What you'll learn

In this Maya tutorial, we will look at rendering and enhancing a cowgirl character model into an image ready for print. We will begin these lessons with the final result from the Creative Development: Modeling a Cowgirl Character in Maya and Silo. We will continue on with our cowgirl character and take her to the next level. By adding color, light, and texture we will bring her to life all while sharing some essential time-saving tips. Starting in Maya, we will explore how to light the scene before we apply and adjust a series of shaders to add a splash of color. We will then output the various render passes we need to move into Photoshop and enhance the overall image. Finally, we will work in some finer details as we apply layers of texture before we complete her look by painting in her hair and adding a background. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a good understanding of lighting and rendering in Maya, along with working with render passes and image-based lighting. You will also be confident in taking a render into Photoshop to enhance its look without the use of UVs or complex shaders. Software required: Maya 2012, Photoshop CS4.