Maya 5 Character Creation Master Techniques

Author: Ma Lai Fei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Readers should have a basic understanding of the Maya interface and know how to navigate in 3D space. For new users, it is recommended to start with the learning guide provided alongside the software technical documentation. Additionally, new Maya users are advised to purchase the book "Maya 4.5 Fundamentals" written by Jim Lemmers and Lee Gooding, which provides a very detailed introduction to the Maya software.
Who is this book not for? Maya is a powerful 3D program that offers a variety of tools for every aspect of the 3D creation process. This book focuses on how to create and build 3D animated characters. Although it introduces how to create and control 3D character animations, it is not a book about animation. Carefully compiled by professional 3D experts in the United States, this book systematically introduces knowledge related to creating character models and character animations. The book is divided into 7 chapters, covering topics such as creating organic 3D characters, creating the skin of bipedal characters, setting up character skeletons, skin deformation, setting up facial animations for characters, using MEL scripts to create character controls, and completing character setups for animation. These topics encompass all aspects of character creation and character animation. From a practical perspective and considering the characteristics of the models and the Maya software itself, the author introduces different methods to create characters.
This book covers the content of designing, modeling bipedal 3D characters, and setting up animation controls for bipedal 3D characters. In each chapter, it introduces the concepts, techniques, and Maya tools used in each step of the production process, followed by supplementary exercises and examples. When explaining the production process, it not only describes "how" to do it but also explains "why" it is done that way. The book also dedicates a significant portion to explaining MEL scripting.