在本DVD中，Alex讲解了如何使用MAAY,Paint Effects，还有Menral ray来创建逼真的草，同时为大家分享他制作一个完整的自然环境的技术。我们先从查看Paint Effects的基本的grass library开始，讲解了如何通过一些基本的调整来让草看起来更加自然，通过曲线与实例化来让大块的区域被草覆盖。通过使用实例化，粒子， 表面发射器，Alex告诉我们如何在一个很大的场景中布满草的几何体，并且使用最小的内存来渲染上百万的多边形。里面使用了一个基于表达式的技术，根据表面来决定被实例化的对象的方向，这是一个对植物与树来说不太重要的问题，但是对于草来说却是相当重要的。当我们需要的各个元素被交互式的，并且精确的放置了，Alex为我们讲解了如何使用一个免费的几何体绘制代码，还有如何将实例化的粒子bake到几何体上。教学深入的讲解了如何创建忒图，mia材质，还有使用物理真实的sun/sky。Alex还讲解了如何渲染与应用zDepth层来添加后期的景深与雾效，如果渲染真实的体积雾特效，还有如何在AE与PHOTOSHOP中通过使用色彩校正与像Magic Bullet, LensCare，还有Sapphire这样的插件来提升真实感。

In this DVD, Alex covers how to create realistic grass using Maya, Paint Effects and Mental Ray while also sharing his techniques for developing a complete natural environment. We begin by evaluating the default Paint Effects grass library with discussion on the basic adjustments needed to make grass more natural. Techniques for covering large areas with grass are then explored via curves and instancing. Through the use of instancing, particles and surface emitters, Alex shows how to populate large scenes with grass geometry, rendering millions of polygons with a minimal RAM footprint. Included is an expression based technique for orienting instanced geometry with the normal of the generating surface, an issue less important for plants or trees but often very important for grass. When elements need to be interactively and precisely placed, Alex also demonstrates the use of a freely available geometry paint script, as well as how to bake particle instances to geometry. Generating textures, miaMaterials and workflow in conjunction with Physical Sun/Sky is thoroughly discussed. Alex also demonstrates how to render and utilize zDepth passes to add post depth-of-field and fog effects, how to render true volumetric fog effects, as well as Photoshop and After Effects post techniques to increase realism through the use of color correction and plug-ins, including Magic Bullet, LensCare and Sapphire.