Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Tip of the Week: Viewport Color

Occasionally while modeling in Maya, it can be useful to change the viewport color to get a better look at what you're going.

You can change the viewport to a custom color under Window > Settings/Preferences > Color Settings.

But there's also a fast way of doing it if you just want to switch back and forth. Alt+b toggles the viewport through 35% gray (the default color), 50% gray, black, and a blue/gray gradient. If you have a detailed model, toggling through the colors can change the contrast and make it easier to see and select different objects and components:

Alt B Toggles Viewport Color

I also use this for playblasts. Sometimes it's helpful to view your playblast against black or a gradient instead of the usual gray.