Friday, January 2, 2015

Free Learning Resources: Modeling and Texturing


My Videos

I made some short introductory videos just for your, to help you get started learning Maya. They are topical in nature, but I have embedded them in the recommended viewing order here on our class blog on a page at this linkhttp://w15advanceddigital.blogspot.com/p/maya-intro-videos.html

If you want to find that page quickly, just click on the tab above called "Maya Intro Videos."

You can also browse the same videos, arranged in no particular order, on my YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC160A3UGHFqws7VkT_jdlaQ/videos

(I plan to create a playlist so you can easily watch them in the recommended order, one after another.)

Autodesk.com

Autodesk offers some great online resources to help you learn Maya, including a FREE COPY OF MAYA 2015 SOFTWARE FOR STUDENTS. Creating a user account with Autodesk allows you to get access to download free educational versions of most of their software, as well as tutorials, help, and the entire Autodesk support community.

Maya How-To Videos on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/user/MayaHowTos

As a new Maya user, you can begin by watching the following playlists:

• Getting Started (6 videos)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8E5717592CF5C26

• Modeling (8 videos)
https://www.youtube.com/user/MayaHowTos/playlists?shelf_id=4&view=50&sort=dd

• Shading and Texturing (9 videos)
https://www.youtube.com/user/MayaHowTos/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=5

• Lighting and Rendering (7 videos)
https://www.youtube.com/user/MayaHowTos/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=6

The Area

http://area.autodesk.com/products/view/maya

Autodesk provides a community forum called "The Area," where users can ask questions, get help, and share your work.

UArtsy

A FREE Course in Modeling with Maya
https://www.uartsy.com/course/learn-maya-polygon-modeling
You probably have to create an account, but there's a whole series of free demonstration videos here to help you learn modeling in Maya.

Gnomon Workshop Library

As a current BYU student, you have access to an incredible library of instructional art videos from some of the industry's leading talent. These include hours and hours of tutorial videos in Maya, ZBrush, and other software.

To watch these videos you will need a fast internet connection. Then simply:

• log in to your user account at my.byu.edu
• navigate your browser to dbs.lib.byu.edu/gnomon

This should activate an automatic login process that will take you to the Gnomon Library home page, where you can:

• click the "Training" tab, and
• search video content by key words (Maya, introduction, modeling, texturing, etc.)

Please note that only 5 users can be logged in simultaneously under the BYU library subscription. This means there may be times when you can't log in, because 5 people are already using the service. If you leave your browser idle for too long, you will be logged automatically out so others may use the service.

The following are some links to videos in the Gnomon Library that might be helpful for those learning Maya (note: you can watch them only while you are logged in to the Gnomon Library account through the BYU library, as described above). Some of the videos are quite long, which can make it difficult to find the specific information you need, but they are arranged by chapter so you can skip ahead of content that doesn't seem relevant.

• Introduction to Maya 2014: Interface and Workflow with Eric Keller
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/431

• Modeling the Human Head: Polygon Modeling with Kevin Hudson
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/141

• Stylized Character Modeling for Production with Alessandro Baldasseroni
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/383

• Automotive Modeling Techniques: Polygon Modeling with Kevin Hudson
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/142

• Environment Modeling for Games with Nate Stephens
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/396

• UV Mapping 101: Maya UV Techniques with Kevin Hudson
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/226

• Advanced UV Layout for Production with Kevin Hudson
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/220

• Texture Painting: Weathered Surfaces: Photorealistic Texturing with Paul Campion
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/178

• Digital Sculpting: The Human Anatomy: ZBrush-to-Maya Workflow with Zack Petroc
http://byu.gnomonlibrary.com/training/tutorial/257