Preface

INTRODUCTION TO Autodesk Maya

Welcome to the world of Autodesk Maya 2025. Maya is a 3D software, developed by Autodesk Inc., which enables you to create realistic 3D models and visual effects with much ease. Although Maya is quite a vast software to deal with, yet all the major tools and features used in Autodesk Maya 2025 have been covered in this book.

STARTING Autodesk Maya 2025

To start Autodesk Maya 2025, double-click on the shortcut icon of Autodesk Maya 2025 displayed on the desktop of your computer, as shown in Figure 1-1. This icon is automatically created on installing Autodesk Maya 2025 on your computer.

Double-click on the icon; the Home Screen windpw will be displayed. The Home Screen window consists of different buttons and options like New button, Open button, Goto Maya button, Current Project, Recent, Getting Started, Learning, What’s New, and Community options, as shown in Figure 1-2.

The Go to Maya button is used to open the main Autodesk Maya 2025 interface window. By default, all the new tools and icons are highlighted in green in Maya 2025.

Note

The Output Window is displayed when you choose Windows > Output Window from the menubar, refer to Figure 1-3.

Autodesk Maya 2025 SCREEN COMPONENTS

Autodesk Maya interface consists of viewports, title bar, menubar, Status Line, Shelf, Tool Box, and so on. All these components will be discussed later in this chapter. When you start Autodesk Maya 2025 for the first time, the persp viewport is displayed by default, refer to Figure 1-4.

 Workspace is the part or the work area where you can create a 3D scene. Workspaces are also known as viewports or views. In this textbook, the workspaces will be referred to as viewports. Every viewport has a grid placed in the center. The grid acts as a reference that is used in aligning the 3D objects or 2D curves. A grid is a pattern of straight lines that intersect with each other to form squares. The center of the grid is intersected by two dark lines. The point of intersection of these two dark lines is known as the origin. The origin is an arbitrary point, which is used to determine the location of the objects. All the three coordinates, X, Y, and Z are set at 0 position on the origin. Note that in Maya, the X, Y, and Z axes are displayed in red, green, and blue colors, respectively.

Autodesk Maya 2025 is divided into four viewports: top-Y, front-Z, side-X, and persp. These viewports are classified into two categories, orthographic, and isometric. The orthographic category comprises the top, front, and side viewports and the isometric category consists of the persp viewport. The orthographic viewport displays the 2-dimensional (2D) view of the objects created in it, whereas the isometric viewport displays the 3-dimensional (3D) view of the objects created. Every viewport can be recognized easily by its name, which is displayed at the bottom of each viewport. Figure 1-5 shows various components of the Maya interface.

Every viewport has its own Panel menu that allows you to access the tools related to that specific viewport. The Axis Direction Indicator located at the lower left corner of each viewport indicates about the X, Y, and Z axes. Similarly, every viewport in Maya has a default camera applied to it through which the viewport scene is visible. The name of the camera is displayed at the bottom of each viewport. In other words, the name of the viewport is actually the name of the camera of that particular viewport.

The title bar, which lies at the top of the screen, displays the name and version of the software, the name of the file, and the location where the file is saved. A Maya file is saved with the .mb or .ma extension. The three buttons on the extreme right of title bar are used to minimize, maximize, and close the Autodesk Maya window, respectively. Various interface components of the Autodesk Maya interface are discussed next.

Menubar

The menubar is available just below the title bar. The type of menubar displayed depends on menusets. In Maya, there are different menusets namely, Modeling, Rigging, Animation, FX, and Rendering. These menusets are displayed in the Menuset drop-down list located on the extreme left of the Status Line. On selecting a particular menuset, the menus in the menubar change accordingly. However, there are nine common menus in Maya that remain constant irrespective of the menuset chosen. Figure 1-6 shows the menubar corresponding to the Modeling menuset.

On invoking a menu from the menubar, a pull-down menu is displayed. On the right of some of the options in these pull-down menus, there are two types of demarcations, arrows and option boxes. When you click on an option box, a window will be displayed. You can use this window to set the options for that particular tool or menu item. On clicking the arrow, the corresponding cascading menu will be displayed.

Status Line

The Status Line is located below the menubar. It contains shortcut for a number of menu items as well as tools for setting up object selection and snapping. The Menuset drop-down list is located at the left of the Status Line. The Status Line consists of different graphical icons. The graphical icons are further grouped and these groups are separated by vertical lines with either a box or an arrow symbol in the middle. These vertical lines are known as Show/Hide buttons, refer to Figure 1-7.

You can click on a Show/Hide button with a box symbol to hide particular icons on the Status Line. On doing so, the corresponding icons will hide and the box will change into an arrow symbol. Similarly, if you click on a Show/Hide button that has an arrow symbol in the middle, the icons of the corresponding group will be displayed. Various groups separated by Show/Hide buttons are discussed next.

Menuset

As mentioned earlier, the Menuset drop-down list in the Status Line has different menusets such as Modeling, Rigging, Animation, FX, and Rendering, as shown in Figure 1-8.

The options displayed in the menubar depend upon the menuset selected from this drop-down list. For example, if you select the Rendering menuset from the Menuset drop-down list, all the commands related to it will be displayed in the menus of the menubar. You can add a custom menuset by selecting the Customize option. On selecting it, the Menu Set Editor window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-9.

To create a new menuset, choose the New Menu Set button from this window; the Create New Menu Set window will be displayed. Enter the menu name in Enter name edit box and then choose the Create button; the new menuset will be added in the Menu sets area of the window. To add a menu in the Menus in menu set area, select the desired menu items from the All menus area and right-click on it. Next, choose Add to Menu Set from the shortcut menu displayed; the selected menu items will be added to the Menus in menu set area. Now, choose the Close Window button to close the window.

File Buttons Group

  The buttons in this group are used to perform different file related operations, refer to Figure 1-10. The tools in this group are discussed next.

Create a new scene

The New scene button is used to create a new scene. To do so, choose the New scene button from the Status Line; the Warning: Scene Not Saved message box will be displayed with the Save changes to untitled scene? message, as shown in Figure 1-11. This warning message will only appear if the current scene is not saved. Choose the Save button to save the scene. Choose the Don’t Save button to create a new scene without saving the changes made in the current scene. Choose the Cancel button to cancel the saving procedure.

Open scene

The Open scene button is used to open a file created earlier. To do so, choose this button from the Status Line; the Open dialog box will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-12. In this dialog box, specify the location of the file that you want to open and then choose the Open button; the selected file will open in the Maya interface. This dialog box is divided into different sections and some of them are discussed next.

Folder Bookmarks

The bookmarks section is used to access the folders in your computer. You can also rearrange the default location of the folders in this section by dragging them up and down using the left mouse button.

Set Project

This button is used to set a new project by replacing the current project. On choosing this button, a new window named Set Project will be displayed. You will learn about this window later in this book

Save scene

The Save scene button is used to save the current scene. On choosing the Save scene button, the Save As dialog box will be displayed. Enter a name for the file in the File name text box, specify the location to save the current scene, and then choose the Save As button to save the current scene. Maya provides you with various options that can be used while saving a file. These options are given on the right side of the dialog box in the Options section.

Undo the last action/Redo the last undone action

The Undo the last action button is used to remove the last applied action and the Redo the last undone action button is used to apply the last undone action again.

Selection Set Icons Group

The Selection Set Icons group shown in Figure 1-13 is used to define the selection of objects or the components of objects from the viewport. This group comprises of three buttons that are discussed next.

Select by hierarchy and combinations

The Select by hierarchy and combinations button is used to select a group of objects in a scene in a hierarchical order. For example, if four objects are combined under a single group, clicking on a single object with this button chosen will select the entire group of objects.

Select by Object Type

The Select by Object Type button is used to select only a single object from a group of objects in a scene. For instance, if four objects are combined under a single group, this button will enable you to select only the desired object from the group, and not the entire group.

Select by Component Type

The Select by Component Type button is used to select the components of an object, such as vertices or faces. You can also select the control vertices of the NURBS surfaces using this button.

Selection Mask Icons Group

The Selection Mask Icons group comprises of selection filters that help you in selecting objects or their components in the viewport. The selection mask helps you decide which filters/icons should be displayed in the viewport. The selection mask icons group depends on the selection mode button chosen. If the Select by hierarchy and combinations button is chosen, then the icons under this group will change, as shown in Figure 1-14.

These icons represent the tools that enable you to select the objects based on their hierarchy. Similarly, on choosing the Select by component type button and the Select by object type button, the icons under these groups will change accordingly, and this will enable you to select either the entire object, or its components, refer to Figures 1-15 and 1-16. The most commonly used group is the icons group displayed on choosing the Select by object type button. Various buttons in this selection masks icons group are discussed next.

Set the object selection mask

The Set the object selection mask button is used to switch all the selection icons on or off. To do so, choose the Set the object selection mask button from the Status Line; a flyout will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-17.

 Choose the All objects on option from the flyout to make all selection icons on or select the All objects off option to switch off all selection icons from the menu.

Note

If the All objects off option is chosen, you cannot select any object in the viewport.

Select handle objects

The Select handle objects button allows you to select IK handles and selection handles. You will learn more about this button in the later chapters.

Select joint objects

The Select joint objects button is used to select only the joints of the objects while animating or rigging them.

Select curve objects

The Select curve objects button is used to select the NURBS curves, curves on the surface, and paint effects strokes in the viewport.

Select surface objects

The Select surface objects button is used to select the NURBS surfaces, poly surfaces, planes, and GPU cache in the viewport.

Select deformations objects

The Select deformations objects button is used to select the lattices, clusters, nonlinear, and sculpt objects in the viewport.

Select dynamic objects

The Select dynamic objects button is used to select the dynamic objects in the viewport.

Select rendering objects

The Select rendering objects button is used to select the lights, cameras, and textures in the viewport.

Select miscellaneous objects

The Select miscellaneous objects button is used to select miscellaneous objects such as IK End Effectors, locators, and dimensions in the viewport.

Lock/Unlock current selection

The Lock/Unlock current selection button is used to lock the selection so that left mouse button acts on the manipulators instead of selecting objects. Select an object in the viewport and choose the Lock/Unlock current selection button from the Status Line; the tool manipulators will be locked to the object and no other object can be selected from the viewport.

Highlight Selection mode is on

The Highlight Selection mode is on button is used to turn off the automatic display of the components.

Snap Buttons Group

The Snap Buttons group comprises of different snap options, as shown in Figure 1-18.

 These options are used to snap the selected objects to specific points in a scene. The buttons in this group are discussed next.

Snap to grids

The Snap to grids tool is used to snap an object to the closest grid intersection point. For example, to snap a sphere to the closest grid intersection point, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Sphere from the menubar and then click in the viewport; a sphere will be created. Choose the Snap to grids tool from the Status Line and invoke Move Tool from the Tool Box. Next, press the middle mouse button over the sphere and drag it; the sphere will be snapped to the closest grid intersection point, refer to Figure 1-19.

Snap to curves

The Snap to curves button is used to snap an object to the curve in the viewport. For example, to snap a cube on a curve, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cube from the menubar and then click in the viewport; a cube will be created. Next, choose Create > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool from the menubar and then create a curve in the top-Y viewport. Press ENTER to exit EP Curve Tool. Next, choose Move Tool from the Tool Box and align the cube over the curve. Choose the Snap to curves button from the Status Line. Press the middle mouse button over the cube and drag it; the cube will move over the curve while remaining snapped to the curve, refer to Figure 1-20.

Snap to points

The Snap to points button is used to snap the selected objects to the closest control vertex or pivot point. For example, to snap a cube to the vertices of a polygonal plane, choose Create > Objects > Polygon Primitives > Plane > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (Polygon Plane Tool) window will be displayed. Now, set the Width divisions and Height divisions to 10, and then click in the viewport to make a plane. Next, create a cube in the viewport, as discussed earlier. Next, select the cube and choose the Snap to points button from the Status Line and drag the cube with the middle mouse button; the cube will snap to the closest control vertex of the polygonal plane.

Snap to Projected Center

The Snap to Projected Center button is used to snap an object (joint or locator) to the center of the other object. For example, to snap a locator to the center of a polygonal plane, choose Create > Objects > Polygon Primitives > Plane from the menubar and drag the cursor; a plane will be created. Next, choose Create > Construction Aids > Locator from the menubar; a locator will be created. Now, select the locator and choose the Snap to Projected Center button from the Status Line; the locator will snap to the center of the polygonal plane.

Snap to view planes

The Snap to view planes button is used to snap the selected object to the view plane of the viewport.

Make the selected object live

The Make the selected object live button is used to make the selected surface a live object. A live object is used to create objects or curves directly on its surface. For example, to snap a cube on the surface of a polygonal sphere, choose Create > Objects > Polygon Primitives > Sphere from the menubar and drag the cursor; a sphere will be created. To create a cube on the surface of the sphere, choose the Make the selected object live button from the Status Line; the sphere will appear in green wireframe. Now, choose Create > Objects > Polygon Primitives > Cube from the menubar and drag the cursor; a cube will be created on the surface of the sphere.

History Buttons Group

This group in the Status Line helps you control various objects. The objects with input connections are affected or controlled by other objects, whereas the objects with output connections affect or control other objects.

Inputs to the selected object

The Inputs to the selected object button is used to edit all input connections for the selected object such that the selected object gets influenced by another object.

Outputs from the selected object

The Outputs from the selected object button is used to select and edit the output operations of an object.

Construction history on/off

The Construction history on/off button is used to record the construction history. The construction history is used to track the changes made on an object at a later stage. Sometimes, the construction history may make a particular file size heavy. To decrease the file size, you can deactivate this option.

Render Tools Group

This group in the Status Line is used to access all render controls in Maya. The buttons in this group are discussed next.

Display rendering image

The Open Render View button is used to open the Render View window.

Render the current frame

The Render the current frame button is used to render the selected viewport at the current frame using the Arnold renderer. Choose the Render the current frame button from the Status Line; the Render View window will be displayed. The Render View window shows the rendered view of the selected scene, refer to Figure 1-21, 

whereas Output Window will display all the rendering calculations made for rendering the active scene, refer to Figure 1-22.

IPR render the current frame

The IPR render the current frame button is used to perform an IPR render. Here, IPR stands for Interactive Photorealistic Rendering. This tool helps you to adjust the lighting or the shading attributes of the rendered scene and then update it as per the requirement. To render the current frame, choose this button from the Status Line; the Render View window will be displayed. Now, press the left mouse button and drag it in the Render View window to set the selection for IPR rendering. As a result, Maya will render the selected part only. In other words, it will help you visualize your scene dynamically. Now, if you make changes in the color or lighting attribute of the scene using Attribute Editor, the selected part will be rendered automatically.

Display render settings

On choosing the Display render settings button, the Render Settings window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-23. This window comprises of all controls needed for rendering. These controls help you adjust the render settings such as resolution, file options, ray tracing quality, and so on.

Display Hypershade

On choosing this button, the Hypershade window will be displayed. Using this window, you can create shading networks. The Hypershade window is discussed in detail in the later chapters.

Launch Render Setup

On choosing this button, the Render Setup Editor window will be displayed, with the Render Setup editor on the left and the Property Editor on the right. The Render Setup editor allows you to create layers, collections and overrides, whereas the Property Editor allows you to set their corresponding values.

Open the Light Editor

On choosing this button, the Light Editor (Global Mode) window will be displayed. This window lists all lights in the scene with commonly used attributes for each light.

Toggle pausing Viewport 2 display update

This button is used to pause Viewport 2 display update.

Input Line Operations Group

This group in the Status Line helps you quickly select, rename, and transform the objects that are created in the viewport. Some of the options in this group are in hidden modes. To view them, move the cursor over the arrow on the left of the input field and then press and hold the left mouse button on it; a flyout will be displayed. Now, select the required option from the flyout; the corresponding mode will be displayed. By default, the Absolute transform mode is active. The transform modes are discussed next.

Absolute transform

The Absolute transform area is used to move, rotate, or scale a selected object in the viewport. To do so, invoke the required transformation tool from the Tool Box and enter values in the X, Y and Z edit boxes in the Absolute transform area, refer to Figure 1-24. Now, press ENTER; the selected object will be moved, rotated, and scaled according to the values entered in the edit boxes.

Note

The Absolute transform area takes the center of the viewport as a reference for transforming an object.

Relative transform

The Relative transform area is also used to scale, rotate, or move a selected object in the viewport, refer to Figure 1-25. This area is similar to the Absolute transform area with the only difference that the Relative transform area takes the current position of the object as a reference point for transforming an object.

Rename

The Rename area is used to change the name of a selected object. To rename an object, select the object from the viewport whose name you want to change; the default name of the selected object will be displayed in the text box in the Rename area, refer to Figure 1-26. Enter a new name for the object in the edit box and press ENTER.

Select by name

You can select an object in the viewport by entering its name in the text box in the Select by name area, refer to Figure 1-27.

Autodesk Store Group

There is a drop-down list in this group that has three options: Sign In, Explore Purchase Options, and Manage License. The Sign In option is used to sign in to the Autodesk account. On selecting Explore Purchase Options from this drop-down list, open the Autodesk Store web page from where you can buy various Autodesk products.

The Manage License option will open the License Manager that you can use to manage Maya license.

Sidebar Buttons Group

The toggle buttons in the Sidebar Buttons group are used to invoke tools, editors, and windows. The buttons in this group are discussed next.

