Using Primitives
Primitives are the simplest objects that you can generate in Maya (or indeed in any 3D application). Primitives are simple geometric shapes—either polygons, subdivisions, or
NURBS. Typically, they are used to sculpt models, as you saw with the solar system project in Chapter 3, "Your First Maya Animation."
Because you can define the level of detail of the primitive's surface, primitives offer great sculpting versatility through vertex or CV manipulation. You can create polygonal primitives using practically any level of subdivisions to define the number of vertices and faces. NURBS primitives can be created with almost any number of sections and spans to define the number of isoparms and CVs.
Spans are isoparms that run horizontally in a NURBS surface; sections are isoparms that run vertically in the object.
Figure 4.6 The Maya primitives
Starting with primitives, a modeler can create highly complex and detailed models. You may find it helpful to analyze your modeling subjects into forms and shapes that fit in with Maya primitives to get a better sense of how to begin a modeling assignment. Figure 4.6 shows all of Maya's primitives, NURBS, polygons, subdivisions, and volume primitives. Quite different from geometry primitives, volume primitives are used for lighting and atmosphere effects such as fog or haze and do not play a part in modeling.
SUBDIVISIONS
NURBS
POLYGONS
POLYGONS
VOLUME
Sphere
Cube
Cylinder
Cone
Plane
Torus
Circle
Sphere
Cube
Cylinder
Cone
Plane i
Cone
Plane
Helix
Torus
Prism o
Pyramid
Pipe
Helix
Soccer Ball
Platonic Solids
Sphere
Cube
Cylinder
Sphere
Cone
Cube
Plane
Torus
Soccer Ball
Torus
Square
Torus
Torus
Cone
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