Messing with Maya Buttons and Basic Shapes

In Class:

-Overview & Intro to 3D modeling

-user interface of Maya 2011

-Explanation of navigation in 3D space

-How to see the shape of everyday objects and how to interpret them into their most basic forms in 3D space

Lecture Notes:

-when you have time, look at the intro movies "essential  skill movies," it'll help you

-window/view port, the main screen, the grid thingy

-uppermost menu has the main menu

--maya organizes based on sub categories (when you click on the left pull down and click on the word it'll change the top menu)

--will be mainly working with surfaces

-most menus have a box

--is the option box

---if you want many diff save versions, click "ignore version" underneath "file" -> "open (and checkbox)"

----the first place you want to go if you're having trouble opening your files

-(surfaces) -> create -> NURBS Primitives -> Sphere

--shade by clicking on the blue box on the list above the view port

---you want to be able to move it around

--panels->orthographic->front

--go back by panels->perspective->perspective

-cube (top right in the view port) is often something you want to avoid because it can mess up the perspective

-the items to the left bar next to the view port won't be used for this class

-the circle with a white BG underneath the "show"  (its called resolution gate)

-sqaure w "highlights" will allow you to see the wireframe of the object

-"grey scale square" to the far right above the view port is the x ray option that allows you to see whats behind the object

--will be used in homework

Homework: Review interface and navigation of Maya 2011 (mine is 2012)

Creation of Nurbs objects 

-using loft, planar, and revolve