Why Maya?

Autodesk Maya /ˈmɑːjə/, commonly shortened to Maya, is 3D computer graphics software that runs on Windows, Mac OS and Linux, originally developed by Alias Systems Corporation (formerly Alias|Wavefront) and currently owned and developed by Autodesk, Inc. It is used to create interactive 3D applications, including video games, animated film, TV series, or visual effects. The product is named after the Sanskrit word Maya(माया māyā), the Hindu concept of illusion.^[3]

mxdt0003-Creating Microsoft Windows logo in 3ds Max Design

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a Microsoft Windows logo in 3ds Max Design, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1  The Microsoft Windows logo

The following steps are required to complete this tutorial:

1. Start Autodesk 3ds Max Design from the Start menu; the default Max Design interface is displayed, as shown in Figure 2.
   
   
   
   Figure 2  The default interface of 3ds Max Design
2. Turn off the gridlines in Top, Front, and Left viewports by pressing the G key to make the objects visible.
3. Choose Create > Shapes in the Command Panel and invoke the Arc tool from the Object Type rollout.
4. Activate the Top viewport and create an arc, as shown in Figure 3.
   
   
   
   Figure 3  Creating an arc in the Top viewport
5. You will now create a duplicate copy of the arc. To do so, select the arc in the Top viewport, press and hold the left mouse button and drag it down while holding the SHIFT key. Now release the left mouse button and the SHIFT key; the Clone Options dialog box is displayed. Select the Copy radio button in this dialog box and then choose the OK button; a duplicate copy of the arc is created, as shown in Figure 4.
   
   
   
   Figure 4  Creating a duplicate copy of the arc
6. In the Top viewport, right-click on any arc and choose Convert To > Convert To Editable Spline from the cascading menu, as shown in Figure 5.
   
   
   
   Figure 5 Converting the arc into editable spline
7. Choose the Modify tab in Command Panel. Next, choose the Vertex button to activate it in the Selection rollout.
8. Expand the Geometry rollout and choose the Attach button. Next, select the other arc in the Top viewport and choose the Connect button.
9. Select the one end of first arc and drag it to connect with the opposite end of second arc.
10. Similarly, select the one end of second arc and drag it to connect with the opposite end of first arc. The two arcs are joined at their ends by the two lines, as shown in Figure 6.
    
    
    
    Figure 6  The two arcs joined at their ends by the two lines
11. Choose the Vertex button again to deselect it. Next, select the arc in the Top viewport and name it as Arc01. It is now a single shape and not two separate arcs.
12. With the Arc01 selected, select the Extrude option in Modifier List drop-down list to extrude the shape.
13. In the Parameters rollout, set the value 900 in the Amount spinner; the shape is extruded, as shown in Figure 7.
    
    
    
    Figure 7  Extruding the shape
14. Create a duplicate copy of the Arc01. To do so, select the Arc01 in the Top viewport and then press and hold the left mouse button along with SHIFT key. Drag it down and then release the left mouse button and the SHIFT key; the Clone Options dialog box is displayed. Make sure the Copy radio button is selected and name it as Arc02. Now, choose the OK button; the duplicate copy is created, as shown in Figure 8.
    
    
    
    Figure 8  Creating the duplicate copy of the shape
15. Rotate the Arc02 180 degrees by using the Select and Rotate tool and align it with Arc01 in all viewports by using the Select and Move tool, as shown in Figure 9.
    
    
    
    
    Figure 9  Rotating the Arc02 and aligned it in all viewports
16. Now, create a duplicate copy of the two shapes (Arc01 and Arc02) and drag them down, as shown in Figure 10.
    
    
    
    Figure 10  Creating a duplicate shape
17. Invoke the Select and Move tool from the Main Toolbar and align the arc shape in all viewports to give a similar look just like Micorosoft Windows logo, as shown in Figure 11.
    
    
    
    Figure 11  Aligning the shapes in all viewports
18. Finally, apply the material for every shape by using the Material Editor dialog box. The material you apply should match the colors of the real Microsoft Windows logo, as shown in Figure 12.
    
    
    
    Figure 12  Applying the color materials to the shape
19. Invoke the Render Production tool from the Main Toolbar to render the scene. The final rendered image of the Microsoft Windows logo is shown in Figure 13.
    
