Project 3: Group Scene

Collaborate with your group to create a scene based on a location nearby.
Each team member will model and texture parts of the scene that will be be collected and assembled into a master scene. As you develop the scene, identify elements that may be duplicated and re-used to create a sense of scale and place.
We'll take a look at the master scenes, as well as your work for projects 1 & 2 on Tuesday, February 14.

Project 2: Textured scene

I. Project Overview

Using your newfound skills, model and texture a scene with textures. Keep the geometry simple! We'll cover UV mapping and materials as well as more advanced modeling techniques.

Here's the basic construction order:
1. Model - get the geometry set before you UV map. Changes in geometry will affect the UVs.
2. UV Map - prepare a UV map for each object. Export the UV map as a .png file.
3. Texture Painting. In Photoshop, open your exported UV map to use as a guide for painting your textures.
4. Surfacing - create Materials for your objects. Use your 2D texture maps to define the attributes of your materials (Color, Bump, Specularity, etc.).

Here're a few texture maps to get you started - click 'em to enlarge and download the high res versions. Put 'em in your project folder in the sourceimages folder.

II. Technique: Materials, UV Mapping, Texture Maps 

1. Overview of entire Maya to Photoshop to Maya process



2. Intro to Maya Materials




3. Intro to Maya UV Mapping and Texture Making



4. UV Editing Techniques: Split, Move, Sew, UV Shells

III. Example 1: UV Mapping and Texturing a Model

1. Concept and template drawn in PhotoShoppe (note proportions are different in final model):

2. Modeling in progress:

3. Wireframe finished:

4. UV mapping and textures:

5. Grind Date:

IV Example 2: Model, Texture, and Composite

 

 Reference Shot

 

Wireframe

3D shot with alpha channel

+

2D image in PhotoShoppe

=

Final composite image

Project 1: Snowman and Environment

Create a snowman and an environment for it to inhabit. Capture 5 screen caps and post them to your blog by Thursday, January 19.

Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927).  

How's about some Piranesi? From the Carceri (Prisons) c. 1745-50. 

These have been a big influence on just about everybody designing big, fantastical scenes with gigantic architectural scale.

BLOG
You are required to keep a blog for this course and post all of your lab projects there. If you're new to bloggin', I recommend blogger.com as it's free and easy to use. If you find a service that works better for you, however, by all means, go for it. Yes, you may use a blog you have started before this class, just make sure you label your posts clearly so I don't get cranky. Once you have your blog set up, post your name and your blog's URL as a comment to this post.

PHOTO
Take a photo of your self and post it in the "about me" section of your blog.

DEMO MATERIALS:
Here is a 10 minute video to get you started with Maya