Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 Essentials Autodesk Official Press

Great guide to the fundamentals of Autodesk 3ds Max 2014

This Autodesk Official Press guide is just what you need to learn the basics of Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 quickly and easily. Through a series of cool projects like designing an alarm clock, animating a thrown knife, or lighting a scene, you'll learn the essentials of modeling, rigging, animating, and rendering using the popular Autodesk 3ds Max 3D animation and effects software. It's a practical, hands-on approach allowing you to constantly reinforcing skills as you learn them.

Downloadable before-and-after project files let you to compare your work to that of 3ds Max professionals. Even if you already have experience with 3ds Max, this book is a great reference for renewing your skills. And, it will help all users review and prepare for the Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 certification exams.

• Helps beginners and those migrating from other 3D animation and effects programs get up and running on Autodesk 3ds Max 2014
• Features a realistic, task-based approach, so readers learn via a series of hands-on projects using downloadable files, all backed with ample instruction, explanation, and illustration
• Covers modeling, rigging, animating, rendering, skinning, architectural visualization, and more
• Written by Autodesk Authorized Authors and is an Autodesk Official Press book

Get firsthand experience with 3ds Max, as well as a good start on preparing for the Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 Certified Professional exam, with Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 Essentials.

Randi L. Derakhshani teaches 3D and visual effects at The Art Institute of California and has worked as a digital artist and technical director for games and movie projects with Gizmo Games, RJB Enterprises, and Sony. Dariush Derakhshani is an award-winning visual effects supervisor, author, and educator. He has worked on movies such as The Fantastic Four and Pan's Labyrinth, the South Park TV series, and numerous commercials and music videos. He teaches 3D animation and is the author of all of Sybex's Introducing Maya books. Dariush and Randi are also coauthors of all of Sybex's Introducing 3ds Max books, as well as Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 Essentials. Randi and Dariush are also Autodesk Certified Instructors.

