Maya 3D Solar Eclipse Tutorial

Use Maya to create your own eclipse.

Maya is one of the most widely used of 3D modeling, rendering and animation applications. It has long been used by professionals to create a wide array of content, from videos and animation to video games. In recent years, with the improvements to personal computers, many non-professionals are using Maya to create 2D scenes and renders they can then place on sites like Renderosity for others to view and appreciate. One interesting project you might carry out using Maya is a rendered image of a solar eclipse. With the various tools and functions of Maya, this project is surprisingly easy to complete.

Instructions

1. Click on the shortcut on your desktop to start the Maya application. Select "Create" from the menu and choose "Polygon Primitives." From the options, choose "Sphere."

2. Select "Mesh" from the menu and choose "Smooth." In the dialog, set the divisions to 2.

3. Open the "Hypershade" panel to access the materials. Click to create a "Blinn" material. Then go to the "Material Attributes" and make the color a bright red or dark orange.

4. Go to the "Effects" section of the "Material Attributes" and set the "Glow Intensity." Do a quick test render to see if the glow is right. Adjust it until you like the result.

5. Create another sphere that is smaller than the first one. Create a dark, non-reflective material for it.

6. Reposition the camera so that the second sphere interposes itself between the larger sphere and the camera. Render the image and save it.

References

• Digital River: Maya Special Effects Handbook