How to Cheat in Maya 2010

How to Cheat in Maya 2010

by Eric Luhta
Released March 2013
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781136136771

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Book description

"How to Cheat in Maya" focuses on the art of animation and how it is done in Maya. The book presents productivity tips and tools so that animators can get things done in the most efficient way possible - and obtain quality results with a minimum effort.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. How to Cheat in Maya 2010
  3. Full Title
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. How to cheat, and why
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. How to use this book
  9. 1 Workflow Foundations
    1. Setting up Projects
    2. Workspace Layout
    3. Playblasting
    4. File Referencing
    5. Creating a Shot Camera
    6. Quick Selection Sets
    7. Quick Selection Set Icons
    8. Creating Shelf Buttons
    9. Using MEL Scripts
    10. Creating Hotkeys
    11. Proxy References
    12. Interlude: Opening Maya Files
  10. 2 Splines
    1. How Splines Work
    2. Splines and Spacing
    3. Tangent Types
    4. Tangent Handles
    5. Spline Technique
    6. Spline Reference
    7. Interlude: Graphics Cards
  11. 3 Graph Editor
    1. Graph Editor Windup
    2. Visual Tools
    3. Working with Keys
    4. Value Operators
    5. Buffer Curves
    6. Interlude: Using Video Reference
  12. 4 Techniques
    1. AutoKey
    2. Timeline Techniques
    3. Figure 8 Motion
    4. Copying Curves
    5. Tracking Arcs
    6. IK and FK
    7. IK/FK Switching
    8. Character Sets
    9. Multiple Pivot Points
    10. Re-Blocking
    11. Interlude: Spotlight: P.J. Leffelman
  13. 5 Constraints
    1. Parenting
    2. Parent Constraints
    3. Constraining a Prop
    4. Constraint Weights
    5. Animating with Constraints
    6. Interlude: Doing Personal Work
  14. 6 Gimbal Lock
    1. What Is Gimbal Lock?
    2. Rotation Modes
    3. Setting Rotation Order
    4. Zeroing Out Poses
    5. Euler Filter
    6. Interlude: Keeping Perspective
  15. 7 Blocking
    1. Thumbnails and Reference
    2. Setting up the Scene
    3. Key Poses 1
    4. Key Poses 2
    5. Rough Timing
    6. Camera Animation
    7. Tween Machine
    8. Breakdown Poses
    9. Adding the Shuriken
    10. Refining the Timing
    11. Copied Pairs
    12. Interlude: Making a Short Film
  16. 8 Walk Cycles
    1. Blocking the Core Positions
    2. Rotating the Hips
    3. Body and Feet Side Motion
    4. Rotating the Spine
    5. Blocking the Arms
    6. Head and Neck
    7. Splining the Walk
    8. Refining the Body
    9. Hips
    10. The Feet
    11. Spine, Neck, and Head
    12. Arms and Hands
    13. Fixing Knee Pops
    14. Translating the Walk Cycle
    15. Interlude: Spotlight: Chris Williams
  17. 9 Polishing
    1. Cushions
    2. Moving Holds
    3. Texture
    4. Finishing Touches
    5. Interlude: Getting Feedback
  18. 10 Facial Animation
    1. Planning and Prep
    2. Core Poses
    3. Lip Sync 1 - Jaw Motion
    4. Lip Sync 2 - Mouth Corners
    5. Lip Sync 3 - Mouth Shapes
    6. Lip Sync 4 - Tongue
    7. Blinks
    8. Blink and Brows
    9. Eye Darts
    10. Final Touches
    11. Interlude: Repetitive Stress Injury
  19. 11 Animation Layers
    1. How Animation Layers Work
    2. Animation Layer Basics
    3. Creating Variations
    4. Creating Variations 2
    5. Layers for Texture
    6. Interlude: Spotlight: Sean Burgoon
  20. 12 Lighting and Rendering
    1. Basic Materials
    2. Rendering with Shadows
    3. Render Settings
    4. Clay Render
    5. Interlude: Staying Inspired
  21. Index
  22. What's on the DVD

Product information

  • Title: How to Cheat in Maya 2010
  • Author(s): Eric Luhta
  • Release date: March 2013
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136136771