The Ultimate Maya 2009 Resource for Intermediate to Advanced Users

If you already know the basics of Maya, now you can elevate your skills with Maya 2009 and the advanced coverage in this authoritative new reference and tutorial. From modeling, texturing, animation, and visual effects to high-level techniques for film, television, games, and more, this book provides professional-level instruction on Maya Complete and Maya Unlimited.

This fully updated book brings you up to speed on Maya 2009's new features and expands your skills with advanced instruction on cloth, fur, and fluids. You'll learn Dynamics, Maya Muscle, Stereo Cameras, Assets, rendering with mental ray, and more. Filled with challenging tutorials and real-world scenarios from some of the leading professionals in the industry, this one-of-a-kind guide gives you valuable insight into the entire CG production pipeline.

If you've been looking for a complete, professional-quality Maya resource to turn to again and again, this is the book for you.

The companion DVD provides video files to drive home concepts, as well as images and scene files that help you complete the exercises and compare your work to the pros.

* Use nParticles to create dynamic simulations and explosions
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Create realistic human skin for characters using advanced mental ray shader techniques
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Learn professional lighting, rendering, and compositing techniques using mental ray Render Layers and Render Passes