In nuce: Since Digital Production last reported on the tutorial offer on the Maya Learning Channel YouTube channel on 31 August this year , eight more entertaining video tutorials have been published, covering topics such as Bitfrost-USD, particle simulation and colour management – as well as sculpting and instancing.
In toto: The descriptions of the eight video tutorials are summarised below, followed by links to the full-length videos. Many of the video tutorials are led by Lee Griggs , who has been an in-house artist for Autodesk for over 11 years. Previously he was a 3D Artist at Framestore and Technical Director at Prime Focus. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Graphics, Design and Animation from Middlesex University.
- Sculpting Strands With Bitfrost: Lee Griggs shows how to create abstract structures using countless strands – using Bitfrost for Maya. Lee then demonstrates how to shade, light and render the scene.
- Instanced Spheres using Bitforst: Again it’s about abstract structures – this time spherical ones. Another tutorial on Bitfrost for Maya and further processing in Arnold.
- Understanding Volumes Episode 1 – Volume Basics: This is the first in a series of videos looking at volumes – and how they work in the Bitfrost plugin for Maya. The video is led by 3D artist Yingying Z, who explains the basics of volumes.
- Colour Management in Maya: Previewing and Rendering: According to the description of the video, everything that is essential for previewing and rendering colour management in Maya is taught here in just under 12 minutes.
- Understanding Volumes Episode 2 – Particle Simulation with Aero Volume (Understanding Volumes Episode 2 – Particle Simulation with Aero Volume): The sequel to Episode 1 (see above), in which 3D Artist Yingying Z illustrates how so-called aero volumes can be harnessed to control particle movement in Maya’s Bitfrost plugin.
- Caching animation to USD in Maya (Caching animations with USD in Maya): This video knows the answer to the question of how artists cache Maya animations as native USD cache.
- USD in Bifrost – Lesson 4: Material Binding: This is the fourth part of the “USD with Bitfrost” series. Once again it is 3D Artist Yingying Z who gives an expert lecture – and shows how to define and assign USD materials in Bitfrost.
- Understanding Volumes Ep3 – Creating Clouds through Advection: final video tutorial on volumes. Once again 3D Artist Yingying gives advice – this time on how to generate clouds with Bitfrost.
