Studio Arts Maya 101 Class 2 8/14/2019

Creating Shapes

Shape options are in the option menu, but also in the shape history under the channel editor.

Translate Rotate and Scale

W is translate

E is rotate

R is scale

Tool options

Moving in Object and World Space

Manipulating a Camera

Moves just like a maya object.

Camera Settings

Clipping Plane changes how far and how close the camera will render an object.  Can be used to fix glitchy geometry

Focal Length is used to change how much perspective the camera shows.  High number flattens the camera’s view, while a low number exaggerates the perspective.

Selection Masks

Disable or enable what is selectable in the Viewport window

Hide/show for visibilty

Ctrl + H to hide

Shift + H to show again

Touch on Hypergraph

Hierarchies

Manipulator + -

Make the manipulator physically larger or smaller.  Larger manipulator makes it easy to have precision.

Channel editor

Select a channel and middle mouse drag to change the values.

Math can be done inside the channel box.

+=, -=, *=, /=

Changing pivot

Insert(Pc)/Home(Mac) to enable change pivot mode.

Alternative is to hold “D” to move the pivot.

Modify>Center Pivot to bring it back to the center of the object or group.

Point and grid snap

Hold x to grid snap, and v to point snap.  To keep these turned on you can press the button at the top of maya.

Groups/locators

Same object essentially.  Locators are groups that can be grabbed in the viewport.  If you delete the shape node of the locator, it becomes a grou null.

Use these to organize objects in the outliner or in a hierarchy.

Freeze transformation

Zero’s out all transform values.

Parenting and Grouping methods/hotkeys

p to parent.

Shift p to unparent

Ctrl g to group

In the outliner you can select object and middle mouse drag them into another object or group, making it a child.

Organize your Outliner!

Groups objects and keep your outliner organized in case someone else needs to open your file.

Assignment:

Please use what you have learned about navigating Maya, and the manipulator tools in class to build anything you like.  The point of this project is to have fun and become familiar with the fundamentals of moving and organizing objects in Maya.  I will not be checking these, but if you would like to share with the class please place them in your student folders on the server.