Acquisitions Editor: Mariann Barsolo

Development Editor: Stephanie Barton

Technical Editor: Keith Reicher

Production Editor: Eric Charbonneau

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Cover Image: Dariush Derakhshani

Copyright © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

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Dear Reader,

Thank you for choosing Introducing Autodesk Maya 2014. This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all of which are written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching.

Sybex was founded in 1976. More than 30 years later, we’re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles, we’re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available.

I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an email at [email protected]. If you think you’ve found a technical error in this book, please visit http://sybex.custhelp.com. Customer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex.

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To Max Henry

Acknowledgments

As this book goes into its 10th edition, I am thrilled that the Introducing Mayaseries is a favorite resource for students and teachers of the Autodesk® Maya® software. Education is the foundation for a happy life, and with that in mind, I’d like to thank the outstanding teachers from whom I have had the privilege to learn. You can remember what you’ve been taught—or, just as important; you can remember those who have taught you.

I also want to thank my students, who have taught me as much as they have learned themselves. Juan Gutierrez, Victor J. Garza, Robert Jauregui, and Peter Gend deserve special thanks for helping me complete the models and images for this book. Thanks to the student artists who contributed to the color section, and, of course, thanks to my colleagues, and friends at work for showing me everything I’ve learned and making it interesting to be in the effects business. Special thanks to HP for its support and keeping me on the cutting edge of workstations.

Thanks to my editors at Sybex and the folks at Autodesk for their support and help and for making this process fun. Thanks to the book team for bringing it all together: Mariann Barsolo, Stephanie Barton, Eric Charbonneau, and Kim Wimpsett. My appreciation also goes tenfold to technical editor Keith Reicher.

Thank you to my mom and brothers for your strength, wisdom, and love throughout. And a special thank-you to my lovely wife, Randi, and our son, Max Henry, for putting up with the long nights at the keyboard; the grumpy, sleep-deprived mornings; and the blinking and buzzing of all my machines in our apartment. Family!

About the Author

Dariush Derakhshani is a VFX and CG supervisor in Los Angeles, California. Dariush has been working in CG for more than 16 years and teaching classes in CG and effects production for close to 15. He is the best-selling author of a handful of books, including the popular Introducing Maya series. He is also co-creator of Learning Autodesk Maya: A Video Introduction, available from Wiley and http://video2brain.com/Lynda.com. You can find out information on this video series and more at www.koosh3d.com.

Dariush started using the Autodesk® AutoCAD® software in his architecture days and then migrated to using 3D programs when his firm’s principal architects needed to show their clients design work on the computer. Starting with Alias PowerAnimator version 6, which he encountered when he enrolled in the University of Southern California Film School’s animation program, and working for a short while in Autodesk® 3ds Max® before moving on to Maya® jobs, Dariush has been using Autodesk animation software for the past 17 years.

He received an MFA in film, video, and computer animation in 1997 from USC. Dariush also holds a BA in architecture and theatre from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and worked at a New Jersey architecture firm before moving to Los Angeles for film school. He has worked on feature films, music videos, and countless commercials as a 3D animator and VFX supervisor, garnering honors from the London International Advertising Awards, the ADDY Awards, the Telly Awards, and a nomination from the Visual Effects Society Awards. He is bald and has flat feet.