Maya
CIS465 3D Modeling
The creation and rendering of photo-realistic 3D models was the aim of this course. In it, we used the textbook, Introducing Maya 7, by Dariush Derakhshani.
Locomotive
As a final project, we were tasked with creating the complex locomotive in the textbook. I tried my best to mimic it with exacting detail. Simply following the assignment and strictly keeping to the instructions in the textbook fell short, in my opinion, of a finished product that I could be proud of. For example, the textbook finished the project with the arm mechanisms working for only one side of the locomotive. It also didn't require any kind of product or export file from the project.
After detailing the locomotive beyond the project requirements, I went on to model tracks and an entire scene. I added more particle effects, created my own shaders for the model surfaces, lit the scene, created an animation, and placed cameras. After creating so much environment in the scene, I decided I should export it to frames. I then took them into After Effects and turned the frames into a whole video and added sound and some effects, like a brief lense flare as the camera pans past the sun. Since I can't show you how the model looks inside the Maya program, a video of the model in action is the best way to experience it on the web.