Playing with 3D Modeling in MAYA

For someone who has a lot of ideas, it is not always easy to convey them. I struggled with visualizing prototypes and models of art projects, and even more so trying to relay those ideas to my teammates and peers. So learning 3D modeling and animation basics seemed like the natural next step to tackle this issue. 

3D Modeling objects and scenes:

Creating objects in a 3D space was a liberating experience for me (and oddly therapeutic). However, creating scenes in MAYA taught me more about incorporating science of the real world to make those objects come alive.

Playing with lighting: Various sources of light and reflections on surfaces play a significant role in making virtual scenes appear realistic. These two images were taken of an interior scene where I tried to capture a morning and afternoon vibe through varying light sources and features.

A powerful aspect of 3D modeling is understanding materials. In the following snapshot, I tried to map textures onto objects which viewers can easily distinguish as, for example, glass vase, marble table, fabric on armchair etc. Another challenge I faced was rendering the scenes using Arnold in MAYA. There is still some visible noise post render that can only be fixed through more advanced knowledge on lighting for render.

Animating 3D models:

I learned to create tracks for 3D objects to follow within an animation sequence. The following is a model of a rocket in action, captured through two cameras – one for a birds-eye view (left) and the other attached to the rocket (right).

Getting the physics right:

One other fun aspect of animating 3D models was emulating real world behavior using the dynamics feature. The following clip is a small animation I attempted by adding physical properties to the models.

Learning all this is only the first step. Although my skills are still at intermediate level, my goal is to eventually create more dynamic worlds in this 3D space and give form to my abstract ideas. This is also an incredibly powerful tool for prototyping and product design which I hope to work with in the future.