Cameras

Cameras similar to lighting,  namely Target and Free cameras

To see view of camera:  perspective viewport >cameras >camera01

Lighting

Standard Lighting

Lighting is split into two types where photometric is the default. Standard lighting which is not the most realistic light has to have active shade enabled.

Target spots aim directly at the target object and are useful for moodlighting.

There are other types of lights including free spots, target direct, free direct, omni (directional), skylight, mental ray area omni and mental ray area spot.

Photometric Lighting

Photometric lighting uses three types of lights Target light, Free light and mental ray sky portal.

Photometric lighting has the option to use raytracing which allows light to bounce off elements in a scene and reflects colour onto the bitmap. Raytraced shadows are more precise than the active shade system used in the standard lighting configuration.

Making a Leaf

The image of a leaf (leafLARGE.jpg) was first opened in Photoshop and using the magic wand tool set to a tolerance of 60, the outside area of the leaf is then selected. A new layer is created and filled with a black colour.

A new layer is created and filled with white and the layer is placed below the black layer. The leaf image now has a black surround.

A plane is created in 3d max using the standard primitives, increasing the number of length and width segments to 30, enables sufficient vertex points to be created when the editable poly is applied.

The material editor is then selected and an empty material slot clicked on. A small grey square next to the diffuse colour is clicked on and the leafLARGE.jpg bitmap is opened. The image of the leaf now appears mapped in the material slot but a problem exists in that the leaf is mapped on to a white background. The black and white bitmap image of the leaf is now used as a layer mask by selecting the image in the opacity map box. In order to go back to the base level of the material, the go to parent button must be clicked in the material editor, allowing access to the maps tab. The opacity map box is clicked on and the bitmap image of the leaf appears in the material slot with the white background blocked out and filled with black.

To enable the leaf image to be more realistic with an increased texture, a bump map is used. In the maps tab of the parent material, increase the bump amount to 130 and click the none box next to bump. The bitmap is clicked on and the original leaf image is selected.

The material is then applied to the plane by clicking and dragging to the plane from the material preview slot. The map becomes visible in the viewport after clicking the show standard map in viewport chequered box.

The leaf is then shaped by applying an editable poly and soft selection to form the shape of a leaf.

Producing a High Shine metallic material

Click on the create panel and select extended primitives. Click and drag a torus knot into the perspective viewport. Open the material editor and pick an Anastropic shader as this creates an image that represents metal materials. The diffuse button is then clicked on and the colour changed to dark blue. The Specular level is also changed to 60 and the Anastrophy to 80.

Under the maps rollout click on reflection > none and select material library. An image of the Manhattan skyline that had been previously saved as a bitmap in photoshop to the dimensions of 3cm*3cm was selected. The image was now added to the reflective map channel.

Drag the material from the slot to the torus knot.

Making a linear array

Initially selecting create and a standard primitive box, displays the box primitive parameters where the parameters for the box shape may be entered. The number of length, width and height segments may also be selected .

segments on the box shape.

The editable poly is applied and the vertices are then dragged on both sides at the top section of the box shape to form chamfered edges.

Click on the create icon to deselect the editable poly setting and select tools > array. The array dialogue box opens where the preview button must be highlighted. In the array dimensions box,

click on the 2d button and in the count select the number of copies required. Click on the x spinner and advance to 4.

Click on the 3d button and in the count select the number of copies required. Click on the y spinner and advance to 4.

Loft

A coat hanger was modelled by selecting the line tool and drawing the shape of the coat hanger.

In the front viewport drag a small circle. Click on the shape and then in loft properties, click on get shape and then click on the circle. The coat hanger image then appears.

Bolinger 69

The photoshop image of a Bolinger champagne bottle was saved as a BMP file and mapped onto a reference plane that was created in 3d max. The line tool was then selected and the parameters changed from Bezier vertex type to smooth. A profile of half the bottle shape is drawn out and the spline is closed. Hierarchy is selected and the adjust pivot point only icon is clicked on. The pivot point is then moved to the base of the shape to ensure that the lathe modifier rotates around the base of the bottle.

The lathe modifier is then selected from the modifier list and the bottle image appears revolved around the y axis.

A Bolinger text logo was also applied to the bottle image by using the text tool and gold was used for the text colour.