Show/Hide Modeling Toolkit

The Show/Hide Modeling Toolkit button is used to open the Modeling Toolkit window, as shown in Figure 1-28. The Modeling Toolkit window is used to perform multiple modeling specific operations.

Toggle the Character Control

The Toggle the Character Control button is used to open the Human IK window, as shown in Figure 1-29. The tools in this window allow you to define and control multiple character setups in a single window.

Show/Hide Attribute Editor

The Show/Hide Attribute Editor button is used to toggle the visibility of the Attribute Editor, refer to Figure 1-30. The Attribute Editor is used to control different properties of the selected object.

Show/Hide Tool Settings

The Show/Hide Tool Settings button is used to display the options for selected tool in the Tool Settings window. On choosing this button, the Tool Settings window of the selected tool will be displayed. For example, if you have chosen Move Tool from the Tool Box, then you can control its settings by using the Tool Settings (Move Tool) window, as shown in Figure 1-31.

Show/Hide Channel Box

The Show/Hide Channel Box button is used to toggle the visibility of the Channel Box / Layer Editor. This button is similar to the Show/Hide Attribute Editor button. On choosing this button, the Channel Box / Layer Editor will be displayed on the right of the viewport, as shown in Figure 1-32. The Channel Box is used to control the transformation and the geometrical structure of the selected object. The Layer Editor is used to organize the objects in a scene when there are many objects in the viewport. Multiple objects can be arranged in the layer editor to simplify the scene.

Note

By default, the keyable attributes of selected object(s) are displayed in the Channel Box. To add more attributes to it, choose Windows > Editors > General Editors > Channel Control from the menubar; the Channel Control window will be displayed. In this window, three areas will be displayed in the Keyable tab: Keyable, Nonkeyable Hidden, and Nonkeyable Displayed. To add attributes, select them from the Nonkeyable Hidden area and then choose the Move >> button. Next, choose the Close button.

Shelf

The Shelf is located below the Status Line, as shown in Figure 1-33. The Shelf is divided into two parts. The upper part in the Shelf consists of different Shelf tabs and lower part displays the icons of different tools. The icons displayed in this area depend on the tab chosen, refer to Figure 1-33.

You can also customize the Shelf as per yourrequirement. To do so, press and hold the left mouse button over the Menu of items to modify the shelf button, refer to Figure 1-34; a flyout will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-34. Various options in this flyout are discussed next.

Shelf Tabs

The Shelf Tabs option is used to toggle the visibility of the Shelf tabs. On choosing this option, the Shelfs tabs will disappear, and only the tool icons corresponding to the selected tab will be visible.

Shelf Editor

The Shelf Editor option is used to create a Shelf and edit the properties of an existing Shelf. When this option is chosen, the Shelf Editor will be displayed in the viewport, as shown in Figure 1-35.

Alternatively, you can choose Windows > Editors > Settings/Preferences > Shelf Editor from the menubar to display the Shelf Editor. In the Shelf Editor, you can change the name and position of shelves and their contents. You can also create a new shelf and its contents using the Shelf Editor.

Navigate Shelves

The Navigate Shelves option is used to choose the previous or next Shelf of the currently chosen Shelf. On choosing this option, a cascading menu will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-36. The options in the cascading menu are discussed next.

Previous Shelf

The Previous Shelf option is used to choose the Shelf that comes before the currently chosen Shelf. For example, choose the Rendering tab; the rendering specific icons will be displayed. Next, press and hold the left mouse button over the Menu of items to modify the shelf option; a flyout will be displayed. Choose Navigate Shelves from the flyout; a cascading menu is displayed. From the cascading menu, choose Previous Shelf; the Animation tab is chosen displaying the dynamic specific icons.

Next Shelf

The Next Shelf option is used to choose the shelf that comes after the currently chosen Shelf.

Jump to Shelf

The Jump to Shelf option is used to choose the specific Shelf by entering its name. On choosing this option, the Jump to Shelf window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-37. Enter the name of the shelf in the Shelf Name text box and choose the OK button; the Shelf tab with icons specific to the corresponding shelf are displayed.

New Shelf

The New Shelf option is used to add a new Shelf tab to the existing Shelf. On choosing this option, the Create New Shelf window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-38. Enter a name for the new Shelf and choose the OK button; a new Shelf will be created, as shown in Figure 1-39. For adding different tools in the tools area corresponding to the new Shelf created, press and hold CTRL+SHIFT and then select the desired tools from the pull-down menus.

Delete Shelf

The Delete Shelf option is used to delete a shelf. On choosing this option, the Confirm message box will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-40. Choose the OK button to delete the selected Shelf.

Load Shelf

The Load Shelf option is used to load the shelf that was saved previously. When this option is chosen, the Load Shelf window will be displayed. You can choose the previously saved shelf from this window; the desired Shelf tab will be displayed in the shelf.

Save all Shelves

The Save all Shelves option is used to save the shelves, so that you can use them later while working in Maya.

Tool Box

The Tool Box is located on the left side of the workspace. It comprises of the most commonly used tools in Maya. In addition to the commonly used tools, the Tool Box has several other options or commands that help you change the layout of the interface. Various tools in the Tool Box are discussed next.

Select Tool

The Select Tool is used to select the objects created in the viewport. To select an object, invoke the Select Tool from the Tool Box and click on an object in the viewport; the object will be selected. On invoking this tool, the manipulators will not be activated.

Lasso Tool

The Lasso Tool is used to select an object by using a free hand marquee selection. This tool is very much similar to the Select Tool. To select an object, invoke the Lasso Tool; the cursor will change to a rope knot. Next, press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor in the viewport to create a selection area around the object. Then, release the left mouse button; the object inside the selection area will be selected. To adjust the properties of the Lasso Tool, make sure that the Lasso Tool is invoked, and then choose the Show/Hide the Tool Settings button from the Status Line; the Tool Settings (Lasso Tool) window will be displayed. Adjust the Lasso Tool properties from the Tool Settings (Lasso Tool) window as per your requirement.

Paint Selection Tool

The Paint Selection Tool is used to select various components of an object. To select various components of an object, invoke the Select Tool from the Tool Box and select an object in the viewport. Next, press and hold the right mouse button over the selected object; a marking menu will be displayed. Choose Vertex from the marking menu to make the vertex selection mode active. Now, choose the Paint Selection Tool from the Tool Box; the cursor will change to the paint brush. Next, press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor over the object to select the desired vertices. To go back to the object mode, invoke the Select Tool and then press and hold the right mouse button; a marking menu will be displayed. Choose Object Mode from the marking menu to make the vertex selection mode inactive.

You can also increase the size of the Paint Selection Tool cursor. To do so, press and hold the B key on the keyboard. Next, press and hold the left mouse button in the viewport and drag the cursor to adjust the size of the brush.

Move Tool

The Move Tool is used to move an object from one place to another in the viewport. To do so, invoke Move Tool from the Tool Box; the cursor will change to an arrow with a box at its tip. Select the object in the workspace that you want to move. You can move the selected object in the X, Y, and Z directions by using the handles/manipulators over the object. You can also adjust the properties of the Move Tool by choosing the Show or Hide the Tool Settings button from the Status Line or by double-clicking on the Move Tool itself. To use the Move Tool, you need to create an object in the viewport. To do so, create a sphere by choosing Create > Objects > Polygon Primitives > Sphere from the menubar.

A sphere will be created. Now, invoke the Move Tool from the Tool Box and select the object created by clicking on it; the Move Tool manipulator will be displayed on the selected object with three color handles, as shown in Figure 1-41.

These three color handles are used to move the object in the X, Y, or Z direction. The colors of the handles represent three axes; red represents the X-axis, green represents the Y-axis, and blue represents the Z-axis. At the intersection point of these handles, a box will be displayed that can be used to move the object proportionately in all the three directions. Press and hold the left mouse button over the box and drag the cursor to move the object freely in the viewport. To adjust the default settings of the Move Tool, double-click on it in the Tool Box; the Tool Settings (Move Tool) window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-42. Change the settings as per your requirement in this window.

By default, the pivot point is located at the center of the object. To change the pivot point, make sure that the Move Tool is invoked and then press the INSERT key; the pivot point will be displayed in the viewport, as shown in Figure 1-43. Move the pivot point to adjust its position. You can also put the pivot at the center of the object. To do so, choose Modify > Pivot > Center Pivot from the menubar; the pivot point will be adjusted to the center of the object. You can also adjust the pivot point by pressing and holding the D key and moving the manipulator.

Note

A pivot is a point in 3D space that is used as a reference point for the transformation of objects.

Rotate Tool

The Rotate Tool is used to rotate an object along the X, Y, or Z axis. To rotate an object in the viewport, select the object and invoke the Rotate Tool from the Tool Box; the Rotate Tool manipulator will be displayed on the object, as shown in Figure 1-44.

 The Rotate Tool manipulator consists of three colored rings. The red ring represents the X axis, whereas the green and blue rings represent the Y and Z axes, respectively. Moreover, the yellow ring around the selected object helps you rotate the selected object in the view axis. On selecting a particular ring, its color changes to yellow. You can change the default settings of the Rotate Tool by double-clicking on it in the Tool Box. On doing so, the Tool Settings (Rotate Tool) window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-45. This window contains various options for rotation. You can change the settings in this window as required.

Scale Tool

The Scale Tool is used to scale an object along the X, Y, or Z-axis. To scale an object in the viewport, select the object and invoke Scale Tool from the Tool Box; the Scale Tool manipulator will be displayed on the object, as shown in Figure 1-46.

The Scale Tool manipulator consists of three boxes. The red box represents the X axis, whereas the green and blue boxes represent the Y and Z axes, respectively. Moreover, the yellow colored box in the center lets you scale the selected object uniformly in all axes. On selecting any one of these colored scale boxes, the default color of the box changes to yellow. You can also adjust the default settings of Scale Tool by double-clicking on it in the Tool Box. On doing so, the Tool Settings (Scale Tool) window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-47. Make the required changes in the Tool Settings (Scale Tool) window to adjust the basic attributes of Scale Tool.

Note

While rotating, moving, or scaling an object, different colored handles are displayed. These handles indicate different axes. You can use this color scheme while working with three transform tools as well. The red, green, and blue colors represent the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively.

Last Tool Used

The Last Tool Used tool is used to invoke the last used or the currently selected tool. This tool displays the icon of the last used tool or currently active tool.

Quick Layout Buttons

Using the buttons in the Quick Layout buttons area, refer to Figure 1-5, you can the toggle the display of layouts as required. You can also change the display of layout buttons. To do so, right-click on one of the Quick Layout buttons; a shortcut menu with various layout options will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-48.

 Next, choose any of the layout from the shortcut menu as per your need; the current layout will be replaced by the chosen layout. Using these buttons, you can also edit the current layout. To do so, right-click on the Quick Layout buttons; a shortcut menu will be displayed. Choose Edit Layouts from the shortcut menu; the Panels window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-49.

Time Slider and Range Slider

The Time Slider and the Range Slider, as shown in Figure 1-50, are located at the bottom of the viewport. These two sliders are used to control the frames in animation. The Time Slider comprises of the frames that are used for animation.

There is an input box on the Time Slider called Set the current time, which indicates the current frame of animation. The keys in the Time Slider are displayed as red lines.

The Time Slider displays the range of frames available in your animation. In the Time Slider, the grey box, known as scrub bar, is used to move back and forth in the active range of frames available for animation. The Playback Controls at the extreme right of the current frame help you to play and stop the animation. The Range Slider located below the Time Slider is used to adjust the range of animation playback. The Range Slider shows the start and end time of the active animation. The edit boxes both on the left and right of the Range Slider direct you to the start and end frames of the selected range. The length of the Range Slider can be altered using these edit boxes. At the right of the Set the end time of the animation input box is the Set the active animation layer button. This feature gives you access to all the options needed to create and manipulate the animation layers. This option helps you to blend multiple animations in a scene.

The Set the current character set is located on the right of the Range Slider. It is used to gain automatic control over the character animated object. There are two buttons on the extreme right of the Range Slider: Auto keyframe toggle and Animation preferences. These buttons are discussed next.

Auto keyframe toggle

The Auto keyframe toggle button is used to set the keyframes. This button sets the keyframe automatically whenever an animated value is changed. Its color turns blue when it is activated.

Volume

The Volume button is used to adjust the sound in the scene. When you click on this button, a slider is displayed to adjust the sound level. If you double-click on this button, sound is turned off and the button icon modifies to show muted sound. Right-click on this button; a shortcut menu will be displayed. The options in this shortcut menu are used to perform various operations such as to import audio into the scene, delete audio from the scene, mute audio, and so on. You can also use the option in the shortcut menu to display the method in which the audio waveform will be displayed on the Time Slider. The options in this shortcut menu are also available in the new Audio menu added in the menubar. The Audio menu is visible when you select Animation from the Menuset drop-down list in the Status Line.

Time Slider Bookmark Menu

Right-click on the Time Slider Bookmark Menu button; a shortcut menu will be displayed. Next, choose the desired option to create, edit, show, delete, or frame bookmarks.

Animation preferences

The Animation preferences button is used to modify the animation controls. On choosing this button, the Preferences window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-51.

 In the Preferences window, the Time Slider option is selected by default in the Categories area. You can set the animation controls in the Time Slider and Playback area of the Preferences window. Choose the Save button to save the changes and close the window.

Cached Playback

The Cached Playback button is used to play the animation speedily without the need to create a playblast. Cached playback is the process that continuously evaluates the animation and helps to speed up the animation playback in the viewport. By default a blue line appears running along the bottom of the Time Slider that represents animation catche status line. When the Cached dynamics option is turned on, the pink line also runs along the bottom of the Time slider. This line represents the dynamic status line.

Command Line

The Command Line is located below the Range Slider. It works in Maya interface by using the MEL script or the Python script. The MEL and Python are the scripting languages used in Maya. Choose the MEL button to switch between the two scripts. The MEL button is located above the Help Line.

The Command Line also displays messages from the program in a grey box on the right. At the extreme right of the Command Line, there is an icon for the Script Editor. The Script Editor is used to enter complex and complicated MEL and Python scripts into the scene.

Note

MEL stands for MAYA Embedded Language. The MEL command is a group of text strings that are used to perform various functions in Maya.

Help Line

The Help Line is located at the bottom of the Command Line. It provides a brief description about the selected tool or the active area in the Maya interface.

Panel Menu

The Panel menu is available in every viewport, as shown in Figure 1-52. The commands or options in the Panel menu control all the actions performed in the workspace. The Panel menu comprises of six menus, which are discussed next.

View

The View menu is used to view the object in the viewport from different angles using different camera views.

Shading

The Shading menu is used to view the object in various shading modes such as Wireframe, Smooth Shade All, Flat Shade All, X-Ray, and so on. You can also use the Wireframe on Shaded option in this menu for working comfortably in the shaded mode.

Lighting

The Lighting menu helps you use different presets of lights that help in illuminating objects in the viewport.

Show

The Show menu is used to hide or unhide a particular group of objects in the viewport.

Renderer

The Renderer menu is used to set the quality of rendering in the viewport. You can also set the color texture resolution and the bump texture resolution for high quality rendering using the options in this menu.

Panels

The Panels menu is used to switch the active viewport to a different view.

Panel Toolbar

The Panel toolbar, as shown in Figure 1-53, is located just below the Panel menu of all viewports. This toolbar consists of the most commonly used tools present in the Panel menu. These tools are discussed next.

Select camera

The Select camera tool is used to select the active camera in the selected viewport. You can also select the current camera in a scene by choosing View > Select Camera from the Panel menu. To switch between different camera views, right-click on the Select camera tool; a shortcut menu will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-54. Now, you can switch to the desired camera views by choosing the corresponding option from the shortcut menu.\

Lock Camera

The Lock Camera tool is used to lock the active camera in a viewport. When camera is locked, you can not change its transform properties such as translate and rotation. To unlock the camera, choose the Lock Camera tool again.

Camera attributes

The Camera attributes tool is used to display the attributes of the active camera in the Attribute Editor. The attributes are displayed on the right of the viewport in the Attribute Editor. You can also view the attributes by choosing View > Camera Attribute Editor from the Panel menu.

Bookmarks

The Bookmarks tool is used to set the current view as a bookmark. To set a bookmark, you can set a view in the viewport and then invoke the Bookmarks tool; the set view is bookmarked for further reference. You can also edit an existing bookmark. To do so, press and hold the right mouse button over the Bookmark tool; a shortcut menu with a list of bookmarks created will be displayed in the Panel toolbar. Choose the Edit 2D Bookmarks option from this shortcut menu. On doing so, the Bookmark Editor (persp) window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-55. 

You can change the name and other attributes of the selected bookmark from this window.

Image Plane

The Image Plane tool is used to import an image to the active viewport. On choosing the Image Plane tool, the Open dialog box will be displayed. In the Open dialog box, choose the image that you want to insert in the active viewport; the image plane will be inserted in the viewport. You can also set the image to the active viewport by choosing View > Image Plane > Import Image from the Panel menu.

2D Pan/Zoom

The 2D Pan/Zoom tool is used to toggle the 2D pan/zoom mode on or off.

Blue Pencil

In Maya 2025, Blue Pencil tool is introduced that allows you to draw and animate 2D annotations right on the top of the Maya Viewport. This tool is used for blocking out animations, drawing animated storyboards, or adding annotated notes to animations and other effects. On invoking this tool, the Blue Pencil window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-56. You will learn more about the attributes in this window in the forthcoming chapters.

