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Software Tutorials
Maya
Quick Beginner (13mins)
If cannot save project: File → Optimize scene file → tick Unknown Node → optimize → save
Top 10 ways to make Maya go FASTER:
Hotkey:
Space bar → Maximize the selected viewport
QWER → Select, Move, Rotate, Scale
Alt+L/M/R mouse drag → move perspective
S → Create keyframe when the cursor on timeline (a red line will be seen)
(delete keyframe by go to there on timeline, R click → Delete)
Hold J while rotating object → rotate 5 degree each time
B → Soft Selection (Hold B while drag L mouse, area of soft selection adjusted)
4 → Wireframe mode; 5 → Shaded mode5
D: change pivot/anchor point (when in move/rotate/scale mode), press D again to exit
Ctrl+H → Hide the selected object in the scene ( Shift+H to unhide it)
Shift + R click → list to choose polygons
Shift + W → Key Select
Alt+B → Change Background
Alt+Shift+D → Delete History
In Hpershade:
Tab → let u type command in event graph
1,2,3,4 → unfold attribute table in different detail levels
Interface:
In Cruve/Surface Tab:
R click to complete curve/surface path drawn
In Poly Modeling tab:
(to drop 3d object/polygons/3d text with volume)
make more detail/smoother polygon: use Smooth icon and input the Division values
In Modeling Toolkit (Most Right hand side) →
if enable Tweak/Marquee, move/rotate/scale arrow will hide, and all objects (not just the selected one) are free to move around;
If click on colored X/Y/Z axis box, the movement will just be on that axis
Other commonly use icons:
Tool settings (e.g. Brush tool): 3rd icon at top L corner
Animation preference (most bottom R corner) → Time Slider: set frame rate
Render with V-Ray:
Render Setting → Render Using: V-Ray
Common: Animation: Standard
VRay: Production Engine: CUDA → GPU Resize Textures: Full Size Texture → Image sampler (default as Progressive, change to Bucket for final export)
GI: Engine: Light cache
Overrides (main resaon to use Vray is the parameters in this tag)
IPR (interactive progressive render) i.e. real time render
Modelling:
When R click on the object, the options show below. Face means Component mode (that can select edges)
Convert the round window inner points into one face:
For inner rim of window:
Shift+ “./>” (button above right Alt key) → Expand selection outward, when 1 edge is selected
→ Select (top bar) → Convert Selection → to Face (Hotkey: Ctrl + R click mouse)
For Outer rim of window:
R click → Face → select any face of the rim → Shift + doube L click on a face next to the the selected face → Shift + . → ....
If cannot select single vertex, edge or face, turn off Soft Selection:
To group objects:
In Modelling mode (top L corner) → select all objects needed → Mesh (top bar) → Booleans → Union
Deform Objects:
Deform (top bar) → Nonlinear → Flare, Bend, Squash → use move/rotate to change the shape
For multi duplication: Edit (top bar) → Duplicate Special (click on the square)→ new box pop up → set numbers of copies, rotation, position, etc (set the pivot point by hotkey D first) → Duplicate Special
(Set Geometry type: Instance. It allows all duplicated geometries affected by the original object change)
Lighting and 360 background keying:
Turn on light effect either on Rendering or Arnold/Vray tabs. Also need to click on following 3 light icons to make them visible in scene
Arnold → Create SkyDome Light (4th icon) → its menu pop up on right, click B&W square next to Color, type File, open it → open the folder in Image Name box and choose .exr or .hdr image as 360 background
(To remove the image, R click on the attribute → Break Connection)
Material and Color Shading:
R click on Object → Assign New Material / In Rendering tab, choose Standard Material icon
→ same as skydome case, type file to add image (jpg is ok too, don’t need hdr or exr image)
For Gradient effect : type Ramp instead of File
Turn off Use Default Material icon (3rd one), or else all surfaces and materials color change won’t show
Add imperfection on too shinny/reflective surface:
In selected texture menu → Geometry → Bumping Mapping → Open B&W square, choose Noise → Bump Depth: 0.100 → click input button (arrow in a square) at Bump Value → Noise Type: Wispy → Amplitude: 0.25
Animation:
Hotkey Shift+ W/E/R (keyframe just translation, rotaion or scale)
Create keyfarme: In Channel box, R click on specific attribute → Key Selected (Hotkey: S)
R click on timeline → Playback Speed → Real-time
Delete keyframe: R click on Channel box (Deleted Selected), OR on timeline (Delete)
Repositioning or Scale Keyframes in timeline: Shift + L dragging on timeline (a red bar is shown) → move middle arrows for Reposition; left/right arrows for scale
Detail keyframe adjustment: Windows → Animation Editors → Graph Editor (Alt + Middle click or R click to control Graph view)
Create smooth animation Path and attach the object:
Create (top bar) → Cruve Tool → Bezier Curve Tool (then draw the path like pen tool) → hit Enter
→
Switch to Animation mode from Modeling → Select the object (rocket) and the Bezier curve→ Constrain (top bar) → Motion Paths → Attach to Motion Path
→ Go to Attribute Editor in the Curve → Motion Path1 → Front axis: Y, Up axis: Z
(if need to amend the curve, choose the curve layer and R click → Control Vertex)
(U Value in motionPath is the journery of the path, 0 is start, to 1 is end)
To control the rocket facing direction during flying:
Create → Locator → Beizer path Attribute Editor → World Up Type: Object Up; In World Up Object box, type Locator1 → set keyframe to guide the rocket facing during its movement along the path
2020 Version:
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