You did it. You got in. You somehow managed to get onto the Alias|Wavefront Website and download the free Maya Personal Learning Edition! Congratulations, because I'm sure it wasn't easy.

Truth be told, Maya is wildly popular software, and the Alias|Wavefront servers didn't have a prayer of dealing with the zillions of animators clicking away at the 138MB download. Apparently, there were over 13,000 downloads in less than two weeks.

A shot from a training video by 3D Buzz. All 3D Buzz images © 3D Buzz.

But forget about the unfortunate ones who still haven't got Maya -- let's talk about you! You downloaded it. You installed it. You read through the documentation. You played around a little bit. Now what? Are you serious about learning Maya at home?

This is complex software. It can be difficult to learn, especially if you don't work in a studio with savvy colleagues to pester or live near a school that offers Maya training. One great solution for the stay-at-home Maya student is training videos.

Learn Visually
Videotapes can be an excellent training aid for people who learn visually and aurally. Videos straddle the fence between books and directed instruction. They aren't as random-access as books are -- it's nice to flip to any page and take as much time as you need. Nor are they as interactive as directed instruction -- politely raising your hand won't normally compel your VCR to call on you and answer a question.

The major benefit of training tapes is that they allow you to watch active demonstrations of concepts and techniques at your own pace. In reviewing these tapes I learned all sorts of great tips. It's like having personal demonstrations presented to you by a group of Maya masters.

Depending on your needs, you can get training materials for many different topics within Maya. (Most of these tapes apply to any version: Maya PLE, Maya Builder, Maya Complete or Maya Unlimited.) As you progress in your understanding of a given topic, you may also want to learn more advanced techniques. Thankfully, there are videotapes available for a wide range of skill levels.

We'll look at some training tapes (and related materials) from three vendors: The 3D Buzz, The Gnomon Workshop and Alias|Wavefront.

The 3D Buzz
Character Rigging I with Maya 4 is the first in a three part series from The 3D Buzz. Frankly, I can't wait to see the next two, because this one is terrific. It covers the step-by-step creation of a bipedal skeleton in a clear, easy-to-follow manner.