Grid

The Grid tool is used to toggle the visibility of the grid in the viewport. You can also invoke this tool by choosing Show > Grid from the Panel menu. In addition, you can set the attributes for the grid in the viewport by using this tool. To set the grid attributes, press and hold the right mouse button on the Grid tool in the Panel toolbar; a flyout will be displayed. Choose Grid Options from the flyout; the Grid Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-57.

 Next, you can set the grid attributes in this window as per your requirement.

Film gate

The Film gate tool is used to toggle the visibility of Film gate border on or off in the active viewport. You can also choose View > Camera Settings > Film Gate from the Panel menu to display the Film gate border in the active viewport.

Resolution gate

The Resolution gate tool is used to toggle the display of the Resolution gate border on or off in the active viewport. The resolution gate sets the area in the viewport that will be rendered. You can also choose View > Camera Settings > Resolution Gate from the Panel menu to set the resolution gate in the active viewport.

Gate mask

The Gate mask tool is used to turn on the display of the Gate Mask border. It changes the color and opacity of the area that lies outside the Film gate or the Resolution gate. The gate mask will only work when you have the Film gate or the Resolution gate applied to the active viewport. You can also choose View > Camera Settings > Gate Mask from the Panel menu to display the gate mask in the active viewport.

Field chart

The Field chart tool is used to turn on the display of the field chart border. On choosing the Field chart tool, a grid is displayed, representing twelve standard cell animation field sizes. The Field chart tool should be used only when the render resolution is set to NTSC dimensions. You can also invoke this tool by choosing View > Camera Settings > Field Chart from the Panel menu.

Safe action

The Safe action tool is used to turn on the display of the Safe action border. It is used to set the region in the active viewport for TV production. You can also invoke this tool by choosing View > Camera Settings > Safe Action from the Panel menu.

Safe title

The Safe title tool is used to turn on the display of the safe title border. It is also used to set the region for TV production in the active viewport. This tool should be used only when the render resolution is set to NTSC or PAL. You can also invoke this tool by choosing View > Camera Settings > Safe Title from the Panel menu.

Wireframe

The Wireframe tool is used to toggle the wireframe display on or off. You can also choose Shading > Wireframe from the Panel menu to switch to the wireframe mode. Alternatively, press 4 from the keyboard to turn on the Wireframe mode.

Smooth shade All

The Smooth shade All tool is used to set the display to smooth shade. You can also choose Shading > Smooth Shade All from the Panel menu to switch to smooth shade mode. Alternatively, press 5 from the keyboard to turn on the Smooth Shade All mode.

Use default material

The Use default material tool is used to display the default material on the objects, when they are in the smooth shaded mode.

Wireframe on shaded

The Wireframe on shaded tool is used to draw wireframes over the smooth shaded objects. You can also invoke this tool by choosing Shading > Wireframe on Shaded from the Panel menu.

Textured

The Textured tool is used to set the hardware texturing display of the objects in the viewport. Alternatively, press 6 from the keyboard to switch to the textured mode.

Use all lights

The Use all lights tool is used to illuminate objects by using all lights in the viewport. Alternatively, choose Lighting > Use All Lights from the Panel menu or press 7.

Shadows

The Shadows tool is used to display the hardware shadow maps. Alternatively, choose Lighting > Shadows from the Panel menu. This tool is only activated when the Use All Lights tool is selected in the Panel menu.

Screen space ambient occlusion

The Screen space ambient occlusion tool is used to toggle the display of the ambient occlusion in the viewport. This tool is enabled only when Viewport 2.0 is active.

Motion blur

The Motion blur tool is used to toggle the display of motion blur in the viewport itself. This tool is enabled only when Viewport 2.0 is active.

Multisample anti-aliasing

The Multisample anti-aliasing tool is used to toggle the display of multisample anti-aliasing in the viewport itself. This tool is enabled only when Viewport 2.0 is active.

Depth of field

The Depth of field tool is used to toggle the display of depth of field in the viewport itself. This tool is enabled only when Viewport 2.0 is active.

Isolate select

The Isolate select tool is used to display only the selected object in the viewport. To do so, select an object in the viewport and choose the Isolate select button from the Panel toolbar. Alternatively, choose Show > Isolate Select from the Panel menu or press SHIFT + I.

XRay

The XRay tool is used to make the objects semi-transparent in the viewport. You can also choose Shading > X-Ray from the Panel menu to switch to the XRay mode.

XRay active components

The XRay active components tool is used to display the active components over the top of other shaded objects. You can also invoke this tool by choosing Shading > X-Ray active components from the Panel menu.

XRay joints

The XRay joints tool is used to display the skeleton joints over the top of other objects in the shaded mode. You can also choose this tool by choosing Shading > X-Ray joints from the Panel menu.

Exposure

The Exposure tool is used to adjust the brightness of the display.

Gamma

The Gamma tool is used to adjust the contrast or brightness of the midtones in the image.

View Transform

The View Transform tool is used to change the working color space to display. To do so, choose color space use the drop-down list and choose a difference view transform.

Note

Your system should have a good quality graphic card to support high quality settings.

Channel Box / Layer Editor

The Channel Box and the Layer Editor are used to edit the attributes of an object. The Channel Box consists of all object attributes used for editing, and the Layer Editor is used for creating layers for objects in the scene. To display the Channel Box / Layer Editor, choose Windows > Editors > General Editors > Channel Box / Layer Editor from the menubar. Alternatively, press the CTRL +A keys to open the Channel Box / Layer Editor, if it is not already displayed. Select an object; the attributes of the selected object will be displayed in the Channel Box / Layer Editor, refer to Figure 1-58. The Channel Box is further divided into three parts, which are discussed next.

Transform node

The Transform node contains the transformation attributes of the selected object. Select an object from the viewport; the Transform node will become active. In Figure 1-58, 

nurbsSphere1 is the Transform node of a NURBS sphere. Enter the transform values in different transform parameters to transform the object in the viewport. Alternatively, click on an attribute name in the Transform node; the background of the attribute will change to blue color. Now, move the cursor to the viewport, press and hold the middle mouse button and drag it to make changes in the parameters of the selected attribute. You can also adjust the values of more than one attribute at a time. To do so, press and hold the SHIFT key and select the attributes that you want to adjust and then place the cursor in the viewport. Now, press and hold the middle mouse button and drag the cursor to make changes in the selected attributes. Choose the Visibility attribute to set the visibility of the object. Enter 0 in the Visibility edit box to make the visibility of the selected object off, and enter 1 in the Visibility edit box to set the visibility on.

SHAPES node

The SHAPES node provides a brief information about an object. It displays the shape name of the selected object, refer to Figure 1-58.

For example, when you create a NURBS sphere in the viewport, it is named as nurbsSphereShape1. Here, NURBS indicates that the object has been created using the NURBS primitives; Sphere indicates that a sphere has been created; and Shape1 indicates that this is the first sphere shape created in the viewport.

INPUTS node

The INPUTS node is used to modify the geometric structure of an object. To do so, create a sphere in the viewport and make sure that it is selected in the viewport. Next, select the makeNurbSphere1 in the INPUTS node of the Channel Box; the geometric attributes of the sphere will be displayed, refer to Figure 1-58. Now, you can adjust the geometric values of the sphere as required. The Layer Editor is located below the Channel Box. To create a new layer in the Layer Editor, choose Layers > Create Empty Layer from the Layer Editor, refer to Figure 1-59; a new layer will be created. To add an object to the layer, select the object in the viewport and then press and hold the right mouse button over the empty layer; a flyout will be displayed. Choose Add Selected Objects from the flyout; the selected object will be added to the layer.

The Layer Editor is mainly used when there are multiple objects in a scene. You can also change the name and color of layers by using the Layer Editor. To do so, double-click on the name of a layer; the Edit Layer window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-60.

Enter the name of the layer in the Name text box. You can select the display option of the object from the Display type drop-down list. If you select the Normal option from this list, the object will be displayed in its object mode and will be selectable. If you select the Template option from the drop-down list, the object will be displayed in the wireframe mode and the object will not be selectable. Similarly, if you select the Reference option, the object will be displayed in the shaded mode and will not be selectable. You can also set the visibility of an object by selecting the Visible check box. The Color swatches located at the bottom of the window enables you to select a color for the layer to give it a distinct identity as compared to other layers.

Attribute Editor

The Attribute Editor provides information about various attributes of a selected object, tool, or the material applied to the selected object. It is also used to make changes in the attributes of the selected object. Choose Windows > Editors > General Editors > Attribute Editor from the menubar; the Attribute Editor will be displayed on the right of the viewport, refer to Figure 1-61. The Attribute Editor comprises of a number of attribute tabs that help you modify an object.

HOTKEYS

In Maya, you can create your own shortcut keys or even change default shortcuts. To do so, choose Windows > Editors > Settings/Preferences > Hotkey Editor from the menubar; the Hotkey Editor will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-62. To edit hotkeys, select a hotkey category from the Edit Hotkeys For drop-down list. Now, find the desired command from the list displayed below the Edit Hotkeys For drop-down list. Click on the command and then enter a keyboard shortcut.

You can search an application command by choosing the Search By text box. Enter the application command name in the search bar; filtered items will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-63. 

At the right side of the Hotkey Editor, the Keyboard tab will be displayed. In this tab, the unassigned keys are highlighted in cyan color.

HOTBOX

Hotbox, as shown in Figure 1-64, helps you access menu items in a viewport. The Hotbox is very useful, when you work in the expert mode or the full screen mode. It helps you access the menu items and tools by using cursor in the workspace. To access a command, press and hold the SPACEBAR key; the Hotbox will be displayed. Now, you can choose the option that you need to work from the Hotbox. The Hotbox is divided into five distinct zones, East, West, North, South, and Center, refer to Figure 1-64.

Note

You can turn off various UI elements in the Maya interface to get more space and then use the Hotbox to access various commands and tools. But you should do it only after you have established a workflow for yourself. In the beginning, you should use the menubar at the top of the screen instead of using the Hotbox as it reduces the possibility of confusion in finding a command at a later stage.

OUTLINER

The Outliner window is used to display all the objects of a scene in a hierarchical manner, as shown in Figure 1-65.

An object in the scene can be selected by simply clicking on its name in the Outliner window. In the Outliner window, the objects are placed in the order of their creation in the viewport. For example, if you create a cube in the viewport followed by a sphere and a cylinder, then all these objects will be placed in a sequential manner in the Outliner window, which means the object (cube) created first will be placed first and the object created last (cylinder) will be placed at the last. To organize the sequence manually, choose the MMB and then drag and drop one object below another object. To rename an object, double-click on the name of the object. At the top of the Outliner window, there is an text box known as the Text Filter Box. You can use this box to select objects with a particular name. For example, enter *front* in the box and press ENTER; all the objects having the word ‘front’ in their name will be selected in the viewport. By default, there are four cameras in the Outliner window that represent four default viewports in Maya. As discussed earlier, everything that you see in the viewport is seen through the camera view. These cameras are visible in the Outliner window by default. Each object in the Outliner window has an icon of its own. When you double-click on any of these icons, the Attribute Editor will be displayed, where you can change the properties of various objects.

MARKING MENUS

Marking menus are similar to shortcut menus that consist of almost all the tools required to perform an operation on an object. There are three types of marking menus in Maya. The first type of marking menu is used to create default objects in the viewport. To create a default object, press and hold the SHIFT key and then right-click anywhere in the viewport; a marking menu will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-66. In this marking menu, choose the object that you want to create.

The second type of marking menu is used to switch amongst various components of an object such as vertices, faces, edges, and so on. To invoke this marking menu, select an object and right-click; the marking menu will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-67.

 Now, you can select the desired component of the selected object. This marking menu can also be used to apply material to an object. To do so, choose the Assign New Material option from this marking menu; the Assign New Material window will be displayed. Next, choose the required material; the material will be applied to the selected object. This method will be discussed in detail in later chapters.

The third type of marking menu is used to modify the components of an object. To invoke this marking menu, select a component, press and hold the SHIFT key, and then right-click on the selected object; the marking menu will be displayed, refer to Figure 1-68. After invoking this marking menu, you can choose the desired option to perform the corresponding function.

PIPELINE CACHING

In Maya, you can reduce the render time of a complex scene with the help of pipeline cache tools. Using these tools, you can also increase the loading speed of large 3D scenes. The two types of caching tools available in Maya are discussed next.

Alembic Cache

The alembic cache enables you to save and export complex Maya scenes in alembic file format. The alembic file format has been developed to represent a complex 3D geometry as a simple geometry. The exported alembic files can then be re-imported into Maya to improve playback performance and reduce memory usage. In order to access this tool, choose Cache > Alembic Cache from the menubar; a flyout will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-69. Various options in this flyout are discussed next.

Open Alembic

The Open Alembic option is used to open an alembic file in Maya. When you choose this option, the Import Alembic dialog box will be displayed. In this dialog box, you can browse to the location, where the required alembic file has been saved, and then you can open the file in Maya using the Import button.

Reference Alembic

The Reference Alembic option is used to import the contents of a scene, including objects, animation, and shaders into your currently opened scene without importing the files into the scene.

Import Alembic

The Import Alembic option is used to import an alembic file in Maya. When you choose this option, the Import Alembic dialog box will be displayed. You can set various options in this dialog box for the file to be imported.

Replace Alembic

The Replace Alembic option is used to replace the selected 3D object with the alembic object contained in the selected alembic file.

Export All to Alembic

The Export All to Alembic option is used to export all objects in Maya scene as an alembic cache file. By default, alembic cache files are saved in the cache > alembic folder of the current Maya project folder.

Export Selection to Alembic

The Export Selection to Alembic option is used to export the selected objects in the Maya scene as alembic objects.

INTEROPERABILITY OPTIONS IN Maya

Autodesk Maya enables you to exchange data between Maya and different softwares such as 3ds Max, Unity, and Print Studio. However, for exchanging data, the same version of the software must be available on your system. The Send to 3ds Max, Send to Unity, and Send to Print Studio options located in the File menu of the menubar are used to send a Maya file to any of the above mentioned software.

Note

The Send to 3ds Max option located in the File menu of the menubar will be displayed only if you have matching versions installed on your system. For example, 3ds Max 2025 and Maya 2025 are considered to be the matching versions.

NAVIGATING THE VIEWPORTS

The persp view is the default camera view in Maya. To look around in a scene, you can move the virtual camera associated with the viewport. You can use the following shortcut keys while navigating the viewport.

Hotkeys in Maya

In Maya, some hotkeys are used to speed up the task. Also, there are hotkeys for selecting previous and next keyframes, toggle hotkeys to show/hide controllers, turning the NURBS curves on/off. Some hotkeys are used to quickly cycle between x-ray modes to see joints, controls, and characters. Also, some hotkeys are used to nudge selected keys to the left or right easily.

TIPS AND TRICKS IN Maya

There are many hidden features in Maya that the new users are not aware of. We have provided information of some of these hidden features in the form of tips and tricks below. These tips and tricks will help every Maya user to work efficiently.

•Choose Windows > Editors > Settings & Preferences > Plug-in Manager from the menubar; the Plug-in Manager window will be displayed. Clear the check boxes that you don’t need. It will speed up Maya’s boot time.

•For copying the polygon objects, select the object and press CTRL +D. Next, press W to activate Move Tool and move the copied object to the desired position. Next, press SHIFT+D to copy the object to the same distance.

•You can increase or decrease the size of gyro using the + and - keys, respectively. These keys are displayed on choosing Move Tool, Rotate Tool, or Scale Tool.

• If you want to change the background color of viewport, hold down the ALT key, and press B.

•If you want to smoothen the low poly model without increasing the subdivision level, press 3.

•If you want to modify only specific area of an object, activate the vertex mode and then select vertices of that area and press B; the Soft Selection mode is activated and selected vertices turn red and yellow. Now, edit that area. You can increase and decrease the area by holding down the B key and the left mouse button and dragging.

•A high poly count model slows the speed of your workflow. To track the poly count of the model, you need to turn on the poly count option. To do so, choose Display > Viewport > Heads Up Display > Poly Count from the menubar.

•If you have a scene with light setup and you want to know the realtime result then press 7 to see the light effect in the viewport.

•If you want to aim your light on an object, press T; the aim is displayed. Now, you can aim the light on the object.

•You can use following shortcut keys to avoid going through the menus:

Press 4 to activate the wireframe mode. Press 5 to activate the shaded mode. Press 6 to activate the texture mode. Press 7 to make the light option on. Press 8 to activate the paint effects.

•To rotate an object in radial direction, hold down the J key and drag; the object snaps in 15 degrees.

•If you want to hide certain objects while you are working, select the object and press CTRL+ H. For displaying all hidden objects, choose Display >Object >Show >All from the menubar.

WORKSPACES

Workspaces are arrangement of windows, panels, and other interface elements. Maya comes with several predefined workspaces that you can access from the Workspaces drop-down list available on the far right of the menubar, as shown in Figure 1-70.

You can also save your own workspaces or reset the factory workspaces. To do so, choose the options available in the Windows > Workspaces menu.

