Inside Maya 5
Inside Maya 5
|
A Creative COW Book Review
|
Article Focus:
Author/Animator Michael Hurwicz examines Inside Maya 5 by Mark Adams, Erick Miller and Max Sims. This book is published by New Riders. It shows you not just how to create models and scenes, but how to do so successfully in a professional environment. It includes detailed instructions, high-level design and workflow principles, tips and traps. An excellent book, a great value.
|
|
 If you've achieved a basic comfort level with the Maya interface and tools, and you're looking for resources to help you go to further artistic and technical heights, take a look at Inside Maya 5, by Mark Adams, Erick Miller and Max Sims. It's not a book for beginners. On the other hand, even advanced users will find plenty of value here.
This is one of those "door-stopper" books--nearly 900 pages--with very little fluff, so you really feel like you're getting your $36 worth. Though the authors warn that they're not trying to be exhaustive in their treatment of Maya, and even point out areas such as patch modeling that are not covered at all, the book does go into some depth on a wide variety of topics, including Maya's basic architrecture; Maya Embedded Language (MEL); modeling using polygons, NURBS and subdivision surfaces; building sets, props and characters; scene composition (layout); particles and dynamics; character animation, setup and rigging; and shading, lighting and rendering. Just for good measure, they throw in interviews with Scott Clark from Pixar and Paul Thuriot from Tippett Studios. The text is supplemented by ample figures, and the accompanying CD is jam-packed with Maya files. This often make the difference between basically understanding what the authors are talking about and really being able to do it.
The two things I like best about this book are:
- The authors really, really, really know what they're talking about. If you look at their resumes, you'll see they include places like Industrial Light & Magic, Dreamworks and Pixar.
- This isn't just a cookbook. It offers a mix of detailed step-by-step "button pushing" instructions, higher-level advice on how to approach particular types of tasks, and tips on workflow in a team. In other words, the authors try to address everything you need to know, not just to create models and scenes, but to work successfully in a professional environment.
Three pros teach everything from technique to teamwork. 5 of 5 cows.
|
An excellent book, a great value. Five Cows.
Michael Hurwicz
December 28,.2003
|
|
| Related Articles / Tutorials: | | | | |
MAYA
Tintin VFX Supe Joe Letteri Talks 3D and Mocap
Four-time VFX Oscar-winner Joe Letteri describes the advanced technology behind Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin, discussing his own adventures with virtual cameras, motion capture, 3D, and three years of pre-production with the team at Weta Digital.
Feature, People / Interview
|
| | | | |
| | | |
MAYA
Autodesk Maya: Digital Molecular Matter (DMM)
Play Video
In this Autodesk Maya 2012 tutorial, Creative COW leader Michael Hurwicz looks at Digital Molecular Matter (DMM), a plug-in for creating shatter, destruction and deformation effects. DMM is now included in Maya 2012.
Tutorial, Video Tutorial
|
| | | | |
| | | |
MAYA
MAYA Shelves
Play Video
Everything you wanted to know about MAYA shelves (but were afraid to ask). In this tutorial Aharon Charnov will show how to use every aspect of shelf customization. Also included in this video tutorial is how to add existing tools to shelves, how to organize tools for optimum use, how to create new tools with mel scripts, how to label mel created buttons, and how to create custom shelf icons.
Tutorial, Video Tutorial
|
| | | | |
| | | |
MAYA
Maya 2011: Assigning Invisible Faces
Play Video
Michael Hurwicz demonstrates the new "Assign Invisible Faces" feature
in Maya 2011, making one face of a cube invisible but still very much
"there" when it comes to a smoothing operation performed on the cube.
Tutorial, Video Tutorial
|
| | | | |
| | | |
MAYA
Maya 2011: Camera Sequencer
Play Video
In this tutorial, Michael Hurwicz shows you how to use the new Camera Sequencer in Maya 2011 to import an animatic sequence from Sony Vegas 9.0 using AAF (Advanced Authoring Format).
Tutorial, Video Tutorial
|
| | | | |
| | | |
MAYA
Maya 2011 Bezier Curves
Play Video
In this Maya tutorial, Michael Hurwicz provides an introduction to
Bezier curves, a new feature in Maya 2011 which allow you to
create curves the way you do with the pen tool in Adobe Illustrator
or Photoshop.
Tutorial, Video Tutorial
|
| | | | |
| | MORE |
| |
|
Reply
Like
