T0882 - SimplyMaya Santa Modeling

SimplyMaya Santa Modeling

If you really love the holidays then the cartoon Santa is a great tutorial. We will start off this tutorial by creating image planes to create the correct shape and proportion of are Santa. Some of the modeling techniques used will be shaping in nurbs, converting to polygons to add details and then into sub’ds to define the final shapes.

Once the modeling of our new character is complete we will start preparing our model for texturing. The first step is laying out the Uv’s for all the separate parts of the body to make them flat so we can get a nice clean UV snap shot for our painted textures. On completion of are UV snap shot we will import into the paint program Photoshop. You will learn how to use layers for different areas as well as how to stain up certain parts of the body like the head and shirt for a more natural look.

more: _simplymaya.com/movie_pages/tutorial.mhtml?tut_id=141

T0672 - Simply Maya- GI Texturing-Video Tutorial

Simply Maya- GI Texturing-Video Tutorial
With Jason Edwards

This tutorial will cover the creation of custom brushes and seamless tileable textures in Photoshop followed by how to create a uv layout for a polygonal and subdivison surface character model in Maya. After these first few chapters, create realistic skin textures using a combination of hi resolution photographs and airbrushing, again within Photoshop using layers, then back into Maya to fine tune the textures using IPR (Interactive Photorealistic Rendering). All this and more in the second Simply Maya GI Character series of DVDs!

Includes all the texture and scene files.
(Note: This is not a re-mastered tutorial for the GI.)

T0496 - Simply Maya - Spitfire Modeling and Textuting

Spitfire Modeling and Textuting
Create this great looking Spitfire in this twelve hour Modelling and Texturing tutorial from SimplyMaya.com re-released for our January sale with a 40% discount. We begin this project by setting up image planes using a side and front view of our Spitfire. Next we will create Nurbs primitives to block out the correct shape and proportion of the plane. Once the plane is blocked out we will refine the shapes in Nurbs and then convert them to Polygons to add geometry for more precise shaping. When the plane has its basic geometry we will then convert to Sub-d's to start pulling out the details. Some of the tools we will cover are split polygon, extrude edge/face and sculpt polygon.

After our model is complete we will explore the world of texturing. We start with learning how to create a flat workable UV map and then we'll cover different mapping techniques like planar map and automatic mapping as well as tools like cut and sew UV's. Following our complete UV map, we will import an UV snap shot into a paint program like Photoshop to learn how to hand paint our textures using a variety of options including using layers and filters. We will also create a colour map and bump map, as well as a specular map. Then you will set up your lighting and apply your final render.

T0464 - Simply Maya - Low Poly for Games Modeling

Is game art your thing? If so, don't miss the low poly modeling. You will learn all the steps needed to make an organic game character from image plane to a completely textured and rigged model.

In the modeling section, you will begin by setting up image planes of the front and side views . You'll learn how to use these to rough out the basic shapes and proportions using both nurbs and polygons. Then you'll manipulate the geometry to create a clean and efficient model that has under 2500 polygons.

T0465 - Simply Maya - Low Poly Man Rigging for Games

The rigging section of this tutorial shows you how to get your model ready for animation

Covers blend shapes, skeleton creation, painting weights for smooth deformations of your geometry, IK handles to move the legs, as well as adding hand and foot controls using locators and set driven keys.

T0349 - Simply Maya The Fantasy Female

Simply Maya: The Fantasy Female

This tutorial is geared for intermediate Maya users. If you're into realistic characters then this tutorial a definite. We will start off this tutorial by using image planes of side and front views. The modeling techniques used will be shaping in nurbs, converting to polygons to add details, and then into sub'ds to define the final shapes.

When the modeling of our character is complete we move toward preparing our model for texturing. We do this by laying out the Uv's for all the separate parts of the body to make them flat so we can get a clean UV snap-shot for our painted textures. Tools covered in the layout section include planar map, cylindrical map, and automatic map, as well as move and sew Uv's. After the Uv's are finished and your snap-shot is taken we jump into a paint program to start adding color and texture to our model.

You will learn how to use layers for different areas as well as how to stain up certain parts of the body like the head and shirt for a more natural look. The last section covers how to texture a few of the nurbs surfaces of our character, such as the hair, using Maya built-in shading networks.

