What you'll learn

Learn a production workflow layout, set dressing, and time-saving techniques for modeling, texturing, and scene development. Contains over 3 hours of project-based training and guides artists step-by-step through a proven approach to story-telling with set dressing, designing with art direction, and processes of building natural sets and environments as seen in animated feature films. Popular highlights include: Using References in Set Design; Creating a Natural Layout; Story-telling Through Layout; Working with Art Direction; Creating Foliage with Paint Effects; Placing Models with geometryPaint; Displacing Geometry with Height Maps; Working with Issues of Scale; Rigging Props; Animating Props; Modeling Natural Objects and Props; Adding Procedural Texture; Adding mental ray Shaders; Painting Placement/Texture Guides; Importing Artwork; Scene Management. Software required: Maya 8 and up (2008 required for project files).