3d Studio Max Tutorials

If you want to demonstrate your 3D model on a turntable or create some other sort of short animation with your models without having to use more specialized software, you can render an AVI video inside 3D Studio MAX. This video will show you how to do this quickly and easily, ...more

CGI and live action shots get together in almost every big-budget Hollywood movie these days, but combining them in one shot can be challenging for the uninitiated. This video will teach you all about using CGI in live action films, including the use of 3D Studio Max, Blender, ...more

Once you've made a 3D model of a character, you are going to have to make them do something. This video is about that. It will teach you how to animate basic motions on a bipedal 3D model in 3D Studio MAX, allowing it to do anything from armwrestle to hug. The video is pretty ...more

Making a 3D model bipedal character walk is one of the most basic and necessary things that you can do to them. If you are going to use them in a movie or game, chances are they will have to move themselves from one place to another right? This video will teach you how to crea ...more

Watermarks are essential for branding your online creations, but you may not always want a static image. If you're looking to create a rotating text or graphic logo, this tutorial is for you. Using 3D Studio Max, learn how to put your brand in motion!

Creating an engine exhaust glow is a very useful effect. You can use this for spaceships, cars and more. See how to create one in 3D Studio Max.

How does one snap in Autodesk's 3ds Max and how can one move things dimensionally? This 3ds Max video tutorial explains both of these questions as well as angle snaps and axis constraints. Topics Covered are Snapping, Angle Snaps, Axis Constraints, Absolute World vs. Offset w ...more

The Surface modifier in Autodesk's 3ds Max generates a patch surface based on the contours of a spline network. A patch is created wherever the segments of the interwoven splines form a three- or four-sided polygon. The Surface modifier and the CrossSection modifier, taken tog ...more

The Bend modifier in Autodesk's 3ds Max lets you bend the current selection up to 360 degrees about a single axis, producing a uniform bend in an object’s geometry. You can control the angle and direction of the bend on any of three axes. You can also limit the bend to a secti ...more

This tutorial shows you how to use 3D Studio Max to create a 4D camera move from a 2D still photograph. You create the illusion of movement with a few simple computer tricks. Modelling is really quick for a great result. Known as camera mapping, this technique is often used i ...more

Check out this two-part 3ds Max video tutorial which exploits a little known capability of Max to create a head. You'll find this technique easier than box modeling for heads since your topology and edge flow are there from the beginning. With box modeling, there's a lot of di ...more

This is a three-part 3ds max video tutorial that takes a look at using reference photos for creating a head texture. If you have photographs that can work, there really isn't any reason not to use them since they can often provide plenty of subtle details that would be very ti ...more

When you assign a material ID to certain polygons, you will tell 3D Studio Max to use that material only on those polygons that you want. In this 3d Max video tutorial you will learn how to assign material ID's and multiple textures to the same source. Make sure to hit "play t ...more

Learn how to use FumeFX in 3D Studio Max to generate realistic fire and smoke effects. Whether you're new to Autodesk's popular modeling software or a seasoned 3D artist just looking to better acquaint yourself with the application, you're sure to be well served by this video ...more

This 3D software tutorial shows you how to use images to affect models in 3D Studio Max. Using the displacement modifier in 3ds Max we are able to use either image data or procedural texture maps to drive geometry in a design model. Modeling with images is a great way to model ...more

In this 3D Studio Max tutorial, you'll see how to use procedurals to create a rock texture. Specifically, the guide addresses displacement tuning in Mental Ray, specularity properties and using stacked procedurals to create cracks, rust, and bumpy structures over the surface. ...more

This 3D software tutorial shows you how to use the mirror modifier (same as the mirror tool) in 3ds Max. The mirror modifier allows for procedural mirroring of objects. As a one time operation thesymmetry modifieris better but, that being said, if stacked, the mirror modifier ...more

In this 3D software tutorial you will learn how to use wire parameters to create a scalable circular patterned object in 3ds Max. Using the wire parameters in 3D Studio Max you can create a scaling circular pattern based on the distance of the circle to a point object. This is ...more

