Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D
o Art?
o Computer Graphics
o The Stages of Production
o The CG Production Workflow
o Core Concepts
o Basic Film Concepts
Jumping in Headfirst, with Both Feet
o You Put the U in UI
o Project Overview: The Solar System
o The Preproduction Process: Planning
o Creating a Project
o The Production Process: Creating and Animating the Objects
o Hierarchy and Maya Object Structure
o The Solar System Resumed
o Outputting Your Work: Playblasting
The Maya 2015 Interface
o Navigating in Maya
o Maya’s Layout
o Building a Decorative Box
o Mapping the Box’s Reference Planes with Hypershade
o Organizing Workflow with Layer Editor
o Modeling the Decorative Box
o Editing the Decorative Box Model Using the Shelf
o Continuing the Decorative Box Model
o Finishing the Decorative Box Model
Beginning Polygonal Modeling
o Planning Your Model
o Polygon Basics
o Poly Editing Tools
o Putting the Tools to Use: Making a Simple Hand
o Creating Areas of Detail on a Poly Mesh
o Modeling a Classic Steam Locomotive
o Suggestions for Modeling Polygons
Modeling with NURBS, Subdivisions, and Deformers
o NURBS! NURBS!
o Using NURBS Surfacing to Create Polygons
o Converting a NURBS Model to Polygons
o Editing NURBS Surfaces
o Patch Modeling: A Locomotive Detail
o Using Artisan to Sculpt NURBS
o Modeling with Simple Deformers
o The Lattice Deformer
o Animating through a Lattice
o Subdivision Surfaces
o Creating a Starfish
o Building a Teakettle
Practical Experience
o Beginning the Wagon Project
o Modeling the Side Panels
o Creating the Wagon Body
o Modeling the Wheels
o Making the Wood Railings
o Adding Extra Details
Maya Shading and Texturing
o Maya Shading
o Shader Types
o Shader Attributes
o Texturing the Axe
o Textures and Surfaces
o Textures and UVS for the Red Wagon
o Photoreal Mapping: The Decorative Box
o For Further Study
Introduction to Animation
o Keyframe Animation—Bouncing a Ball
o Throwing an Axe
o Replacing an Object
o Animating Flying Text
o Rigging the Locomotive
o Animating a Catapult
More Animation!
o Skeletons and Kinematics
o Skeletons: The Hand
o Inverse Kinematics
o Basic Relationships: Constraints
o Basic Relationships: Set-Driven Keys
o Application: Rigging the Locomotive
Maya Lighting
o Basic Lighting Concepts
o Maya Lights
o Light Linking
o Adding Shadows
o Raytracing Soft Shadows
o mental ray Lighting
o mental ray Physical Sun and Sky
o Lighting Effects
o Lighting the Decorative Box
o Further Lighting Practice
o Tips for Using and Animating Lights
Maya Rendering
o Rendering Setup
o Previewing Your Render: The Render View Window
o Reflections and Refractions
o Using Cameras
o Motion Blur
o Batch Rendering
o Rendering the Wine Bottle
o mental ray for Maya
o Render Layers
o Final Gather
o Ambient Occlusion
o HDRI
o Rendering the Decorative Box
Maya Dynamics and Effects
o An Overview of Dynamics and Maya Nucleus
o Rigid and Soft Dynamic Bodies
o Animating with Dynamics: The Pool Table
o nParticle Dynamics
o Emitting nParticles
o Animating a Particle Effect: Locomotive Steam
o Introduction to Paint Effects
o Toon Shading
o Customizing Maya
