This is written by the Maya experts who create special effects for today's blockbuster movies. Here is a thorough update of our critically acclaimed "Maya 6" book, complete with spectacular new examples and tutorials on the new features in "Maya 8". In this book, special-effects gurus explain how to use this state-of-the-art software to produce brilliant, believable content for film and TV, video games, Web design, and print. "Maya 8: The Complete Reference" explains the entire production pipeline from easy-to-follow tutorials that will help you master modeling, texturing, animation, rendering, postproduction, and much more.

Table of Contents

Part I: Introduction to Maya Chapter 1: Core Concepts Chapter 2: The Maya User Interface Part II: Modeling Chapter 3: Polygonal Modeling Chapter 4: Organic Modeling Chapter 5: Basic NURBS Modeling Chapter 6: Advanced NURBS Modeling Chapter 7: Preparing Models for Animation Part III: Character Setup Chapter 8: Deformers Chapter 9: Joints and Skeletons Chapter 10: Skinning and Advanced Deformations Chapter 11: Connecting Attributes Chapter 12: Character Controls Chapter 13: MEL Scripting Part IV: Animation Chapter 14: Animation Basics Chapter 15: Character Animation Chapter 16: Animation Tools Part V: Texturing, Lighting, and Rendering Chapter 17: Texture Basics Chapter 18: Texturing in Practice Chapter 19: Painting a Maya Chapter 20: Lights and Cameras Chapter 21: Rendering Part VI: Particles, Emitters, and Fields Chapter 22: Particles and Fields Chapter 23: Advanced Particle Systems and Effects Chapter 24: Rigid and Soft Body Dynamics Chapter 25: Maya Hair Chapter 26: Maya Cloth Part VII: Postproduction Chapter 27: Rendering for Postproduction Chapter 28: Compositing in Postproduction INDEX

About the Author

Tom Meade is a fulltime instructor at the Academy of Art University. Shinsaku Arima is a 3D artist at Dreamworks. His credits include work on the blockbuster films The Matrix: Reloaded, Over the Hedge, Madagascar, The Day After Tomorrow, and many others.