Self-Evaluation Test

Answer the following questions and then compare them to those given at the end of this chapter:

1. Which of the following windows is used to toggle the display of highlights of all menu items and tool icons?

(a) 1-Minute Startup Movies (b) The Output window

(c) What’s New Highlight Settings (d) None of these

2. Which of the following tools is used to adjust contrast or brightness of an image?

(a) Exposure (b) Gamma

(c) Display settings (d) Both (a) and (b)

3. The __________ button is used to snap the selected object to the center of the other object.

4. The __________ area helps you select an object by entering its name in the Name Selection area.

5. The Show/Hide the Modeling Toolkit button is used to toggle the __________ window.

6. The Panel menu has a set of __________ menus.

7. The keys set for animation are always displayed in red color. (T/F)

8. The MEL command is a group of text strings used for performing various functions in Maya. (T/F)

9. The Hotbox is used to assign the shortcut keys to the commands. (T/F)

Review Questions

Answer the following questions:

1. Which of the following tools helps you move the selected objects in a workspace from one place to another?

(a) Translate Tool (b) Paint Selection Tool

(c) Move Tool (d) Scale Tool

2. Which of the following combination of shortcut keys is used to toggle between Attribute Editor and Channel Box/Layer Editor ?

(a) SHIFT+M (b)Ctrl+ SHIFT+M

(c) SHIFT+n (d) CTRL+A

3. Which of the following shortcut keys is used to invoke the Hotbox?

(a) SPACEBAR (b) BACKSPACE

(c) INSERT (d) ESC

4. Hotkeys are also known as __________ keys.

5. The __________ button helps you set keyframes in animation.

6. The user-defined shortcuts can be created by using the __________ .

7. The ___________ is an arbitrary point which is used to determine the location of objects.

8. MEL stands for __________ .

9. The options in the Animation Preferences window are used to modify the animation controls. (T/F)

10. The Absolute transform mode is used to move, rotate, and scale a selected object in the viewport. (T/F)

Answers to Self-Evaluation Test

1. c, 2. d, 3. Snap to Projected Center, 4. Select by name, 5. Modeling Toolkit, 6. six, 7. T, 8. T, 9. F

INTRODUCTION

In Maya, there are three different types of modeling: NURBS, polygon, and subdivision surface. NURBS, which stands for Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines, is an industry standard for designing and modeling surfaces. NURBS modeling is suitable for modeling surfaces with complex curves. NURBS surfaces can be manipulated interactively with ease. Before modeling an object, you need to visualize it in 3D terms. Visualization of an object in 3D terms helps you in determining the type of modeling that you need to use for creating the object. In this chapter, you will learn about various NURBS modeling tools and techniques.

NURBS PRIMITIVES

In this chapter, you will learn about NURBS curves and surfaces. NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline) is a mathematical representation of 3D geometry that can describe any shape accurately. NURBS modeling is basically used for creating curved shapes and lines.

In Maya, there are default NURBS objects that resemble various geometrical objects. These NURBS objects are grouped together under the NURBS Primitives group in the menubar. To access the NURBS primitives, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives from the menubar; a cascading menu will be displayed with all the default NURBS primitives. Some of the NURBS primitives can also be accessed from the Shelf, refer to Figure 3-1.

In order to access the NURBS modeling tools for the NURBS primitives, make sure that the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab is chosen from the Shelf. The types of NURBS Primitives are discussed next.

Note

To create a NURBS object dynamically, you need to turn on the Interactive Creation option. To do so, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Interactive Creation from the menubar.

Creating a Sphere

A sphere is a solid object and every point on its surface is equidistant from its center, as shown in Figure 3-2. To create a sphere, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Sphere from the menubar; a sphere will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, choose the NURBS Sphere tool from the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab. You can create a sphere either dynamically or by entering values using the keyboard. Both the methods are discussed next.

Creating a Sphere Dynamically

To create a sphere dynamically, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Sphere from the menubar; you will be prompted to drag the cursor on the grid to draw the sphere in the viewport. Press and hold the left mouse button, and drag the cursor up or down to define the radius of the sphere as required. Now, release the left mouse button; the sphere will be created in all viewports and will be visible in the Smooth Shade All mode. Press the numeric key 4 to change the display to the Wireframe mode. Alternatively, you can choose Shading > Wireframe from the Panel menu to change the display to the Wireframe mode. Press the numeric key 5 or choose Shading > Smooth Shade All from the Panel menu to revert to the Smooth Shade all mode.

Creating a Sphere by Using the Keyboard

To create a sphere by using the keyboard, double-click on the NURBS Sphere tool in the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab; the Tool Setting (NURBS Sphere Tool) panel will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-3.

In this panel, set the properties of the sphere by using the keyboard and then click in the viewport; the sphere will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Sphere > Option Box from the menubar to invoke Tool Setting (NURBS Sphere Tool) panel. Choose Reset Tool to reset the settings of the Tool Setting (NURBS Sphere Tool) panel. The most commonly used options in this panel are discussed next.

Description Area

The text in the Description area gives you information about the method of creating sphere in the viewport.

Create Settings Area

The options in the Create Settings area of the Tool Setting (NURBS Sphere Tool) panel are used to adjust the parameters of the NURBS sphere. The options in this area are discussed next.

Start sweep angle and End sweep angle: The Start sweep angle and End sweep angle options are used to specify the start and end angles for a sphere. Move the sliders on the right of these parameters to change the values or enter the values in their respective text boxes. The values in these sliders range from 0 to 360 degrees. You can create a partial sphere, as shown in Figure 3-4 by changing the values in the Start sweep angle and End sweep angle edit boxes.

Surface degree: The Surface degree attribute is used to create a sphere with a faceted or smooth appearance. This attribute consists of two radio buttons: Linear and Cubic. The Linear radio button is used to give a faceted appearance to the sphere. The Cubic radio button is selected by default and gives a smooth appearance to the sphere, refer to Figure 3-5. Note that the number of segments remains the same on the sphere while using any of these two radio buttons.

Use Tolerance: The Use Tolerance attribute is used to improve the accuracy of the primitive’s by increasing or decreasing the number of sections and spans. If the Use Tolerance attribute is set to None, you can make the number of sections and spans on a sphere separately. If the Use Tolerance attribute is set to Local, you can change the number of sections and spans uniformly by moving the slider available below the attribute.

Number of sections and Number of spans: The Number of sections and Number of spans edit boxes are used to adjust the surface curves on a sphere, refer to Figure 3-6.

   More the number of sections or spans on a NURBS object, more will be its smoothness. Surface curves are also known as Isoparms. You can enter the values directly in these edit boxes to set the number of sections/spans on a NURBS object. Alternatively, you can move the sliders on the right of these edit boxes.

After Creation Settings Area

The options in this area are used to adjust the number of sections and spans on a sphere after it is created in the viewport. To do so, select the Adjust sections and spans check box from this area and drag the cursor to create a sphere in the viewport. Next, you can drag the cursor to add or reduce sections in the sphere.

Single-click Settings Area

The options in this area are used to set the radius and axis of formation of the NURBS sphere. The settings of this area will be applicable only if the sphere is created using the single-click method. The options in this area are discussed next.

Radius: The Radius attribute is used to set the radius of the sphere by entering required value in the Radius edit box. Alternatively, you can drag the slider on the right of the attribute.

Axis: The Axis attribute is used to set the axis for creating a NURBS sphere. It has three radio buttons: X, Y, and Z. By default, the Y radio button is selected. You can use these radio buttons to set the axis for creating a NURBS sphere. Figure 3-7 shows the NURBS spheres created on the X, Y, and Z axes.

Modifying the Names and other Parameters of a Sphere

You can change the name and parameters of a sphere in the viewport. To do so, select a sphere in the viewport; the Channel Box / Layer Editor will be displayed, refer to Figure 3-8.

 Now, to change the name of the selected sphere, click on nurbsSphere# in the Channel Box / Layer Editor; an edit box will appear. Specify a new name for the sphere and then press ENTER. You can also modify the sphere by using the parameters in the INPUTS area of the Channel Box / Layer Editor; the change will be reflected on the sphere in the viewport. To dynamically modify the parameters in the INPUTS area, select the attribute label in the Channel Box / Layer Editor. Next, place the cursor in the viewport, press and hold the middle mouse button, and then drag it horizontally in the viewport to make the changes.

Creating a Cube

A cube is a three-dimensional shape with six sides, as shown in Figure 3-9. 

To create a NURBS cube, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cube from the menubar; the sphere will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, to create a cube, you can choose the NURBS Cube tool from the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab. You can also create a cube dynamically or by entering values using the keyboard. Both the methods are discussed next.

Creating a Cube Dynamically

To create a cube dynamically, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cube from the menubar; you will be prompted to drag the cursor on the grid to draw a cube in the viewport. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor on the grid to define the base of the cube, as required. Now, release the left mouse button to get the desired base. Next, press and hold the left mouse button again and drag the cursor up to set the height of the cube and then release the left mouse button; the cube will be created in all viewports.

Creating a Cube by Using the Keyboard

To create a cube by using the keyboard, double-click on the NURBS Cube tool in the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab; the Tool Setting (NURBS Cube Tool) panel will be displayed on the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-10.

 In this panel, set the properties of the cube by using the keyboard and then click in the viewport; a cube will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cube > Option Box from the menubar; to invoke the Tool Setting (NURBS Cube Tool) panel. Choose Reset Tool to reset the settings of the Tool Setting (NURBS Cube Tool) panel. The most commonly used options in this panel are discussed next.

Description Are

The Description area displays the information about the method of creating the cube in the viewport.

Create Settings Area

The options in the Create Settings area of the Tool Setting (NURBS Cube Tool) panel are used to set the parameters of the NURBS cube. Various options in this area are discussed next.

Surface degree: The radio buttons in the Surface degree attribute are used to create a cube with a faceted or smooth appearance. This attribute consists of five radio buttons: 1 Linear, 2, 3 Cubic, 5, and 7.

U patches and V patches: The U patches and V patches edit boxes are similar to the Number of sections and Number of spans edit boxes in the Tool Setting (NURBS Sphere Tool) panel and are used to create surface patches on the cube.

Single-click Settings: The options in this area are used to set the width, height, and depth for creating the NURBS cube. The settings will be applicable only if the cube is created using the single-click method.

Width, Height, and Depth: You can adjust the width, height, and depth of the NURBS cube by entering values in the Width, Height, and Depth edit boxes, respectively. Alternatively, you can set these values by moving the slider on the right of these edit boxes.

Modifying the Names and Other Properties of the Cube

You can modify the name and other properties of the cube using the Channel Box / Layer Editor, as discussed in the NURBS sphere section.

Creating a Cylinder

A cylinder is a solid geometry with straight parallel sides and circular sections, as shown in Figure 3-11. 

To create a cylinder in the viewport, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cylinder from the menubar; the cylinder will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, you can choose the NURBS Cylinder tool from the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab. You can create a cylinder either dynamically or by entering values using the keyboard. Both the methods of creating the cylinder are discussed next.

Creating a Cylinder Dynamically

To create a cylinder dynamically, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cylinder from the menubar; you will be prompted to drag the cursor on the grid. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor on the grid to define the base of the cylinder. Next, release the left mouse button to get the desired base. Now, press and hold the left mouse button again, drag the cursor up to set the height of the cylinder and then release the left mouse button; the cylinder will be created in all viewports.

Creating a Cylinder by Using the Keyboard

To create a cylinder by using the keyboard, double-click on the NURBS Cylinder tool in the Curves / Surfaces Shelf tab; the Tool Setting (NURBS Cylinder Tool) panel will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-12.

 Set the properties of the cylinder to be created in the viewport using various options available in the Tool Setting (NURBS Cylinder Tool) panel and click in the viewport; a cylinder will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cylinder > Option Box from the menubar to invoke the Tool Setting (NURBS Cylinder Tool) panel. Choose Reset Tool to reset the settings of the Tool Setting (NURBS Cylinder Tool) panel.

Modifying the Names and other Properties of Cylinder

You can modify the name and properties of the cylinder by using the Channel Box / Layer Editor, as discussed in the NURBS sphere section.

Creating a Cone

A cone is an object with a circular base and its sides tapered up to a point, as shown in Figure 3-13.

 To create a cone, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cone from the menubar; the cone will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, you can create a cone by invoking the NURBS Cone tool from the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab. You can create a cone either dynamically or by entering values using the keyboard. Both the methods of creating a cone are discussed next.

Creating a Cone Dynamically

To create a cone dynamically, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cone from the menubar; you will be prompted to drag the cursor on the grid. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor on the grid to define the base of the cone. Next, release the left mouse button to get the desired base. Now, press and hold the left mouse button again and drag the cursor up to set the height of the cone. Next, release the left mouse button; the cone will be created in all viewports.

Creating a Cone by Using the Keyboard

To create a cone by using the keyboard, double-click on the NURBS Cone tool in the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab; the Tool Setting (NURBS Cone Tool) panel will be displayed on the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-14.

 In this panel, set the properties of the cone by using the keyboard and then click in the viewport; the cone will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cone > Option Box from the menubar to invoke the Tool Setting (NURBS Cone Tool) panel. Choose Reset Tool to reset the settings of the Tool Setting (NURBS Cone Tool) panel.

Creating a Plane

A plane is a two-dimensional flat surface, as shown in Figure 3-15. 

To create a NURBS plane, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Plane from the menubar. Alternatively, you can create a plane by invoking the NURBS Plane tool from the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab. You can create a plane either dynamically or by entering values using the keyboard. Both the methods of creating a plane are discussed next.

Creating a Plane Dynamically

To create a plane dynamically, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Plane from the menubar; you will be prompted to drag the cursor on the grid. Next, press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor on the grid; a plane will be created in all viewports.

Creating a Plane by Using the Keyboard

To create a plane by using the keyboard, double-click on the NURBS Plane tool in the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab; the Tool Setting (NURBS Plane Tool) panel will be displayed on the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-16.

Next, in this panel, set the properties of the plane by using the keyboard and then click in the viewport; the plane will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Plane > Option Box from the menubar to invoke the Tool Setting (NURBS Plane Tool) panel. Choose Reset Tool to reset the settings of the Tool Setting (NURBS Plane Tool) panel.

Creating a Torus

A torus is created by revolving a circular profile around a circular or an elliptical path, as shown in Figure 3-17.

 To create a NURBS torus, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Torus from the menubar. Alternatively, you can create a torus by choosing the NURBS Torus tool from the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab. You can create a torus either dynamically or by entering values using the keyboard. Both the methods of creating a torus are discussed next.

Creating a Torus Dynamically

To create a torus dynamically, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Torus from the menubar; you will be prompted to drag the cursor on the grid to create a torus in the viewport. Press and hold the left mouse button, drag the cursor on the grid to define the radius of the torus, and then release the left mouse button. Now, press and hold the left mouse button again and drag the cursor to edit the section radius. Next, release the left mouse button; the torus will be created in all viewports.

Creating a Torus by Using the Keyboard

To create a torus by using the keyboard, double-click on the NURBS Torus tool in the Curves / Surfaces Shelf tab; the Tool Setting (NURBS Torus Tool) panel will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-18.

In this panel, set the properties of the torus by using the keyboard and then click in the viewport to create a torus. Alternatively, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Torus > Option Box from the menubar to invoke the Tool Setting (NURBS Torus Tool) panel. Choose Reset Tool to reset the settings of the Tool Setting (NURBS Torus Tool) panel.

Creating a Circle

A circle is a closed plane curve in which every point on the curve is equidistant from the center, as shown in Figure 3-19. 

To create a circle, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Circle from the menubar. Alternatively, you can create a circle by choosing the NURBS Circle tool from the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab. You can create a circle either dynamically or by entering values using the keyboard. Both the methods of creating circle are discussed next.

Creating a Circle Dynamically

To create a circle dynamically, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Circle from the menubar; you will be prompted to drag the cursor on the grid. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor on the grid and then release the left mouse button; the circle will be created in all viewports.

Creating a Circle by Using the Keyboard

To create a circle by using the keyboard, double-click on the NURBS Circle tool in the Curves Shelf tab; the Tool Setting (NURBS Circle Tool) panel will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-20.

 In this panel, set the properties of the circle by using the keyboard and then click in the viewport to create a circle in all viewports. Alternatively, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Circle > Option Box from the menubar to invoke the Tool Setting (NURBS Circle Tool) panel. Choose Reset Tool to reset the settings of the Tool Setting (NURBS Circle Tool) panel.

Creating a Square

A square is a four-sided regular polygon with equal sides, as shown in Figure 3-21.

 To create a square, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Square from the menubar; the square will be created in all viewports. Alternatively, you can create a square by invoking the NURBS Square tool from the Curves Shelf tab. You can create a square either dynamically or by entering values by using the keyboard. Both the methods of creating a square are discussed next.

Creating a Square Dynamically

To create a square dynamically, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Square from the menubar; you will be prompted to drag the cursor on the grid. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor on the grid. Next, release the left mouse button; the square will be created in all viewports.

Creating a Square by Using the Keyboard

To create a square by using the keyboard, double-click on the NURBS Square tool in the Curves Shelf tab; the Tool Setting (NURBS Square Tool) panel will be displayed on the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-22. Set the properties of the square using various options available in the Tool Setting (NURBS Square Tool) panel and click in the viewport to create a square in all viewports. Alternatively, choose Create > NURBS Primitives > Square > Option Box from the menubar to invoke the Tool Setting (NURBS Square Tool) panel. Choose Reset Tool to reset the settings of the Tool Setting (NURBS Square Tool) panel.

