maya question - shading in iron giant

Also I'm using a model that isn't mine, and I'm using the toon outline. But the object is in nurbs, and I can't seem to select specific parts without selecting the whole object, and I'd like to be able to so I can have different settings for the outline in different places. So how do I select only specific parts?

You can't suck as badly as me, methinks. I can't help you with shader questions, but it sounds like the nurbs model is grouped. I haven't touched maya in a year or so, so I can't recall how to ungroup- but I think that's the ticket. That or just select the pertinent CVs, I spose.

Heh, the blind leading the blind over here. Wish I could offer more.

hi, a question for you maya users...
how would I imitate the shading done in Iron Giant, where he's basically shaded with two colors, except there is a thin gradient between the two?
I've been messing around with "toon shader" but that just gives you two flat colors with no gradient in between. On top of that, when I apply it, it overwrites whatever materials are already on the object, so everything is just the one color. If I knew what type of shading this was called I might be able to look it up =\. My best guess was "soft shading"... maybe?
if you understand what I'm talking about please help!

Also I'm using a model that isn't mine, and I'm using the toon outline. But the object is in nurbs, and I can't seem to select specific parts without selecting the whole object, and I'd like to be able to so I can have different settings for the outline in different places. So how do I select only specific parts?
I suck at 3d!! :confused:

You'll want to learn to write you're own toon shader. Basically you use the shading ramp and apply your textures (properly colored for the different lighting conditions) as colors to the gradient. You will then be able to dictate how they blend together.

Then you render using the vector renderer on white and composite them back together (or do it in one step if you can manage).

Basically, you'll need to learn to write your own shader. There are a number of tutorials on the web that will teach you. Alias used to have a pretty good one with a bee hive.

Ah the joys of 3D! This reminds me of when I did 3d and the frequent frustration level. It's painful to know exactly what you want to do, but then have to face a dozen hurdles to finally get to your vision! Makes me love the fact that I use Flash even more. Because of it's simplicity, I can get to my finished product very quickly. :rolleyes:

It's definitly not for the feint of heart or the technologically inept, that's for sure. I'm definitely not implying that you are either. But I have met plenty who are and they give up pretty quickly.

Maya 7 has a new toon shader that pretty much blows all previous methods out of the water. The new toon shader can do gradients, paint effects, and other options.

Yeah, it's pretty neat. I'd hate to earn my bread and butter writing Maya plug-ins. Everytime a good one comes along (like the Wild Cat toon shader, or CPS), Alias incorporates it (usually poorly) into their overall product.