how to draw curves in 3d space in maya

8 Ultra useful Maya tips for beginners in Under 4 minutes!

At first glance Autodesk's Maya can be extremely daunting, the countless options and massive user interface.  Today I'thou going to show you 8 workflow tips to help overcome some necessary basics that will help you become started as a 3d modeller or animator.  All y'all demand is 4 minutes of your time!

Easily pick and choose which tips are most helpful for you lot with the easy to watch tutorial video I've created.  If you demand more explanation read below for a written breakdown which goes into more detail, plus a few bonus tips!  You ready? Let's do this.

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Table of contents

click whatsoever content below to bound to that tip

TIP 01:  Focus the camera on one surface area  | Video timecode: 0.05
Finding it difficult to rotate the camera effectually a pocket-sized expanse and stay on it?

TIP 02:  Snapping similar a pro| Video timecode: 0.22
Learning to marshal one object to some other or move a single vertex to another edge is essential

TIP 03:  Movement multiple keyframes| Video timecode: 0.54
Learn here to move multiple keyframes apace and by an exact amount

TIP 04:  Motion the pin point| Video timecode: 1.fifteen
Learn here to move multiple keyframes quickly and by an verbal corporeality

TIP 05:  Soft option| Video timecode: 1.36
Learn to move a selection of vertices with a soft autumn off to get smooth results

TIP 06:  Duplicate special| Video timecode: i.53
This is a fun and very useful tool.  Unlike normal indistinguishable it allows you to add an incremental transform to each duplicate, you tin add, a move in any direction, rotation and or scale

TIP 07:  Texture to polys| Video timecode: ii.24
Convert a solid texture to actual polygon geometry rapidly

TIP 08:  Combine two objects & Bridging| Video timecode: 2.58
A 3d modelling necessity to combine objects hither we take i further and create archways with the span tool

TIP 01: Focus the camera on a small area

Sometimes when moving the photographic camera effectually a model it tin jump around or the movement be as well large, you just want to pinpoint the camera on a certain area and accept the view rotate effectually this.

This is simple by using the "F" key.  Endeavor selecting any object in your scene, then press the "F" primal, the camera will zoom straight into that object.  Let'south have this further like in the video.

1. Correct click your model and choose "vertices" or "faces" then select a unmarried or few vertices or faces
2. striking the "F" key

.. Voila!  The photographic camera jumps to that bespeak and now when you dolly the camera around if stays focused on that expanse.

Back to the video

Correct mouse button click your model to bring upwardly the options

TIP 02: Snapping like a pro

Learning the unlike snapping modes is key to working in 3d.  Snapping is the process of adjustment the position of an object or objects vertex to another location.

The controls are:

Snap to Grid:

Snap to Curves & Edges:

Snap to Vertex:

Snap to grid

Grid snapping. - The grid in Maya is the plane on the floor, it'south divided into units. Each unit equals one unit of measurement which can be set as millimetres, centimetres or metres which are set in your preferences.  Snapping to the filigree is very useful for modelling.

To snap an object to whatsoever point on the filigree

1. Select your object
2. Activate the motion tool or use the quick fundamental "Westward"
3. Agree the "10" cardinal then Middle mouse button click whatever point on the filigree and your object will jump to information technology "Snapping"

At present lets snap a unmarried vertex of your geometry to the grid.

1. Right heart mouse button on your geometry > then select vertices option (TIP - right clicking on your object is the quick fashion of choosing whether you want to edit Vertices, Edges or Polygon faces)
2. Activate the move tool or use the quick central "W"
3. Middle mouse button click any point on the grid and that single vertex will snap to the grid

Right mouse push click your model to bring upward the options

Snap to Curve / Edges

Edge or Curve snapping –  align / snap any object or vertex to any curve or whatsoever geometry edge

1. Right centre mouse button on your geometry > then select vertices option
2. Select a vertex you want to move
3. HOLD the "C" fundamental then middle mouse button click on any edge.  Y'all tin can click and hold then motion around to your leisure whilst being constrained to that edge.

Snap to Vertex

Vert snapping –  align / snap any object or vertex to a bend or any geometry border

1. Right middle mouse button on your geometry > then select vertices option
2. Select a vertex you want to motion
3. Hold the "V" key then eye mouse push button click on any other vertex.  This vertex you are snapping to tin be on the same geometry or a completely dissimilar object

TIP 03: Move multiple Keyframes with ease

Moving multiple keyframes in the time slider can get very catchy,  permit me show you a quick tip to move keys easily and chop-chop and by an verbal amount.

1. Navigate to> Windows >Blitheness editors >Graph editor
2. Select the animated geometry or control curves that comprise the animation you would similar to change timings.  You will run across all the animation curves appear in the Bend Editor (TIP – the curve editor is where you tin really edit the timings and smoothness of any animation)
3. Select all the keyframes or just a department of keyframes

The side by side pace involves typing a very brusque chip of mel script.   Mel is the programming language that Maya runs on.  There is a mel control for everything fifty-fifty when you simply motion or rotate an object, that is converted to a mel command.

four)  The final step is to simply type  "+=numberofkeyframes" so for example+=50 would motion all the keys 50 frames forrad, +=203 would move them 203 frames.

You type this is the second input box next to the discussion "Stats"

As you progress y'all will notice mel can assistance speed up and automate complex processes, but don't worry you can normally just detect plenty of already written mel scripts you only re-create and paste

This also works the other way using the minus instead of plus symbol.
And then  -=50  would move the keyframes backwards in time by 50 frames

This technique is so quick and useful, one time you first using it you will rely on information technology daily!
An example would be y'all may desire to filibuster simply one arm of a character by 8 frames, select the arm controls then  type +=8 and your washed!  And it'southward much easier to visualise.