This 3D software tutorial shows you how to work with editable polys in animate mode in 3ds Max. The idea is to use edit poly modifiers to control and have selections active when working in 3D Studio Max. See how to use modifiers like features in 3ds Max, a parametric modeling ...more

This quick tutorial offers an overview of the 3D Studio Max Symmetry Modifier tool, a highly efficient means of modeling symmetrical objects. Whether you're new to Autodesk's popular modeling software or a seasoned 3D artist just looking to better acquaint yourself with the ap ...more

This tutorial will walk you through how to create a car paint shader from scratch utilizing materials inside of 3D Studio Max. Whether you're new to Autodesk's popular modeling software or a seasoned 3D artist just looking to better acquaint yourself with the application, you' ...more

In this 3D software tutorial you will learn how to model a chair parametrically in 3ds Max. This tutorial covers making a simple parametric chair with using editable poly modifier and wire parameters in 3D Studio Max. If you are not good at modeling with modifiers in 3ds Max, ...more

This software tutorial demonstrates how to build with primitives in 3DS Max for Papervision3D. This first part demonstrates 3D Studio Max basics and how to build a column base using primitives. This second part demonstrates how to use the Shift clone tool. This third part demo ...more

This 3D software tutorial shows you how to use the affect region modifier in 3ds Max. The Affect Region modifier is a 3D Studio Max surface modeling tool, primarily used with vertex sub-object selections while surface modeling. With Affect Region, transforming a selection of v ...more

So you're mastered the basics of modeling 3D characters in 3D Studio MAX. Good for you. Where to now? This video perhaps? It will teach you how to use plane modeling to create a model of a human head. This technique requires some skill and experience at using 3ds Max, but if y ...more

This short 3D software tutorial shows you how to use the bevel modifier in 3ds Max. The Bevel modifier extrudes shapes into 3D objects and applies a flat or round bevel to the edges. A common use for this modifier is to create 3D text and logos, but you can apply it to any sha ...more

This 3D software tutorial shows you how to use the cross section modifier in 3ds Max. The cross section modifier tool works on splines and is most often used when modeling with curves in 3D Studio Max. he CrossSection modifier creates a “skin” across multiple splines. It works ...more

This video series shows you how to use the interface (UI) in 3D Studio Max. Topics covered are viewports, menu bar, main tool bar, status bar, command panel, and animation controls respectively. Part 1 of 8 - How to Use the interface in 3ds Max. Part 2 of 8 - How to Use the i ...more

This 3 part tutorial shows you how to animate a starfield in 3D Studio Max. This will give you a good understanding of the tools available for animating and how to use them. Part 1 of 3 - How to Animate a star field in 3ds Max. Part 2 of 3 - How to Animate a star field in 3ds ...more

This is a 3ds Max tutorial that David Fano has tuned into a video from a PDF written by Theo Calvin and Omer Barr. Using wire parameters and expression controllers in 3D Studio Max we will make a panel that opens and closes based on the distance of a point. Learn how to model ...more

3D modeling is a difficult but lucrative trade that can take many years to master. Let this video be your first step along that road. It's aim is to teach the basics of 3D Studio MAX to beginners by demonstrating the modeling of a mace (or morning star). This tutorial is desig ...more

The technique shown in this 3ds Max tutorial is meant to be a design modeling technique. Watch and learn how to model the Beijing Olympic Stadium in 3D Studio Max. A form that resembles the stadium was modeled then sliced randomly to get edges in an editable poly. Those edges ...more

The Displace modifier in 3ds Max acts as a force field to push and reshape an object’s geometry. You can apply its variable force directly from the modifier gizmo, or from a bitmapped image. The 3D Studio Max displace modifier works on Shapes, Meshes, Polys, Patches, NURBS. Di ...more

The morph modifier in 3ds Max is mostly meant for storing animation procedures like facial animations, but that's not all it can do. In this tutorial you will learn how to use 3D Studio max morph modifiers to store modeling deformations. Using the Morpher modifier to create a ...more

Creating 3D models of the human head that will show emotion, eat, and do all the other things that heads do properly is hard. Fortunately, this video is here to help you get started. It demonstrates the basics of 3D head modeling using 3D Studio MAX. Follow these instructions ...more

