Tutorial 4 : Polygon Modeling I

This MAYA tutorial shows some fundamental polygon modeling tools by showing the steps for modeling a brownstone.

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This tutorial will introduce you to POLYGON modelling techniques in Maya. For this exercise you will model a typical New York City Brownstone by modifying a simple polygon cube. during this excercise you will be learning some simple polygon moeling tools including creating polygon primitives, moving and scaling vertexes, extruding faces, deleting faces, and subdividing faces.




Creating the Cube and Preparing it for Modification


0. Make sure history is turned on during this entire tutorial.

make a cube

1. Create a polygon cube.
Create->Polygon Primitives->Cube

modify cube settings

2. Modify the cube settings.
Select the cube. In the channel box, click on 'polycube1' and the cube settings will appear. Change the settings (width, height, depth and the number of subdivisions to match the image to the right.

modify vertex 01

3.Move the vertexes in elevation. Choose the 'side' view. Right-click on the cube to activate its 'marking menu' and choose 'vertex.' The vertexes of the cube will appear as purple squares. Choose the second row of vertexes from the top (this should be done using a window instead of selecting them individually in order to choose the vertexes on the side you can see as well as the vertexes on the opposite side of the cube.) Move them up until they are just below the top of the cube. Modify the rest of the vertexes in a similar manner until the elevation looks like the image to the right.

modify vertex 02

4. Move the vertexes in plan. Choose the 'plan' view. Right-click on the cube to activate its 'marking menu' and choose 'vertex.' Modify the vertexes until they match The image to the right.

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5. Choose 'perspective' view. Your model should now look like the image to the right.

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6. Delete the top and bottom of the cube. Right-click on the cube to activate its 'marking menu' and choose 'face.' The faces of the cube will appear as blue outlined rectangles with blue squares at their center. These blue squares are the handles for picking faces. When a face is selected it will turn orange. Select all of the faces on the top and bottom of the cube. Press the 'delete' key on the keyboard to delete those faces. (you may want to spin your model around prior to deleting the faces to make sure you have not accidentally chosen faces on the sides of the cube.



Creating the Front Windows

0. Look at the submenu 'Tool Options' under the 'Polygon' menu and make sure that the 'keep faces together' option does not have a check by it.

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1. Right-click on the cube, and choose 'Faces.' Select the faces where you want to put windows. When a face is selected it will turn orange. Choose 'Modify Polygons->Extrude Face.' Scale the faces by selecting the different cubes on the manipulator. This will create the divisions in the facade for the windows. (If you want to type in the scale, it is called 'Local scale X' and 'Local Scale Y' in the channel box. You will be able to modify this later if you choose. Delete the faces which are the windows by pressing the 'delete' key on your keyboard.

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2. Repeat the intstructions in step 1 to create the front door.



Creating the Lightwells and the Cornice

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1. Change to plan view. Right-click on the cube, and choose 'Vertex.' Choose the vertexes shown in the image to the right and choose the 'scale' tool. Scale the selection in the X direction. This is a good technique for making symmetrical modifications to an object.

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2. Change to perspective view. Right-click on the cube, and choose 'Vertex.' Choose the vertexes shown in the image to the right and choose the 'move' tool. move the vertexes in the Z direction.

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3. Add more detail to the cornice. Right-click on the cube, and choose 'Face.' Choose the four angled faces. Subdivide these faces by choosing 'Edit Polygons->Subdivide face' Now choose the new vertices and move them to define the cornice.



Giving the Building Thickness

0. Look at the submenu 'Tool Options' under the 'Polygon' menu and make sure that the 'keep faces together' option has a check by it.

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1. Select the building. Choose 'Modify Polygons->Extrude Face.' Move the new faces in toward the middle of the building. This will give the walls a thickness. You can type in the exact thickness by modifying the 'Local Translate Z' variable in teh channel box.



Making a Roof

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1. Using the point snap, draw a 1-degree spline as shown in the image to the right.

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2. Mirror that line across the Z-axis by choosing the 'Duplicate' dialog box under the 'Edit' menu. If you make the scale factor in the Z direction '-1' it will mirror the line. Choose 'apply.'

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3. Choose both of the lines. Open the loft dialogue box under 'Surfaces->Loft.' Change the output setting from 'nurbs' to 'polygons.' This will make a surface for the roof out of olygons which you will be able to extrude later.

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4. Give the roof thickness by extruding the polygons just like you extruded the walls of the brownstone. Select the roof surface and choose 'Edit Polygons->Extrude Face.' Now move the new faces down a little bit to give the roof a thickness.




Congratulations, you just made a little building!

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