Autodesk 3ds Max 2020: Modeling Essentials, 2nd Edition

Book excerpt: The Autodesk 3ds Max 2020: Modeling Essentials, 2nd Edition textbook walks you through every step of creating 3D models with 3ds Max 2020. This guide is perfect for both novices and those moving from other software to 3ds Max. This book will help you to get started with modeling in 3ds Max, you will learn important concepts and techniques about 3D modeling which you can utilize to create hard-surfaced objects for your projects. Using a structured and pragmatic approach, this guide begins with basics of modeling, then builds on this knowledge using practical examples to enhance your modeling skills. Each unit builds on the knowledge gained in the previous unit, showing you all the essentials of modeling with 3ds Max 2020. As you go from hands-on exercise to hands-on exercise, you’ll develop a strong arsenal of skills that combined will form a complete end to end process to create high quality models using 3ds Max 2020. This book shares tips, tricks, notes, and cautions throughout, that will help you become a better 3ds Max artist and you will be able to speed up your workflow. This book is aimed to be a solid teaching resource for learning 3ds Max. It avoids any jargon and explains concepts and techniques in an easy-to-understand manner. The first page of the every unit summarizes the topics that will be covered in the unit. Hands-on exercises in this book instruct users how things can be done in 3ds Max step-by-step. Practicing is one of the best ways to improve skills. This book contains practice activities which you are highly encouraged to complete and gain confidence for real-world projects. By completing these activities, you will be able to master the powerful capabilities of 3ds Max. By the time you’re done, you’ll be ready to model any scene in 3ds Max. If you buy this book, you’ll also get access to all 3ds Max files, texture files, and any other resource used in the book. You are free to use these resources in your own projects personal or commercial. These working files allow you to follow along with the author throughout the units. What are the key features of the book? Covers 3ds Max’s updated user interface, navigation, tools, functions, and commands. Explains the polygon, subdivision, and spline modeling techniques. Covers all modifiers. Detailed coverage of tools and features. Features 34 hands-on exercises – complete with before and after files. Features 8 practice activities to test the knowledge gained. Additional guidance is provided in the form of tips, notes, and cautions. Important terms are in bold face so that you never miss them. The content under “What just happened?” heading explains the working of the instructions. The content under “What next?” heading tells you about the procedure you will follow after completing a step(s). Includes an ePub file that contains the color images of the screenshots/illustrations used in the textbook. These color images will help you in the learning process. This ePub file is included with the resources. Tech support from the author. Access to each exercise’s initial and final states along with the resources used in hands-on exercises. Quiz to assess the knowledge. Bonus hands-on exercises.