This assignment introduces you to the process of creating a model using Maya. The purpose of this assignment will be to create models which will populate a particular room in a house. These models will be used in a later assignment in which you will work in groups of four or five. Each person will create and hand in two models.
What to do:
For this part of the assignment each person will bring in three objects which might be found in a specific room in a house, but it doesn't have to be a room in a house. It can be anywhere. For example, students in a previous class recreated objects from an Egyptian tomb. You may want to discuss with other students what objects they are modeling, and see if you can come up with fun and interesting ways of combining the objects in a scene. In future projects you will be working with a group in relation to your room and the objects that you create, so the more interesting you make them now, the more fun future projects will be. Each person will be responsible for modeling two of the three objects through all phases of modeling. The first model can be something simple, like a glass, or lamp or chair. The second, however, should be considerably more involved, e.g. flowers, food, fountains, clothing, etc. Look for objects in your dorm room or apartment and the homes of your parents, friends, or anyone else who lets you borrow stuff. Each person must bring the actual objects for which you will be modeling on Thursday, Oct 27. Photographs are not acceptable, regardless of how many photographs of different angles you bring.
What we're looking for:
The important thing to remember when working on your model is that we will be much more concerned with quality than complexity. Here are some tips to remember when designing your models:
Too much detail is as bad as too little -- remember that more detail can be added later with texture mapping.
Try not to use too much geometry (or too many CV's).
The model should have no cracks or seams.
Your models should not be too regular (noise and asymmetry are good).
One-sided surfaces (with outward-facing normals) render much faster.
The group's related models should be properly scaled to each other.
Be creative! Don't just make plates and chairs.
Technical Requirements:
Your scene should be uncluttered and easy to read. An easy way to help with this is to take your finished geometry, and export it as a selection (this assumes your curves and lights are not in the same hierarchy as your geometry):
Use a 1 Maya Unit = 1 cm scale
Delete any extra cameras and lights
Delete any unnecessary geometry such as construction curves or histories.
Group the entire object under a single node.
Name your object something sensible, and also name any major components. (For example, the front wheel of a bike should be called "frontwheel", not "torus#31")
Projects will be critiqued in class on Thursday, Nov 3. You will be required to turn in the Maya files and images rendered in the light cove (800 x 600 or greater resolution).
Tips:
Be sure to start early so you can bring your questions and problems to the help sessions.
Name your components as soon as you create them. It'll be much easier than changing them all later. Name your objects something simple. The idea is that the names should be easy to type. When you have a complex model and need to pick one little part, it is MUCH easier to pick it by name than with the mouse.
Take the time to learn keyboard shortcuts (especially for transforming the camera), the marking menus, and how to customize your workspace.