Yous can run across the projection I used this on from the video here:  http://fullrotation.com/portfolio/pip-the-squirrel-3d-animated-series/

TIP 04: Motility the pin point

1. Select the object
2. Press the "Insert" key and you lot volition see the gismo change modes
3. Either snap the gismo to the the objects ede, another vert, or just simply move it further away
4. Press the "Insert" fundamental over again
5. Select rotation mode or hit the quick key "R"  now you can rotate using your new pivot betoken

Back to the video

TIP 05: Soft pick

If yous were to select a few vertices then move them it would not exist smooth, there would be no "fall off" to your selection. Using a way called "Soft Selection" allows this and control the exact amount of autumn off yous require.

1. Select a single or bunch of vertices on your model. (retrieve from before yous can just right click and get into the quick mark menu to select vertices mode quickly)
2. Press the "B" key to enter Soft Selection fashion.  Yous will see the choice change where yellow is the strongest and it falls off to Red which is the weakest, showing you how it well blend and shine out the selection.
3. To edit exactly how much "Fall Off" y'all desire merely press and this time HOLD the "B" primal, then you can click the middle mouse button and gently elevate correct ti increment the selection or left to decrease how much is selected.
4. Now hit the W key for movement if you not already in move mode and move the vertices out to see it.

This is bully for making quick hills in terrain, organic modelling, similar pulling the cheeks or nose out further on a character etc.

Back to the video

TIP 06: Indistinguishable special

Duplicate special is a fun and very useful tool.  Unlike normal duplicate it allows you to add an incremental transform to each duplicate, you tin can add, a movement in whatsoever direction, rotation and or calibration.

1. To really see its power motility the pivot point of your object abroad.  In the video I motion the object to the left then snap the pivot point (As per tip 02) dorsum to the center filigree using theTen key
2. Select the object then navigate to the menuEdit > Duplicate special then hitting the little box to the right, this footling box opens up the options, this applies to ALL carte items
3. Ok this is where we have some fun.  The first column is the 10 plane, the 2d the Y and tertiary the Z.  Try changing the Y rotation to xv degrees and slide the number of copies up to approx 25 then strikingAPPLY

Instantly you will meet it makes a ring of your object

Back to the video

Instantly you lot will run across it makes a ring of your object

1. Disengage that by hitting "Control Z" on the keyboard.  Now go dorsum into the Indistinguishable special carte once more and this time add a little height eg0.five to the translateY
2. Alter the number of copies to much more than like lxx or lxxx and hittingUtilise

Instantly you will see it makes a ring of your object

BONUS TIP !

Instead of changing the number of copies you can just practice it with 1, then after hitting Employ just repeatedly hit the "D" key and it volition just keep repeating with the increments added.

You tin use this to create a grid of objects, make many duplicates evenly spread out, spiral staircases, fences, simply play with it!

TIP 07: Texture to polys

This is a useful feature non widely know, it allows you to apply an image texture to a aeroplane then simply catechumen that texture to actual geometry polygons, it tin salvage on modelling complex shapes.

To get started:

1. Open the hypershade,Windows > Rendering editors > Hypershade, this is where all materials are fabricated and edited, and create a new lambert or blinn cloth.
2. If you don't already know how to apply a texture to a material simply select your texture file (jpeg, png etc)  in windows explorer and elevate and drib it onto to your material in the hypershade
3. Centre mouse button drag the textile onto your geometry

i) Select your polygon airplane, the navigate to:Modify >  Convert > Texture to polygons click the options box

two) You tin can choose here to change the colour of the new cloth that gets created, you will encounter it added to the hypershape with the proper noun of your texture file.

3) It'southward now been converted to geometry simply its flat, a quick way of selecting the correct poly faces is in the hypershade Right mouse button click the new cloth you lot will see and choose "Select objects with cloth"  This is a actually useful tip for selecting faces with a certain material instead of one by ane

4)  Hitting the extrude button in the polygons shelf, or a longer way, navigate toEdit mesh > Extrude

5)  This extrude happens simply remains in the same place, just use the move tool to motility the faces up by dragging the blue axis , and that'due south it!

Now y'all take a full polygon model of your texture

TIP 08: Combine two objects & Bridging

Very oft when modelling yous volition need to combine 2 pieces of split geometry.  Whether you're joining a head to a trunk or a leg to a tabular array top it's essential.   Here are the basics plus a great manner of bridging to form perfect arches.

i)  Select both objects and under the "Polygons Menu set" navigate to:Mesh > Combine
This will now combine the objects so they are every bit one.

2) Correct mouse button click and choose "Faces" mode

4) Right mouse button click again this time enter "Edges" mode

4) Right mouse button click again this time enter "Edges" style

5) Double click one edge and it will automatically select the whole ring of edges.
To select the other sides edges do the same holding down "Shift" to add to the option

6)  Navigate toEdit Mesh > Bridge

vii)  Change the "Curve Type" pick to: "Blend"  ( Don't worry if y'all don't get this pop up you tin can make the same changes on the correct in the attribute editor) it just ways you are not choosing to evidence the HUD in the show submenu

eight)  You lot will see its flat, that's because we haven't set up any divisions.  Y'all tin can click and set this manually simply the more intuitive interactive way in Maya is toMiddle mouse button click and drag in the divisions window to the right to increase.   Now yous will see a perfect archway being formed

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Source: https://fullrotation.com/maya-tips-for-beginners/

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