    
    
    Figure 13  The final rendered image 
20. Save the scene with the name Microsoft Windows logo.

mxdt0002-Creating the model of the chair using the lofting technique

In this section, you will use the lofting technique to create the model of the chair in 3ds Max Design. You will loft two shapes, star and circle along a path to get the desired shape as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1  The model of the chair

Before starting the work, you need to change the unit settings in 3ds Max Design. To do so, start Autodesk 3ds Max Design; a default interface is displayed. Choose Customize > Units Setup from the menu bar; the Units Setup dialog box is displayed, as shown in Figure 2. Select the US Standards radio button and Inches radio button under the Display Unit Scale region. Now, choose the OK button to close this dialog box.

                                                   Figure 2  The Units Setup dialog box

The following steps are required to complete this tutorial:

1.   Activate the Front viewport. Choose Create > Shapes in the Command Panel and invoke the Line tool from the Object Type rollout.

2.   Expand the Keyboard Entry rollout and set the values in spinners as given next. Choose the Add button    after each entry:

       X: 4'0"                    Y: 0'0"                    Z: -2'8"
       X: 4'0"                    Y: 1'6"                    Z: -2'8"               
       X: 5'0"                    Y: 1'6"                    Z: -2'8"
       X: 5'0"                    Y: 3'0"                    Z: -2'8"

3.   Choose the Finish button after the final entry to complete the process and enter the name of the line as Chair Frame in the Name and Color rollout. The Chair Frame is created, as shown in Figure 3.

                                                                   Figure 3  The Chair Frame created

4.   Choose Create > Shapes in the Command Panel and invoke the Star tool from the Object Type rollout.

5.   Expand the Parameters rollout and set the value 5 in the Points spinner. In the Keyboard Entry rollout, set the values in the spinners as given next:

       Radius 1: 1'0"          Radius 2: 0'1 1/2"          Fillet Radius 1: 0'1"          Fillet Radius 2: 0'1"

6.   Choose the Create button and enter the name of the shape as Chair Shape in the Name and Color rollout.

7.   Choose Create > Shapes in the Command Panel and invoke the Circle tool from the Object Type rollout.

8.  In the Keyboard Entry rollout, set the value 1" in the Radius spinner and then choose the Create button. Enter the name as Chair Rail in the Name and Color rollout.

9.   Select Chair Frame and choose Create > Geometry in the Command Panel. Select the Compound Objects in the drop-down list below the Geometry button.

10. Invoke the Loft tool from the Object Type rollout.

11. In the Creation Method rollout, choose the Get Shape button. Now, select the Chair Shape in the viewport; the object is lofted. In the Name and Color rollout, enter the name of the lofted object as Frame.

12. Make sure the Frame is selected. Next, choose the Modify tab in the Command Panel. Expand the Parameters rollout and set the value 10 in the Path spinner.

13. Choose the Get Shape button in the Creation Method rollout and select the Chair Rail in any viewport; the new shape is created, as shown in Figure 4.

                                               
                                                         Figure 4  The new shape of the chair created

14.  Activate the Top viewport. Choose Create > Geometry in the Command Panel and select the Extended Primitives option from the drop-down list below the Geometry button.

15.  Invoke the Chamfer Box tool from the Object Type rollout.

16.  Expand the Keyboard Entry rollout and set the values in the spinners as given next:

        X: 3'11''               Y: 2'8"               Z: 1'7"
        Length: 1'6"          Width: 1'6"        Height: 0'3"         Fillet: 0'1"

17.  Choose the Create button and enter the name as Chair Seat in the Name and Color rollout.

18.  Make sure that Chamfer Box tool is active and  activate the Left viewport.

19.  Expand the Keyboard Entry rollout and set the values in the spinners as given next:

        X: -2'8"                Y: 3'0"                 Z: -4'11"
        Length: 0'8"          Width: 1'3"          Height: 0'3"          Fillet: 0'3"

20. Choose the Create button; the model of the chair is created, as shown in Figure 5.

                                                         
                                                           Figure 5  The model of the chair

21. Invoke the Render Production tool from the Main Toolbar; the final rendered output of the chair is displayed in a render window, as shown in Figure 6.

