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Chapter 12
Specialized Materials
and Material Effects
T
of specialized eects that come with Maya, and we look at three
of them in this chapter. First, we look at creating what appears to be 2D animation
with Maya. en we look at painting in Maya, a powerful paradigm that is used in multiple
contexts. Finally, we address a common problem when creating an outdoor scene: provid-
ing lighting that naturally resembles daylight.
MAKING A TOON COW
Since this book is about 3D animation, it might seem that 2D animation is outside our
scope. But it’s not. at is because there are actually two ways to make 2D animation with
Maya. Well, to be precise, two ways to make our 3D animation look 2D.
Why would you want to do this? 2D animation has a completely dierent look than
3D. 2D animation is based on vector graphics, along with the distinct assignment of
colors to areas enclosed or partly enclosed by lines. is means that we do not gradually
fade one color into another and we leave the borders between colors sharp. is is how
we obtain the at 2D cartoon look. Oen this is the best way to create a model that looks
funny. e problem with 2D animation is that we have to draw our models from multiple
perspectives. is is time consuming and more signicantly, some of us are not the best
drawing artists.
Maya can render a 3D scene as if it was 2D, and we can simulate 2D by making use of
special shaders.
The Vector Renderer
Until now, we have only looked at using three renderers: Maya Soware, mental ray, and
Maya Hardware. But there is another one, called Maya Vector. If you go to the Render
Settings and select Render Using, you will nd the Maya Vector renderer. If you go to the