Contents -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: Understanding Lighting and Color -- Using 1-Point Lighting -- Using 2-Point Lighting -- Using 3-Point Lighting -- Using Naturalistic Lighting -- Using Stylized Lighting -- Understanding Color -- Color Theory Overview -- Checking Color Calibration -- A Note on Color Temperature -- Setting a White Point (White Balance) -- Step-by-Step: 3D Lighting Examples -- Chapter 2: Applying the Correct Maya Light Type -- Reviewing Maya Light Types -- Investigating Common Light Attributes -- Activating Light Manipulators -- Working with Light Decay -- Using Spot Lights -- Using Directional Lights -- Using Ambient Lights -- Using Point Lights -- Using Area Lights -- Using Volume Lights -- Linking and Unlinking Lights -- Generating Fogs and Glows -- Creating Light Fog -- Creating Light Glow -- Chapter Tutorial: Lighting an Interior -- Chapter 3: Creating High-Quality Shadows -- Rendering Depth Maps -- Understanding Depth Maps -- Refining Depth Maps -- Comparing Shadows -- Raytracing Shadows -- Linking and Unlinking Shadows -- Creating Effects Shadows -- Shadowing with Light Fog -- Shadowing with Paint Effects -- Shadowing with Maya Fur -- Shadowing with Maya nHair -- Chapter Tutorial: Creating Quality Shadows with nCloth and Paint Effects -- Chapter 4: Applying the Correct Material and 2D Texture -- Reviewing Shading Models and Materials -- Lambert -- Shading with Phong -- Shading with Blinn -- Shading with Phong E -- Shading with the Anisotropic Material -- Shading with a Shading Map -- Shading with a Surface Shader -- Shading with Use Background -- Reviewing 2D Textures -- Applying Cloth -- Applying Water -- Applying Perlin Noise -- Applying Ramps, Bitmaps, and Square Textures -- Mastering Extra Map Options -- Adjusting Filter and Filter Offset -- Choosing a Filter Type -- Shifting Color with Invert and Color Remap.

Layering Materials and Textures -- Chapter Tutorial: Re-creating Copper with Basic Texturing Techniques -- Chapter 5: Applying 3D Textures and Projections -- Exploring 3D Textures -- Applying Random 3D Textures -- Applying Natural Textures -- Applying Granular Textures -- Applying Abstract Textures -- Applying Environment Textures -- Working with Env Sphere and Env Cube -- Adjusting Env Chrome -- 2D Texture Projection Options -- Differentiating 2D Projection Types -- Positioning 3D Placement and Projection Icons -- Applying the Convert To File Texture Tool -- Chapter Tutorial: Creating Skin with Procedural Textures -- Chapter 6: Creating Custom Connections and Applying Color Utilities -- A Closer Look at Nodes -- Hypershade vs. Node Editor -- Creating and Exporting Nodes -- Assigning Materials -- Reading Node Connections -- Creating Custom Connections -- Making Connections in the Node Editor -- Node Editor Tips -- Employing Drag and Drop in the Hypershade -- Hypershade Tips -- Node Names and Connection Labels -- Using the Connection Editor -- A Note on Alpha and Transparency -- Organizing Nodes and Networks -- Shifting Colors -- Converting RGB to HSV -- Converting RGB to Luminance -- Blending Colors and Other Values -- Remapping Color -- Remapping HSV -- Remapping Value -- Smearing Colors -- Correcting Gamma and Adjusting Contrast -- Clamping Values -- A Note on Sliders and Superwhite -- Chapter Tutorial: Creating a Custom Iridescent Material in the Node Editor -- Chapter 7: Automating a Scene with Sampler Nodes -- Coordinate Spaces and DAG Hierarchies -- Common Coordinate Spaces -- Working with DAG Hierarchies -- Employing Samplers -- A Review of the Ramp Shader Material -- Using Sampler Info -- Using Light Info -- Texturing Particles with the Particle Sampler Utility -- Tying Into Nonmaterial Nodes -- Using Measurement Utilities.

