Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
is the preferred naming convention; using it, you can immediately identify the scene file
from which a particular image file was rendered. This is the preferred naming convention
for most production houses, and using it is a good habit to establish.
The frame number portion of an image sequence name (
0234
in the example) identi-
fies which frame in the sequence the image represents. In the Frame/Animation Ext
drop-down list box, select
name.#.ext
to render out a sequence of files. If you leave this
setting at the default of
name
.
ext
, only a single frame will render, no matter what the ani-
mation range is in the Time slider.
Name.#.ext
is perhaps the most commonly used convention, as opposed to
name.ext.#
or
name.#
, because it allows you to identify the file type easily in Windows. Although Macin-
tosh OS X isn't as picky about the order of number and extension, most Mac compositing
software applications (such as After Effects and Shake) want filenames that end in the three-
letter extension. Therefore, it's best for both Mac and Windows to use the
name.#.ext
format.
The extension portion of the image name is a three-letter abbreviation for the type of
file you're writing to disk. By specifying in the Frame/Animation Ext drop-down list box
that you want an extension appended to each image filename, you ensure that you can
identify the file type.
Image Format
In the Image Format drop-down list box, select the type of image file you want to render.
Maya will add the appropriate extension to the filename.
You can save your images in a wide range of formats. The format you choose depends
on your own preference and your output needs. For example, Joint Photographic Experts
Group (JPEG) files may be great for the small file sizes preferred on the Internet, but their
color compression and lack of alpha channel (a feature discussed later in this chapter)
make them undesirable for most professional CG work beyond test renders and
dailies
, a
meeting in which the day's (or week's) work on a production is looked at and discussed
for direction.
It's best to render a sequence of images rather than a movie file for two reasons. First,
you want your renders to be their best quality with little or no image compression. Second,
if a render fails during a movie render, you must re-render the entire sequence. With an
image sequence, however, you can pick up where the last frame left off. The best file type
format to render to is Tagged Image File Format (TIFF). This format enjoys universal
support, has little to no compression, and supports an alpha channel. Almost all image-
editing and compositing packages can read Targa- and TIFF-formatted files, so either is
a safe choice most of the time. Also, the Silicon Graphics Image (SGI) and Maya Image
File Format (IFF) formats are good, although some older versions of image editors may
not be able to load them without a plug-in. For more on image formats, see Chapter 1,
“Introduction to Computer Graphics and 3D.”
