Maya Essentials 2: Polygonal Modeling Techniques

This installment of Maya Essentials covers the basics of the polygonal modeling toolkit. Author George Maestri delves into the theory behind popular polygonal modeling techniques, then walks through the basic process of creating objects, modifying them with Soft Select, and working with subdivision surfaces. The course also includes more advanced techniques such as cutting faces and splitting polygons with the Edge and Bevel tools, creating holes and protrusions with Booleans, and deforming an entire object with lattices. An additional chapter is dedicated to edge loops, which can be used to create and organize detail in models.

Topics include:

• Creating and modifying polygonal objects
• Editing with reflection
• Smoothing objects
• Keeping faces together
• Using the Polygon Bridge tool
• Selecting and editing edge loops
• Spinning edges
• Working with objects history
• Modeling symmetrically
• Merging vertices
• Combining objects
• Using the Crease tool