here i have a link of what i am trying to do. Its from a max tutorial, btu should give you a better idea.

http://www.3dtotal.com/ffa/tutorials/max/joanofarc/head2.asp

in the first image. See how those 3 edges are just brought up, or extended. How can I do that in MAYA?

Select the edges (rigth click, edge, click, shift click other edges) and move them, at least I think that is what you are trying to do.

Interesting way to make a face..

See the learning movies: component selection if confused.

If I may expand just a bit, right click and hold on the face and then drag up to where it reads "edge", then shift-select each edge, or lasso, or whatever, then go to "extrude edge" under "edit polygon". You will then get an anchor to move the extruded edges.

no see thats the thing thats not working. When I do that it create 3 extrusions for each edge I just want to create one that I can move not 3 that I have to merge together.

also does anyone know the answer to my first question? How can I create edges from one vertice to another?

'split polygon tool'

> no see thats the thing thats not working. When I do that it create 3 extrusions for each edge I just want to create one that I can move not 3 that I have to merge together.

I don't think you can do that given the verts between the lower edges.. You have 3 seperate faces.

By the by the image you mentioned has 3 seperate edge sections, exactly what you get when you extrde edges like jflanglois mentioned.

ok split poly tool works fine for objects that allready have edges etc. Let say I have 2 seperate faces (cube shaped) with 4 vertices each. And they are both an inch apart from eachother how would i create edges from each of the vertices to connect them?

Also on the second one I give up for now haha. I will just do it the way I have been doing it. Even though it takes ages it works.

OK, for your second question, when you extrude the edge, click on that diagonal cyan thing on the movement anchor.

I can't for the life of me find how to make an edge between verts, through I'm fairly sure that it's possible. Merge Vertices is an option, but it doesn't keep two seperate vertices.

what diagonal cyan thing heh???

sorry mind describing it a bit more :: )

Sorry, an easier way is to go the Polygons meny, then Tool Options, then Keep Faces Together. What I was describing allows you to toggle between the two. It appears when you get the three arrows to move your extruded edges. It's a diagonal black line with a sort of cyan target at the end. Click on the target and you toggle between the two modes.