Maya Fundamentals 3 & 4 Additional Graphic Notes

3D Modelling

Week 3

Combine and Separate Objects

• Combine
1. To combine 2 different object, select the objects, go to “Mesh” on the menu, select “Combine”. Combined object will share the same name.
2. You need to combine any objects before you can perform the “Merge”, “Target Weld” and “Bridge” operation.

Before “Combine” After “Combine”
Combined mesh will have green outline when selected
One of the selection will have green outline,
while the other selection have white outline

Combine and Separate Objects

• Separate
1. To separate the combined object, select the object, go to “Mesh” on the menu, select “Separate”. The combined object will be seperated.
2. Any transformation values of the object will be reset to 0.

Merge and Target Weld

• Merge Tools (Merge Vertices, Merge To Center and Target Weld)
1. Merge tools only works with sub-components under the same object.
2. If you have combined 2 different object, make sure to select the sub-component face and delete the faces of the object where you want to
“Merge” the vertices or “Target Weld”. This is to avoid issue such as “hidden faces”.
3. Shortcut key to access all the merging solutions: hold “Shift” + “Right mouse click”

Merge and Target Weld

• Merge Vertices
1. Select the vertices of the object that you want to merge, go to “Edit mesh” on the menu, select “Merge”.
2. A small box will appear which allows you to adjust the distance threshold of the vertices

Merge and Target Weld

3. You can also tick the “always merge for two vertices” and adjust the threshold distance under the “Merge Vertices Options” so that it will always
merge 2 vertices. This option will be available if you go to “Edit mesh” on the menu, select the small box beside “Merge”.

4. Once done with the setting, click “Merge” or “Apply”.

Merge and Target Weld

• Merge To Center
1. Merge to center will merge everything to the center.
2. Select the vertices, go to “Edit mesh” on the menu, select “Merge to center”.

Merge and Target Weld

• Target Weld
1. Go to “Mesh Tools” on the menu, select “Target Weld”.
2. Select the first vertex and pull it to the second vertex where you want to merge it together. It also works with edge as well.
3. When Target Weld tools enable, your mouse icon will change.

Normal
Cursor

Bridge Tool

1. Bridge allows two edge border to connect with faces. It works with only edge and face.
2. Select the edges border or select the 2 faces, go to “Edit Mesh” on the menu, select “Bridge”.

Bridge Tool Twist

3. Each of the setting for bridge will give different result.

Divisions

Tapper

Edit Pivot Point

1. To move the position of the pivot point, select the object and press “D” or “Insert” key.

Pivot Point editing
mode
2. To move the pivot point back to the center of the object, go to “Modify” on the Menu, select “Center pivot”.

Snapping Tools And Discrete Move

• Snap To Grid
1. Hold “X” key and move the selected object.

Snapping Tools And Discrete Move

• Snap To Vertices
1. Hold “V” key and move the selected object.

Snapping Tools And Discrete Move

• Snap To Curve
1. Hold “C” key and move the selected object. Make sure the object is close enough to the curve in order for it to snap to the curve line.

Snapping Tools And Discrete Move

• Discrete Move
1. Let’s you maintain relative spacing while moving an object.
2. Hold “J” and move, rotate, or scale the selected object.
3. You can change the “relative” spacing for translate, rotate and scale by going to the “Tool Setting”, under the “Step Snap”.

Set A Live Surface

• When an object is "live", other objects will automatically snap to its surface like a magnet.
• Select the object in the viewpanel, Click on the “Make Live” icon. A message will pop up saying “(Object name) is live”.
• Select and drag other object, move it on top of the live surface and it will automatically snap to the surface.
• To disable Live Surface, Click on the “Make Live” icon again.

Reset And Freeze Transformation

• Freeze Transformation
1. Freeze Transformation turn your object transformation value to 0, making the new position of the object as original position.
2. Select the object you want to Freeze transform, go to “Edit” in the menu, select “Freeze Transformation” to reset all the transformation value
including translation, rotation and scale.
3. Pros: You know where the object should be as it has a new default transformation value.
4. Cons: You will lose your translation, rotation and scale value, please proceed with caution.

Reset And Freeze Transformation

5. You could also select which transformation value to freeze by going to “Modify” on the menu, select the small box beside “Freeze
Transformation”.

6. A Freeze Transformation Options box will appear, you can select which transformation you want to freeze, the click “Apply”.
7. *** Important Notes: DO NOT use freeze transformation unless you are confident that this will be the new default transformation of the object, as

it will be IRREVERSIBLE after you have performed the freeze transformation.

Since I want to freeze transform the
rotation, only the rotation values are freeze.

Reset And Freeze Transformation

• Reset Transformation
1. Reset Transformation will return all the transformation value of the object (return to original position).
2. Go to “Modify” on the menu, select “Reset Transformation”.
3. You could also select which transformation value to reset by going to “Modify” on the menu, select the small box beside “Reset Transformation”.

Duplicate Special

• To apply duplicate special to an object, select the object, go to "Edit" on the menu, click the small box beside "Duplicate special" for more
options on the operation.

• A way for you to duplicate and flip object to the other side:
1. Make sure you are at object mode, unless you only want to flip a face or edge.
2. Move the pivot point to the point of transformation, you can either "snap to grid or vertex" to make sure it is at the very end of the object.

The pivot point should always be at the
point of transformation for duplicate special

Duplicate Special

3. Apply “Duplicate Special” by going to “Edit” on the menu, select the small box beside “Duplicate Special” to show more options for the operation.

4. Enter -1 in the "x axis" of the scale, and click “Apply”.

X - axis Y - axis Z - axis

Duplicate Special

5. You can also use the "Instance" mode of the "Duplicate special" tool to "replicate" whatever operation on one side to the other.

Duplicate Special

• Additional information (Pivot point not set to the transformation point)
1. If your duplicated object ends up the same as the image shown below, it is due to the pivot point not set to the transformation point.
2. The pivot point should always be at the point of transformation as it will determine the placement or position of the duplicated object.
3. To fix this, move the pivot point to the point of transformation, by using either "snap to grid or vertex" and move it to the very end of the object.

The pivot point not set to the point of transformation

The correct pivot point placement

Duplicate Special

• Additional information (Messy object attributes)
1. If your duplicated object ends up the same as the image shown below, it is due to the messy attributes of the object itself.
2. Optional: Apply "Freeze transformation" to the object if ONLY you are confident to freeze transform it or you have finalized your modelling on the
object. You will not be able to undo the operation, so use it with caution.

Delete History

1. Always “Delete History” if Maya begins to lag. Delete the history only when you are sure that you won’t need the history anymore.
2. Select the mesh, go to “Edit” on the menu, “Delete by type”, then select “History”. This will delete the history of an object.

History

1. You could also delete the history of all object in the scene by going to “Edit” on the menu, “Delete All by type”, then select “History”. This will delete the
history of all object.

“Xray” Display Mode

1. “X-ray” mode displays objects with slight transparency to let you see things behind an object. This will be useful when you are modelling an object based
on a reference image.

2. Go to the "Viewpanel" > Shading > Tick the "X-Ray" box.

Isolate An Object

1. Isolate lets you show only certain objects or components in the viewpanel.
2. In the “Viewpanel” click on the isolation button to enable and disable isolation mode.

End Of Lecture