Maya 2014 Beginner to Advanced (Metric) Training

The Maya 2014 (Metric) Course is divided into following lessons:

Chapter 1: Getting Started

• Learning Objectives
• Discovering the Maya Interface
• Understanding Nodes and Attributes
• Exploring the Interface
• Working with Viewports
• Navigating the UI
• Using the Marking Menus
• Accessing the Hotbox
• Using Transform Tools
• Selecting Objects
• Configuring the Interface
• Setting Up the Grid and Units
• Accessing the Help System
• Downloading Autodesk Exchange Applications
• Working with the Node Editor
• Using the File Path Editor

Chapter 2: Scene Management

• Exploring Scene and Project Management
• Understanding Project Management
• Setting the Project Location
• Discovering Object Naming
• Naming Objects in the Scene
• Using the Outliner
• Working with Layers
• Creating Layers
• Saving Scenes
• Optimizing Your Scene with Pipeline Caching
• Working with the GPU Cache File
• Incorporating Alembic Cache Files
• Creating Assembly Definitions
• Adding an Assembly Reference

Chapter 3: Modeling

• Modeling in Maya
• Understanding 2D Curves
• Creating 2D Bezier Curves
• Editing 2D Bezier Curves
• Discovering 3D Surfaces
• Revolving a Surface
• Exploring NURBS Geometry
• Introducing 2D NURBS Curves
• Editing Curve CVs
• Extruding Along a Path
• Discovering NURBS Primitives
• Creating a NURBS Primitive Sphere
• Working with NURBS Object Components
• Projecting a Curve onto a Surface
• Creating a Bezel
• Editing NURBS
• Creating the Chamber Base
• Exploring 3D Polygon Objects
• Working with Polygon Mesh Components
• Understanding 3D Mesh Tools
• Building Using Primitives
• Duplicating and Editing Objects
• Using the Boolean Tool
• Sculpting Geometry
• Exploring the Edit Mesh Tools
• Using Quad Draw to Create New Polygons
• Working with Symmetry
• Reducing the Polygon Count of aModel
• Creating a Polygon Cylinder
• Modeling the Reactor Base
• Projecting a Curve onto a Mesh
• Extruding Polygons along a Curve
• Understanding Subdivision Surfaces
• Modeling a Subdivision StorageContainer
• Exploring Deformers for Modeling
• Creating an Exhaust Tube
• Understanding Object History
• Duplicating Objects
• Referencing Objects

Chapter 4: Materials

• Defining Materials
• Exploring the Hypershade Material Editor
• Creating Materials
• Understanding Shader Nodes
• Creating a Mental Ray Material
• Editing Reflectivity
• Assigning a Material
• Creating a New Material
• Working with Map Patterns
• Adding Bump Mapping
• Incorporating Displacement Mapping
• Creating Transparent Materials
• Discovering Mapping
• Creating Tiles
• Determining Map Size
• Creating UVs
• Utilizing Multiple Materials
• Assigning Multiple Materials
• Exploring Layered Shader and Mask Maps
• Working with the Layered Shader
• Incorporating Masking
• Understanding Substance Textures
• Working with Substance Textures
• Understanding Material Libraries
• Exporting and Importing Material Shaders

Chapter 5: Mapping

• Discovering UV Mapping
• Examining Mapping Coordinates
• Editing UV Coordinates
• Working with Multiple Texture Maps
• Creating UV Sets
• Assigning Textures to UV Sets
• Understanding the UV Editor
• Applying Custom UVs

Chapter 6: Cameras

• Discovering the Importance of the Camera
• Examining Camera Shots
• Understanding Camera Distance
• Establishing Viewer Distance
• Discovering Depth of Field
• Adding Depth of Field to Control Focus
• Controlling Emotion through the Camera Angle
• Adjusting Camera Angles
• Controlling Composition
• Understanding the Rule of Thirds
• Implementing the Rule of Thirds
• Discovering Diagonals
• Establishing Diagonals
• Examining Camera Types
• Identifying Camera Attributes
• Adding an Image Plane
• Setting the Camera Environment
• Sequencing Multiple Cameras
• Creating a Camera from the Current View