Interactive Creation

The Interactive Creation option is used to create objects dynamically. It is a toggle option in the NURBS Primitives cascading menu. The Interactive Creation option is not selected by default. To select this option, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Interactive Creation from the menubar. It allows you to edit an object as required using the click-drag operations. If you clear this option, you need to modify the object using the Channel Box /Layer Editor.

Exit on Completion

The Exit on Completion option is used to exit the Nurbs Primitive command after the creation of a primitive in the viewport. To do so, choose Create > NURBS Primitives > Exit on Completion from the menubar. Deselect this option to interactively create multiple primitives of the same type until another tool is chosen. This option is activated only when the Interactive Creation option is selected.

WORKING WITH NURBS COMPONENTS

Each NURBS object has certain components such as Isoparm, Hull, Surface Patch, Surface UV, Control Vertex, and Surface Point, refer to Figures 3-23 to 3-28.

 To view the components of a NURBS object, select the NURBS object in the viewport and choose Display > NURBS from the menubar; a cascading menu will be displayed. Choose the component that you want to modify from the cascading menu; the selected component will be displayed in the viewport. Alternatively, press and hold the right mouse button over the object and choose the required component from the marking menu.

TOOLS FOR CREATING NURBS CURVES

In Maya, you can create NURBS curves using various tools. The tools used to create NURBS curves are discussed next.

CV Curve Tool

The CV Curve Tool is used to create curves in the viewport. A CV curve comprises of control vertices or CVs. To create a CV curve, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > CV Curve Tool from the menubar; the cursor will change into a plus sign. Next, click on different places in the viewport to create a curve. The first CV of the curve will be displayed as a box, and the second CV will be displayed as letter U. The box defines the starting point of the curve, and the letter U defines the direction of the curve. Press ENTER to finish the curve creation process. To edit the properties of a curve, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > CV Curve Tool Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (CV Curve Tool) panel will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-29. The options in the panel are discussed next.

Curve degree

The radio buttons corresponding to the Curve degree attribute are used to define the smoothness of a curve. By default, the 3 Cubic radio button is selected in the Curve degree area. The higher the degree of curve, the smoother it will be.

Knot spacing

The radio buttons corresponding to the Knot spacing attribute are used to define the distribution of the knots on the curve. Knots are the parametric locations(u) along the curve. The Knot spacing attribute has two radio buttons: Uniform and Chord length. The Uniform radio button is selected by default and is used to create the U parametric location values that are easier to predict. The Chord length radio button is used to distribute the curvature in such a way that the surface displays a symmetrical texture applied over it.

EP Curve Tool

The EP Curve Tool is also used to create an outline of a curve by placing edit points on it. To create an outline, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool from the menubar; the cursor sign will change into a plus sign. Now, click on different places in the viewport to create a curve. Next, press ENTER to finish the curve creation process. To modify the properties of the EP curve, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (EP Curve Tool) panel will be displayed. Alternatively, you can invoke this panel from the Curve / Surfaces Shelf tab by double-clicking on the icon; the Tool Settings (EP Curve Tool) panel will be displayed. The options in the Tool Settings (EP Curve Tool) panel are similar to those discussed in the Tool Settings (CV Curve Tool) panel.

Note

The process of creating a curve using EP Curve Tool is different from that of CV Curve Tool. In both the cases if 3 cubic is selected from the Curve degree attribute, then the curve created using CV Curve Tool will create a smooth curve in the fourth segment whereas in case of EP curve Tool, a smooth curve will be created in the third segment.

Pencil Curve Tool

The Pencil Curve Tool works similar to the brush tool available in other softwares. This tool is used to draw a freehand NURBS curve. To do so, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > Pencil Curve Tool from the menubar; the cursor will change into a pencil sign. Next, press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor in the viewport to create a curve. To set the properties of the curve, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > Pencil Curve Tool > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (Pencil Curve Tool) panel will be displayed. Alternatively, you can invoke this panel from the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab by double-clicking on the icon; the Tool Settings (Pencil Curve Tool) panel will be displayed. The options in the Tool Settings (Pencil Curve Tool) panel are similar to those discussed in the Tool Settings (EP Curve Tool) panel.

Arc Tools

The Arc Tools are used to create arc curves by specifying points in the viewport. In Maya, there are two types of arc tools: Three Point Circular Arc and Two Point Circular Arc. To create an arc, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools from the menubar; a cascading menu will be displayed. Choose Two Point Circular Arc from the cascading menu to create an arc by defining the start and end points of the arc. Similarly, choose the Three Point Circular Arc from the cascading menu to create an arc by defining the start point, the curve point, and the end point.

Bezier Curve Tool

The Bezier Curve Tool is used to create a smooth curved line in the viewport. It consists of two or more control points, which define the size and shape of the line. To create a smooth curved line, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > Bezier Curve Tool from the menubar; the cursor will change. Next, press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor in the viewport to create a curve. To set the properties of the curve, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > Bezier Curve Tool > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (Bezier Tool) panel will be displayed. Alternatively, you can invoke this panel by double-clicking on the Bezier Curve Tool icon in the Curves/Surfaces Shelf tab.

TOOLS FOR CREATING SURFACES

Maya provides a number of tools to create complex three dimensional surface models. To view the tools that are used to create various surfaces, select the Modeling option from the Menuset drop-down list in the Status Line. Next, choose the Surfaces menu to display all the surfacing tools in Maya, refer to Figure 3-30.

Loft Tool

The Loft tool is used to skin a surface along the profile curves. While using this tool, at least two profile curves are required to create a NURBS surface. To create a NURBS surface by using this tool, create three curves, as shown in Figure 3-31.

Next, press and hold the SHIFT key and select the curves in the viewport. Now, choose Surfaces > Create > Loft from the menubar; the NURBS curves are lofted with a surface in the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-32. To set the properties of the lofted surface created, choose Surfaces > Create > Loft > Option Box from the menubar; the Loft Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-33. The options in the Loft Options window are discussed next.

Parameterization

The radio buttons corresponding to the Parameterization attribute are used to modify the parameters of the lofted surface. The Uniform radio button is used to set the number of control points uniformly along the curve. The Chord length radio button is used to parameterize the curve such that its value is proportional to the chord length. The Auto reverse check box is selected by default and is used to create a NURBS surface in the reverse order of selection of NURBS curves. Figure 3-34 shows the surface created with the Close check box cleared. Figure 3-35 shows the surface created with the Close check box selected.

Surface degree

The Surface degree attribute is used to specify the smoothness of a NURBS surface. The Cubic radio button corresponding to this attribute is selected by default. The Linear radio button is used to create the surface with edgy facets. To create a NURBS surface, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > CV Curve Tool from the menubar and then create NURBS curves in the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-36. 

Next, select the Linear or Cubic radio button corresponding to the Surface degree attribute in the Loft Options window; the NURBS surfaces will be displayed, as shown in Figures 3-37 and 3-38.

Section spans

The Section spans edit box is used to specify the number of spans on the NURBS surface. To do so, enter a value in the edit box to specify the number of sections in the NURBS surface. Alternatively, adjust the slider on the right of the Section spans edit box. More the number of spans, more will be the smoothness of the NURBS surface.

Output geometry

The options in the Output geometry are used to specify the type of outputs of the NURBS surface. Select the required radio button to get the output surface as NURBS, Polygons, or Bezier. After setting the options in the Loft Options window, choose the Loft button to create a NURBS surface.

Alternatively, choose the Apply button to create a NURBS surface. The function of the Loft and the Apply buttons is quite similar. On choosing the Loft button, the loft command will be applied to the NURBS curves and the Loft Options window will be closed. On the other hand, on choosing the Apply button, the loft command will be applied to the NURBS curves without closing the Loft Options window.

Planar Tool

The Planar tool is used to create a NURBS surface with all the vertices lying on the same plane. To create a NURBS surface using this tool, create a close curve using a curve tool. The curve should form a close loop and should at least have three sides. Next, choose Surfaces > Create > Planar from the menubar; a NURBS surface will be created. To set the properties of the NURBS surface, choose Surfaces > Create > Planar > Option Box from the menubar; the Planar Trim Surface Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-39. The options in this window are discussed next.

Degree

The radio buttons corresponding to the Degree attribute are used to add smoothness to the edges of the surface created. By default, the Cubic radio button is selected. As a result, a planar surface with smooth edges is created. You can select the Linear radio button to create a planar surface with rough edges.

Curve range

The radio buttons corresponding to the Curve range attribute are used to set curves for creating a planar surface. The Complete radio button is selected by default and is used to create a planar surface along the selected curve. The Partial radio button is used to display manipulators on the planar surface using the Show Manipulator tool and edit the plane along the input curve.

Output geometry

The Output geometry attribute specifies the type of geometry to be created. Select the NURBS radio button to set the output geometry as NURBS. Select the Polygons radio button to set the output geometry as polygon.

Revolve Tool

The Revolve tool is used to create a surface around a profile curve along a selected axis. The axis of revolution depends on the location of the pivot point of an object. To create a revolved surface, choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool from the menubar and then create a profile curve in the front-Z viewport, refer to Figure 3-40.

 Select the profile curve and choose Surfaces > Create > Revolve from the menubar; the profile curve will rotate around its pivot point, thus creating a revolved surface, as shown in Figure 3-41. Alternatively, you can choose Surfaces > Create > Revolve > Option Box from the menubar; the Revolve Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-42. The options in this window are discussed next.

Axis preset

The options corresponding to the Axis preset parameter are used to set the axis about which the curve will revolve. You can select the required radio button to set the axis of revolution of the curve. By default, the revolution axis is Y. You can also select the Free radio button to enter the value of the axis manually.

Axis

The edit boxes corresponding to the Axis attribute are inactive by default. On selecting the Free radio button in the Axis preset attribute, the Axis edit boxes will be enabled. Now, you can specify the axis about which you want to revolve the NURBS curve in the viewport.

Pivot

The options corresponding to the Pivot attribute are used to define the rotation of the object from the default pivot location. It has two radio buttons: Object and Preset. The Object radio button is selected by default and is used to rotate an object at the default pivot location (0, 0, 0). Select the Preset radio button to change the X, Y, and Z location of the pivot point.

Surface degree

The Surface degree attribute is used to determine whether the direction of the surface created will be linear or cubic. It has two radio buttons: Linear and Cubic. If you select the Linear radio button, the surface will be formed with edgy facets. If you select the Cubic radio button, the edgy facets of the surface will become smooth.

Start sweep angle and End sweep angle

The Start sweep angle and End sweep angle edit boxes are used to define the degree of revolution of a curve. By default, the values in these edit boxes are set to 0 and 360, respectively. You can drag the slider next to these edit boxes to change the values as required.

Use tolerance

The radio buttons corresponding to the Use tolerance attribute are used to define the accuracy of the revolved NURBS surface. There are three radio buttons in this area: None, Local, and Global. By selecting the None radio button, you can make changes in the number of segments of the NURBS surface. The more the number of segments, the more will be the smoothness of the NURBS surface.

Segments

The Segments attribute is used to set the number of segments that are used to create the revolved surface. More the number of segments, more will be the smoothness of the surface. Either enter the required value in the attribute or drag the slider next to it. The default value in this attribute is 8.

Curve range

The Curve range attribute is used to determine whether the entire profile will be revolved or only a part of profile curve will be revolved about its pivot point. There are two radio buttons corresponding to the Curve range attribute: Complete and Partial. The Complete radio button is selected by default and is used to revolve the entire profile curve about the pivot point. The Partial radio button is used to create a revolved surface by revolving a part of profile curve about its pivot point. You can also edit the curve range for rotation. To do so, select the revolved surface in the viewport; the Channel Box / Layer Editor will be displayed. Next, choose subCurve1 from the INPUTS area; the subCurve1 options will be displayed in the Channel Box / Layer Editor. Set the Min Value and the Max Value of subCurve1 in the Channel Box / Layer Editor. Alternatively, you can edit subCurve1 by using the Show Manipulator Tool. Choose Modify > Transform > Transformation Tools > Show Manipulator Tool from the menubar. Next, drag the Curve Segment Manipulator to set the partial curve range, refer to Figure 3-43, and then choose the Revolve tool to create the NURBS surface.

Output geometry

The Output geometry parameter is used to define the type of geometry to be created using the NURBS curve. The radio buttons in this area are used to convert the NURBS curve into four different types of geometries: NURBS, Polygons, Subdiv, and Bezier (Subdiv refers to subdivision surfaces). Select the required geometry to set the type of output geometry.

Birail Tool

The Birail tool works similar to the Extrude tool. This tool is used to create surfaces using one curve or two profile curves along two path curves. You can create complex NURBS surfaces using this tool. Maya has three different types of Birail tools: Birail 1 Tool, Birail 2 Tool, and Birail 3+ Tool. Before creating a NURBS surface using different Birail tools, the following points should be kept in mind:

1. The profile curves and the path curves must touch each other and have continuity.

2. All profile curves should have the same number of CVs.

3. All path curves should also have the same number of CVs.

4. Press C to snap the curve of the profile curve and the path curve together.

5. If the profile curve and the path curve do not have the same number of CVs, you will have to draw the curves again.

Extrude Tool

The Extrude tool is used to extrude a particular object by sweeping its profile curve along the path curve. To extrude a surface, two curves are required: a profile curve and a path curve. The profile curve gives shape to a surface, whereas the path curve defines the path on which the shape will sweep to create a surface. To create an extruded surface, select the two curves in the viewport. The first curve selected will act as the profile curve, whereas the second curve will act as the path curve. Now, choose Surfaces > Create > Extrude from the menubar to extrude the surface. You can use this method to create objects such as curtains, parts of a vehicle, and so on. To adjust the properties of the Extrude tool, choose Surfaces > Create > Extrude > Option Box from the menubar; the Extrude Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-44. The options in this window are discussed next.

Style

The Style attribute consists of three radio buttons: Distance, Flat, and Tube. The Tube radio button is selected by default and is used to maintain a cross-section along the path with the reference vector remaining tangent to the path. The Distance radio button is used to extrude the profile in a straight line. The Flat radio button is used to maintain the orientation path of the profile curve.

Result position

The radio buttons corresponding to the Result position attribute are used to set the position at which the extruded surface will be created. By default, the At profile radio button is selected. It is used to position the extruded surface along the profile curve. The At path radio button is used to set the position of the extruded surface along the path curve. This attribute is available only if you set the Style to Tube or Flat.

Pivot

The Pivot attribute is used to set the pivot point of an extruded surface and will be activated only when the Tube radio button is selected in the Style attribute. The two radio buttons corresponding to the Pivot attribute are: Closest end point and Component. By default, the Closest end point radio button is selected. As a result, an extruded surface is created close to the center of the bounding box of the profile curves. The Component radio button is used to create an extruded surface along the components of the profile curve. Figure 3-45 shows a profile curve and a path curve to create an extruded surface.

 Figures 3-46 and 3-47 show extruded surfaces created on selecting the Closest end point and Component radio buttons, respectively.

Orientation

The radio buttons corresponding to the Orientation attribute are used to set the orientation of an extruded surface. The Orientation attribute is available only when the Tube radio button is selected in the Extrude Options window. The Path direction radio button is used to extrude the profile curve along the direction of path curve. By default, the Profile normal radio button is selected. The Profile normal radio button is used to extrude the surface such that the path curve is created normal to the profile curve.

Rotation

The Rotation attribute is used to rotate the profile curve along path. To do so, specify the angle of rotation in this attribute.

Scale

The Scale attribute is used to scale the profile while extruding it along the path curve. To do so, specify the scale factor in this attribute.

Curve range and Output geometry

The radio buttons corresponding to the Curve range and Output geometry attributes are the same as discussed in the revolved surface section. On selecting the Distance radio button from the Style attribute, some other options are displayed, as shown in Figure 3-48.

 These options are discussed next.

Extrude length

The Extrude length attribute is used to define the length of extrusion.

Direction

The radio buttons corresponding to the Direction attribute are used to define the direction of extrusion. It consists of two radio buttons: Specify and Profile normal. The Profile normal radio button is used to set the direction of the path to normal. The Specify radio button is used to manually set the direction for creating the surface in a particular axis. For example, if you select the X-axis, the extrusion will take place only in the X-direction.

Surface degree

The Surface degree attribute is used to give smoothness or sharpness to the surface created. This attribute consists of two radio buttons: Linear and Cubic. The Linear radio button is used to create sharp edges near the isoparms. The Cubic radio button is used to create smooth surfaces.

Boundary Tool

The Boundary tool is used to create a surface by filling the boundary curves. This tool creates a NURBS surface by filling the space between the curves. It is not necessary for the curves to have a closed loop, but they should intersect with each other at some point. To apply the Boundary tool, create four curves in the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-49.

Press and hold the SHIFT key and select all the curves in opposite pairs to maintain continuity. Now, choose Surfaces > Create > Boundary from the menubar to create the NURBS surface. To adjust the properties of the Boundary tool, choose Surfaces > Create > Boundary > Option Box from the menubar; the Boundary Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-50. The options in this window are similar to those discussed in other surfacing tools.

