Simply Maya - Sand Speeder - HiDef

Welcome to the first SimplyMaya.com showcased tutorial we hope to release one of these per month. This one is brought to you by Jason Edwards author of the popular internet 3D comic strip Outlaws Tales. Luckily for us Jason has just finished a series for the Discovery channel and has kindly consented to spend some time working with SimplyMaya to bring us a series of new tutorials the first of which we present to you in our new Hi Definition video format. [View Sample]
Simply Maya brings you this brand new 14 part hardsurface modelling and texturing tutorial in conjunction with Outlaws Tales. The tutorial is aimed at people who have an understanding of the fundamentals of Maya , Photoshop and Zbrush.
The project begins by setting up image plains in Maya to use as a reference guide for the start of the model, then gets straight to business by blocking out the basic forms using polygons. The following chapters then take you through an overview of a modelling process to help you finish the vehicle off. Techniques such as looking at real world references, path extrusion, radial placement and mesh extraction of objects are covered here as well as the standard modelling tools of Maya.
Once the majority of modelling is over its time to begin setting up the model for texturing and how to set up a uv map and optimise it in Maya’s Texture editor. On completion of the uv map the next chapters look at creating texture maps to help give the model a more realistic look. As well as using Photoshop for this process, you’ll be introduced to Zbrush. Using both programs separately and also in unison, you’ll see how to quickly achieve good looking textures.
In the final chapters the textures are placed onto the model ready for rendering in a scene using just a 2d image as a background and a ground plane for shadowing. Then, rendering using Mental Rays Final Gather and a few spotlights, an overview is given showing how to make the Vehicle ‘fit’ into the 2d backdrop, similar to techniques used in motion pictures and television.