Maya Feature Creature Creations

by Todd Palamar

Overview

Discover how to build commercial-quality, anatomy-based CG characters using Maya with Maya Feature Creature Creations, Second Edition. In today's competitive entertainment market, animated movies and video games require superior graphics and realistic characters, making it imperative that 3D artists and designers master state-of-the-art software like Maya. With this book, you will learn all of the steps required to create a character, from concept to completion. Using step-by-step instructions and explanations, the book lays out a method for building anatomy-based, photo-realistic computer-generated characters with physics-driven skin. The most up-to-date techniques and technology are presented, including how to create skin and muscle deformations, and how to rig your character without binding tools. You will also gain an understanding of how to work within a high-resolution pipeline. Insight and advice from a professional animator will help you troubleshoot along the way. Maya Feature Creature Creations, Second Edition provides you with all the skills and techniques needed to create your own fantastic, Hollywood-style creatures and characters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781584506140
Publisher:	Course Technology PTR
Publication date:	01/04/2008
Sold by:	CENGAGE LEARNING
Format:	eBook
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Todd Palamar has worked in the computer animation industry for over 17 years. He has done special effects work for several direct-to-video films and worked on numerous video games, including Sega of Japan's, coin-operated title, Behind Enemy Lines, as well as Dukes of Hazzard and Trophy Buck 2 for the Sony PlayStation console. Todd currently heads up all character development for Vcom3D, Inc.

Table of Contents

Part 1: In the Beginning
Getting Ready
Pre-Production
Building the Perfect Beast
CG Pre-Production
Part II: Reference Material
Design and Conquer
Sculpting
Building a Poseable Character
Part III: Modeling for Film
The Tools
Working with Your Reference Material
Modeling the Fire Monster's Head
Modeling the Fire Monster's Arm
Assembling the Fire Monster
Part IV: Texturing for Film
Determining Resolution
Mapping UV's for the Fire Monster's Head
Make it Real
Painting on Your Model
Part V: Anatomically Correct
Skeletons
Muscles and Tendons
Fat
The Dynamics of Life
Conclusion