Maya 2026 Essentials Training

Course details

Discover how to create high-quality 3D models and animations in Maya 2026. This course covers the core Maya skills—modeling, texturing, rendering, and animation—in a real-world, project-based workflow that translates equally well to film, motion graphics, and game design. Learn basics such as customizing the interface, selecting and manipulating objects, and organizing scenes. Next, review polygonal modeling, creating and refining meshes, sculpting, smoothing, working with curves, and more. Discover how to create and apply materials to surfaces—adding color, texture, and reflectivity—as well as integrate cameras, lighting, and depth-of-field effects using the Arnold for Maya renderer. Last but not least, instructor George Maestri shows you how to add movement and life to your work with the built-in Maya animation tools.

Concepts

Introduction

Welcome
Using the exercise files
Configuring Maya

The Maya Interface

Overview of the Maya interface
Working with files and Maya projects
Navigation in Maya
Configuring viewports
Using the hotbox and marking menus
Configuring workspaces
Setting preferences

Selecting and Manipulating Objects

Selecting objects
Using the move tool
Rotating and scaling
Understanding the channel box
Manipulating pivots
Maintain accuracy with snapping

Organizing Maya Scenes

Working with the outliner
Duplicating objects
Creating hierarchies
Grouping objects
Creating layers
Hiding and showing objects
Working with the attribute editor

Creating Polygonal Models

Creating polygonal objects
Selecting polygonal components
Using the modeling toolkit
Component tags
Using brush tools to sculpt meshes

Modeling Polygonal Meshes

Smoothing and subdivision surfaces
Working with edge loops
Using the extrude tools
Smart extrude
Bevel tools
Object history

Additional Modeling Techniques

Lattice deformers
Nonlinear deformers
Combine and separate
Weld edges and vertices
Bridging polygons
Mirroring and merging components
Boolean tools

Working with Curves and Surfaces

Creating curves
Creating NURBS surfaces
Convert NURBS to polygons
Extruding along a path

Creating Materials

Arnold Render configuration
PBR material types
OpenPBR Surface materials
Using bitmaps as texture
Transmission and refraction
Bumps and normal maps
Use the hypershade window
Use substance materials

Applying Materials and Textures

Apply multiple materials to objects
Projecting UV maps
Understanding the UV editor
Unwrap UVs in the UV editor

Rendering in Arnold

Render settings
Basic lighting
Maya light types
Image based lighting and skydomes
Using objects as lights
Adding cameras
Adding depth of field in Arnold
Creating motion blur in Arnold
Render view and final output
Rendering animation

Animating in Maya

Understanding the animation interface
Animating objects using set key
Adjust keys on the timeline
Modifying keys in the graph editor
Using the dope sheet
Animating objects along spline paths
Creating animation cycles
Time slider bookmarks

Working with External Data

Working with standard formats
Referencing system
Setting Up USD stages
Creating variations in USD

Conclusion

Next steps