Software Trials - Maya

Building a Spaceship

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTNMkA-syNY

Y Axis = Move object Up/Down

X Axis = Move Object Left/Right

Z Axis = Move Object In/Out

Yellow Axis = Selected Axis

Yellow Cube = Scale ALL Axis at the same time in the same proportion

There are four viewpoints. Hover over a viewpoint and hit the SPACE bar to enlarge. To change a viewpoint hit the SPACE bar and select the desired viewpoint.

ALT and LEFT MOUSE button to tumble the viewpoint.

ALT and MIDDLE MOUSE button is for panning the viewpoint.

ALT and RIGHT MOUSE button is for zooming in and out of the viewpoint.

Press 1 to go back to NORMAL MODE.

Press 3 to make the object a SMOOTH OBJECT.

Press 4 to put the object in WIRE MODE.

Press 5 to but the object in SHADED MODE.

W is move the Move Tool

E is the Rotation Tool

R is the Scale Tool

G automatically selects the most recent previous command.

F8 toggles between Component Mode and Object Mode. To determine what mode the object is in, this is denoted by the colour of the lines around a selected face. Blue lines denote Component Mode and green lines denote Object Mode.

RIGHT CLICK and HOLD on mouse button to view the components.

·         Vortex will select one corner of the object.

·         Edge will select an edge (line) between two Vertexes.

·         Face will select a surface that is closed edges of a Vertex.

REMEMBER!!!

To MOVE use the ARROW

To SCALE use the BOX

ROTATE and ZOOM IN/OUT the object regularly to see what you are doing!

STEP 1:

Open the MAYA programme. It may take a while to load in the first instance.

STEP 2:

To create an object I click on the tab POLYGONS.

STEP 3:

Select the CUBE icon.

STEP 4:

Make a CUBE.

STEP 5:

For this lesson select FACE.

STEP 6:

Click on a face that I wish to modify. The face I have selected will then be shaded.

STEP 7:

Hold ALT and LEFT MOUSE button to tumble the object to see the opposite face of the object.

STEP 8:

Holding SHIFT I selected the opposite face so it too was shaded.

STEP 9:

Holding ALT and LEFT MOUSE button I tumbled the object to double check that the two faces that I had selected were shaded.

STEP 10:

In the top left of the screen there is a drop-down menu. I click on this and ensured that I selected POLYGONS.

STEP 11:

In the Menu Bar click EDIT MESH > EXTRUDE.

STEP 12:

On the three axes there is an arrow and a box. To move the face(s) I have selected I will click on the arrow. To scale the face(s) I have selected I will click on the box.

There is also a BLUE CIRCLE and this is used for ROTATING the object.

STEP 13:

By selecting the blue Z Axis I am able to move the face, and as I have previously selected the opposite face, what I do to this face the same will happen the other side. I then pull the BLUE ARROW to extrude the face(s) to the desired size.

STEP 14:

I now want to scale the extruded face(s) down. To do this I select the green Y Axis and this time click on the GREEN BOX and move to the desired size.

STEP 15:

In the Menu Bar click EDIT MESH > EXTRUDE.

STEP 16:

By selecting the blue Z Axis I pull the BLUE ARROW to extrude the face(s) to the desired size.

STEP 17:

I now want to scale the extruded face(s) down. To do this I select the green Y Axis and this time click on the GREEN BOX and move to the desired size.

STEP 18:

I now want to scale the extruded face(s) back. To do this I select the red X Axis and this time click on the RED BOX and move to the desired position. Doing this creates the wings of the Spaceship.

STEP 19:

At the front of the object I select the face I want to extrude. Then I press G which is the shortcut for the most previous command, which in this case is EXTRUDE.

STEP 20:

I extrude the object to how I desire by pulling the face out by pulling on the BLUE ARROW.

STEP 21:

As I wish to scale down all three axes at once I can do this by selecting the GREEN CUBE and at the point where all three axes meet I pull out the YELLOW CUBE until my extruded face is at my desired size.

STEP 22:

I now want to do the same thing to this face. I press G to for the most recent command and pull out the face using the BLUE ARROW until the face extrudes to where I want it.

STEP 23:

As I wish to scale down all three axes at once I can do this by selecting the GREEN CUBE and at the point where all three axes meet I pull out the YELLOW CUBE until my extruded face is at my desired size.

STEP 24:

I now want to do the same thing to this face. I press G to for the most recent command and pull out the face using the BLUE ARROW until the face extrudes to where I want it.

STEP 25:

As I wish to scale down all three axes at once, but this time I want to scale down using the red X Axis and I can do this by selecting the RED CUBE and at the point where all three axes meet I pull out the YELLOW CUBE until my extruded face is at my desired size.

STEP 26:

Select the top face so it becomes shaded and the click G to repeat the previous command. Scale down the red X Axis by using the RED CUBE.

STEP 27:

Scale down the green Y Axis by using the GREEN CUBE.

STEP 28:

Move the green Y Axis back by using the GREEN ARROW.

STEP 29:

Press G for the most recent command and then using the blue Z Axis extrude the face by pulling up on the BLUE ARROW to the desired size.

STEP 30:

Scale the face on the green Y Axis using the GREEN CUBE.

STEP 31:

Then move the face back on the green Y Axis using the GREEN ARROW.

STEP 32:

I hold the ALT and the LEFT MOUSE BUTTON to tumble so I can see the front of the object. Select the face to the right of the nose of the Spaceship. Then holding SHIFT select the face to the left of the nose of the Spaceship. Press G to for the most recent command.

STEP 33:

Click in the green Y Axis using the GREEN CUBE and where all three axes meet I pull out the YELLOW CUBE until my face is at my desired size.

STEP 34:

Press G for the most recent command and then using the blue Z Axis push in the face by using the BLUE ARROW to the desired depth.

STEP 35:

I hold the ALT and the LEFT MOUSE BUTTON to tumble so I can see the rear of the object. I then select the face and press G for the most recent command and using the blue Z Axis I scale down on the BLUE CUBE to the desired size.

STEP 36:

Press G for the most recent command and then using the blue Z Axis push in the face by using the BLUE ARROW to the desired depth.

STEP 37:

I now need to select OBJECT MODE. To do this I select a face then RIGHT CLICK and hold and then select OBJECT MODE or I can simply press the F8 button. F8 toggles between Component Mode and Object Mode. To determine what mode the object is in, this is denoted by the colour of the lines around a selected face. Blue lines denote Component Mode and green lines denote Object Mode.

STEP 38:

I now want to make the object a smooth object. To do this I press the shortcut key which is the number 3 button.

STEP 39:

To add some shiny material to the object I need to select the surface by selecting the object. I then select the RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON and hold. From the options I then select ASSIGN FAVOURITE MATERIAL and then select BLINN.

STEP 40:

If I desire to make any changes, press 1 to go back to NORMAL MODE. The select the face I wish to amend. Then, RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON and hold and from the options select Vertex.

STEP 41:

Save the Project

I found the process of creating a 3D model in Maya initially difficult to get my head around. There are numerous functions required to be able to create a 3D model. To remember these functions to be able to work with fluidity is as time consuming as creating the model itself. However, despite following tutorials I did create and had three attempts of making a Spaceship. The images of which you can see below. Considering I have never used a 3D modelling programme, nor created a model, I think they have turned out okay. The only criticism I have is that my attempts look more like a fish that a spaceship.

FIRST ATTEMPT:

 

SECOND ATTEMPT:

 

 

 

THIRD ATTEMPT: