Introducing Autodesk Maya 2013 -- Acknowledgments -- About the Author -- Contents -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D -- Art? -- Computer Graphics -- The Stages of Production -- The CG Production Workflow -- Core Concepts -- Basic Film Concepts -- Summary -- Chapter 2: Jumping in Headfirst, with Both Feet -- You Put the U in UI -- Project Overview: The Solar System -- The Preproduction Process: Planning -- Creating a Project -- The Production Process: Creating and Animating the Objects -- Hierarchy and Maya Object Structure -- The Solar System Resumed -- Outputting Your Work: Playblasting -- Summary -- Chapter 3: The Autodesk Maya 2013 Interface -- Navigating in Maya -- Exploring the Maya Layout -- Building a Decorative Box -- Mapping the Box's Reference Planes with Hypershade -- Organizing Workflow with Layer Editor -- Modeling the Decorative Box -- Editing the Decorative Box Model Using the Shelf -- Continuing the Decorative Box Model -- Finishing the Decorative Box Model -- Summary -- Chapter 4: Beginning Polygonal Modeling -- Planning Your Model -- Polygon Basics -- Poly Editing Tools -- Putting the Tools to Use: Making a Simple Hand -- Creating Areas of Detail on a Poly Mesh -- Modeling a Catapult -- Suggestions for Modeling Polygons -- Summary -- Chapter 5: Modeling with NURBS, Subdivisions, and Deformers -- NURBS! NURBS! -- Using NURBS Surfacing to Create Polygons -- Converting a NURBS Model to Polygons -- Editing NURBS Surfaces -- Patch Modeling: A Locomotive Detail -- Using Artisan to Sculpt NURBS -- Modeling with Simple Deformers -- The Lattice Deformer -- Animating Through a Lattice -- Subdivision Surfaces -- Creating a Starfish -- Building a Teakettle -- Summary -- Chapter 6: Practical Experience -- Evaluating the Table Lamp -- Modeling the Base -- Creating the Lamp Stem -- Modeling the Lampshade.

Making the Toy Airplane -- Using References -- Finishing the Toy Airplane -- Updating the Reference -- Summary -- Chapter 7: Autodesk Maya Shading and Texturing -- Maya Shading -- Shader Types -- Shader Attributes -- Texturing the Table Lamp -- Textures and Surfaces -- Textures and UVs for the Red Wagon -- Photo-real Mapping: The Decorative Box -- For Further Study -- Summary -- Chapter 8: Introduction to Animation -- Keyframe Animation-Bouncing a Ball -- Throwing an Axe -- Replacing an Object -- Animating Flying Text -- Rigging the Locomotive, Part 1 -- Animating the Catapult -- Summary -- Chapter 9: More Animation! -- Skeletons and Kinematics -- Skeletons: The Hand -- Inverse Kinematics -- Basic Relationships: Constraints -- Basic Relationships: Set-Driven Keys -- Application: Rigging the Locomotive -- Summary -- Chapter 10: Autodesk Maya Lighting -- Basic Lighting Concepts -- Maya Lights -- Light Linking -- Adding Shadows -- Raytracing Soft Shadows -- mental ray Lighting -- mental ray Physical Sun and Sky -- Lighting Effects -- Lighting the Table Lamp and Decorative Box -- Further Lighting Practice -- Tips for Using and Animating Lights -- Summary -- Chapter 11: Autodesk Maya Rendering -- Rendering Setup -- Previewing Your Render: The Render View Window -- Reflections and Refractions -- Using Cameras -- Motion Blur -- Batch Rendering -- Rendering the Wine Bottle -- mental ray for Maya -- Render Layers -- Final Gather -- Ambient Occlusion -- HDRI -- Displacement Mapping the Decorative Box -- Rendering the Lamp and Decorative Box -- Summary -- Chapter 12: Autodesk Maya Dynamics and Effects -- An Overview of Dynamics and Maya Nucleus -- Rigid and Soft Dynamic Bodies -- Animating with Dynamics: The Pool Table -- Fun Dynamics: Shoot the Catapult! -- nParticle Dynamics -- Emitting nParticles -- Animating a Particle Effect: Locomotive Steam.

Introduction to Paint Effects -- Toon Shading -- Customizing Maya -- Summary -- Where Do You Go from Here? -- Index -- Color Gallery.