1. Introduction to 3D Art and Animation
Lesson B (week 2): Useful Modeling Techniques and Intro to UV Mapping

2. Critical Modeling Techniques 1
MODELING TOOLKIT: Extrude:
Extrude to make a new form, apply transforms. Extrude an edge to pull it out (and then target weld ).
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

3. Critical Modeling Techniques 2
MODELING TOOLKIT: MultiCut:
Cutting new shapes, Connecting vertices to make quads. Also, hold [Ctrl] to add Edge Loops.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

4. Critical Modeling Techniques 3
MODELING TOOLKIT: Connect:
Vertex and Edge.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

5. Critical Modeling Techniques 4
MODELING TOOLKIT: Bridge:
Create geometry between forms, fill a hole by bridging between opposite edges.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

6. Critical Modeling Techniques 5
MODELING TOOLKIT: Target Weld:
sdfsfsdf.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

7. Critical Modeling Techniques 6
MODELING TOOLKIT: Bevel:
sdfsfsdf.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

8. Critical Modeling Techniques 7
MODELING TOOLKIT: Combine vs Separate:
sdfsfsdf.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

9. Critical Modeling Techniques 8
MESH TOOLS: Create Poly:
sdfsfsdf.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

10. Critical Modeling Techniques 9
MESH TOOLS: Collapse vs Merge:
sdfsfsdf.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

11. Critical Modeling Techniques 10
Detach/Separate:
Breaking off part of an object takes two functions:
Select the faces to be broken off.
Edit Mesh > Detach, so all vertices along the seam (between selected and non-selected) are doubled.
Modeling Toolkit (or Mesh menu) > Separate (to break the faces into a new object)
In Object Mode, click in an empty area of the viewport, click back on the new broken-off piece.

12. Critical Modeling Techniques 11
MESH DISPLAY: Soften Edge, Harden Edge, and Reverse:
sdfsfsdf.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

13. Critical Modeling Techniques 12
MESH: Fill Hole:
sdfsfsdf.
In thzxczc.
In zcc
zxczc
zczc

14. Useful Modeling Techniques 1
NURBS Curves: Revolve:
Revolve can be used to quickly create objects which are round and symmetrical in 360 degrees, like a vase, bowl, or lightbulb.
In the Curves/ Surfaces Shelf, choose the EP Curve Tool.
In the Front Viewport, click to draw half a cross-section of the desired form. So, for a vase, draw half of a 2D vase from the outside to the inside, starting at the bottom, leaving the center empty. Finish the form by hitting [return]. If you need to adjust the form after hitting [Return], RightClickHold for Control Vertex, select around and move/scale/rotate the points.
In Object Mode, Modify > Center Pivot and Hit [d] to move the pivot to where the center of the full object would be.
Modeling Module Surfaces menu > Revolve.
You can select the new form and drag it away from the original curve. You can also convert the result to a polygon model: find Modify > Convert > NURBS to Polygons and choose the Option Box. Keep “Type” at Quads, but consider switching “Tesselation Method” to General in order to set U and V Numbers to get a cleaner final surface grid (try 20 each).

15. Useful Modeling Techniques 2
NURBS Curves: Loft: Loft can be used to quickly create Curved topology based on multiple cross-sections, particularly good for hanging cloth, like curtains.
In the Curves/ Surfaces Shelf, choose the EP Curve Tool.
In the Top Viewport, click to draw the bottom of a curtain as it would touch the floor: multiple “wave” curves.
In the Persp Viewport, hit Cmd+[d] to duplicate twice and drag those copies up to be the midpoint the top of the curtain. In the top curve move the outward control points down to be the hang of the drape. In the midpoint scale the CVs closer together in depth to allow the curves to grow at the bottom, or in width to tie the curtain to a side.
In Object Mode select the bottom curve and [Shift]+click the middle and then the top, so all are selected in order.
Modeling Module Surfaces menu > Loft.
You can select the new form and drag it away from the original curve. You can also convert the result to a polygon model: find Modify > Convert > NURBS to Polygons and choose the Option Box. Keep “Type” at Quads, but consider switching “Tesselation Method” to General in order to set U and V Numbers to get a cleaner final surface grid (try 20 each).

16. Useful Modeling Techniques 3
Extrude Along a Spline:
Polygon Extrusion can be made to follow a spline curve. This can be useful to make power cords, wires, pipes, and hoses.
In the Curves/ Surfaces Shelf, choose the EP Curve Tool.
In the Top Viewport, draw the spline path you want for your extrusion. Hit [Return] and move it so the start of the line you created is very close to the polygon face you want to extrude.
In the Persp Viewport, select the Polygon object, and in Face mode select the face. [Shift]+select the EP Curve and hit [Extrude].
Increase the Extrude Divisions to make the extrusion follow the curve.

17. Useful Modeling Techniques 4
Booleans: Boolean operations allow us to merge two forms (instantly removing the interior geometry), or subtract one form from another. Booleans must be performed on clean, modular geometry or the result can be null (object disappears): no interior/broken geometry.
Create two primitive objects and position them so they intersect.
In the Modeling module, choose Mesh menu > Boolean > Union to merge these two objects into a single form and automatically remove all intersecting geometry.
OR choose Mesh menu > Boolean > Difference to cut the second selected object out of the first, building the inverse of the second surface into the hole.
Follow up any Boolean with cleanup:
Edit > Delete by Type > History
Edit Mesh > Merge all vertices to remove any doubled verts
Use Connect to make quads to the new geometry

18. Modeling Tutorial 1: Cabinet
BODY:
Box Input Parameters.
Use Connect to add 6 h-lines and 2 v-lines, move to make doorways up top and 2 drawers below. Extrude shapes inward.
Curve the top: Connect 3 more lines, pull upwards to make curve.
DRAWERS:
New Box, size for drawers.
Extrude + scale in to inset, extrude inward.
To make a knob: extrude front, scale in to inset, bevel vertices for 8-sided shape, extrude bar, extrude ball. Also try a handle!
DOORS:
New Box, size for door.
Create box for door window, duplicate for 4. Select all 4 and Combine. Select Door, [Shift] + select windows, and hit Boolean > Difference.
Hit [d], move pivot to side.
Select meshes, Edit > Delete By Type > History.

19. Modeling Tutorial 2: Barstool
Cylinder Input settings
Change Viewport to Bottom view
Set scale tool to viewport culling, select groups of five vertices and non-uniform scale flat.
Poly component mode, Select 8-sided shape, Extrude support structure.
Extrude legs.
Use Connect to draw 2 dividing lines.
Bridge between legs to make supports
Bevel edges at bottom.
Extrude and shrink top to make pillow.
Edit > Delete By Type > History

20. Delete History and Saving
Please DELETE YOUR HISTORY by selecting objects and hitting Edit menu > Delete By Type > History. Do this every hour or two, and certainly before you save your file and close Maya for the day to upload your work.
To guard against crashes and loss of work, please Save and Save As a new file every hour (so you can never lose more than an hour’s work): YourName_Character01.mb, YourName_Character02.mb, etc.
Save your work to an online repository every day (Dropbox.com, Google drive) so you have a backup in case your computer fails.