comprehensive mid-cycle revision that uses the award-winning short film Blue as the basis for the book's all-new hands-on tutorials. Artists, students, educators, and hobbyists will appreciate this book's comprehensible coverage of 3D and Maya basics. Project-focused lessons use actual production files from the film Blue to teach you most of the tools available in Maya Complete. The companion DVD includes instructor-led tutorials, scene files, artist interviews, and Maya PLE. Also includes Alias's Sketchbook Pro Version 1.1.1, $129.99 value.