Maya Workshop: Animation Basics

In this 6-week workshop for beginners, learn essential techniques for 3D animation in Maya

Become a 3D Character Animator

Get your feet wet by learning animation basics in Autodesk Maya®, the most widely-used 3D animation software in the industry. We built our Maya Workshop for beginners who have a passion for animation, but zero experience. Start your journey to becoming a successful character animator by learning the techniques and tools that pro animators use to create iconic, animated characters.

Animation created in Maya Autodesk

1-on-1 Feedback from a Studio Pro

For six weeks you’ll have live, weekly Q&As with your mentor, in addition to receiving a recorded training video from a professional animator and an assignment designed to build your skills. Your mentor will review and critique each of your assignments and provide you with a video of their feedback so you can improve your work each week.

Get Access to Pro Rigs

Gain access to professionally designed rigs like the classic bouncing ball, pendulum, Squirrels, and Stewart. After you finish the course you can keep them for your future projects.

What You’ll Learn in the Maya Workshop

Week 1

Maya Overview

In this session we cover all the basics of Maya, getting you comfortable with the main aspects of the interface, navigating in 3D space, and working with basic objects.

Week 2

Introduction to Animation in Maya

In this session we dive into Maya’s animation toolset and interface. By the end of this session you will have a basic understanding of how to animate within Maya.

Week 3

Fundamental Concepts of Animation

Using the concepts, tools, and techniques from the previous two sessions, you’ll animate our Squirrels rig performing a bouncy jump.

Week 4

Character Animation in Maya I

This week we’ll look at the basic tools, techniques, and workflows for character animation within Maya. You’ll learn how to make Stewart, our biped rig, perform a complex jump.

Week 5

Character Animation in Maya II

Now we’re ready to cover more intermediate character animation topics within Maya. You’ll create an advanced animation shot using a mechanical robot arm. This will prepare you for the more complex animations later on.

Week 6

Character Animation in Maya III

In this session we review the key topics covered so far within this workshop, as well as more advanced character animation topics.

6-WEEK WORKSHOP

$699 USD

Start the Week of
March 25, 2024

Register By
March 24, 2024

Maya Workshop Student Gallery

Ximo Ferrer

Ximo Ferrer

Kooper Hval

James Hammerstein

On-Going Rig Access

STEWART

SQUIRRELS

Course Requirements for the Maya Workshop

Course Details

LIVE Q&As | Weekly 1-Hour Q&As

LECTURES | 6 Pre-recorded Lectures

ASSIGNMENTS | 5 Animation Exercises

SOFTWARE | Autodesk Maya

HARDWARE | Meet Minimum Requirements

AGE | 18 Years or Older

LANGUAGE | Taught in English

Skills You Need Before You Start

The Maya Workshop is not graded to help you feel comfortable learning the software at your own pace. There are no required skills to join, but we ask that you bring enthusiasm for animation and a desire to learn.

What You’ll Learn

This workshop will familiarize you with the basics of using Maya, including how to navigate the interface and 3D space, as well as the tools used for animation. After learning Maya, you’ll be so familiar with this fundamental software that you’ll be ready to jump right into learning character animation. After this workshop you’ll:

  • Be comfortable with the Maya interface, allowing you to focus on animation without getting lost in the software
  • Navigate the 3D viewport and move fluidly around your scene
  • Understand workflows and keyboard shortcuts to allow you to work faster and more efficiently
  • Have a basic understanding of how to animate 3D characters in Maya
  • Be able to model basic polygons, so that you can can create and populate your scenes with set pieces and props

FAQ for the Maya Workshop

Will I learn how to render an animation in Maya?

Yes, you’ll learn how to render your animation assignments so you can submit them for review. You’ll also master the basics of the Maya interface by creating simple prop models and you’ll learn how to use the graph editor to animate characters.

Will I learn how to export animation in Maya?

Yes, you learn how to export a quick “playblast,” a video file of your animation for review.

Does the course cover how to bake an animation in Maya?

No. This workshop covers how the graph editor works and how to use rig controls to create basic animation.

Why is Maya the most commonly used software by professionals?

Maya is considered the industry standard for professional animation because it’s powerful and high-quality. Most small and mid-sized studios use Maya. Some large studios use Maya, however, some major studios create their own proprietary animation software systems and production pipeline. If you have mastered Maya, you will easily be able to master these proprietary software, as most of them work in a similar way.

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