Course Listing

Description: This class explores the depth of rendering capabilities within the Mental Ray rendering engine, allowing the 3D artist to evaluate techniques, features and output options available in one of the more advanced raytracing engines for Maya. Preparation, workflow, pipeline efficiency, and rendering options will be presented that allow users to maximize efficiency, create certain effects, and achieve predictable results. Discussion of capabilities, benefits, and limitations of the Mental Ray engine will allow users to understand when this engine should be applied, and how it should be used in their pipeline.

Topics: Mental Ray Shaders, integration with Maya Shader networks, Materials and Light options, MR shadow options, Exposure Controls, Final Gather and Global Illumination, Photons and Caustics, and Render Elements.

You will learn:
• Material and Texture options
• Mental Ray map types, and Ambient/Reflective occlusion
• Exposure, motion blur and depth of field
• Working with lighting options such as Photometric lights and Skylights
• Distributed rendering with MR (more than one machine on a single frame)
• Distributed and network rendering

Duration: 2 days

Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Prerequisite: Maya Fundamentals or equivalent knowledge required. Some understanding of lighting in Maya and tile based versus scanline rendering is assumed.