T0339 - Simplymaya - Chef Ramsay

This tutorial is bought to Simply Maya by Jason Edwards, who was one of the character/caricature modelers on the Headcases TV show.

In this new tutorial from Simply Maya you'll get to learn character/caricature modelling techniques like those used in major TV productions. Based upon character styling used in the Headcases TV show Jason has designed and drawn a caricature of the infamous foul tempered chef, Gordon Ramsay!

The tutorial begins with a look at reference material followed by basic creation of the character/caricature image planes within Maya. Instead of ploughing straight into the modelling of the characters facial features, we begin with the creation of the more simpler elements of the model that serve their purpose as a 'warm up' exercise using mainly polygons and Maya's standard modelling tools and then gradually building up to the more complicated task of creating a characters head from a polygon cube.

Once various parts of the model are complete the uv and texture mapping process is then covered , then its straight into Photoshop to create some 'light' and uncomplicated textures in order to keep to the cartoon styling of the character. The tutorial concludes with all parts of the model being finalised then brought together to form the finished character.

This tutorial can be purchased with points or via our new Instant Checkout system

T0204 - Simply Maya SandSpeeder

Welcome to the first SimplyMaya.com showcased tutorial we hope to release one of these per month. This one is brought to you by Jason Edwards author of the popular internet 3D comic strip Outlaws Tales. Luckily for us Jason has just finished a series for the Discovery channel and has kindly consented to spend some time working with SimplyMaya to bring us a series of new tutorials the first of which we present to you in our new Hi Definition video format. [View Sample]

Simply Maya brings you this brand new 14 part hardsurface modelling and texturing tutorial in conjunction with Outlaws Tales. The tutorial is aimed at people who have an understanding of the fundamentals of Maya , Photoshop and Zbrush.

The project begins by setting up image plains in Maya to use as a reference guide for the start of the model, then gets straight to business by blocking out the basic forms using polygons. The following chapters then take you through an overview of a modelling process to help you finish the vehicle off. Techniques such as looking at real world references, path extrusion, radial placement and mesh extraction of objects are covered here as well as the standard modelling tools of Maya.

Once the majority of modelling is over its time to begin setting up the model for texturing and how to set up a uv map and optimise it in Maya’s Texture editor. On completion of the uv map the next chapters look at creating texture maps to help give the model a more realistic look. As well as using Photoshop for this process, you’ll be introduced to Zbrush. Using both programs separately and also in unison, you’ll see how to quickly achieve good looking textures.

In the final chapters the textures are placed onto the model ready for rendering in a scene using just a 2d image as a background and a ground plane for shadowing. Then, rendering using Mental Rays Final Gather and a few spotlights, an overview is given showing how to make the Vehicle ‘fit’ into the 2d backdrop, similar to techniques used in motion pictures and television.

Exclusive-Simply Maya - Mechwarrior - Maya 8.5 (T0085)

Maya 8.5 Tutorial - This tutorial is geared for intermediate Maya users. If you're into mechanical robots then this tutorial will be a lot of fun. We will begin by using image planes of the side and front views. The modeling techniques used will be shaping in nurbs, converting to polygons to add details, and then into sub'ds to define the final shapes.
When the robot is finished we then move toward preparing our model for texturing. We do this by laying out the UV's for all the separate parts of the body to make them flat so we can get a clean UV snap-shot for our painted textures. Tools covered in the layout section include planar map, cylindrical map, and automatic map, as well as move and sew UV's. After the UV's are finished and your snap-shot is taken we jump into a paint program to start adding color and texture to our model.

You will learn how to use layers for different areas as well as how to stain and chip up certain parts of the body, like the head and torso, for a more aged and scratched look. The last section covers how to texture a few of the nurbs surfaces of our character, such as the tubes, using Maya built-in shading networks. Once our character is all textured we will begin rigging by adding a skeleton to the geometry as well as parent parts of the body to certain joints so that the body parts move with the new skeleton. After our Robot has his joints we will begin adding Ik handles and more in-depth animation controls like foot rolls, as well as finger controls. The last stage of our tutorial covers basic key-frame animation where we move our robot in 3D space instead of a cycle where we would animate him in place. He will walk a bit and then pick up a small object. This will get you familiar with thinking about how the body of our robot would move and counter-balance to get more life-like animation.