3D EssentialsAutodesk Maya

Getting to know the VFX and Gaming industry
• History of the VFX and Gaming industry
• Current affairs and trends in the VFX and Gaming industry
• The future of computer graphics

Getting to know the Maya program
• History of the Maya program
• Areas of application
• Basic concepts of working in Maya

Maya interface I
• Basic components of the interface
• Navigating the Maya interface
• Use of masks for selection
• Transform tools
• Snap tools

Maya interface II
• Editors in Maya (Outliner, Attribute Editor)
• Paranting and hierarchy
• Duplicate

Basics of poly modeling I
• Approaching the problem of modeling
• Getting acquainted with poly geometry
• Poly components
• Basic tools for poly modeling (Create Polygon Tool, Merge Vertices)

Basics of poly modeling II
• Advanced tools for poly modeling
• Considering unhealthy geometry

Basics of poly modeling III
• Techniques for optimizing modeling
• Testing technical defects of a model
• Applying deformers in modeling

Basics of poly modeling IV
• Applying advance techniques in modeling

Editing an interface
• Advantages of adjusting an interface
• Methods of increasing comfort and speed of work
• Creating a shelf
• Creating a marking menu
• Creating custom hot keys

Digital camera
• How a practical camera works
• Differences between a camera in Maya and a practical camera
• Application in the industry

Basics of rigging
• A look at the most common techniques
• Using rigging techniques in your every day work

Basics of dynamics
• Basic of NCloth
• Dynamics in modeling

UV mapping
• UV theory, purpose and examples of good and bad UV. Why good UV is essential for further production.
• UV difference between VFX and game set (UDIM vs game vs environment).
• Demonstration of UI Maya UV toolkit.
• Other UV applications.

UV mapping
• Demonstration of UV assembly for VFX (UDIM).
• Demonstration of UV sets for the game (as well as UV environment kits).

Texturing in Substance Painter I – Introduction to Substance Painter and PBR
• Scope.
• Introduction to the interface, introduction to the Tool.
• What is PBR, PBR components.

Texturing in Substance Painter II – Basics of Substance Painter I
• Creating materials, creating masks.

Texturing in Substance Painter III – Basics of Substance Painter II
• Application of other tools (Brushes, Projections, Text, Anchor Point ().

Texturing in Substance Painter IV – UDIM
• What is UDIM, UDIM Workflow.
• Industry examples.
• A practical example of UDIM.

Texturing in Substance Painter V – Work in Production
• Preparation for production.
• Tips and Tricks.
• Common mistakes.

VFX and Game production (VFX and Game pipeline)
• Organization of project
• Work ethic
• Approaching work with the aim of attaining the best possible results
• Interpersonal relations in the workplace

Upon completion of the course students will receive the internationally recognized Autodesk Certificate of Completion, as well as the Crater VFX Training Center Certificate.

Milos Jovanovic
Freelance Character Rigger and 3D Generalist @ Crater Studio

One of Crater VFX Training Center’s most experienced trainers, Miloš is a man with a wealth of knowledge he enjoys sharing with others. In addition to being a superb generalist and Maya expert, Milos is also involved in rigging, animation and particle, light and rendering, as well as matchmoves as part of the Crater Studio team. Challenges are his natural habitat, and he is constantly working on learning new software. Familiar with both studio and freelance work, he teaches skills but also provides guidance on how to successfully work and build a career in the VFX industry. A team player, he enjoys working to get the best out of people and help them develop their skills, and teaches hard surface modeling on 3D Essentials Course.

Branislav Pavlović
Environment Artist @ LAV Games

Following his passion for video games and developing game assets, Branislav has left his mark in the AAA industry by working on ambitious projects such as the well-known Tom Clancy Ghost Recon Breakpoint franchise as a Weapon & Level Artist. Some of his most exciting projects have not yet seen the light of day but we hope we’ll get to see them soon enough.

Branislav currently works as an Environment Artist at LAV Games, continuously developing new skills for creating environments in video games. He loves all aspects of video games and enjoys talking about all the things he finds fascinating. He is doing it in a professional capacity as a lecturer on 3D Essentials and Environment Art courses at Crater VFX Training Center.