Adding Distance Between to a Custom Network -- Chapter Tutorial: Building a Custom Crosshatch Shader -- Chapter 8: Harnessing the Power of Math Utilities -- Math Utilities -- Reversing Input -- Multiplying and Dividing -- Adding, Subtracting, and Averaging Values -- Using Expressions -- Changing the Range of a Value -- Mapping Per-Particle Attributes -- Working with Vectors and Matrices -- Testing a Condition -- Switching Outputs -- Using Esoteric Utilities and Scene Nodes -- Stenciling Color -- Applying Optical FX -- Understanding Scene Nodes -- Chapter Tutorial: Creating a Zoom-Dolly by Connecting Nonmaterial Attributes -- Chapter 9: Improving Textures with Custom UV Layouts and Maps -- Preparing UV Texture Space -- Working with NURBS Surfaces -- Rendering Ptex Textures in Maya 2015 -- Using the 3D Paint Tool -- PSD Support -- Bump, Normal, and Displacement Mapping -- Bump Mapping -- Normal Mapping -- Displacement Mapping -- Creating Textures with the Transfer Maps Tool -- Normal Mapping -- Baking Lighting and Shading Information -- Chapter Tutorial: Generating and Rendering a Displacement Map with the Transfer Maps Tool -- Chapter 10: Prepping for Successful Renders -- Determining Critical Project Settings -- Deciphering Aspect Ratios -- Maya Camera Types -- Selecting a Film Back -- Displaying Gates -- Selecting a Focal Length -- Selecting Frame Rates -- Mastering Render Settings -- Working with the Common Tab -- Prepping Maya Software Renders -- Using Maya Hardware Renderers -- Prepping Maya Vector Renders -- A Note on IPR -- Rendering with the Command Line -- Organizing the Render -- Selecting Image Formats -- Creating Depth of Field -- Applying Motion Blur -- Working with the Render Layer Editor -- Setting Up Render Layers -- Rendering Render Layers -- Creating Render Overrides -- Chapter Tutorial: Test Rendering with Maya Hardware 2.0.

Chapter 11: Raytracing, mental ray, and Effects Rendering -- Maya Software vs. mental ray -- Raytracing with Maya Software -- Comparing the Scanline and Raytracing Processes -- Maya Software Raytracing Optimization -- Setting Up a Raytrace -- Controlling Reflections -- Managing Refractions and Aberrations -- Raytracing with mental ray -- Understanding mental ray Unified Sampling -- Diagnosing Samples -- Using mental ray Motion Blur -- Controlling mental ray Depth Map Shadows -- Creating Reflections and Refractions with mental ray -- Solving Raytrace Errors -- Rendering with Dynamic Effects Systems -- An Introduction to Bifröst Liquids -- Shading and Lighting Fluid Effects -- Rendering nParticle Meshes -- Chapter Tutorial: Texturing and Rendering an Ice Cube -- Chapter 12: Working with mental ray Shaders, Global Illumination, and Final Gathering -- Applying mental ray Shaders -- Using the mia_material_x Shader -- Applying mi Series Shaders -- Using mental ray Environment Shaders -- Using mental ray Lens Shaders -- Applying Subsurface Scattering -- Contour Rendering -- Understanding Indirect Illumination -- Tracing Photons with Global Illumination -- Adjusting Photons -- Adjusting Global Illumination Attributes -- Reviewing Photon Hits -- Applying Photon-Traced Caustics -- Activating Importons -- Final Gathering -- Adjusting Final Gathering Attributes -- Working with Final Gathering Maps -- Controlling Final Gathering Quality -- Final Gathering with Irradiance -- Using Irradiance Particles -- Working with Volumetric Shaders -- A Note on Photonic Shaders -- Using mental Ray Light Shaders -- Chapter Tutorial: Using Global Illumination and Final Gathering with the Cornell Box -- Chapter 13: Color Management, HDR Workflow, and Render Passes -- Managing Color Spaces -- Color Space Overview -- Choosing Color Profiles for Textures.

Using the Color Management System -- Working with HDR -- Rendering 16- and 32-Bit Image Sequences -- Creating a Linear Workflow -- Using HDR Textures -- Applying Image-Based Lighting -- Indirect Lighting Options with IBL -- Adjusting the IBL System -- Using Physical Sun & Sky -- Rendering Passes -- Overview of Common Render Passes -- Creating Pass Contribution Maps and Render Passes -- Rendering Passes to Multichannel Formats -- Creating Material Overrides -- Rendering Ambient Occlusion Passes -- Rendering Passes with a _passes Shader -- Overview of Third-Party Renderers -- Book Wrap-Up -- Index.