Powerblaster
12-31-2006, 04:49 AM
How to create a basic object
A desk
Step 1 Create a new project go to File > Project > New
In here you would give the project a new name for example “desk” (note: Maya can’t read spaces so if you want to add more the one word either add an underscore “_” or just put the two words together (ex. New_Desk, or Newdesk))
Then browse for where you would like to put the new project folder. And for now all you need to do is select use defaults. Once this is done hit accept.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture1.jpg
Step 2 Now make sure your Maya is set to modeling and not animation or anything else. Now we are going to create a shape. There are quite a few different types of shapes that you can create here but the one we are going to use is a polygon primitive shape. First go to Create > Polygon Primitive > Cube. (Note you can also hold the space bar to get your hidden menu up to go to the Create option.)
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture2.jpg
Step 2.1 Here you can hit the space bar to change your view. You can have it set to be a split 4-way screen, or a close up screen of one of those views. When you hit the space bar make sure you mouse is on top of the screen you want to open up to get the close up.
Step 3 Now you have your cube created if you would like to see it as a full shape just hit the #5 key on your keyboard and if you want to change it back to your wire frame mode just click the #4 key. We are going to start off with the top of the table so what we are going to do is resize this cube. To do this you would click on the cube and then click the 5th icon down http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture3.jpg on the left side of your screen, or you can click the R key on your keyboard, which will do the same thing as the icon. Now if you want to change just the x, y, or z side you can just click on the corresponding icon. (Red X, Green Y, Z Blue) Now if you want to make the entire object large just click and drag the Yellow icon. This will change the entire objects size with the same proportions.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture4.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture5.jpg
Step 4 Now we are going to create the 4 legs of the table. You are going to create another polygon primitive cube. And then resize it to the way you want it to look. After you do this you’ll want to place it in the right spot. So similar to the way you sized the object on the left side of the Maya screen click the 3rd icon downhttp://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture6.jpg, or you can click the W key. This will get your move tool so you can move your object any way around in the x, y, or z-axis. Now to help you be able to see where you are putting your object I would change to the 4-way screen this way you can see the objects from different angles. First use the top view to put the leg in one of the corners. Then change to the top view so you can put the leg on the bottom of the tabletop.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture7.jpg
Step 5 We’re going to create the rest of the legs now. You can either create 3 other legs the same way you did with the other ones, or you can do it the easier way by copying and pasting. (Duplicate) So click on the object you want to copy and go to Edit > Copy and then Edit > Paste, or you can use the standard copy and paste hot keys. (Note when you copy and paste the object appears in the same exact spot as the original object so you might not notice it but it’s there.) Once it’s copied just use the move tool to move it into the right position. Do the same for the rest of the legs. You now have your basic table.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture8.jpg
A desk
Step 1 Create a new project go to File > Project > New
In here you would give the project a new name for example “desk” (note: Maya can’t read spaces so if you want to add more the one word either add an underscore “_” or just put the two words together (ex. New_Desk, or Newdesk))
Then browse for where you would like to put the new project folder. And for now all you need to do is select use defaults. Once this is done hit accept.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture1.jpg
Step 2 Now make sure your Maya is set to modeling and not animation or anything else. Now we are going to create a shape. There are quite a few different types of shapes that you can create here but the one we are going to use is a polygon primitive shape. First go to Create > Polygon Primitive > Cube. (Note you can also hold the space bar to get your hidden menu up to go to the Create option.)
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture2.jpg
Step 2.1 Here you can hit the space bar to change your view. You can have it set to be a split 4-way screen, or a close up screen of one of those views. When you hit the space bar make sure you mouse is on top of the screen you want to open up to get the close up.
Step 3 Now you have your cube created if you would like to see it as a full shape just hit the #5 key on your keyboard and if you want to change it back to your wire frame mode just click the #4 key. We are going to start off with the top of the table so what we are going to do is resize this cube. To do this you would click on the cube and then click the 5th icon down http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture3.jpg on the left side of your screen, or you can click the R key on your keyboard, which will do the same thing as the icon. Now if you want to change just the x, y, or z side you can just click on the corresponding icon. (Red X, Green Y, Z Blue) Now if you want to make the entire object large just click and drag the Yellow icon. This will change the entire objects size with the same proportions.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture4.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture5.jpg
Step 4 Now we are going to create the 4 legs of the table. You are going to create another polygon primitive cube. And then resize it to the way you want it to look. After you do this you’ll want to place it in the right spot. So similar to the way you sized the object on the left side of the Maya screen click the 3rd icon downhttp://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture6.jpg, or you can click the W key. This will get your move tool so you can move your object any way around in the x, y, or z-axis. Now to help you be able to see where you are putting your object I would change to the 4-way screen this way you can see the objects from different angles. First use the top view to put the leg in one of the corners. Then change to the top view so you can put the leg on the bottom of the tabletop.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture7.jpg
Step 5 We’re going to create the rest of the legs now. You can either create 3 other legs the same way you did with the other ones, or you can do it the easier way by copying and pasting. (Duplicate) So click on the object you want to copy and go to Edit > Copy and then Edit > Paste, or you can use the standard copy and paste hot keys. (Note when you copy and paste the object appears in the same exact spot as the original object so you might not notice it but it’s there.) Once it’s copied just use the move tool to move it into the right position. Do the same for the rest of the legs. You now have your basic table.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/Powerblaster/basic%20modeling/Picture8.jpg