Featuring completely original material from a new team of Maya know-it-alls, this second edition of an award-winning book is sure to inform and inspire even the most seasoned Maya user. In this distinctive Maya Press title, a cadre of professionals led by two acclaimed Maya pros, reveal the precious secrets they’ve learned using Maya on high-profile CG projects such as The Matrix, Shrek 2, and X-Men.


In nine unique and compelling chapters, you’ll get detailed and sophisticated instruction on how to:

* Enhance fluidity and realism by generating complex motion with Maya Cloth
* Apply non-photorealistic rendering styles that mimic the look of comic books and impressionist paintings
* Emulate real-world camera motion, from dolly-and-pan movement to varying levels of camera shake
* Produce natural lighting effects using global illumination and image based lighting
* Ensure smooth and accurate transfer of character data from modeling to rigging to animation to lighting
* Control IK chains, deformers, and surfaces with Maya Hair's dynamic curves
* Use dynamics effectively to create flexible objects and add secondary effects to enhance your animation
* Use Maya’s built-in noise function to produce powerful effects similar to those used in “The Matrix” trilogy
* Create a human face from a conceptual sketch using subdivision surfaces