Maya Modeling BOOST

create a project directory on your local machine

add reference images to the appropriate project directory folder

apply incremental save options

Import and align reference images to the appropriate camera and grid

snap rotate Hold J while rotating object

channel box information

setting up visibility layers and placing objects in them

Marking menu

- Create cube with nothing selected Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over "cube" and release the mouse

- Smooth object with object selected  Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over "smooth" and release the mouse

deselect all alt + D

delete history with object selected press alt + shift + D

extrude move tool option hold shift while using the move tool with component selected, to perform again rapidly, release shift and mouse button and repeat.

select edgeloop double click one edge contained in the loop of edges you would like to select

soften normals  with object selected, Hold shift + Hold right click,  hover over "soften/harden edge", then hover over "soften edge" and release the mouse

duplicate object with object selected press control + D

typing in exact values in the channel box

Shape options when shape is first created, press "T" to bring up the options for shape parameters.

Scale special when using scale tool, hold control and hover over the scale handle that you would like to omit from the scale operation

Selection face rings select the first face in the ring, hold shift, then double click the next face in the ring in either direction

Extrude options with face selected, Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over "extrude" and release the mouse. You will see a small pop up window that allows you to change parameters of the extrusion.

Mirror option with object selected, Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over "Mirror" and release the mouse

using negative numbers in the channel box to flip objects manually

Move tool axis settings while move tool is active Hold control + Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over "object" or "world" modes and release the mouse

Poly smooth VS smooth preview explained

Smooth preview with object selected, press "3" to engage smooth preview mode, to return to normal mode, press "1"

Multicut tool while in object mode, Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over multicut and release the mouse

- Multicut insert edgeloop,  Hold control and then left click where you would like to place the loop freely.

- Multicut insert centered edgeloop, Hold control and then middle wheel click anywhere along the edges to cut the face ring directly in half

-Multicut poly cut function, hover over an edge or vertice until it turns red, click and drag (along edge) or click once (on vertex point), then press right click to commit changes.

Edit edge flow with edge or edgeloops selected, Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over "edit edge flow" and release the mouse

Isolate selection with objects or components selected press shift + i,  to toggle the isolation, press Alt + D to de select all and then repeat command (shift + i)

Create live snap surface with object selected, navigate to modify drop down at the top of the screen. Choose "make live"

- to exit live snap mode, Alt + D to de select all, then go to modify drop down at the top of the screen and choose "make not live"

Merge functions

- with two or more edge/vertices selected, Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over merge edge/vertex, then hover over merge option you would like to choose.

Circularize with components selected, Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over circularize and release the mouse

Grow selection with some components selected, Hold shift and then press greater or less than keys ">" "<" to increase or decrease the selection size by one unit in all directions.  NOTE: if your keyboard is like mine, sometimes pressing control + shift will switch the language and make the grow selection function not work properly

Paint selection while in face component mode, Hold tab, then left click drag over the surface to paint select faces. To de select or "unpaint" hold tab and start to paint on a previously selected face.  You will notice that a + or - sign will appear depending on whether the face you start on is selected or not.

Invert selection Hold shift and drag a box around objects/components to select the inverse, also you can press control + shift + i

Repeat last command Press "G" to repeat any command that has just been completed

Vertex snap Hold "V" then hover over the vertex you would like to snap to, click the middle mouse wheel and wiggle slightly to snap to that vertex

Combine objects with two or more objects selected, Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over combine and release the mouse

Merge threshold settings

Checking mesh merge using average vertices

Lattice deformer explained

Softmod tool

- with components selected and move, scale or rotate tools active, press the "b" key to engage tool

- Hold B, click and drag middle wheel left or right to adjust the falloff radius of the softmod tool

Reverse normals select all faces on an object, Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over "face normals", then hover over "reverse normals" and release the mouse

Sculpt tool while object is selected Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over sculpt tool and release the mouse

- Sculpt tool brush Hold shift + Hold right click while Sculpt tool is active to chose brushes

- Sculpt tool brush size Hold B and middle mouse wheel click and drag left or right to increase/decrease brush size.

- Note, to adjust strength of each brush, click the tool settings (hammer icon) beside the channel box (3 stack of paper) on the top right side of the Maya window.

Symmetry settings while move, rotate or scale tool is active, Hold control + Hold Shift + Hold right click, hover over symmetry and release to activate.   To deactivate repeat operation

Bevel edges while edges are selected Hold shift + Hold right click, hover over "bevel edge" and release the mouse

Duplicate special after duplicating and object and translating, scaling or rotating it, press Shift + D to repeat last duplication including the translates, scale and or rotation values that you made.  Essentially this is repeat last command for duplication

Curve warp after creating a curve, select the curve, hold shift, and select the object you would like to warp.  Go to deform and choose curve warp.

Center pivot with object selected, go to modify drop down menu at the top of the screen and choose "center pivot"

Sculpt tool volume/surface when sculpt tool is active, Hold control + Hold shift + right click and hover over "falloff type" then hover over "volume or surface" and release the mouse

bulge brush

Sculpt smooth while sculpt mode is active, hold shift to toggle the smooth brush on (with shift held down) or off (releasing shift)

Naming your polygon objects

Organizing your scene

Using the outliner

Group objects with objects selected, press control + G to group them