Tutorials and Technical Information for 3D Modeling, Animation Setup, and Rendering
These tutorials assume that the user has a fundamental knowledge of the Maya interface and basic modeling skills. All instructions use default settings for all function windows, functions, and tools unless otherwise specified.
If you have any comments or suggestions in relation to these tutorials or would like to see one created, please email me at brian@jawa9000.com.
Animation
Non-Linear Animation
Get more out of you animations with Maya's Trax Editor. This tutorial will cover or touch on all aspects of the Trax Editor of Maya 4.5 and 5.0. Posted 08.14.04Animation Setup
FK-IK Spine
Need a flexible spine? How does? This tutorial instructs you how to build a spine that can operate in FK, IK or both modes. Lets dance! Created 08.06.06Using the Reference Editor to See Double (and More!)
Here is a tutorial that is guaranteed to double your fun by using the Reference Editor to dynamically link files to one another. (versions 4.5 - 7) Created 09.07.04One Control, Four SDKed Blend Shapes, One Simple Facial Animation Setup
This tutorial sets up four basic visime-based blend shapes to be controlled by one simple interface. Really great tool for learning facial animation quick and fast. Created 01.20.04. Updated 07.20.04.Character Sheets
Wrote up a few thoughts and strategies for creating character sheets for the purpose of modeling in Maya. Posted 07.09.04.Character Turntables
This tutorial covers the basics of using a camera's pivot to rotate around your labored character model.(versions 4-7) Posted 03.22.04. Updated 04.06.04.Generic IK Arm Setup
Don't you just hate those flabby FK arms? Ever get tired of moving those FK day in, day out? Here is a quick and painless way to slim down and make life easier for you using IKs! Posted 05.22.04.Creative Eyes
This tutorial gives you the basic recipe for creating cartoony eyes for character animation in Maya. Updated 05.22.04.Here, Take My Spine: Notes and Thoughts about Building a Skeleton System
Here are a series of tutorials, notes and thought processes that cover the basics of building a skeleton system for biped, joint orientation and a quick run through of IKs. Created 04.20.04.Generic IK Leg Setup
This tutorial covers the basics of creating IK leg systems using IK handles, pole vector constraint and a control object to wrap the package up nice and neat. This is one of the many tutorials that will follow for the Basic Character Controls series. Posted 03.15.04.Shooting, Capturing and Rotoscoping Animation in 3D
Having problems recreating realistic motions? Can't quite figure out those sutble motions that brings a spark of life into your characters? Fear not! I have invented this fantastic tonic juice made with all nature fruits from the far exotic countries.... Or something like that. I have written a short summary of thoughts, processes, and techniques used to shoot, capture, set up and animate live-action footage into Maya. Posted 02.23.04.Controlling both Sides of the Face with Blend shapes and controllers
This tutorial extends the process and ideas covered in the One Control, Four SDKed Blend Shapes, One Simple Facial Animation Setup tutorial and includes techniques for modeling, controls and blend shapes to handle the left and right sides of the head for facial animation. Updated 02.23.04.Tracing Geometry in 3D for Facial Animation
This tutorial illustrates a simple technique for creating symmetrical geometry for facial animation. Posted 02.06.04.Foot Rolls
for character animation setup in Maya. Updated 02.02.04.Correcting Gimble Lock Using Set Driven Keys
This tutorial covers another method to correct and control gimble lock in shoulder joints using SDKs. Its bit simplier to setup and use than the tutorial I wrote in Forward and Inverse Kinematics for Arm Skeletons with Gimble Lock Controls. Updated 10.20.03.Forward and Inverse Kinematics for Arm Skeletons with Gimble Lock Controls
I have added a notation about twisting hands in IK mode and how to correct it. This tutorial has become outdated with the release of Maya 5. This tutorial works best for users who use any version below Maya 5. Updated 10.20.03.Shoulder Binding Tutorials
I have complied a series of tutorials covering a wide variety of enveloping techniques of the most funstrating areas of a bipedal character. Posted 06.16.03.Cloth
Demystifying Cloth in Maya
A complete tutorial on the basics of creating a cloth simulation (versions 5-8). Updated 12.09.02.Rendering
Correcting Flickering Glows in Maya
This tutorial shows you how to adjust the Glow Shader to correct that nasty flickering effect that can only be seen after your sequence has been rendered out. Warning: this web page opens with two gif movies automatically. Updated 11.24.02.Batch Rendering
Create command scripts to render multiple Maya files with simple text files. Updated 08.13.06. Posted 02.11.02.Texturing
Creating UV Maps
This tutorial quickly runs over (beep beep) the basics of UV mapping for creating texture maps in 2D applications such as Photoshop. Created 04.19.04.Theory & Reference
3D Color Theory and Practical Applications
in Maya and Photoshop. These pages are a part of an ongoing workshop series and are infrequently updated. These pages briefly covers additve color theory, texture mapping for polygons, shaders, hypershade, lights, light linking and thoughts on photographic light matching. Updated 04.19.04. Posted 01.10.04.Maya Workshop Series
I have put together a series of workshops covering various Maya related topics between the weeks of January 17th through March 21st of 2003. Posted 01.13.03.Workshop
Here are a series of discussions and lecture notes for introducing Maya to new users. Some of these sessions are incomplete and there are others on the way.
Intro to Maya
In this workshop, we will cover the basics of Interface Navigation, User Settings, Personalizing Your Interface, Basic Modeling, Shaders for Beginners, Simple Animation Techniques and Rendering.
NURBS Modeling
I will be talking about various methods for modeling with NURBS including creating NURBS curves, creating surfaces from curves and modifying NURBS surfaces.
Polygonal Modeling
This workshop will cover the basics of polygonal modeling for character animation. I will go over the basic tools used in Maya to create and modify polygonal geometry and converting polygons to subdivided surfaces. I will also talk about various strategies for modeling for animation.
Texture Mapping
In this workshop, I will demostration the various texturing possibilities within the Maya environment. I'll talk about the difference between using the Multilister and Hypershade, shader networks, applying shaders to different surface types, procedural maps, external maps and mapping UVs for polygons.
From Storyboards to Animatics
In development !
This workshop deals with scanning traditional storyboards and preparing them for animatics using After Effects. I will demostrate various techniques using Photoshop to cut out objects from the storyboards for animatic purposes, timing in After Effects, using the Timestamp filter, nesting compositions within After Effects, sound track, rendering in After Effects. Time permitting, I will also briefly talk about 3D animatics.