Chapter 7: Lighting

• Understanding Direct and Indirect Light
• Discovering the Physical Sun and Sky
• Creating a Physical Sun and Sky
• Adjusting the Sun
• Adjusting the Physical Sky
• Discovering Image-Based Lighting
• Creating Image-Based Lighting
• Identifying Light Types
• Discovering Photometric Lights
• Adding Lights
• Enabling Area Lights
• Understanding Indirect Lighting
• Calculating Indirect Illumination
• Activating Final Gather
• Setting Final Gather Bounces
• Using a Portal Light
• Understanding Global Illumination
• Lighting for Interior Night
• Isolating Object Lighting
• Discovering Optical FX
• Rendering Optical Effects

Chapter 8: Animation

• Introducing Animation Concepts
• Discovering Keyframe Animation
• Keyframing a Moving Object
• Understanding Set Driven Keys
• Opening the Door with Set Driven Keys
• Discovering Path Animation
• Animating on a Path
• Controlling Velocity
• Using the Graph Editor
• Modifying Editable Motion Trails
• Discovering Camera Animation Basics
• Separating Camera Position and Rotation Control
• Animating a Locator on a Path
• Linking a Hierarchy
• Retiming an Animation
• Generating a Playblast Preview
• Working with Grease Pencil

Chapter 9: Rendering

• Discovering Rendering
• Understanding Renderers in Maya
• Rendering Still Images
• Understanding Still Image Resolution
• Setting Rendering Resolution for Stills
• Working with Render Presets
• Discovering Image File Types
• Working with Still File Types
• Rendering Animations
• Understanding Image Resolution for Animations
• Setting Animation Resolution
• Understanding Animation File Types
• Rendering Sequential Images
• Using FCheck
• Understanding Irradiance Rendering
• Configuring Irradiance Rendering
• Creating Render Passes Using Hypershade
• Combining Render Passes
• Utilizing Viewport 2.0 Rendering

Chapter 10: IK and Rigging

• Introducing IK
• Discovering IK Tools
• Creating a Joint Chain
• Rigging the Joint Chain
• Understanding Skinning
• Editing a Skinned Geometric Object
• Defining a HumanIK Skeleton
• Characterizing a HumanIK Skeleton

Chapter 11: MEL and Expressions

• Introducing MEL and Expressions
• Understanding MEL Scripting
• Executing a Script
• Creating an Expression

Chapter 12: Dynamics

• Introducing Maya Dynamics
• Understanding Rigid Body Dynamics
• Creating a Simulation
• Running the Simulation
• Discovering Soft Body Dynamics
• Setting up a Soft Body Simulation
• Simulating a Beach Ball
• Utilizing PhysX for Dynamic Simulation
• Using Maya Bullet Physics for Simulation

Chapter 13: Particles

• Introducing Particles
• Creating a Particle Waterfall
• Setting Particle Attributes
• Adding a Collider Object
• Rendering Particles

Chapter 14: nDynamics

• Discovering nDynamics
• Introducing nParticles
• Creating Dripping Water
• Configuring nParticles
• Understanding nCloth
• Creating Hanging Curtains
• Simulating Hair with nHair

Chapter 15: Fluid Effects

• Discovering Fluid Effects
• Adding a 3D Fluid Container
• Editing the Flames
• Adjusting the Fire Source
• Creating a Liquid Simulation
• Configuring the Fluid Emitter
• Simulating Liquid Interaction
• Creating an Ocean Surface
• Floating an Object on an Ocean Surface

Chapter 16: Hair and Fur

• Understanding Hair and Fur
• Discovering Hair
• Making a Wig
• Styling the Hair
• Discovering Fur
• Growing a Beard

Chapter 17: Paint Effects

• Discovering Paint Effects
• Using 2D Paint Effects
• Creating 3D Paint Effects
• Working with Surface Interaction
• Working with Paint Effects Collisions

Chapter 18: Compositing

• Understanding Compositing
• Introducing Autodesk Composite
• Compositing Multiple Layers
• Remapping Color Output