Fundamentals of RenderMan for Maya
This course will teach you how to leverage the latest tools from Pixar's rendering team including shaders and lights used in their feature productions. Software required: Maya 2016/2017, RenderMan 21.
What you'll learn
RenderMan has a long and proud history in the field of computer generated imagery and animation. In this course, Fundamentals of RenderMan for Maya, you'll learn how to use the latest RenderMan techniques in order to produce a realistic still life scene. First, you'll discover how to source and install RenderMan and how to use its new features. Next, you'll explore how to create surface materials and how to illuminate your work with studio proven analytic lights and getting the best quality images. Then, you'll learn some tips and tricks which will streamline your work. Finally, you'll learn how to make use of integrators, light-lister, the de-noise feature, and statistic files. By the end of this course, you'll be able to work confidently in Pixar's RenderMan for Maya, and apply your new skills to personal, college, and professional movie making. Software required: Maya 2016/2017, RenderMan 21.
Table of contents
- Building a Reflective Metal Surface 13m
- Creating a Transparent and a Colored Plastic Material 11m
- Texturing Books Based on Photographic Sources 17m
- Walls, Desk and Floor, with Normal Maps and Procedurals 9m
- Skull Texturing with Procedural Dirt, Normal Maps, and Cavity Maps 8m
- Layered Maps and Clear-coat Finishes 16m
- Building a Glass Shader 7m
- Building a Stone Shader 4m
- Texturing and the Walking Teapot 11m
- RenderMan Lighting Overview 5m
- Environment Light and Portal 10m
- Rectangle Light 1: Color and Intensity 9m
- Rectangle Light 2: Focus and Softness 7m
- Rectangle Light 3: Shadows 6m
- Disk, Sphere, Distant, and Daylight 12m
- Light Filters 1: Barn Door 7m
- Light Filters 2: Blockers and Rods 9m
- Light Filters 3: Gobos and Cookie Cutters 7m
- Sphere Light in Scene 8m
- Geometry as Lights 5m
Course FAQ
Pixar RenderMan is a 3D rendering software from Pixar Animation Studios used primarily for 3D animated movie productions.
RenderMan is free for non-commercial uses, such as personal projects or educational purposes, you just have to use the "rendered with RenderMan" logo in your credits. For commercial purposes the costs vary depending on many factors, but individual licenses cost around $595.
In this RenderMan course you will learn:
- An overview of the RenderMan tools and interface
- How to download and install RenderMan
- RenderMan shading tips and concepts
- RenderMan lighting techniques
- Managing lighting setups and camera effects
- Render settings
- Much more
This course is for anyone who wants to learn how to use Pixar RenderMan for Maya! Especially useful for those involved in 3D animation work in films.
This is an introductory course to RenderMan, however, before taking this course you should have a basic understanding of Maya. If you need it, check out this Maya course first.
This course is based off of Maya 2017, but will be just as beneficial for either older or newer versions of Maya.
About the author
Starting his architectural career in Ireland, he discovered a love for all things 3D and set up his own architectural visualization company. Building from there, he retrained as an animator, moving to the UK to work in the games industry, at Codemasters, on the "Colin McRae". With Freestyle Games, he contributed to "Bboy", published by Sony. Emigrating to Melbourne, he became the technical art manager at Trasmission Games with responsibilities including in-house training. Training has been his p... more