Square Tool

The Square tool is used to create a four-sided NURBS surface from the intersecting curves. On choosing this tool, a NURBS surface is created by filling the region defined by four intersecting curves. This tool is similar to the Boundary tool with the only difference that in the Boundary tool, you can select curves in any order, whereas in the Square tool, you need to select them in clockwise or counterclockwise direction. To use this tool, create four intersecting curves in the viewport. Next, press and hold the SHIFT key and select the curves either in clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Now, choose Surfaces > Create > Square from the menubar; the NURBS surface will be created.

Bevel Tool

The Bevel tool is used to create a NURBS surface by using the three-dimensional edge effect applied on the selected curves. The surface created by the Bevel tool has an open area that can be filled by using the Planar tool. To create a surface by using the Bevel tool, create a NURBS circle in the top-Y viewport, as shown in Figure 3-51.

Next, choose Surfaces > Create > Bevel from the menubar; a beveled surface will be created, as shown in Figure 3-52. You can adjust the properties of the beveled surface in the Channel Box / Layer Editor by changing the values in the bevel1 node of the INPUTS area as required, refer to Figure 3-53.

Bevel Plus Tool

The Bevel Plus tool is used to extrude the closed curves and add beveled transition to the extruded surface. To create a surface by using this tool, create a NURBS circle in the top-Y viewport, as shown in Figure 3-54 

and then choose Surfaces > Create > Bevel Plus from the menubar; a beveled surface will be created, as shown in Figure 3-55. You can adjust the properties of the beveled surface in the Channel Box / Layer Editor by changing the values in the bevelPlus1 node of the INPUTS area as required, refer to Figure 3-56.

Sweep Mesh Tool

The Sweep Mesh tool is used to create a polygon mesh on a straight line or on any curve. To create a polygon mesh, select the curve in the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-57. 

Next, choose Create > Sweep Mesh from the menubar; the polygon mesh will be displayed in the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-58.

To change the appearance of the polygon mesh, make sure the Sweep Profiles rollout is expanded in the sweepMeshCreator1 tab of the Attribute Editor, refer to Figure 3-59. 

Using the options in this tab, you can change the appearance of the polygon mesh. For example, you can change the type of polygon mesh using the Circle or Star radio button. Also, you can increase the segments in the Sides slider. The Cap check box is used to put cap on the open area of the mesh. You can also apply various operations on the polygon mesh using the sliders such as Scale Profile, Rotate Profile, Twist, and Taper available in the Transformation rollout of the Attribute Editor.

The One node for each curve radio button is available in the Sweep mesh Option dialog box. To understand the use of this radio button, select all the curves from the viewport. Next, choose Create > Sweep Mesh Option Box from the menubar; the polygon mesh will be displayed in the viewport and the Sweep mesh Option dialog box will be displayed, as shown in Figure 3-60.

 If you select the One node for multiple curves radio button, you will get one creator node for all curves. Now, if you make changes in the parameters of the creator node, the changes will be reflected in all curves. However, if you select the One node for each curve radio button, a sweepmesh creator node will be generated for each curve. This creator node then allows us to edit each curve separately, refer to Figure 3-61.

Tutorials

Tutorial 1

In this tutorial, you will create model of a 3D flower, as shown in Figure 3-62, using curve tools and the loft method. (Expected time: 30 min)

The following steps are required to complete this tutorial:

a. Create a project folder.

b. Create a profile shape.

c. Create leafs.

d. Change the background color of the scene.

e. Save and render the scene.

Creating a Project Folder

Create a new project folder with the name c03_tut1 at \Documents\maya2025 and then save the file with the name c03tut1, as discussed in Tutorial 1 of Chapter 2.

Creating a Profile Shape

In this section, you will create a profile shape of the flower using the Circle tool.

1. Turn off the Interactive Creation option as discussed earlier. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the top-Y viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the top-Y viewport. Choose Create > NURBS Primitives > Circle > Option Box from the menubar; the NURBS Circle Options window is displayed in the viewport. Enter required values in the NURBS Circle Options window, as shown in Figure 3-63.

2. Choose Edit > Duplicate > Duplicate from the menubar; a copy of the circle is created in the viewport. Select Move Tool from the Tool Box and then move the duplicate circle along the Y-axis in the persp viewport.

3. Press and hold the right mouse button and choose Control Vertex from the marking menu. The control vertices will be displayed in the viewport. Select every second vertex in the top-Y viewport, as shown in Figure 3-64.

4. Choose Scale Tool from the Tool Box and scale the selected control vertices, as shown in Figure 3-65.

5. Create 5 copies of the modified circle and then align them, as shown in Figures 3-66 and 3-67.

6. First select the shape marked as 1 as given in Figure 3-66 and then select other shapes using the SHIFT key in the order shown in Figure 3-66. Choose Surfaces > Create > Loft from the menubar; a surface is created, as shown in Figure 3-68.

Note

By default, the Two sided Lighting option is not enabled in Maya. As a result, the inner surface appears black in the viewport. To view the objects in uniform shading, choose Lighting > Two Sided Lighting from the Panel menu.

7. Now, you can select the curves and scale them as per your requirement, refer to Figure 3-69.

Creating Leaves

In this section, you will create leaves of the flower using the CV Curve /Tool.

1. Maximize the top-Y viewport. Choose Create > Curve Tools > CV Curve Tool > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (CV Curve Tool) panel is displayed. Select the 5 radio button corresponding to the Curve degree attribute.

2. Create 3 profile curves for the leaf in the top-Y viewport, as shown in Figure 3-70.

3. Activate the persp viewport, select profile 1 and right-click on it; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Control Vertex from the marking menu. Now, press SHIFT and select profile 2 and choose Control Vertex from the marking menu. Repeat the process for third profile as well.

4. Modify the shapes of leaf using control vertices, as shown in Figure 3-71.

5. Now, select profiles in an order using SHIFT and then choose Surfaces > Create > Loft from the menubar; a surface is created on the selected profile curves, refer to Figure 3-72. If leaf appears smaller in size, select surface and scale it by using Scale Tool from the Tool Box.

6. Select leaf in the viewport and then choose Edit > Duplicate > Duplicate from the menubar. Choose Rotate Tool from the Tool Box and rotate leaf along the Y axis. Similarly, create duplicate copies of leaf and then rotate and align them, refer to Figure 3-73.

Changing the Background Color of the Scene

In this section, you will change the background color of the scene.

1. In the Outliner window, click on the persp camera; the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor. the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor.

2. In the perspShape tab, expand the Environment area and drag the Background Color slider bar toward right to change the background color to white.

Saving and Rendering the Scene

In this section, you will save the scene that you have created and then render it. You can view the final rendered image of the scene by downloading the c03_maya_2025_rndr.zip file from www.cadcim.com. The path of the file is mentioned in Tutorial 1.

1. Choose File > Save Scene from the menubar.

2. Maximize the persp viewport if not already maximized. Choose the Display render setting button from the Status Line; the Render Settings window is displayed. In this window, select Maya Software in the Render Using drop-down list and then close the window. Choose the Render the current frame button from the Status Line to render the scene, refer to Figure 3-60.

Tutorial 2

In this tutorial, you will create the 3D model of a tea cup, as shown in Figure 3-74, using curve tools and surface methods. (Expected time: 30 min)

The following steps are required to complete this tutorial:

a. Create a project folder.

b. Create a profile curve.

c. Create the tea cup using the Revolve tool.

d. Create creases in the tea cup.

e. Create the handle of the tea cup.

f. Change the background color of the scene.

g. Save and render the scene.

Creating a Project Folder

Create a new project folder with the name c03_tut2 at \Documents\maya2025 and then save the file with the name c03tut2, as discussed in Tutorial 1 of Chapter 2.

Creating a Profile Curve

In this section, you will create a profile curve for the tea cup using CV Curve Tool.

1. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the front-Z viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the front-Z viewport. Choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool from the menubar.

2. In the front-Z viewport, create a profile curve starting from the origin, as shown in Figure 3-75. Next, press the ENTER key.

Creating the Tea Cup Using the Revolve Tool

In this section, you will create the tea cup using the Revolve tool.

1. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the persp viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the persp viewport. Select the profile curve in the viewport. Next, choose Surfaces > Create > Revolve from the menubar; the tea cup is created, as shown in Figure 3-76.

Creating Creases in the Tea Cup

In this section, you will add creases to the tea cup to give it the required shape.

1. In the persp viewport, make sure the tea cup is selected. Next, press and hold the right mouse button over the tea cup; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Isoparm from the marking menu.

2. Choose a vertical isoparm of the tea cup and then drag the cursor; a dotted impression of the isoparm is created on the cup, refer to Figure 3-77.

3. Press and hold the SHIFT key and similarly create dotted impression of other vertical isoparms, as shown in Figure 3-77. You may need to rotate the viewport to select the vertical isoparms.

4. Make sure that Modeling is selected from the Menuset drop-down list in the Status Line. Choose Curves > Insert Knot from the menubar; the new isoparms are created on the tea cup, as shown in Figure 3-78.

5. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the front-Z viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the front-Z viewport.

6. Press and hold the right mouse button over the tea cup; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Control Vertex from the marking menu; the vertex selection mode is activated. Next, press and hold the SHIFT key to select the vertices, as shown in Figure 3-79.

7. Choose Move Tool from the Tool Box and move the selected vertices downward along the Y-axis; creases are created in the tea cup, as shown in Figure 3-80.

8. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the top-Y viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the top-Y viewport.

9. Make sure that the vertices are selected in the top-Y viewport. Next, choose the Scale Tool from the Tool Box and scale the selected vertices outward uniformly, as shown in Figure 3-81.

Creating the Handle of the Tea Cup

In this section, you will create the handle of the cup by using CV Curve Tool.

1. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the front-Z viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the front-Z viewport. Choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > CV Curve Tool from the menubar and draw a profile curve, as shown in Figure 3-82, and then press the ENTER key.

2. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the top-Y viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the top-Y viewport. Choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Circle from the menubar and create a circle in the top-Y viewport.

3. Make sure the NURBS Circle is selected in the viewport. Set the parameters in the nurbsCircle1 area of the Channel Box / Layer Editor, as shown in Figure 3-83.

4. In the Channel Box / Layer Editor, expand the makeNurbCircle1 node in the INPUTS area and enter 0.2 in the Radius edit box.

5. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the persp viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the persp viewport.

6. Make sure the NURBS circle is selected and then select the profile curve using the SHIFT key. Next, choose Surfaces > Create > Extrude from the menubar; the extruded surface is created, refer to Figure 3-84. Next, select the extruded surface. In the extrude1 tab of the Attribute Editor, make sure the Component Pivot is selected from the Use Component Pivot drop-down list.

7. Choose Move Tool and Rotate Tool to adjust the handle with the tea cup to get the final output, as shown in Figure 3-85.

Changing the Background Color of the Scene

In this section, you will change the background color of the scene.

1. In the Outliner window, click on the persp camera; the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor. the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor.

2. In the perspShape tab, expand the Environment area and drag the Background Color slider bar toward right to change the background color to white.

Saving and Rendering the Scene

In this section, you will save the scene that you have created and then render it. You can view the final rendered image of the scene by downloading the c03_maya_2025_rndr.zip file from www.cadcim.com. The path of the file is mentioned in Tutorial 1.

1. Choose File > Save Scene from the menubar.

2. Maximize the persp viewport if not already maximized. Choose the Display render setting button from the Status Line; the Render Settings window is displayed. In this window, select Maya Software in the Render Using drop-down list and then close the window. Choose the Render the current frame button from the Status Line to render the scene.

Tutorial 3

In this tutorial, you will create model of a twisted rope, as shown in Figure 3-86, using the Sweep Mesh tool.

(Expected time: 20 min)

The following steps are required to complete this tutorial:

a. Create a project folder.

b. Create a profile shape.

c. Create the twisted rope using the Sweep Mesh tool.

d. Change the background color of the scene.

e. Save and render the scene.

Creating a Project Folder

Create a new project folder with the name c03_tut3 at \Documents\maya2025 and then save the file with the name c03tut3, as discussed in Tutorial 1 of Chapter 2.

Creating a Profile Shape

In this section, you will create a profile shape of the rope using EP Curve Tool.

1. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Move the cursor to the top-Y viewport and then press the SPACEBAR key to maximize the top-Y viewport. Choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool from the menubar.

2. In the top-Y viewport, create a profile curve of the rope. Next, press the ENTER key, refer to Figure 3-87.

 To edit the curve, right-click on the top-Y viewport; a flyout is displayed. Next, choose Control Vertex from the flyout; the vertices are displayed on the curve, refer to Figure 3-88. Now, choose the vertex of the curve and activate the Move Tool and edit it, as shown in Figure 3-88.

Creating the Twisted Rope Using the Sweep Mesh Tool

In this section, you will create the twisted rope using the Sweep Mesh tool.

1. Choose the Four View button from the Tool Box to switch to four views. Make sure the profile curve is selected in the persp viewport. Next, choose Create > Sweep Mesh from the menubar, as shown in Figure 3-89; 

the rope is created, as shown in Figure 3-90.

2. In the Attribute Editor, you will notice that the sweepMeshCreator1 tab is chosen. Make sure the Sweep Profiles rollout is expanded. Now, enter 12 in the Sides spinner of the Sweep Profiles rollout. Select the Cap check box; the start and end open areas of the rope will get capped, as shown in Figure 3-91.

Note

If the rope is not smooth then expand the Interopolation rollout and increase the value in the Precision slider to get the desired smoothness.

3. Expand the Distribution rollout in the Attribute Editor and select the Distribute check box. Notice that by default 5 is displayed in the Number of Instances spinner and five duplicates of rope are created in the viewport, as shown in Figure 3-92.

4. In the Distribution rollout, enter 6 in the Number of Instances spinner; 6 duplicate ropes are created, refer to Figure 3-93. Next, enter 0.635 in the Scale Instances slider.

5. Expand the Transformation rollout and enter 2 in the Twist spinner. Also, set the value in the Scale Instances slider according to the twist value. Figure 3-94 shows the twisted ropes.

Changing the Background Color of the Scene

In this section, you will change the background color of the scene.

1. In the Outliner window, click on the persp camera; the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor. the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor.

2. In the perspShape tab, expand the Environment area and drag the Background Color slider bar toward right to change the background color to white.

Saving and Rendering the Scene

In this section, you will save the scene that you have created and then render it. You can view the final rendered image of the scene by downloading the c03_maya_2025_rndr.zip file from www.cadcim.com. The path of the file is mentioned in Tutorial 1.

1. Choose File > Save Scene from the menubar.

2. Maximize the persp viewport if not already maximized. Choose the Display render setting button from the Status Line; the Render Settings window is displayed. In this window, select Maya Software from the Render Using drop-down list and then close the window. Choose the Render the current frame button from the Status Line to render the scene, refer to Figure 3-86.

Self-Evaluation Test

Answer the following questions and then compare them to those given at the end of this

chapter:

1. Which of the following objects has a circular base and sides tapered to a point?

(a) Cone (b) Cylinder

(c) Torus (d) Square

2. Which of the following objects has every point equidistant from its center?

(a) Plane (b) Circle

(c) Torus (d) Sphere

3. The options in the __________ area are used to define the distribution of the knots on the curve.

4. NURBS stands for __________.

5. The default NURBS objects in Maya are grouped together under __________.

6. The __________ tool is used to create a surface around a profile curve along a selected axis.

7. You can switch from the wireframe mode to the object mode by pressing 4 on the keyboard. (T/F)

8. A cube is a two-dimensional shape with six square or rectangular sides. (T/F)

9. A square is a six-sided regular polygon with six equal sides and six right angles. (T/F)

10. The Boundary tool is used to create a surface by filling a surface between the boundary curves. (T/F)

Review Questions

Answer the following questions:

1. Which of the following is not a component of NURBS surface?

(a) Isoparm    (b) Vertex

(c) Hull    (d) Surface patch

2. Which of the following tools works similar to the brush tool in other software?

(a) EP Curve Tool (b) CV Curve Tool

(c) Pencil Curve Tool (d) Arc Tool

3. Which of the following keys is required to adjust the center pivot of an object?

(a) SPACEBAR (b) HOME

(c) CTRL  (d) INSERT

4. ___________ is a four-sided regular polygon with equal sides.

5. The __________ option is used to determine whether the direction of the surface created will be linear or cubic.

6. __________ is the addition of surface between two or more specified curves.

7. The __________ option is used to create a sphere with a faceted or a smooth appearance.

8. The __________ is a solid object in which the surface is at an equal distance from the center.

9. The Square tool is used to create a surface from the intersecting NURBS curves. (T/F)

10. The NURBS curves, which are used to create the NURBS surfaces by using the Loft tool, should have curves with equal number of vertices. (T/F)

Exercises

The rendered output of the models used in the following exercises can be accessed by downloading the c03_maya_2025_exr.zip file from www.cadcim.com. The path of the file is as follows: Textbooks > Animation and Visual Effects > Maya > Autodesk Maya 2025: A Comprehensive Guide.

Exercise 1

Create the model of an apple, as shown in Figure 3-95. (Expected time: 15 min)

Exercise 2

Create the model of a lantern, as shown in Figure 3-96. (Expected time: 15 min)

Exercise 3

Create the model of a castle, as shown in Figure 3-97. (Expected time: 30 min)

Exercise 4

Create the model of a candle stand, as shown in Figure 3-98. (Expected time: 15 min)

Exercise 5

Create the model of a table, as shown in Figure 3-99. (Expected time: 15 min)

Answers to Self-Evaluation Test

1. a, 2. d, 3. Knot Spacing, 4. Non uniform rational B-Spline, 5. NURBS Primitives, 6. Revolve, 7. F, 8. F, 9. F, 10. 

