Welcome!
This Tutorial is for 3ds Max Users with little
or no experience at all. Yet, I assume that
you have a general knowledge of computers
and common sense=). I am using 3ds Max
R4. In this tutorial we will cover: Creating
& Placing Polygons, Edit Meshes, Various
Basic modifiers, Texturing, Lighting, and
Rendering. If there are any questions
or problems, please direct them to Colin Barnette.
I
also hope you have fiddled around with max
before starting.
I
have tried to incorporate all of the helpful
hints I can.
We
are going to make a shelf or dresser that
should look somewhat like this in the end.
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I.
Manipulating the Perspective View
You need to know how to do this!
This is in the lower-right
hand corner of the 3ds max window.
1.
This is the zoom in button. Also can be achieved
by using your mouse wheel.
2.
This is the zoom extents button. It zoom all
the way to the extent of how your scene.
3.
This button pans about on the plane you are
on.
4.
This rotates your perspective view.
1.
Modeling - The Main Unit
First,
load up 3ds max ad reset the view. (File ->
Reset)
Press
2 to bring up this tabbar.
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Now
go to the Objects tab and click the box. (The
first button on the row)
Now
go to your perspective view and make your
box any size and shape because we are changing
that soon.
With
your box made you are going to want to find
this properties bar. (It is normally on the
right hand side. If you cannot find
it then press ).
Select
your box and do the following.
Once
you get here click on this tab: 
This
is the modifier or properties tab.
Now
you should be able to see this.
Change
your values to meet these.
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Now
make sure you box is still selected and go
press the select and move key.
Right
click it and this comes up. Change the
values to meet these.
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If
you cannot see your box in the perspective view,
then using your mouse wheel orthe magnifying
glass in the lower right hand corner zoom
in our out.
Here
is what mine looks like.
Note:
Colors might be different! It has no effect
on anything!
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If
you have this then congrats! If not, then
read back and see if you have done anything
wrong.
If
you are still stumped then email me at the
link above.
Now
we move on.
2.
Modeling - The Top
Create
another box and give it the properties and
move it as shown below.
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With
that a success you should now have this.
Note:
Colors might be different! It has no effect
on anything!
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With
the small box on top selected, go to your
menu - Modifiers -> Mesh Editing ->
Edit Mesh
On
your Properties Box ()
open up the Edit Mesh Subtree and select vertex.
(Img Below)
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Now
go to your tool bar and select this button.
This
is the Scale Button.
I
have placed an animated gif below to show
you what we want to do with the vertices.
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And
your final should look somewhat like this.
It does not have to be exact.
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If
you have made it here, congrats! If
not, again, double check and then e-mail me
if you still have problems.
3.
Modeling - The Drawers
Make
another box and place as so and give it these
properties.
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Now
clone (Edit -> Clone) the drawer and
move it like this.
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Now
we have to model the drawer pull. There
is no easy way to tell you how to do this
so I
am
just going to get you started and give you
more graphics!
On
the tab bar, go to the shapes tab and select
line.
Now
goto your top view and find a little
empty space off to the side.
Fool
around wil making lines and try to make an
object looking similar to this.
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Now,
if you have successfully done that goto Modifiers
-> Patch/Spline Editing -> Lathe.
Now
you can see that your line is a 3d Object.
You
might have to change some of the setting like
the axis you are lathing on, or the Min, Center,
or Max settings.
You
should come up with somthing like this.
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Clone
it and place it until you come up with something
like this.
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Congratulations!
You have finished with the modeling part of
this tutorial!.
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