Autodesk 3ds Max 2016 Essentials

Book description

Start animating right away with this tutorial-based guide to Autodesk 3ds Max 2016

Autodesk 3ds Max 2016 Essentials is your perfect hands-on guide to start animating quickly. Using approachable, real-world exercises, you'll master the fundamentals of this leading animation software by following full-color screen shots step by step. Each chapter opens with a quick discussion of concepts and learning objectives, and then launches into hands-on tutorials that give you firsthand experience and a good start on preparing for the 3ds Max certification exam. You'll learn the basics of modeling, texturing, animating, and visual effects as you create a retro-style alarm clock, animate a thrown knife, model a chair, and more. Whether you're a complete beginner or migrating from another 3D application, this task-based book provides the solid grounding you need in Autodesk 3ds Max 2016.

  • Model your character with polygons, meshes, and more

  • Add motion with simple and complex animations

  • Add color and textures to visualize materials and surfaces

  • Render interior scenes with great lighting and camera placement

  • If you want to learn 3ds Max quickly and painlessly, Autodesk 3ds Max 2016 Essentials helps you start animating today.

    Table of contents

    1. Title Page
    2. Copyright
    3. Acknowledgments
    4. Writing on the HP Elitebook
    5. About the Authors
    6. Introduction
      1. Who Should Read This Book
      2. What Is Covered in This Book
      3. The Essentials Series
    7. Chapter 1: The 3ds Max Interface
      1. Navigating the Workspace
      2. Transforming Objects Using Gizmos
      3. Graphite Modeling Tools Set
      4. Command Panel
      5. Time Slider and Track Bar
      6. File Management
    8. Chapter 2: Your First 3ds Max Project
      1. Setting Up a Project Workflow
      2. The Secret to Accurate Modeling: Reference Material!
      3. Building a Simple Model
      4. Creating Details Using Splines
      5. Lathing, Extruding, and Beveling to Create 3D from 2D
      6. Bringing It All Together
    9. Chapter 3: Modeling in 3ds Max: Architectural Model Part I
      1. Setting Up the Scene
      2. Building the Room
      3. Adding Special Details to the Room
    10. Chapter 4: Modeling in 3ds Max: Architectural Model Part II
      1. Modeling the Couch
      2. Modeling the Lounge Chair
      3. Bringing It All Together
    11. Chapter 5: Introduction to Animation
      1. Animating the Ball
      2. Reading Animation Curves
      3. Refining the Animation
    12. Chapter 6: Animation Principles
      1. Anticipation and Momentum in Knife Throwing
    13. Chapter 7: Character Modeling Part I
      1. Setting Up the Scene
      2. Blocking Out the Alien Model
    14. Chapter 8: Character Modeling Part II
      1. Creating the Alien Head
      2. Building the Alien Hand
      3. Building the Foot
      4. Completing the Alien
    15. Chapter 9: Introduction to Materials
      1. Navigating the Slate Material Editor
      2. Identifying the Standard Material
      3. Identifying the mental ray Material
      4. Identifying Shaders
      5. Building Materials for the Couch
      6. Building Materials for the Lounge Chair
      7. Building Materials for the Window
    16. Chapter 10: Textures and UV Workflow: The Alien
      1. Defining UVs on the Alien's Body
      2. Unwrapping UVs on the Alien's Body
      3. Building and Applying Material to the Alien
    17. Chapter 11: Character Studio: Rigging
      1. Character Studio Workflow
      2. Associating a Biped with the Alien Model
      3. Skinning the Alien Model
    18. Chapter 12: Character Studio: Animation
      1. Animating the Alien
      2. Freeform Animation
      3. Modifying Animation in the Dope Sheet
    19. Chapter 13: Introduction to Lighting: Interior Lighting
      1. Recognizing 3ds Max Lights
      2. Lighting a Still Life
      3. Atmospherics and Effects
      4. The Light Lister
    20. Chapter 14: 3ds Max Rendering
      1. Navigating the Render Setup Dialog
      2. Rendering a Scene
      3. Working with Cameras
      4. Raytraced Reflections and Refractions
      5. Rendering the Interior and Furniture
    21. Chapter 15: mental ray
      1. Navigating the mental ray Renderer
      2. Navigating the Final Gather Parameters
      3. Navigating mental ray Materials
      4. Using Photometric Lights with mental ray
      5. Using the Daylight System
    22. Appendix: Autodesk 3ds Max Certification
    23. End User License Agreement

    Product information

    • Title: Autodesk 3ds Max 2016 Essentials
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: August 2015
    • Publisher(s): Sybex
    • ISBN: 9781119059769