INTRODUCTION

NURBS stands for Non Uniform Rational B-Spline. NURBS are used for creating 3D curves and surfaces, and complex 3D organic models having smooth surfaces and curves. In the previous chapter, you have learned about different methods of creating NURBS surfaces. In this chapter, you will learn about various editing techniques used for modifying NURBS surfaces.

WORKING WITH NURBS TOOLS

The NURBS tools are used to edit NURBS surfaces. The most commonly used tools in NURBS modeling are discussed next.

Duplicate NURBS Patch

The Duplicate NURBS Patch tool is used to create new surface from an existing NURBS patch. To understand the working of this tool, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Sphere from the menubar and create a NURBS sphere in the viewport. Press and hold the right mouse button over the sphere and then choose Surface Patch from the marking menu displayed, as shown in Figure 4-1;

the surface patch component of the NURBS sphere will be activated. Now, select the surface patch that you want to duplicate. Choose Surface > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Duplicate NURBS Patch from the menubar; a duplicate surface patch will be created. Invoke Move Tool from the Tool Box and move the duplicate surface patch away from the NURBS sphere. Note that the pivot point of the duplicate surface patch will remain at the same position as that of the NURBS sphere. To reset the pivot point to the center of the duplicate patch, choose Modify > Pivot > Center Pivot from the menubar; the pivot point will be reset.

Project Curve on Surface

The Project Curve on Surface tool is used to project a NURBS curve on a NURBS surface. To understand the working of this tool, choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Square from the menubar and create a square in the front-Z viewport. Now, choose Surfaces > Create > Planar from the menubar to create a NURBS surface. Next, choose Create > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool from the menubar to create a curve, as shown in Figure 4-2 and make sure the NURBS curve is selected. Press and hold the SHIFT key and select the NURBS surface. Now, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Project Curve on Surface from the menubar to project the curve on the surface and activate the persp viewport; the NURBS curve will be projected over the NURBS surface, as shown in Figure 4-3.

Note

The curve will be projected at the exact position as visible through the camera of that particular viewport.

Intersect

The Intersect tool is used to create a new segment at the intersection of two NURBS surfaces. To understand the working of this tool, consider two surfaces, as discussed earlier, and align them such that they intersect each other, refer to Figure 4-4. Select both the surfaces and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Intersect from the menubar to create a new segment at the location where the two planes intersect. Choose the Move Tool from the Tool Box; the selection handles will be displayed at the intersection point, refer to Figure 4-4. 

You can now move these handles to align the intersection point anywhere on the NURBS surface.

Trim Tool

The Trim Tool is used to hide a particular area from the NURBS surface defined by curves. To understand the working of this tool, consider a curve projected on a surface as discussed in the Project Curve on Surface section. Next, select the NURBS surface in the viewport and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Trim Tool from the menubar; the NURBS surface will be displayed in the wireframe mode with a dotted outline. Select the part that you want to retain from the surface and press ENTER; the surface will be trimmed. You can also change the settings of Trim Tool as required. To retain the selected part from the NURBS surface and trim the unselected part from the NURBS surface, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Trim Tool > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (Trim Tool) panel will be displayed on the viewport, as shown in Figure 4-5. 

The Keep radio button is used to retain the original surface after the trimming is performed. The Discard radio button is used to trim the selected part from the NURBS surface and keep the unselected part intact.

Untrim

The Untrim tool is used to untrim the last trimmed surface. To understand the working of this tool, select the trimmed surface and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Untrim from the menubar; the surface sets back to its original untrimmed state.

Attach

The Attach tool is used to attach two selected NURBS surfaces. To understand the working of this tool, create two NURBS surfaces in the viewport, as shown in Figure 4-6. 

Next, select the two surfaces and choose Surface > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Attach > Option Box from the menubar; the Attach Surfaces Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4-7. By default, the Blend radio button is selected in the Attach method area. Choose the Apply button; the selected surfaces will be connected, as shown in Figure 4-8. You can also select the Connect radio button from the Attach method area to connect the end of a surface to the end of another surface, as shown in Figure 4-9.

Note

The Attach Surfaces tool does not attach trimmed surfaces. In such cases, surfaces need to be untrimmed before attaching them using this tool.

Attach Without Moving

The Attach Without Moving tool is used to attach two NURBS surfaces or curves by selecting their respective isoparms. To understand the working of this tool, create two NURBS surfaces and select two isoparms, one each from the two surfaces. Now, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Attach Without Moving from the menubar; the two surfaces will be attached along with the two isoparms.

Align

The Align tool is used to align the selected NURBS surfaces tangentially. To understand the working of this tool, select the NURBS surfaces that you want to align. Choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Align > Option Box from the menubar; the Align Surfaces Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4-11. Now, you can use different options in this window to align the selected NURBS surfaces as required.

Detach

The Detach tool is used to break NURBS surfaces into parts. To understand the working of this tool, select the isoparm of a surface and then choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Detach from the menubar; the surface will get detached from the selected isoparm.

Open/Close

The Open/Close tool is used to open or close the NURBS surfaces. To open a closed surface, select the closed surface and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Open/Close from the menubar; the closed surface will be opened, as shown in Figure 4-12. Similarly, to close an open surface, select the opened surface in the viewport and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Open/Close from the menubar; the opened surface will change into a closed surface, as shown in Figure 4-13.

Extend

The Extend tool is used to extend a NURBS surface. To extend a NURBS surface, select a NURBS surface in the viewport. Then, press and hold the right mouse button on the NURBS surface and choose Isoparm from the marking menu displayed. Now, select the isoparm that you want to extend from the NURBS surface and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Extend from the menubar; the selected surface will be extended. To set the attributes of the extended surface, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Extend > Option Box from the menubar; the Extend Surface Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4-14.

 Modify the values in the window to make changes in the working of the Extend tool. Figures 4-15 and 4-16 display a hut roof before and after using the Extend tool, respectively. Any change made in the original surface will also be displayed in the offset surface created.

Insert Isoparms

The Insert Isoparms tool is used to insert an isoparm on a NURBS surface. To understand the working of this tool, select a NURBS surface. Next, press and hold the right mouse button on the NURBS surface and choose Isoparm from the marking menu; the isoparms will be highlighted on the selected NURBS object. Now, press and hold the left mouse button on any NURBS isoparm and drag the mouse to specify the position for the new isoparm; a yellow dotted line will appear over the NURBS surface, as shown in Figure 4-17.

Next, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Insert Isoparms from the menubar; a new isoparm will be inserted in place of the yellow dotted line.

Offset

The Offset tool is used to create a copy of the selected surface by creating an offset at a specified distance. To understand the working of this tool, select a NURBS surface in the viewport and then choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Offset from the menubar; a copy of the selected NURBS surface will be created. To set the properties of the Offset tool, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Offset > Option Box from the menubar; the Offset Surface Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4-18. 

The Offset distance attribute in the window is used to specify the distance of the copied surface from the original surface.

Rebuild

The Rebuild tool is used to rebuild the NURBS surface by changing the parameters of the surface, or by increasing or decreasing the number of U and V spans on a selected NURBS surface. To understand the working of this tool, select the NURBS surface that you want to rebuild and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Rebuild > Option Box from the menubar; the Rebuild Surface Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4-19. The options in this window are discussed next.

Rebuild type

The radio buttons corresponding to the Rebuild type attribute are used to select the rebuild type. On selecting a rebuild type, various options related to it are displayed in the window. Various rebuild types are discussed next. You need to specify the Rebuild type attribute by selecting any of the following radio buttons:

Uniform

The Uniform radio button is used to rebuild the surface with uniform parameterization. On selecting this radio button, you can modify the number of U and V spans and their degree as required.

Reduce

The Reduce radio button is used to remove the knots from the selected NURBS surface.

Match knots

The Match knots radio button is used to match the curve degree, knot values, number of spans, and sections of other surfaces.

No multiple knots

The No multiple knots radio button is used to remove the extra knots formed while rebuilding a surface.

Non-rational

The Non-rational radio button is used to convert a rational surface into a non-rational surface.

End conditions

The End conditions radio button is used to rebuild the positioning of the CVs and knots of the selected NURBS surface.

Trim convert

The Trim convert radio button is used to convert a trimmed NURBS surface into a non-trim NURBS surface.

Bezier

The Bezier radio button is used to rebuild a NURBS surface as a bezier surface.

Parameter range

The radio buttons in the Parameter range attribute are used to specify how the U and V parameters will be affected while rebuilding a surface. These three radio buttons are discussed next.

0 to 1

The 0 to 1 radio button is used to specify the U and V parameters from 0 to 1 of the rebuild surface.

Keep

The Keep radio button is used to match the U and V parameters with that of the original surface.

0 to #spans

The 0 to #spans radio button is used to get the rebuild surface spans to have integers knot values.

Direction

The radio buttons in this area are used to determine the parametric direction of the surface for removing the knots in the U, V, or both U and V directions.

Keep

The Keep attribute is used to ensure that some particular characteristics of the original object or surface are retained while creating a new surface. Select the Corners, CVs or NumSpans radio button to retain the corresponding characteristics.

Rebuild Method

The Rebuild Method radio buttons are activated only when the Match Knots radio button is selected from the Rebuild type parameter. The radio buttons in this area are used to rebuild the surface by specifying the quality of the new surface. Select the Classic radio button to get the surface quality similar to that obtained with the version 5.0 and earlier versions of Maya. Select the Match radio button to get a better quality for surfaces having multiple knots at the end.

Number of spans U and Number of spans V

The Number of spans U and Number of spans V options are used to set the number of spans in the U and V directions of the rebuilt surface respectively.

Degree U and Degree V

The Degree U and Degree V attributes are used to set the degree of the rebuilt surface.

Keep original

The Keep original check box is used to keep the original surface and rebuild a new surface.

Use tolerance

The Use tolerance area will be available only on selecting the Non-Rational or Reduce radio button in the Rebuild type area. The radio buttons in this area are used to set the distance between a point on the original and rebuilt surfaces. The Global radio button is used to set the positional value as the original value. The Local radio button is used to enter the tolerance value manually. The smaller the tolerance value, the more the rebuild surface will resemble the original surface.

Output geometry

The Output geometry attribute is used to specify the geometry type for the rebuilt surface. You can select the NURBS or Polygons radio button to specify the output geometry.

Reverse Direction

The Reverse Direction tool is used to reverse or swap the U and V directions of a selected surface. To understand the working of this tool, select a NURBS surface in the viewport and then choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Reverse Direction > Option Box from the menubar; the Reverse Surface Direction Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4-20.

 Select the required radio button from the Surface direction area of this window and then choose the Reverse button to reverse or swap the surface direction.

Sculpt Geometry Tool

The Sculpt Geometry is used to sculpt a NURBS or polygon object manually in the viewport. On invoking this tool, the cursor will change into a brush icon. To sculpt an object, select the NURBS surface in the viewport and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Sculpt Geometry Tool > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (Sculpt Geometry Tool) panel will be displayed on the viewport, as shown in Figure 4-21.

The more the number of segments on an object, the better sculpting can be done on it using the Sculpt Geometry Tool. You can sculpt an object using seven different options: Push, Pull, Smooth, Relax, Pinch, Slide and Erase. All these methods are discussed next.

Push

The Push option is used to push down the selected NURBS mesh. To do so, consider a NURBS plane in the viewport. Next, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Sculpt Geometry Tool > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (Sculpt Geometry Tool) panel will be displayed on the viewport, refer to Figure 4-21. Choose the Push button in the Sculpt Parameters area; the cursor will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4-22.

 Press and hold the left mouse button and move the cursor over the NURBS plane to sculpt the NURBS plane.

Figure 4-23 shows a NURBS plane before sculpting and Figure 4-24 shows the NURBS plane sculpted using the Push tool.

Pull

The Pull tool is used to pull the NURBS mesh from the surface. This tool works similar to the Push tool and the method to apply it on a NURBS plane is same as that of the Push tool. Figure 4-25 shows a NURBS plane sculpted using the Pull tool.

Smooth

The Smooth tool is used to paint on a mesh to give it a smoother look. To use this tool, follow the same procedure as discussed in the Push tool and choose the Smooth button from the Sculpt Parameters area of the Tool Settings (Sculpt Geometry Tool) panel. Figure 4-26 shows a surface before smoothening and Figure 4-27 shows the surface after smoothening.

Relax

The Relax tool works similar to the Smooth tool. It is used to relax the bumps over the surface, thus maintaining the overall shape of the mesh.

Pinch

The Pinch tool is used to pull selected vertices toward each other. It helps in bringing the vertices closer in order to make sharp or well defined creases.

Slide

The Slide tool is used to slide the vertices of the surface in the direction of the stroke Figure 4-28 shows a surface before sliding the vertices and Figure 4-29 shows the surface after sliding the vertices.

Erase

The Erase tool is used to erase the changes made on the surface by using the other Sculpt Geometry tools like Push or Pull. Figure 4-30 shows a surface before erasing changes on it and Figure 4-31 shows the surface after erasing changes on it.

CONVERTING OBJECTS

In Maya, you can convert the form of an object. To do so, select an object in the viewport and choose Modify > Objects > Convert from the menubar; a cascading menu will be displayed. Choose the conversion type from the cascading menu to specify the output geometry for the selected object. The most commonly used options in this cascading menu are discussed next.

Converting NURBS to Polygons

The NURBS to Polygons conversion tool is used to convert a NURBS mesh into a polygonal object. To do so, select a NURBS mesh to be converted and then choose Modify > Objects Convert > NURBS to Polygons > Option Box from the menubar; the Convert NURBS to Polygons Options window will be displayed in the viewport, as shown in Figure 4-32. 

You can use this window to set the options for the conversion of the object from NURBS to polygons. Some of the options in this window are discussed next.

Type

The Type attribute is used to set the output of the geometry after the conversion has taken place. If you select the Triangles radio button, then three-sided polygons will be created on the surface, as shown in Figure 4-33. If you select the Quads radio button, then four-sided polygons will be created on the surface, as shown in Figure 4-34.

Tessellation method

The Tessellation method attribute is used to convert a NURBS mesh into a set of polygons. In Maya, there are four tessellation methods that are discussed next. You can select a radio button corresponding to this parameter to specify the tessellation method to be used.

General

The General radio button is used to define the number of polygons in the U or in the V direction. On selecting this radio button, various options for setting the tessellation are displayed.

Standard fit

The Standard fit radio button is selected by default. This method is used to determine when to stop the tessellation by setting the fractional tolerance value. On selecting this radio button, the options related to it are displayed.

Count

The Count radio button is used to specify the polygon count in the mesh after the mesh has been converted into polygons. The more the count value, the smoother will be the object.

Control points

The Control points radio button is used to create a new mesh while matching its CVs to the original NURBS surface. The resulting polygons will be quads by default.

Converting NURBS to Subdiv

The NURBS to Subdiv conversion tool is used to convert a NURBS mesh into a subdiv mesh. To do so, select the NURBS object in the viewport and choose Modify > Objects > Convert > NURBS to Subdiv > Option Box from the menubar; the Convert NURBS/Polygons to Subdiv Options window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 4-35. Some of the options in the Convert NURBS/Polygons to Subdiv Options window are discussed next.

Maximum base mesh faces

The Maximum base mesh faces attribute is used to set the maximum number of faces that the original surface can have, such that it can be successfully converted into a subdivision surface.

Maximum edges per vertex

The Maximum edges per vertex attribute is used to set the maximum number of edges that each vertex can have in the original surface, such that it can be successfully converted into a subdivision surface.

Keep original

The Keep original check box is used to keep the original NURBS object mesh after creating the new subdivision surface.

TUTORIALS

Tutorial 1

In this tutorial, you will create the model of a cowboy hat, as shown in Figure 4-36, using NURBS. (Expected time: 15 min)

The following steps are required to complete this tutorial:

a. Create a project folder.

b. Create a NURBS cylinder.

c. Add details to the hat.

d. Change background color of the scene.

e. Save and render the scene.

Creating a Project Folder

Create a new project folder with the name c04_tut1 at \Documents\maya2025 and then save the file with the name c04tut1, as discussed in Tutorial 1 of Chapter 2.

Creating a NURBS Cylinder

In this section, you will create a NURBS cylinder to form the base structure of the cowboy hat.

1. Maximize the top-Y viewport and then choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cylinder > Option Box from the menubar; the NURBS Cylinder Option window is displayed on the viewport. Set the values of the parameters, as shown in Figure 4-37.

2. Select nurbsCylinder1 on the viewport and rename nurbsCylinder1 to hat.

3. In the front-Z viewport, press and hold the right mouse button on the hat; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Control Vertex from the marking menu; the vertex selection mode is activated. Now, select the vertices, as shown in Figure 4-38. Next, invoke Scale Tool from the Tool Box and scale up the vertices uniformly in the front-Z viewport, as shown in Figure 4-39.

4. Make sure the vertices of hat are selected. Select the green handle of Scale Tool and scale the selected vertices downward along the Y-axis; the mesh gets modified, as shown in Figure 4-40.

Adding Details to the Hat

In this section, you will add details to the hat to give it the look of a cowboy hat.

