3D Modelling For Object and Environment

Introduction to Maya

     Maya is a powerful 3D modelling, animation, effects, and rendering solution that has been used in everything from product design to feature films. It can be used to produce any sort of image imaginable, from an impressionistic painting to highly realistic animation and special effects. This software introduces to a general features such as modelling, rendering, and animation in greater depth. Knowledge of the Maya interface is the foundation of everything done in Maya, from creating models to texturing, animating, and final rendering. Maya is a software which full of flexibility, and this customize it in myriad ways.

There are so many tools and features of work for 3D modelling in Maya.

Some of the basic tools that need to be learnt are listed below with some prescription about it…;

·         QWERTY TOOLS are for manipulating objects and named after their keyboard shortcuts: (Q) Select; (W) Move; (E) Rotate; (R) Scale; (T) Show Manipulators; and (Y) Repeat Last Tool.

·         MENU SETS is a switch between sets of menus for the tasks of animation, modelling, dynamics, rendering, fur, live, and cloth.

·         MAIN MENU bar Contains standard menus (File, Edit, Modify, Create, Display, Window) followed by menu items that are displayed or hidden depending on the selected menu set.

·         VIEWPORTS Primarily is for see 3D scenes through camera or orthographic views. Viewports can also contain data about the scene, such as with the Hypergraph or the Multi-lister.

·         LAYOUTS Instantly changes the configuration of the viewports to a number of preset layouts.

·         SHELF A place to set own custom tools and scripts to speed up work flow.

·         STATUS LINE Contains icons used for a number of important tasks, such as file operations, object and component selection, snapping, and rendering. Each logical group of icons is separated by a vertical bar.

·         TIME SLIDER is to move left and right to scrub through the scene.

·         RANGE SLIDER .Limits the range of the Time Slider. This is handy for long scenes, when we need to focus on a smaller segment of time.

·         HELP LINE. Is a short description of the tools and how to use them.

·         COMMAND LINE. A place to type text-based commands to Maya, such as a MEL script. Custom MEL scripts can help automate any number of tasks.

·         PLAYBACK CONTROLS. Let us to play, stop, rewind, and step through your animation.

·         CHANNEL BOX Contains data about the selected objects, such as position, rotation, and scale.

The Attribute Editor

The Attribute Editor is an important window in Maya and takes the concept of the Channel box a step further. Every object in Maya is defined by a collection of attributes, such as its position, color, shading, shape, and so on. The Attribute Editor is the interface where it is used to control and modify these attributes in detail. The Attribute Editor has a series of tabs representing the nodes connected to the main object. Each node affects the object in a specific way, from altering the shape of the object to determining its shading. Clicking this button, which is on the far right of the Status line, places the Attribute Editor on the far right of the screen. We can also open the Attribute Editor by choosing Window → Attribute Editor from the menu bar. Pressing Ctrl+A also displays the Attribute Editor for the selected object.

Viewports

Viewports are where most of the work in Maya happens. Viewports can hold views of the scene as well as other types of windows that display information about our scene. The two types of views within Maya are perspective and orthographic. Selecting and changing views using the Panels drop-down at the top of every viewport.

Orthographic views, such as top, front, and side views, only allow dolly and pan. Perspective views let the camera rotate in 3D space as well.

Shading

When we are creating models, we might want to view just the wireframe, but others might want to view the fully shaded and textured objects. The more realistic the shading, however, the slower the interaction; so complex scenes can bog down the system. One handy option is shading only the selected items. Not only does this speed interaction in complex scenes, it helps the selected items stand out.

Navigation

For navigating within a view, holding down the Alt or Option key while clicking a mouse button. Additionally, pressing F frames the current selection, and pressing A frames everything in the current scene.

Maya supports a variety of object types, including surfaces, curves, joints, and handles, among others. To select individual objects or multiple objects, set the selection mode to Object and select with the mouse. We can also select objects in the Hypergraph or Outliner. By using the selection masks on the Status line, this can object selection. By toggling the selection masks, we can select only the types of objects we want.

Transforming Objects

Transformations change an object’s translation, rotation, and scale. These changes are stored in the object’s transform node. We access the Transformation tools using the hot keys: W (Move); E (Rotate); R (Scale). We can also select these tools from the Tool Box on the left side of the interface. Each transformation tool has its own manipulator, and each manipulator is color coded. Red is the X axis, green is Y, and blue is Z. Left-clicking and dragging in the center of the manipulator moves the object on all available axes; clicking and dragging an individual manipulator transforms the object only on the selected axis.

·         The Move Tool-Move tool options (choose Modify → Transformation Tools → Move Tool) select the coordinate system for the Move tool.

·         The Rotate Tool-Rotate tool options (choose Modify → Transformation Tools → Rotate Tool) select the coordinate system for the Rotate tool.

·         Pivots-The pivot is the center of each object’s coordinate system. This is particularly important when using the Rotate tool, because the object rotates around the pivot.

Connecting Objects

In Maya, every object is a collection of interconnected nodes. These nodes modify such items as the object’s shape, shading, and construction history. To control the attributes of these connections, we can use the Attribute Editor, but the Hypergraph and the Connection Editor gives us a control over the connections and dependencies themselves.

What is Hypergraph?

The Hypergraph shows the contents of a scene as a network of boxes connected via lines. In this way, it functions much like a graphical version of the Out- liner. The Hypergraph goes much deeper, however. Not only does it show the hierarchical connections between objects, but it also shows the way nodes and their attributes are connected.

Last but not the least of tools and features in Maya these two are what need to be gone through for basic knowledge in Maya.

Managing Files

Projects in Maya can encompass many types of files: 3D geometry, texture maps, rendered images. Organizing these files can be a challenge, but Maya provides a standard folder structure for projects that keeps everything in the proper place. Maya is not limited to this structure, however, and you can create and store your assets in any manner you want. Pro- ductions that involve multiple artists can store all the files on a central server, for example. Assets that are used in multiple projects can be stored in their own folder structure.

Maya Folders

Each user on the system gets a Maya folder in their home folder. This allows each user to maintain their own preferences, such as custom layouts, as well as have a place for their own projects.

Conclusion

As a reporting for the basic knowledge for 3d Model Making Software which is called Maya, this seems to be interesting and has some complicated level of learning. After practicing and making use of it completely, the process and tools are very simple and easy to be accessed.