In Maya, there are several paint tools that all work like paint brushes. Typically, you create your model in Maya, then paint with these tools to detail and modify it. If you have a graphics tablet and stylus, you can use them for greater control when you paint.
Use the Paint Selection Tool (Edit > Paint Selection Tool) to select vertices by painting on the surface with the tool. This control quickly provides results that previously required painstaking manipulation of individual components. You can use the Paint Selection Tool to select faces and edges on polygons and subdivision surfaces. For details, see Paint Selection Tool. You can also use it to perform polygonal editing.
Use the Sculpt Geometry Tool (Polygons menu set, Mesh > Sculpt Geometry Tool) to push and pull vertices on NURBS, polygons, and subdivision surfaces. The effect is similar to sculpting clay. For details, see Sculpt Geometry Tool overview.
Paint Vertex Color Tool (for polygons only)
Use the Paint Vertex Color Tool (Polygons menu set, Color > Paint Vertex Color Tool) to paint a specified color value and alpha onto polygon vertices.
Use the Paint Scripts Tool (Modify > Paint Scripts Tool) to paint a surface with an attribute defined in a Maya MELscript. For example, you can paint particle emitters on your surfaces like you would paint a color or texture in a painting program. Maya includes sample MEL paint scripts to apply to your surfaces. For details, see Painting with MEL scripts and the Paint Scripts Tool.
Use the Paint Attributes Tool (Modify > Paint Attributes Tool) to paint any registered attributes on any object. For details, see Painting attribute values.
Use the Paint Cluster Weights Tool (Animation menu set, Edit Deformers > Paint Cluster Weights Tool) to paint weights on vertex clusters. For details, see Paint Cluster Weights Tool.
Use the Paint Jiggle Weights Tool (Animation menu set, Edit Deformers > Paint Jiggle Weights Tool) to paint jiggle weights on vertex clusters. For details, see Paint Jiggle Weights Tool.
Use the Paint Set Membership Tool (Animation menu set, Edit Deformers > Paint Set Membership Tool) to paint the set membership of vertices instead of individually selecting them. For details, see the Paint Set Membership Tool.
By smooth binding skin to an object, you can create skin-like deformations. In effect, all the vertices belong to all the joint clusters. Use the Paint Skin Weights Tool (Animation menu set, Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Paint Skin Weights Tool) to modify the weights of these clusters at the joints. For details, see Paint Skin Weights Tool.
Use the Paint Soft Body Weights Tool (Dynamics menu set, Soft/Rigid Bodies > Paint Soft Body Weights Tool) to set the goal weights on a soft body by painting on the soft body surface. For details, see Paint Soft Body Weights Tool.
Use the Paint Vertex Properties Tool (nDynamics menu set, nMesh > Paint Vertex Properties) to paint vertex property values on an area of cloth.
Use the Paint Texture Properties Tool (nDynamics menu set, nMesh > Paint Texture Properties) to paint texture property values on an area of cloth.
Use the Paint Fur Attributes Tool (Rendering menu set, Fur > Paint Fur Attributes Tool) to paint fur attribute values on an area of fur without changing the fur description for the entire surface. For details, see Paint Fur Attributes Tool.
Use the Paint Fluids Tool (Dynamics menu set, Fluid Effects > Add/Edit Contents > Paint Fluids Tool) to paint fluid property values in 2D and 3D fluid containers.
Use Paint Hair Follicles (nDynamics menu set, nHair > Paint Hair Follicles) to paint hair on a NURBS or polygon surface, or to modify follicle attributes of a hair system. For details, see Paint Hair Follicles.
