---
name: maya-materials
description: Creates and assigns Maya materials via MCP - Arnold aiStandardSurface, Lambert, Blinn and USD Preview Surface. Use for shader creation, texture assignment, assigning materials to geometry or look dev in Maya.
allowed-tools: Read,Write,Bash
---

# Maya Materials Skill

Creates and assigns shaders in a live Maya session via the commandPort bridge.

## Prerequisites

- Maya is open with commandPort active
- For Arnold shaders: Arnold for Maya (MtoA) loaded

## Standard Surface (Arnold - preferred for production)

```python
import maya.cmds as cmds

# Create shader + shading group
shader = cmds.shadingNode('aiStandardSurface', asShader=True, name='hero_mat')
sg = cmds.sets(renderable=True, noSurfaceShader=True, empty=True, name='hero_matSG')
cmds.connectAttr(f'{shader}.outColor', f'{sg}.surfaceShader')

# Set base color
cmds.setAttr(f'{shader}.baseColor', 0.8, 0.2, 0.1, type='double3')
cmds.setAttr(f'{shader}.metalness', 0.0)
cmds.setAttr(f'{shader}.specularRoughness', 0.3)

# Assign to geometry
cmds.sets('hero_geo', edit=True, forceElement='hero_matSG')
```

## File Texture

```python
import maya.cmds as cmds

file_node = cmds.shadingNode('file', asTexture=True, name='diffuse_tex')
p2d = cmds.shadingNode('place2dTexture', asUtility=True)
cmds.connectAttr(f'{p2d}.outUV', f'{file_node}.uvCoord')
cmds.setAttr(f'{file_node}.fileTextureName', r'D:/textures/hero_diffuse.png', type='string')
cmds.connectAttr(f'{file_node}.outColor', f'{shader}.baseColor')
```

## Lambert (fast lookdev)

```python
import maya.cmds as cmds

shader = cmds.shadingNode('lambert', asShader=True, name='quick_mat')
sg = cmds.sets(renderable=True, noSurfaceShader=True, empty=True, name='quick_matSG')
cmds.connectAttr(f'{shader}.outColor', f'{sg}.surfaceShader')
cmds.setAttr(f'{shader}.color', 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, type='double3')
cmds.sets('hero_geo', edit=True, forceElement='quick_matSG')
```

## Gotchas

- **Arnold plugin** must be loaded: `cmds.loadPlugin('mtoa', quiet=True)` before using `aiStandardSurface`
- **ColorSpace** - set `file_node.colorSpace` to `'sRGB'` for diffuse, `'Raw'` for normal/roughness maps
- **UDP paths** - use forward slashes or raw strings for texture paths on Windows