Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D

• Art?
• Computer Graphics
• The Stages of Production
• The CG Production Workflow
• Core Concepts
• Basic Film Concepts

Jumping in Headfirst, with Both Feet

• You Put the U in UI
• Project Overview: The Solar System
• The Preproduction Process: Planning
• Creating a Project
• The Production Process: Creating and Animating the Objects
• Hierarchy and Maya Object Structure
• The Solar System Resumed
• Outputting Your Work: Playblasting

The Maya 2012 Interface

• Navigating in Maya
• Maya’s Layout
• Building a Decorative Box
• Mapping the Box’s Reference Planes with Hypershade
• Organizing Workflow with Layer Editor
• Modeling the Decorative Box
• Editing the Decorative Box Model Using the Shelf
• Continuing the Decorative Box Model
• Finishing the Decorative Box Model

Beginning Polygonal Modeling

• Planning Your Model
• Polygon Basics
• Poly Editing Tools
• Putting the Tools to Use: Making a Simple Hand
• Creating Areas of Detail on a Poly Mesh
• Modeling a Classic Steam Locomotive
• Suggestions for Modeling Polygons

Modeling with NURBS, Subdivisions, and Deformers

• NURBS! NURBS!
• Using NURBS Surfacing to Create Polygons
• Converting a NURBS Model to Polygons
• Editing NURBS Surfaces
• Patch Modeling: A Locomotive Detail
• Using Artisan to Sculpt NURBS
• Modeling with Simple Deformers
• The Lattice Deformer
• Animating through a Lattice
• Subdivision Surfaces
• Creating a Starfish
• Building a Teakettle

Practical Experience

• Beginning the Wagon Project
• Modeling the Side Panels
• Creating the Wagon Body
• Modeling the Wheels
• Making the Wood Railings
• Adding Extra Details

Maya Shading and Texturing

• Maya Shading
• Shader Types
• Shader Attributes
• Texturing the Axe
• Textures and Surfaces
• Textures and UVS for the Red Wagon
• Photoreal Mapping: The Decorative Box
• For Further Study

Introduction to Animation

• Keyframe Animation—Bouncing a Ball
• Throwing an Axe
• Replacing an Object
• Animating Flying Text
• Rigging the Locomotive
• Animating a Catapult

More Animation!

• Skeletons and Kinematics
• Skeletons: The Hand
• Inverse Kinematics
• Basic Relationships: Constraints
• Basic Relationships: Set-Driven Keys
• Application: Rigging the Locomotive

Maya Lighting

• Basic Lighting Concepts
• Maya Lights
• Light Linking
• Adding Shadows
• Raytracing Soft Shadows
• mental ray Lighting
• mental ray Physical Sun and Sky
• Lighting Effects
• Lighting the Decorative Box
• Further Lighting Practice
• Tips for Using and Animating Lights

Maya Rendering

• Rendering Setup
• Previewing Your Render: The Render View Window
• Reflections and Refractions
• Using Cameras
• Motion Blur
• Batch Rendering
• Rendering the Wine Bottle
• mental ray for Maya
• Render Layers
• Final Gather
• Ambient Occlusion
• HDRI
• Rendering the Decorative Box

Maya Dynamics and Effects

• An Overview of Dynamics and Maya Nucleus
• Rigid and Soft Dynamic Bodies
• Animating with Dynamics: The Pool Table
• nParticle Dynamics
• Emitting nParticles
• Animating a Particle Effect: Locomotive Steam
• Introduction to Paint Effects
• Toon Shading
• Customizing Maya