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Maya Beginner Tutorial Series 11/17: How to Snap Geometry and Change Pivot Points

Category: Maya
February 03, 2025

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in just 4 hours.

The full "Maya Foundation: Home Study Course" contains 3 Modules and 18+ hours of tutorials.

  • Module 1 is focused on interface overview for game environment modeling.
  • Module 2 is focused on environment modeling techniques (27 videos, 8+hrs).
  • Module 3 is focused on UV mapping and UVing (21 videos, 5+hrs).

In this tutorial will learn how to snap objects to the gird and to other objects as well as to how modify pivot points. Snapping and pivot points are probably the most important elements of environment modeling that aren't mentioned enough.

Video Tutorial

Snapping Options

You only need know and use 3 snapping options:

  • Snap to the Grid
  • Snap to Curves/Edges
  • Snap to Points/Vertices

Left mouse click to enable Snap to Grid, Curves/Edges or Points/Vertices. You could enable one or all of them but I don't recommend this:

Then in the viewport, select an object and Left Click Hold and Drag or Middle Mouse Click Hold and Drag the object to snap.

I recommend using the Middle Mouse Button than Left Mouse Button.

Instead of coming up to the Status Line, you can use shortcut:

  • Hold X and Middle Mouse Click = Snap to Grid
  • Hold C and Middle Mouse Click = Snap to Curve/Edge
  • Hold V and Middle Mouse Click = Snap to Vertex

You have to hold down V, C or X while moving the object to keep snaps on. Make sure you have snaps disabled in the Status Line in order to use these shortcuts.

How to Modify Pivot Points

Pivot Points control where the object is going to snap to, rotate and scale from. It is very rare for the pivot point to be exactly where you need it without modifying it.

There are 2 ways modify pivot points:

  • Insert = Toggle Pivot Controls
  • D = Toggle Pivot Controls

First way is to select the object and press Insert or D; this will enable you to modify the pivot:

You can now modify the object's pivot point and position it where you want it:

You could also use X, C, V shortcut keys to snap the pivot point to grid, curve/edge or vertex or enable snaps in the Status Line.

Press Insert or D again to exit pivot point modification tool.

Second way is to select the object, press and hold D key. This will activate the pivot point modification tool:

While keeping D key pressed move and modify the pivot point. Also use X, C, V shortcut keys to snap the pivot point to grid, curve/edge or vertex.

  • Hold D then Hold X = Snap Pivot Point to the Grid
  • Hold D then Hold C = Snap Pivot Point to Curves/Edges
  • Hold D then Hold V = Snap Pivot Point to a Vertex

I recommend using this second option to modify pivot points.

Center Pivot

You can Center Pivot on any object by going to Modify > Center Pivot:

Rotation Snapping

To Rotate Snap at a specific degree, switch to Rotate Tool (E) and then hold J as you rotate. Default is 15 degree rotation snapping.

  • Hold J = Rotate Snapping

If you need to modify the snapping degree amount go to Rotate Tool Settings and change Step Snap to Relative or Absolute then adjust the rotational angle snapping.

If enabled, you won't have to hold J to rotate snap. I would stick with 15, 30, 45 or 90 degree rotational snaps.

Difference between Relative vs Absolute: "Relative means the rotation will be applied based on the current orientation of the object, while Absolute means the rotation will always snap to the same fixed angle regardless of the object's current position."

Freeze Transformations on Object

Freeze Transformations will change Translate, Rotate, Scale Transform inputs and reset them to 0 in the Channel Box:

Freeze Transform will not move the object, but simply Freezes Transformations in the input box and sets then to 0 for Rotate and Transform and 1 on Scale.

So if you moved the object, scaled and rotated, the values in the Channel Box will be updated:

You can freeze these values to 0 without changing the size/rotation/scale of the model by selecting the object and going to Modify > Freeze Transformations:

This is very helpful when you want the object to return to a position in the world where you Freeze Transformations. For example, you Freeze Transformations on an object at world origin 0, 0, 0:

Then, if you move the object anywhere in the scene:

Then decide to move it back to World Origin, all you need to do is type in 0, 0 for Translate and Rotate into the Channel Box:

The object will return to the position where you last Freeze Transformation.

Soft Selection

Be aware of hotkey B which toggles Soft Selection.

  • B = Toggle Soft Selection

Soft Selection lets you select vertices, edges, faces, UVs, or even multiple meshes in an organic way. It's useful for making smooth slopes or contours on your model without having to transform each vertex manually. Alternatively, you could also use Sculpting to accomplish the same effect.

However Soft Selection is often enabled by accident and most people don't know how to turn this off.

You will see this yellow/orange colors around your selection (usually in Component Mode). Press B again to toggle Soft Selection off.

You will also have option settings for this in Move Tool Settings under Soft Selection.

Next Tutorial in the Series

Maya Beginner Tutorial Series 12/17: Difference Between Polygon Triangles vs Quads vs NGons

Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course

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My name is AlexG. I am self-taught level designer, game environment artist and the creator of World of Level Design.com. I've learned everything I know from personal experimentation and decades of being around various online communities of fellow environment artist and level designers. On World of Level Design you will find tutorials to make you become the best level designer and game environment artist.

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