3ds Max 2023 Essential Training

14h 24mBeginner2022-03-31

Authors

Aaron F. Ross

3D Expert, Video Producer, and Teacher

Course details

3ds Max is best known for its modeling and rendering tools. These strengths come into play in architecture, manufacturing, game development, and motion graphics. There are dozens of features and techniques to master, from modeling and texturing to lighting and rendering. This course covers 3ds Max 2023 from the ground up. Instructor Aaron F. Ross provides an overview of the entire package, as well as essential skills that 3D artists need to create professional assets. Aaron shows you how to get around the 3ds Max interface and customize it to suit your preferences. He demonstrates different modeling techniques: Splines, polygons, and subdivision surfaces. Aaron explains the processes of layout and camera operation, artificial and natural lighting, and application of materials and texture maps. He illustrates best practices for constructing hierarchies and animating with keyframes, and concludes with a survey of options for renderers bundled with 3ds Max, such as Arnold and Quicksilver.

Skills covered

3ds Max3D AnimationRenderingMotion Graphics and VFXAutodesk3D ModelingVisualization and Real-TimeEssential TrainingAECProduct and ManufacturingAnimation and Illustration

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Introducing 3ds Max 2023
02 - Using the exercise files

1. Getting Started

03 - Choosing a workspace
04 - Setting preferences
05 - Using project folders

2. 3ds Max Interface

06 - Getting familiar with the interface
07 - Customizing a workspace
08 - Customizing background and grid colors
09 - Creating primitives with keyboard entry
10 - Creating primitives interactively with the mouse
11 - Position objects with Select and Move
12 - Rotate and scale objects
13 - Navigating in viewports
14 - Orbit and viewport Undo
15 - Saving time with keyboard shortcut hotkeys
16 - Customizing hotkeys
17 - Choosing viewport shading modes
18 - Advanced viewport settings
19 - Configuring viewport layouts

3. Scene Layout

20 - Specifying display units
21 - Specifying system units
22 - Defining the Home grid
23 - Saving a maxstart.max template scene
24 - Merging scenes
25 - Duplicating objects in a pattern with Array
26 - Duplicating objects with Clone
27 - Introducing Snap
28 - Precision transforms with Grid Snap
29 - Outlining object names with Scene Explorer
30 - Collecting objects in Groups
31 - Managing Display Layers in the Layer Explorer
32 - Controlling object and layer Display Properties
33 - Understanding Xref external references
34 - Creating an Xref record
35 - Moving objects in Reference Coordinate Systems
36 - Rotating objects in Reference Coordinate Systems
37 - Manipulating objects around a Transform Center
38 - Using Isolate Selection and Lock Selection
39 - Selecting in window and crossing modes

4. Spline Modeling

40 - Creating shapes
41 - Editing Bezier splines
42 - Setting shape detail with Interpolation
43 - Modeling with the Extrude modifier
44 - Extruding along a path with the Sweep modifier
45 - Importing Illustrator paths to 3ds Max
46 - Adding a Bevel modifier
47 - Controlling level of detail for a Bevel modifier
48 - Modeling typography with TextPlus
49 - Manipulating and fine-tuning TextPlus

5. Parametric Modeling

50 - Deforming an object with a modifier
51 - Layering deformers in the modifier stack
52 - Defining polygon level of detail
53 - Passing a selection up the stack
54 - Understanding topology dependence
55 - Versioning and collapsing the stack

6. Polygon Modeling

56 - Preparing Boolean operands
57 - Combine volumes with Boolean compound object
58 - Adding edges with Quickslice
59 - Adding edges with Cut
60 - Hardening polygon edges with the Smooth modifier
61 - Using the Modeling Ribbon
62 - Simplifying geometry with Remove
63 - Branching with Editable Poly Extrude
64 - Detailing a mesh
65 - Rounding corners with Chamfer

7. Subdivision Surface Modeling

66 - Understanding subdivision surfaces
67 - Best practices for modeling subdivision surfaces
68 - Box modeling for subdivision surfaces
69 - Modeling with the Symmetry modifier
70 - Modeling curvature with Soft Selection
71 - Refining geometry with SwiftLoop
72 - Constraining sub-object transforms
73 - Correcting a seam with Align to View
74 - Sharpening corners with Edge Crease
75 - Baking subdivisions

8. Camera Techniques

76 - Creating a Physical Camera and Target
77 - First-person camera navigation in viewports
78 - Enabling Safe Frames
79 - Setting resolution and aspect ratio in render setup
80 - Creating a free camera
81 - Rotating in Gimbal coordinate space
82 - Setting rotation Axis Order to emulate a tripod

9. Lighting

83 - Interactive production rendering
84 - Creating photometric lights
85 - Adjusting light intensity and color
86 - Setting exposure control
87 - Adjusting light shape
88 - Controlling spotlight parameters
89 - Using the Light Explorer
90 - Illuminating with an environment color
91 - Illuminating with an HDRI environment
92 - Separating environment from background
93 - Creating a sun and sky
94 - Art directing a sun and sky

10. Materials

95 - Using the Slate material editor
96 - Assigning materials to objects
97 - Managing scene materials
98 - Managing sample slots
99 - Saving a material library
100 - Physical material color and roughness
101 - Physical material reflection parameters
102 - Controlling viewport material shading
103 - Controlling material sample size
104 - Creating a 3D procedural map
105 - Art directing 3D map parameters
106 - Mapping bitmap image files
107 - Projecting UVs with UVW Map
108 - Using real-world map size
109 - Restoring links with Asset Tracking

11. Animation

110 - Understanding hierarchies
111 - Moving pivot points
112 - Rotating pivot points
113 - Prioritizing rotation axes
114 - Linking objects
115 - Locking transforms
116 - Correcting and avoiding scale issues
117 - Choosing frame rate and playback speed
118 - Choosing the active time segment
119 - Creating keyframes in Auto Key mode
120 - Creating keyframes in Set Key mode
121 - Editing keyframes in the Track Bar timeline
122 - Editing keyframes in the Dope Sheet
123 - Editing keyframes in the Curve Editor
124 - Editing interpolation in the Curve Editor
125 - Manipulating tangents in the Curve Editor
126 - Editing a trajectory with a Motion Path

12. Rendering

127 - Choosing a renderer
128 - Preparing to render with Quicksilver
129 - Choosing Quicksilver render options
130 - Rendering an image sequence
131 - Playing an image sequence with the RAM Player

Conclusion

132 - Next steps