Maya Techniques: Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation: A Hands-On Introduction to Key Tools and Techniques in Maya [With DVD]

by Eric Miller, Erick Miller, Paul Thuriot, et al.

Book Overview

Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation Step-by-step instructions combined with in-depth discussions of topics ranging from the importance of good topology to the subtlety of facial expressions, make Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation an excellent all-around resource for the modeling, texturing and rigging of characters. --William Dwelly, Senior Software TD Maya Techniques / Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation is you solution for creating convincing characters in Maya. Get hands-on experience with innovative tools and powerful industry-recognized techniques as you learn to model like a pro, set-up your skeleton in a fast and easy way and create realistic facial controls. This book will help you achieve hyper-real characters quickly and effectively. Get the inside scoop on high-end production techniques from industry pros Erick Miller, Paul Thuriot, and Jeff Unay Through Project-based lessons, follow Jeff Unay's process for modeling the beast, Paul Thuriot's workflow for rigging the beast's body and Erick Miller's tips and techniques on complex facial rigging for maximum flexibility. The book car5efully delineates the entire production process for the beast's creation, so that you can both understand the individual techniques and how they relate to each other in a pipeline. You'll also take advantage of helpful video demonstrations so you can watch the experts at work. By examining the entire process, you will learn strategies for creating characters with an emphasis on anatomy and realism. Lessons are designed to cover effective workflows for devising models that can be easily manipulated and animated. The methods discussed in this book can be applied to any setup needs that you may have because you'll learn the rigging process from the concept stage through to pipeline integration. With this book you will: Be introduced to modeling theories Learn how to use powerful tools like the Soft Modification Tool and the Split Edge Ring Tool. Learn how to create custom hotkeys and marking menus Import image planes and block out a character Create an Adobe Photoshop network Use automation scripts Understand how to use a multiple rig workflow Lock, paint, mirror skin weights, and connect a bound rig to a control rig Create corrective blend shapes, and set-up cluster controls Learn how to create jaw, eye, and lip setups Discover concepts of a realistic skin shader What you need to use this book Maya Complete 7 or Maya Personal Learning Edition DVD-ROM drive Bonus Features Video demonstrations of workflows & animation skills Artist Interviews MELTM Scripts Scene Files Support Files

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1897177046
• ISBN13: 9781897177044
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Alias
• Length: 239 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Maya Techniques

I think this is an awesome book! I work in Maya and this just made me better after using this book to get more real effects for my animations, and character designs. Loved It!

great guide for the competent user

This is among my favorites of Maya reference books. Admittedly, I was not at an appropriate level of knowledge when I first bought it; however, once my understanding was sufficient, I was incredibly pleased with it. I this book is NOT for absolute beginners. It does not hold your hand and tell you how to do every little thing; if this is what your looking for, I would recommend a more basic intro level book. In terms of techniques, it fills in many of the gaps left by other Alias publications, and is certainly a far cry above Autodesk's lackluster publications. This book is written presupposing some knowledge of the program and surrounding concepts. When I first began teaching myself Maya, a friend had shown me this book-at the time, I was utterly lost trying to follow it. However, within a month or two my knowledge was sufficient for this book to begin making sense to me. If you have never used maya and are trying to learn, hold off for a while before buying this. If you are an intermediate level user (confident + comfortable with basic concepts, and a general understanding of most major areas) interested in learning more about professional modeling and rigging techniques, this is for you. A great aspect of this book is the fact that the DVD provides scene files in different stages of tutorial completion, which allows the user to check their work against a "solution," or examine concepts and workflow in greater detail. This book is extremely helpful for anyone seeking insight into the professional CG world and the workflows and processes thereof.

Awesome book for ADVANCED users!

This an amazing reference for advanced digital sculptors, but it just covers far too much inside information and techniques from the edge to really go into step by step detail. The sticky lips techniques are priceless and came at the right time for me. Again, if you don't have atleast 2 years experience using Maya hold on to this book until you do OR get one of the fundamentals books or delve into the numerous instructional DVDs that are available. Once you are very familiar with the Maya interface conventions and have atleast intermediate knowledge Poly modeling characters and character rigging this book will pay major dividends.

Pretty good!

I'm not new to maya, but I had some questions about easier UV mapping tool, and this book tells me the hint, contains other useful information that I need to know as a good modeler and animator!

Maya Techniques : Hyper-Real Creature Creation

This is a great book if you are serious about learning Maya