1. Maximize the top-Y viewport. Next, press and hold the SHIFT key and marquee-select the vertices, refer to Figure 4-41. Choose Scale Tool from the Tool Box, and scale the selected vertices inward along the Z-axis using the yellow handle; the mesh gets scaled, as shown in Figure 4-42.

2. Maximize the side-X viewport. Next, marquee-select the vertices using the SHIFT key, as shown in Figure 4-43. Next, choose Move Tool and move the vertices downward along the Y-axis, as shown in Figure 4-44.

3. Maximize the persp viewport. Press and hold the right mouse button over the lower part of hat; a marking menu is displayed. Next, choose Object Mode from the marking menu; the object selection mode is activated.

4. Select the model in the persp viewport. Next, press and hold the right mouse button over the lower part of hat and choose Isoparm from the marking menu; the color of the edges of hat turns blue.

5. In the persp viewport, select the isoparm, as shown in Figure 4-45. Drag the isoparm outward; a dotted isoparm is displayed on hat. Next, choose the Modeling menuset from the Menuset drop-down list in the Status Line and then choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Insert Isoparms from the menubar; a new isoparm is added, as shown in Figure 4-46.

6. Make sure hat is selected. Next, choose Edit > Delete > Delete All by Type > History from the menubar; the history of all actions performed on the model is deleted.

7. Maximize the side-X viewport. Next, press and hold the right mouse button on hat; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Control Vertex from the marking menu; the vertex selection mode is activated. Next, marquee-select the vertices of hat by using the SHIFT key, as shown in Figure 4-47. Next, invoke Move Tool from the Tool Box, and move the vertices upward along the Y axis, as shown in Figure 4-48.

8. Press and hold the right mouse button over hat and choose Object Mode from the marking menu displayed; the object selection mode is activated. Maximize the top-Y viewport. Choose View > Predefined Bookmarks > Bottom from the Panel menu; the bottom viewport is activated.

9. Insert two new isoparms on hat, as discussed in steps 4 and 5. Figure 4-49 displays two isoparms added to hat in the bottom viewport.

10. Press and hold the right mouse button over the cylinder and choose Control Vertex from the marking menu displayed; the vertex selection mode is activated. Next, select the vertices using the SHIFT key, as shown in Figure 4-50.

11. Choose View > Predefined Bookmarks > Right Side from the Panel menu; the right side-X viewport is activated. Choose Move Tool from the Tool Box and move the selected vertices upward along the Y axis to get the final output, refer to Figure 4-51.

Changing the Background Color of the Scene

In this section, you will change the background color of the scene.

1. In the Outliner window, click on the persp camera; the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor; the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor.

2. In the perspShape tab, expand the Environment area and drag the Background Color slider bar toward right to change the background color to white.

Saving and Rendering the Scene

In this section, you will save the scene that you have created and then render it. You can view the final rendered image of this scene by downloading the c04_maya_2025_rndr.zip file from www.cadcim.com. The path of the file is as follows: Textbooks > Animation and Visual Effects > Maya > Autodesk Maya 2025: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Choose File > Save Scene from the menubar.

2. Maximize the persp viewport if not already maximized. Choose the Display render setting button from the Status Line; the Render Settings window is displayed. In this window, select Maya Software in the Render Using drop-down list and then close the window. Choose the Render the current frame button from the Status Line to render the scene, refer to Figure 4-36.

Tutorial 2

In this tutorial, you will create the model of a ship, as shown in Figure 4-52, using the NURBS and polygon tools. (Expected time: 30 min)

The following steps are required to complete this tutorial:

a. Create a project folder.

b. Create the hull of the ship.

c. Create railings.

d. Create the deck.

e. Create the chimney.

f. Change the background color of the scene.

g. Save and render the scene.

Creating a Project Folder

Create a new project folder with the name c04_tut2 at \Documents\maya2025 and then save the file with the name c04tut2, as discussed in Tutorial 1 of Chapter 2.

Creating the Hull of the Ship

In this section, you will create the hull of the ship using the NURBS curves and the loft method.

1. Maximize the side-X viewport and choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool > Option Box from the menubar; the Tool Settings (EP Curve Tool) window is displayed on the left of the viewport. In this window, select the 5 radio button from the Curve Degree attribute. Next, create a curve for the base of the ship in the side-X viewport, as shown in Figure 4-53.

To get the exact shape, select the curve and right-click on it to display a marking menu. Next, choose Control Vertex from the marking menu; the vertex mode is activated.

Now, you can select a vertex and modify the shape by using Move Tool.

2. Choose Move Tool from the Tool Box. Next, press and hold the d key and set the pivot point to the right end of the curve by moving the manipulators.

3. Make sure the curve is selected. Choose Edit > Duplicate > Duplicate Special > Option Box from the menubar; the Duplicate Special Options window is displayed, refer to Figure 4-54.

 Enter the values in the window, as shown in Figure 4-54, and then choose the Duplicate Special button; duplicate curves are created in the viewport.

4. Select the duplicate curves one by one and rotate them along the Z axis using Rotate Tool, as shown in Figure 4-55.

5. Press and hold the SHIFT key and then select all the curves in the viewport one by one from bottom to top.

6. Choose Surfaces > Create > Loft from the menubar; a surface is created defining half of the ship base, as shown in Figure 4-56.

7. Make sure the lofted surface is selected and then choose Move Tool. Next, press and hold the D key and set the pivot point to the right end of the surface by moving the manipulators.

8. Choose Window > Editors > Outliner from the menubar; the Outliner window is displayed. In the Outliner window, select all the curves by using the SHIFT key. Next, choose Display > Object > Hide > Hide Selection from the menubar; the selected curves are hidden. Close the Outliner window.

9. In the side-X viewport, select the NURBS surface. Now, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Rebuild > Option Box from the menubar; the Rebuild Surface Options window is displayed. Set the parameters in this window, as shown in Figure 4-57, and then choose the Rebuild button; the selected surface is rebuilt.

10. Make sure the rebuilt surface is selected. Next, press and hold the right mouse button over it and choose Control Vertex from the marking menu displayed; the vertex selection mode is activated. Next, marquee-select the vertices using the SHIFT key, as shown in Figure 4-58. Move the vertices downward to create tail of the ship, as shown in Figure 4-59.

11. Maximize the persp viewport. Press and hold the right mouse button; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Object Mode from the marking menu; the object selection mode is activated. Select the surface of the ship and choose Edit > Duplicate > Duplicate Special > Option Box from the menubar to create a copy of the half part of the ship; the Duplicate Special Options window is displayed. In this window, select the Copy radio button and make sure -1 is entered in the first Scale edit box and enter 1 in the Number of copies edit box.

Next, choose the Duplicate Special button; a copy of the selected surface is created in the persp viewport, refer to Figure 4-60.

12. Make sure the copy of the surface is selected. Next, choose Curves > Reverse Direction from the menubar; the curve direction of the selected surface is reversed, as shown in Figure 4-60.

13. Make sure that one of the surfaces is selected. Press and hold the right mouse button over the surface; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Isoparm from the marking menu; the isoparm selection mode is activated.

14. Press and hold the right mouse button over another surface; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Isoparm from the marking menu; the isoparm selection mode is activated. Next, press SHIFT and select the topmost isoparm of both the surfaces, as shown in Figure 4-61. Next, choose Surfaces > Create > Loft from the menubar; a surface is created between the selected isoparms.

15. Make sure the newly created surface is selected and choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Rebuild > Option Box from the menubar; the Rebuild Surfaces Options window is displayed. In this window, make sure 8 is entered in the Number of spans U edit box. Next, choose the Rebuild button; the newly created surface is rebuilt.

16. Maximize the top-Y viewport and press and hold the right mouse button on the selected surface; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Isoparm from the marking menu displayed and insert the two isoparms using the SHIFT key, as shown in Figure 4-62. Now, choose Surfaces > Edit NURBS Surfaces > Insert Isoparms from the menubar; two new isoparms are added to the surface.

17. Maximize the side-X viewport. Invoke Move Tool and move the newly created surface up along the Y axis.

18. In the side-X viewport, press and hold the right mouse button over the newly created surface; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Control Vertex from the marking menu; the vertex selection mode is activated. Select all the vertices of the newly created surface. Next, maximize the top-Y viewport and deselect the center vertices by pressing the SHIFT key and select all the corner vertices, as shown in Figure 4-63.

19. Maximize the persp viewport and then choose Move Tool from the Tool Box and move the selected vertices downward along the Y axis, as shown in Figure 4-64.

Creating Railings

In this section, you will create railings for the ship by using the NURBS cylinder and then align the cylinders on a curve.

1. Maximize the top-Y viewport. Choose Create > Objects > Curve Tools > EP Curve Tool from the menubar and create a curve, refer to Figure 4-65. Now, move the curve using Move Tool. Figure 4-65 displays the position of the NURBS curve in all viewports.

2. Maximize the persp viewport and choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Cylinder from the menubar and create a cylinder in the viewport. Next, select the upper cap of the cylinder and delete it. Similarly, delete the lower cap of the cylinder.

3. Select the cylinder. In Channel Box / Layer Editor, expand makeNurbCylinder1 node in the INPUTS area and set the following parameters of the cylinder:

Radius: 0.2 Sections: 10 Height Ratio: 10

4. Select the Animation menuset from the Menuset drop-down list in the Status Line. Next, select the curve and then press and hold the SHIFT key and select the cylinder. Choose Constrain > Motion Paths > Attach to Motion Path > Option Box from the menubar; the Attach to Motion Path Options window is displayed in the viewport.

5. In this window, choose Start/End radio button in the Time range attribute and make sure 30 is entered in the End Time edit box. Next, choose the Attach button; the cylinder gets attached to the curve.

6. Choose Visualize > Snapshot > Create Animation Snapshot > Option Box from the menubar; the Animation Snapshot Options window is displayed in the viewport. Enter 30 in the End Time edit box, 2 in the Increment edit box, and then choose the Snapshot button; the cylinders are aligned on the curve surface, as shown in Figure 4-66.

Note

The value in the End Time edit box may vary depending on the size of the NURBS surface created.

7. Maximize the front-Z viewport and choose Create > Objects > NURBS Primitives > Circle from the menubar and create a circle on the curve in the viewport, refer to Figure 4-67. Make sure the circle is selected in the front-Z viewport. In the Channel Box / Layer Editor, enter 90 in the Rotate X and -38 in the Rotate Y edit boxes. Next, expand makeNurbCircle1 node in the INPUTS area of the Channel Box / Layer Editor and set the radius of the circle to 0.3.

8. Select the Modeling menuset from the Menuset drop-down list in the Status Line. Now, select the circle and then the curve from the viewport. Choose Surfaces > Extrude > Option Box from the menubar; the Extrude Options window is displayed. In this window, make sure the Tube radio button corresponding to the Style attribute is selected. Also, select the At path radio button corresponding to the Result position attribute and Component radio button corresponding to the Pivot attribute. Next, choose the Extrude button; the circle is extruded and the handrail is created, refer to Figure 4-68.

9. Maximize the persp viewport. Next, invoke the Move Tool and move the handrail up along the Y axis to align it, refer to Figure 4-68. Now, press CTRL+D; a copy of handrail is created and then align it using Move Tool, as shown in Figure 4-68.

10. Choose Windows > Editors > Outliner from the menubar; the Outliner window is displayed. In the Outliner window, select the curve5 and the nurbsCircle1 curve; the nurb circle and the handrail curve is selected in the viewport. Next, choose Display > Object > Hide > Hide Selection from the menubar to hide the selected curves.

11. Select the complete railing and press CTRL+G; the selected railing is grouped. Choose Edit > Delete > Delete by Type > History from the menubar; the history of the surfaces created earlier is deleted. Next, choose Modify > Transform > Freeze Transformations from the menubar and then press D to set pivot at the center of the ship if not at the center.

12. Make sure the complete railing is selected and choose Edit > Duplicate > Duplicate Special from the menubar; a copy of the railings is created and gets placed on the other half of the ship. Next, choose Curves > Edit >Reverse Direction from the menubar; the curve direction of the copied railing surface is reversed, as shown in Figure 4-69.

Creating the Deck

In this section, you will create the deck of the ship using the polygon modeling method.

1. Maximize the top-Y viewport. Choose Create > Objects > Polygon Primitives > Cube from the menubar. Next, create a cube in the viewport. In the Channel Box / Layer Editor, expand the polyCube1 node of the INPUTS area and set the parameters as follows:

Width: 5 Subdivisions Width: 2

Height: 1 Subdivision Depth: 4

Depth: 5

2. Press and hold the right mouse button on the cube; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Vertex from the marking menu displayed. Next, choose Scale Tool from the Tool Box and adjust the vertex of the cube to form the shape, as shown in Figure 4-70.

3. Maximize the persp viewport. Press and hold the right mouse button on the cube; a marking menu is displayed. Choose Object Mode from the marking menu displayed. Next, select the cube and choose Edit > Duplicate > Duplicate from the menubar; a copy of the cube is created. Similarly, create one more duplicate of the deck. Choose Move Tool and then Scale Tool to align the duplicated decks on the ship, as shown in Figure 4-71.

Creating the Chimney

In this section, you will create the chimney for the ship using the Polygon Cylinder tool.

1. Maximize the top-Y viewport. Choose Create > Objects > Polygon Primitives > Cylinder from the menubar and create three cylinders in the viewport. The cylinders will act as chimneys for the ship. In the Channel Box / Layer Editor, set the parameters as given next.

Note

The radius and height of the cylinders may vary depending on the size of the ship. Therefore, you need to set the respective values accordingly.

2. Maximize the persp viewport and align the cylinders to create the chimneys, as shown in Figure 4-72.

Changing the Background Color of the Scene

In this section, you will change the background color of the scene.

1. In the Outliner window, click on the persp camera; the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor. the perspShape tab is displayed in the Attribute Editor.

2. In the perspShape tab, expand the Environment area and drag the Background Color slider bar toward right to change the background color to white.

Saving and Rendering the Scene

In this section, you will save the scene that you have created and then render it. You can view the final rendered image of this scene by downloading the c04_maya_2025_rndr.zip file from www.cadcim.com. The path of the file is as follows: Textbooks > Animation and Visual Effects > Maya > Autodesk Maya 2025: A Comprehensive Guide.

1. Choose File > Save Scene from the menubar.

2. Maximize the persp viewport if not already maximized. Choose the Display render setting button from the Status Line; the Render Settings window is displayed. In this window, select Maya Software in the Render Using drop-down list and then close the window. Choose the Render the current frame button from the Status Line to render the scene, refer to Figure 4-52.

Self-Evaluation Test

Answer the following questions and then compare them to those given at the end of this chapter:

1. Which of the following tools is used to create a new segment at the intersection of two surfaces?

(a) Intersect Surfaces (b) Untrim Surfaces

(c) Attach Surfaces (d) None of these

2. Which of the following tools is used to paint a mesh to give it a smoother look?

(a) Pull (b) Push

(c) Smooth (d) Relax

3. The __________ tool is used to rebuild the U and V spans.

4. The __________ tool is used to undo the last trim operation.

5. The __________ tool is used to reverse the U and V directions of selected surface.

6. The __________ Geometry Tool is used to sculpt a NURBS or polygon object manually in the viewport.

7. The NURBS to Subdiv conversion tool is used to convert a NURBS mesh into a subdiv mesh. (T/F)

8. The Sculpt Geometry Tool is used to sculpt a NURBS or polygon object manually in the viewport. (T/F)

9. The Offset Surfaces tool is used to create copy of a selected surface at a particular distance. (T/F)

10. The Insert Isoparms tool is used to insert an isoparm into an existing NURBS surface. (T/F)

Review Questions

Answer the following questions:

1. Which of the following operations is used to relax bumps over a surface?

(a) Push (b) Pull

(c) Relax (d) Erase

2. Which of the following tools is used to create a copy of the selected surface by creating an offset at a specified distance?

(a) Offset Surface (b) Attach Surface

(c) Align Surface (d) Detach Surface

3. The __________ tool is used to extend an edge of the NURBS surface.

4. The __________ radio button is used to remove extra knots formed while rebuilding a surface.

5. The Pinch operation is used to pull the selected vertices toward each other while using the Sculpt Geometry Tool. (T/F)

6. The Extend Surfaces tool is used to extend the edge of a NURBS surface. (T/F)

7. The Reverse Surface Direction tool is used to reverse or swap the U and V directions of a selected surface. (T/F)

8. The Erase operation is used to push the NURBS mesh inside a surface. (T/F)

9. The Extend Surfaces tool is used to rebuild a NURBS surface. (T/F)

10. The Detach tool is used to detach a surface by selecting isoparm. (T/F)

Exercises

The rendered output of the models used in the following exercises can be accessed by downloading the c04_maya_2025_exr.zip from www.cadcim.com. The path of the file is as follows: Textbooks > Animation and Visual Effects > Maya > Autodesk Maya 2025: A Comprehensive Guide.

Exercise 1

Use various NURBS modeling techniques to create the model of a handbag, as shown in Figure 4-73. (Expected time: 45 min)

Exercise 2

Use various NURBS modeling techniques to create the model of a chair, as shown in Figure 4-74. (Expected time: 30 min)

Answers to Self-Evaluation Test

1. a, 2. c, 3. Rebuild Surfaces, 4. Untrim Surfaces, 5. Reverse Surface Direction, 6. Sculpt, 7. T, 8. T, 9. T, 10. T