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Maya: Natural Environments

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Overview

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The Maya toolset for 3D environment modeling and shading is extensive and powerful. Learn to build natural exterior scenes in this series of video training tutorials.

Syllabus

Introduction
  • Natural environments in Maya
  • What you need to know
  • Using the exercise files
1. Layout
  • 360-degree scene layout
  • Camera-centric scene layout
  • Understanding scene scale
  • Adjusting Grid settings
  • Camera position and clip planes
  • Modeling a spherical backdrop
  • Setting up a camera for a cube map
  • Rendering cube map images
  • Modeling a skybox
  • Mapping a skybox
  • Shading a skybox
  • Modeling a planar backdrop matte painting
  • Shading a backdrop matte painting
  • Constraining backdrops to the camera
2. Terrain
  • Setting terrain level of detail
  • Creating a polygon disc primitive
  • Applying a 2D height map with Texture Deformer
  • Applying a 3D procedural height map
  • Creating a texture reference object
  • Resolving incompatibilities using Layered Texture
  • Combining height maps with Layered Texture
  • Using the 3D Paint tool
  • Adjusting height maps with 3D Paint
  • Modeling with Mesh Sculpting tools
  • Modeling with Sculpt Geometry tool
  • Altering topology with Edit Mesh tools
  • Optimizing UV layout
3. Entourage
  • Procedural modeling with 3D Paint Effects
  • Drawing Paint Effects strokes
  • Customizing Paint Effects strokes
  • Customizing a Paint Effects brush
  • Converting Paint Effects to polygons
  • Controlling Paint Effects level of detail
  • Preparing a scene for XGen
  • Binding an XGen preset description to polygons
  • Managing XGen file assets
  • Adjusting XGen primitive attributes
  • Understanding XGen attribute expressions
  • Using the XGen Expression Editor
  • Introducing SeExpr syntax
  • Editing a random expression in SeExpr
  • Loading SeExpr scripts from disk
  • Binding XGen to a camera-based polygon selection
  • Painting XGen attribute maps with Ptex
4. Shading
  • Preparing an XGen scene for shader development
  • Shading XGen splines
  • Developing the look of the hair physical shader
  • Previewing XGen colors with a global expression
  • Shading Paint Effects with standard surface
  • Converting Paint Effects textures
  • Correcting Paint Effects transparency
  • Rendering translucency with subsurface scattering
  • Shading terrain slope with Snow texture
5. Atmosphere
  • Creating a 3D fluid container for clouds
  • Texturing a 3D fluid container
  • Rendering volumetric clouds in Arnold
  • Rendering haze with Arnold Standard Volume
Conclusion
  • Next steps

Taught by

Aaron F. Ross

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4.8 rating at LinkedIn Learning based on 15 ratings

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