New User With Maya 6 Unlimited

[alex-s-money]

Just to let you in on an insight.

I am learning Maya without any schooling. I think I am doing OK with it.

Well, most the programs I have, I learned through 'freelance' techniques. I mean I jump right into it and whenever I come across a problem I just seek help.

I've been to schools - Have a degree in AutoCAD. I don't do well in schools because I like to learn things my own way. This way helps me to learn the inside of the program I am dealing with. Schools tend to make you scared to venture into the depths of programs.

To say - I've learned how to write MEL scripts, use Mental Ray, and produce a complete animation the first few months working with Maya.

There are some things I don't know. I learned how to do the most difficult tasks without problems, but sometimes I tend to need help with the most basic functions.

In other words, the most simple tasks in Maya I have questions about. Mainly because, I've never come across the problem or forget how to go about the task.

I guess one must go by the old saying for anything, "to know something well you must know the basics".

Don't get annoyed when I come here asking the "remedial questions". I don't like the text manuals.

If anyone knows of any good Maya 6 "Reference" Books. Let me know. I'm not trying to read stories, or do lesson activities. I just want a book that can just give me the info I need with out all the in-between garbage.

I'm stilll in the learning stages of Maya.

I love working in 3D - I also know it takes many years to master it.

Programs I have:

Maya 6 Unlimited
Photoshop CS
Illustrator CS
After Effects 6
Go live CS
Premier Pro 1.5
Encore DVD
Macromedia Studio MX
3Ds Max 5
AutoCAD
Sonar Producer

This is just an introduction of myself. I hope to find a lot of useful info here. Well, so far I've already have.

Thanks For sharing all Your experiences. In turn I will share mine!

Alex

[failure]

QUOTE
If anyone knows of any good Maya 6 "Reference" Books. Let me know. I'm not trying to read stories, or do lesson activities. I just want a book that can just give me the info I need with out all the in-between garbage.

Yes I know pretty good reference - help files. References just don't get better than that.

[joojaa]

Try to focus on one small thig you want to know next, being all over the place slows things down considerably. First eastimate what it is you need to know for the area in mind and go for that. Yes the amnual is a extremely good reference, indeed its the only reference youll need (but only a reference)

Difficult is relative, rendering, and mentalray, scripting mel isnt hard. Its jsutt that theres a lot of pepople that seem to over mystify things a lot. But i kmust say if you have mastered all of those completely in 4 months then your good.*

Anyway, where does one get degrees in autocd usage... i mean i know places that give degrees for being techncall designers that TEACH specificaly the ins and outs of CAD and CAE in general! Teaching one particular apaplication isnt realy vey productive here as autocad is slowly phasing out, in favou of CAE apps. TImes allways change.

(in retrospect is say it took me about 6 years to know all that i know of maya (ok so i hadf some 3d underme before that), that is i sttill keep on learning stuff, 3d in general is just too wast to copletely know)

The reason whi its commonly believed that ittakes tears to learn maya is because its true, it does not in any way say you cant know enough to use a maya in months or indeed days. ITs just the longer you work on it the prog the less you reaalize you know.

Im not totaly conviced that starting month 2 withsscripting is a smart thing to do, even tough the elscripting facility is integral. Because soemtimes you se people who can wrie very complex and elborate scripts to do functionality that they had allready, usualy their newly implemented functionality is worse than the one you had in firstplace. BUt doing it concurent

[failure]

In my experience people who talk too much about this "learning" thing are most of the time in idle mode. Best way to progress is to forget about "learning". Just get yourself a project that seem feasible to you from your current standpoint and finish it - even better if project is for a real world client with real world deadline- you'll think faster and have greater sense of accomplishment. Solve problems as you go using any means you have at disposal. Don't waste time waiting for years to pass while you're "learning".

Just take care not to overesimate yourself when deciding wheter to involve into project or not. I made a 3 minute musical video clip after only several weeks knowing maya. I shrunk the visual/animation concept extrememly so it could fit my limited knowledge. Everybody loved the cool minimalistic result. It looked like the work of a master.

[joojaa]

truew, but thing is your never ready learning somehthing. Altreast not in the modern world anymore. IT was perhaps true for alimitted set of people a 5 or 6 genarations ago... but in ganaran ones never trlough learning.

Anyway you learn much by FAILING miserably.