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MAYA TUTORIAL NO.1 By Keith Legg

Maya artist Keith Legg has contributed the first in a series of tutorials that Proscenia will be offering. We hope that this Alias Maya 3D tutorial will be of value to those interested in learning more about this dynamic software package.

Keith is a 3D artist with the Oregon Research Institute's Applied Computer Simulations Lab (ACSL) in Eugene, Oregon. The Lab's research team is well known for the virtual reality programs it has designed to help physically disabled children operate motorized wheelchairs successfully and safely in the natural environment.

Keith has been the lead 3D artist for an Internet version of ACSL's wheelchair training program. It is an online environment in which multiple users can connect to a computer network that allows them to practice driving in a shared virtual space with other children from across the country. Keith uses Maya as the software of choice in creating the 3D environments in which these training activities take place.

The goal of today's Maya Tutorial is, according to the author, "...to make a simple control handle for a set of Venetian blinds. The objective is to link the blinds rotation channels to a common control we don't have to select each one to open the blinds. We also want a constraint so they do not rotate all 360 degrees because blinds do not do this in the real world."

Here are two links that Keith recommends for those interested learning more about 3D graphics:

We would also like to mention that the Alias Studio Personal Learning Edition, is a special free access for non-commercial use version of Studio® software. It is for anyone who wants to learn about 3D sketching, modeling, rendering and animation tools.

Photos courtesy of Keith Legg