Chapter 1 The 3ds Max Interface 1

The Workspace  1

User-Interface Elements 2

Viewports  4

ViewCube  6

Mouse Buttons 7

Quad Menus  7

Display of Objects in a Viewport  8

Viewport Navigation 10

Transforming Objects Using Gizmos 11

Graphite Modeling Tools Set  12

Command Panel  14

Object Parameters and Values 15

Modifier Stack  15

Objects and Sub-Objects  16

Time Slider and Track Bar  16

File Management  16

Setting a Project 17

Version Up!  18

The Essentials and Beyond 18

Chapter 2 Your First 3ds Max Project 19

Setting Up a Project Workflow 19

Ready, Set, Go…Set Project! 20

Ready, Set, Reference!  20

Time to Model a Clock! 25

Modeling in Sub-Object Mode 26

Bring on the Bevel 30

Chamfer Time 32

In Splines We Trust 38

One Lathe to Make a Whole 45

Introducing the Dynamic Duo: Extrude & Bevel 49

Bringing It All Together  54

The Essentials and Beyond 56

Chapter 3 Modeling in 3ds Max: Architectural Model Part I 57

Units Setup  58

Importing a CAD Drawing  59

Creating the Walls 61

Creating the Doors  64

Creating the Window  68

Adding a Floor and Ceiling 70

Creating Baseboard Moldings  72

The Essentials and Beyond 78

Chapter 4 Modeling in 3ds Max: Architectural Model Part II 79

Modeling the Couch  79

Blocking Out the Couch Model 80

Using NURMS to Add Softness  82

Adding Details to the Couch  85

The Chaise Lounge 89

Creating the Couch Feet  90

Modeling the Lounge Chair  93

Creating Image Planes 93

Adding the Materials  94

Building the Splines for the Chair Frame 95

Creating the Chair Cushion 101

Creating the Lounge Chair’s Base 103

Bringing It All Together 108

The Essentials and Beyond 110

Chapter 5 Introduction to Animation 111

Animating the Ball  112

Copying Keyframes  113

Using the Track View–Curve Editor  114

Reading Animation Curves  116

Refining the Animation  118

Editing Animation Curves 119

Squash and Stretch  121

Setting the Timing 123

Moving the Ball Forward 124

Using the XForm Modifier 127

Animating the XForm Modifier 128

The Essentials and Beyond 130

Chapter 6 Animation Principles 131

Anticipation and Momentum in Knife Throwing  131

Blocking Out the Animation 131

Trajectories 134

Adding Rotation 135

Adding Anticipation 137

Following Through 139

Transferring Momentum to the Target 140

The Essentials and Beyond 142

Chapter 7 Character Poly Modeling: Part I 143

Setting Up the Scene  143

Creating Image Planes 144

Adding the Material to the Image Plane 145

Beginning the Soldier Model  146

Forming the Torso 147

Creating the Arms  158

Creating the Legs 161

Fixing Up the Body 166

The Essentials and Beyond 168

Chapter 8 Character Poly Modeling: Part II 169

Completing the Main Body 169

Creating the Accessories 173

Utility Belt 173

Pouch  174

Vest  177

Leg Strap  178

Gun Holster  182

Putting on the Boots  183

Creating the Hands 188

The Essentials and Beyond 192

Chapter 9 Character Poly Modeling: Part III 193

Creating the Head 193

Outlining the Head  196

Rounding Out the Face  203

Creating the Back of the Head 205

Mirroring the Head  206

Merging and Attaching the Head’s Accessories 207

The Essentials and Beyond 208

Chapter 10 Introduction to Materials: Interiors and Furniture 209

The Slate Material Editor  210

Material Types 211

Standard Materials 211

mental ray Material Types  212

Shaders  212

Mapping the Couch and Chair 213

Creating a Standard Material  213

Applying the Material to the Couch  214

Adding a Bitmap 216

Introduction to Mapping Coordinates 218

Applying the Material to the Lounge Chair  223

Mapping the Window and Doors  228

Creating a Multi/Sub-Object Material 228

The Essentials and Beyond 233

Chapter 11 Textures and UV Workflow: The Soldier 235

UV Unwrapping 236

Pelting the Arms UVs 242

Unwrapping and Using Pelt for the Head  245

Seaming the Rest of the Body  249

Unfolding the Rest of the Body  250

Applying the Color Map  257

Applying the Bump Map 258

Applying the Specular Map 261

The Essentials and Beyond 262

Chapter 12 Character Studio: Rigging 263

Character Studio Workflow  263

General Workflow 264

Associating a Biped with the Soldier Model 266

Creating and Modifying the Biped 266

Adjusting the Torso and Arms 272

Adjusting the Neck and Head  274

Applying the Skin Modifier  275

Tweaking the Skin Modifier 278

Controlling the View  287

The Essentials and Beyond 290

Chapter 13 Character Studio: Animation 291

Animating the Soldier  291

Adding a Run-and-Jump Sequence 292

Adding Freeform Animation  294

Modifying Animation in the Dope Sheet  299

The Essentials and Beyond 304

Chapter 14 Introduction to Lighting: Interior Lighting 305

Three-Point Lighting  305

3ds Max Lights  306

Standard Lights  307

Target Spotlight 307

Target Direct Light 309

Free Spot or Free Direct Light  310

Omni Light 311

Lighting a Still Life in the Interior Space  312

Selecting a Shadow Type  319

Shadow Maps  320

raytraced Shadows 320

Atmospheres and Effects  321

Creating a Volumetric Light  321

Adding Shadows 323

Excluding an Object from a Light 324

Adding a Volumetric Effect  327

Volume Light Parameters  329

Light Lister  329

The Essentials and Beyond 330

Chapter 15 3ds Max Rendering 331

Rendering Setup 331

Common Tab  333

Choosing a Filename  334

Rendered Frame Window 334

Render Processing  334

Assign Renderer  336

Rendering the Bouncing Ball  336

Cameras 338

Creating a Camera  339

Using Cameras  339

Talk Is Cheap! 340

Animating a Camera  341

Clipping Planes 342

Safe Frames 343

Raytraced Reflections and Refractions  345

Raytrace Material 345

Raytrace Mapping 347

Refractions Using the Raytrace Material 348

Refractions Using Raytrace Mapping  351

Rendering the Interior and Furniture 353

Adding Raytraced Reflections  353

Outputting the Render 355

The Essentials and Beyond 356

Chapter 16 mental ray 357

mental ray Renderer 357

Enabling the mental ray Renderer  357

mental ray Sampling Quality  358

Final Gather with mental ray 360

Basic Group  361

Advanced Group 363

The mental ray Rendered Frame Window 364

mental ray Materials 364

Using Arch & Design Material Templates  366

Creating Arch & Design Materials 369

Multi/Sub-Object Material and Arch & Design 370

3ds Max Photometric Lights in mental ray Renderings 372

3ds Max Daylight System in mental ray Renderings  378

The Essentials and Beyond 384

Appendix Autodesk® 3ds Max® Certification 385

Index 389

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