Continuing from the last guide, let’s start making more complex things!
4. Adding Geometry
Now, we can’t get too far with just a box. Let’s add more geometry to it so we can make more interesting things. There are lots of ways to add geometry, here I will show the most basic ones
a. Attribute Editor
Right after you create a polygon primitive(that is, anything listed under poly modeling in the Shelf), if you open the Attribute Editor (same location as the Modeling Toolkit, it’s like a tab that you can switch between) you will see options to edit your cube. The ones we will be looking at are the Subdivision sliders.
This is a basic way to add evenly divided Geometry to your object, and when starting to box model, you usually want to start with a little more geometry than a simple cube.
Note: This works best when you have an unmodified primitive! Once any form of modification(such as moving a vertex) is made this produces rather unexpected results.
b. Insert Edge Loops
There are multiple tools available inside Maya that can be used to insert edge loops. The one dedicated to this functionality is the Insert Edge Loop tool located under Menu(Modeling) > Mesh Tools > Insert Edge Loop. You can add this to your shelf by clicking it while holding down Shift+Control;
But there are also other tools capable of doing the same function. You can insert edge-loops while holding down Ctrl and hovering over the edge with the Multi-Cut tool and the Quad Draw Tool. There’s not a clear benefit to using them except they’re on the Shelf and are easy to access.
While holding down shift, there are some snapping options when using the Multi-Cut tool. Also when holding down the Middle Mouse Button, you’re able to make a cut directly at the center of the edge.
c. Extrude
Possibly your best friend :)
Extrude geometry from (usually) faces is a great way to create more interesting shapes. You can find this tool on the Shelf, in the Modeling Toolkit, or via the shortcut Ctrl+E. After you extrude, you can use the toolbar that shows up to modify the newly generated geometry, or just switch to the basics to modify it.
Beware! One common thing that can happen accidentally extruding but not pulling the extruded face away from the model. This will result in two overlapping faces and cause you problems down the road.
There are also multiple options available in the menu opened up when you are using the Extrude tool. Feel free to play around with them to see what they do!
5. Mirroring & Combining Geometry
This is probably the other most common action you will take while you’re modeling, and here’s a list of tools that can help you do it!
a. Mirror
Luckily for you, Maya has a built in Mirror tool that will mirror your selected geometry. The tool can be found on the Shelf, but it’s defaulted to mirror across the World X-axis. If you wish to change the settings, go to Mesh -> Mirror and click on the white box next to the tool.
b. Duplicate Special
Duplicate special let’s you duplicate the selected objects with certain modifiers, such as rotating, translating, and flipping. Go to Edit > Duplicate Special and click the white box next to the tool to bring up the Options. To mirror an object across an axis(here we’re using the z-axis as an example), you should input -1 in the corresponding axis in the Scale section.
Unlike the Mirror tool, Duplicate Special doesn’t displace/transform the object in world space. It’s making a duplicate of it while keeping its world location.
c. Merge
Merge(Edit Mesh>Merge) combines points within a certain distance with each other. This is most useful for me when fixing meshes, and combining mirrored objects together. Note: this can only be applied onto an object, so be sure to use Mesh > Combine(or access it in the modeling Toolkit) if you’re operating on two objects!
d. Bridge
Bridge forms planes between edge loops. It can be found in Edit Mesh > Bridge. This is super useful when you’re connecting fingers with the palm of your hand, and in many more situations! You use it by selecting two edge loops (or just two edges) that you want to bridge between, then click bridge. Note: The two edge loops you select must have equal amounts of edges for it to work!