                                         

                                             Figure 6  The final rendered image of the chair

22.  Choose Save from the Application Menu to save the model.

maxdt0001-Working in a new Customizing Viewport Layout

This feature will guide you how to customize viewport layouts in Autodesk 3ds Max Design. You can use this technique to customize your workspace as per your requirements. This is very great technique to segregate your work in different workspaces to reduce time and extra effort. In other words, you can easily switch between a number of viewports. You can use the viewport layout bar to manage your viewport layout settings. This bar is opened by default along with Autodesk 3ds Max Design interface.

To learn how to use this customization technique, follow the steps given below:

• Start Autodesk 3ds Max Design; the default interface is displayed along with the viewport layout bar, as shown in Figure 1.

                                             Figure 1  The default interface displayed

• Choose the Create a New Viewport Layout Tab icon from the viewport layout bar; the list of different in-built layouts is displayed in the Standard Viewport Layouts window, as shown in  Figure 2.

Figure 2  The list of in-built layouts displayed

• Choose any one tab from the list of Standard Viewport Layouts window; the new workspace is displayed, as shown in Figure 3. Note that the new tab is also added in the viewport layout bar.

  Figure 3  The new workspace displayed

• To rename this workspace, righ-click on the newly added tab; a flyout is displayed. In this flyout, enter the name as Workspace 1 in the Name text box, as shown in Figure 4. Press the ENTER key to confirm the changes. You can also delete this tab by clicking on the Delete Tab, refer to Figure 4.

Figure 4  Renaming the workspace

          Next, you will start working on this newly created workspace.

• Choose Create > Geometry in the Command Panel. Make sure the Standard Primitive options is selected in the drop-down list, as shown in Figure 5.

                              Figure 5  The Command Panel

• Invoke the Sphere tool from the Object Type rollout and create a sphere in any viewport, as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6  Creating a sphere

• Activate the Front viewport. Select the sphere by invoking the Select and Move tool. Hold the SHIFT key and drag the sphere to the right. Now, release the mouse and the SHIFT key; the Clone Options dialog box is displayed. Select the Copy radio button and enter 5 in the Number of Copies spinner, as shown in Figure 7. Choose the OK button; the five copies of sphere are created, as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 7  The Clone Options dialog box

Figure 8  Five copies of sphere created

• Invoke the Select and Move, Select and Rotate, and Select and Uniform Scale tools from the Main Toolbar. Next, modify the shape of the spheres and align them in all viewports, as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9  Modifying and aligning the spheres

• Choose Group > Group from the menu bar; the Group dialog box is displayed. Enter the name Sphere01 in the Group name text box to group these spheres, as shown in Figure 10. 

Figure 10  The Group dialog box

         Next, you will create another sphere in the Perspective viewport and animate it in such a way so that it  
         will revolve round the Sphere01. 

• Activate the Perspective viewport and create another sphere and scale down its size by using the Select and Scale tool.
• Choose the Toggle Auto Key Mode button in the time controls to enter the animation mode, as shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11  The time controls

• Enter 25 in the current frame spinner and press the ENTER key.
• Invoke the Select and Move tool from the Main Toolbar and Selection Lock Toggle button on the status bar.
• Activate the Top viewport and change the view from Wireframe to Shaded.
• Select the sphere in the Top viewport and drag it in such a way so that it appears above the Shpere01 in the viewport, as shown in Figure 12.

Figure 12  Aligning sphere on the above of Sphere01

• Enter 50 in the current frame spinner and press the ENTER key to move the next frame.
• Move the sphere to the left of the Sphere01, as shown in Figure 13.

Figure 13  Aligning sphere on the left of Sphere01

• Enter 75 in the current frame spinner and press the ENTER key to move to next frame. Alternatively, you can directly drag the Time Slider to frame 75.
• Similarly, move the sphere below the Sphere01
• Enter 100 in the current frame spinner and press the ENTER key.
• Move sphere back to its original position, as shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14  Aligning sphere back to its original position

• Choose the Toggle Auto Key Mode button to exit the animation mode.
• Make sure the Perspective viewport is active and then choose the Play ANimation button to play the animation. The sphere will rotate around the Sphere01, as shown in Figure 15.

                                                        Figure 15  Sphere rotates around the Sphere01

• Save the scene.