How to animation in Maya - Learn MAYA 2023

This tutorial provides information on various animation techniques as well as keyboard shortcuts and tricks in Maya.

Basic

Time Slider Bookmarks

(Flag events, drawing attention to moments on the Time Slider)

Create a bookmark: Alt (Option) + T or click the Bookmark icon to open the Create Bookmarks window.

Bookmark icon and the Create Bookmarks window.

Quick create bookmark: Alt (Option) + Shift + T.

Edit a bookmark: Right-click the Time Slider Bookmark icon.

Move Bookmark: Ctrl + drag a bookmark on the Time Slider.

Add audio to animation

Drag the file(s) from a file browser into one of the Maya modeling views, or onto the Time Slider (or File > Import).

Playblast an animation (a quick preview your animation)

In the Animation menu set, select on menu: Playback \ Playblast.

Playblasted videos are saved to Movie project location.

Motion trails

- Create an editable motion trail: Select the animated object, select Visualize \ Create Editable Motion Trail.

- Delete a motion trail: Select the motion trail in the Outliner, press Delete. Press Ctrl + H to hide (Shift + H to show).

- Modify keys on a motion trail: Right-click the motion trail and select Modify Keys.

    Click the motion trail where you want to insert a key.

    Shift + middle-drag keys along the motion trail to Move keys.

    Shift + click to Delete keys.

- Anchor Transform to isolate animation:

    Create an animated camera.

    Select an object in your scene.

    In scene: Panels \ Perspective \ <camera name>

    Ctrl-click the object and the camera in the Outliner => Visualize \ Create Editable Motion Trails \ 🔲

    Activate the Use Anchor Transform option and click Create Motion Trail.

Ghost an object

It allows you to see how the animation moves through a scene.

- Menu: Visualize \ Open Ghosting Editor.

- Click Create Ghost from Selection.

Animation Snapshot

Visualize \ Create Animation Snapshot.

Animated Sweep

Visualize \ Create Animation Sweep.

Turntable animation

View objects in 360 degrees

Create a turntable animation: 

- Select the object(s)

- Menu: Visualize \ Create Turntable \ 🔲 => Enter the number of frames \ Apply.

Keyframe Animation

Keyframe animation allows you to transform objects or skeletons over time by setting keyframes.

Set keys

- Select the objects.

- Select Key \ Set Key (Shortcuts: S).

Use Auto Key button to automatically set a key when adjust the time on the Time Slider and move the object. To set key options: Select Key \ Set Key \ 🔲

Set keys in the Channel Box

- Select the object.

- Click the Time Slider frame number.

- Click the attribute name to select it.

- Type the value of the attribute and press Enter.

- Right-click the attribute name (or text box) \ Key Selected. (or In the Channel Box, select Channels \ Key Selected.)

Use Ctrl- or Shift-click to key multiple attribute values for multiple objects.

Set key preferences

Click (Animation Preferences button) to open The Preferences window, edit the preferences for key ticks.

The Preferences window and Animation Preferences icon.

Lock a channel

Channel Box, select the channel, right -click the channel \ select Lock Selected from the menu.

Or you can lock in the Channel Control menu: Windows \ General Editors \ Channel Control \ Locked tab to reveal the Locked and Non Locked lists. Select channel and click to change its status to Locked.

- Unlock a channel: menu Windows > General Editors > Channel Control. Locked tab to reveal the Locked and Non Locked lists. Click to change its status to Non Locked.