Your one-stop resource for getting up to speed on Autodesk Maya 2009 The Learning Autodesk Maya 2009 Collection is your key to unlocking the power of Autodesk Maya. The official training guides in this special collection cover all stages of the Maya 3D production pipeline from start to finish. Each book includes step-by-step lessons using real-world production files and a DVD packed with free 3D models from TurboSquid, plus instructor-led videos, and much more. Learning Autodesk Maya 2009 | Foundation With this book, you will * Get a project-based introduction to Maya 2009 with artwork from the feature film Delgo * Explore the Maya user interface and 3D workspace * Build a character with polygons and create organic structures with NURBS * Learn to use Trax, animation layers, forward and inverse kinematics, and Paint Effects * Set cameras and lights, and create and apply shaders and textures * Discover rendering techniques, particles, dynamics, Maya Embedded Language (MEL), and Autodesk Toxik Learning Autodesk Maya 2009 | The Modeling & Animation Handbook With this book, you will: * Get hands-on instruction to production-quality modeling and animation using artwork from the animated short Theme Planet * Model with polygons and NURBS * Work with skeletons, joint orientation, and inverse kinematics * Set up a leg, arm, and spine, and create constraints * Skin your characters and work with blend shapes * Create a run cycle and keyframed animation and animate a complete scene Learning Autodesk Maya 2009 | The Special Effects Handbook With this book, you will: * Get step-by-step lessons on the final stages of production using artwork from the animated short Theme Planet * Understand shading, lighting, shadows, and cameras * Learn rendering with mental ray, hardware, and vector renderers * Work with caustics, Global Illumination, Final Gathering, and HDRI * Work with rigid body and particle dynamics and MEL for particle expressions * Understand particle instancing * Learn about fluids, fluid collisions, and open water effects