The noble rock may not seem like the most fun thing to create a 3D model of. They are a useful example though because their basic shape and lack of movement make them manageable for beginners to work with while their many facets and textures present fun areas to work with. Thi ...more

The third dimension has finally arrived to internet browsing! Be sure to catch the wave of innovation with this series of tutorials. Initially, we'll be examining the importance of texturing basic 3D objects. Watch as the almost magical effects of texturing in 3ds Max transfor ...more

The PatchDeform modifier in 3ds Max deforms an object based on the contours of a patch object. This modifier works similarly to the PathDeform modifier, but uses a quad-based patch object instead of a spline shape or NURBS curve path. Patch Deform is a great tool for mapping g ...more

Cap Holes is a great modifier for modeling as well as making images in 3ds Max. The 3D Studio Max Cap Holes modifier builds faces in the holes in a mesh object. A hole is defined as a loop of edges, each of which has only one face. For example, one or more missing faces from a ...more

This 3D software tutorial shows you how to use the face extrude modifier in 3ds Max. The Face Extrude modifier extrudes faces along their normals, creating new faces along the sides of the extrusion that connect the extruded faces to their object. As with most modifiers, this ...more

When people fire weapons in movies, there is often a shot of the shell-casings leaving the gun and flying through the air. Sometimes we get to follow them all the way to the ground, leaving us with a sense of loss at the firing of the weapon. This video will show you how to mo ...more

In this how to video, you will learn how to work with standard materials in 3D Studio Max. The material editor is found by clicking the multicolored button to the right. You can see sample spheres where you can see examples of materials. Below, you can see surface properties s ...more

Making a spaceship use its afterburner and escape from the Earth's gravitational pull is tough. Modeling and animating a 3D simulation of the same thing is also hard, although quite as much so. This video series will teach you how to create a 3D model of a flying rocket with a ...more

This 3D software tutorial shows you how to use the delete mesh modifier when modeling in 3ds Max. Delete Mesh provides parametric deletion based on the current sub-object selection level in the stack. The possible choices are faces, vertices, edges, and objects. Apply the Dele ...more

This software tutorial series teaches you how to box model in 3DS Max. Specifically, you will learn the basics of box modeling in 3D Studio Max, then box model a jet and animate it for PaperVision3D. PART 1: covers the basics of shapes and objects and do a review of keyboard s ...more

Destroying crowds of little people has been a favorite passtime of dictators since time immemorial, but also a colossal waste of manpower. Now you can get some of the same thrill without all the needless death using 3D Studio MAX. This video will show you how to model, animate ...more

This tutorial will work for most any 3D rendering program, such as Houdini, 3ds Studio Max or Maya. Learn how you can replicate the dynamic look of fire, smoke and explosions. Create digital fire and other fume effects with your computer.

This is a recreation of a signature 3D smokey eye look. False eyelashes for this look are recommended. The cosmetic products used to create this look are Bare Escentuals mineral foundation, MAC Studio Finish concealer NW15, Bobbi Brown Peony shimmerbrick, ArtDeco eyeshadow bas ...more

Check out this instructional video that demonstrates how to create a meteor crash landing effect using After Effects software. Using a skylight is an easy solution to soften shadows, but for faster rendering try using an array of point lights in a dome pattern above your scene ...more

Learn how to use Avid Studio Toolkit HD to composite video, create 3D titles and effects and author DVDs. Applications covered include Avid 3D, Avid FX, and Avid DVD. Use Avid Studio Toolkit HD. Click through to watch this video on avid.com

Alpha channels are powerful tools for creating low-space 3D images, but 3DS Max cannot work with them properly. This is a major problem if you are working with World of Warcraft characters since they are largely constructed of alphas. This video will teach you how to work with ...more

In this 2 part tutorial, Michael Park will demonstrate how to create a shotgun blast at the camera using 3D rendered particles and distortion trails along with some 2D footage to create a convincing effect. In part 1 of this tutorial, we will use 3ds Max to create the 3D shotg ...more

For 3D artists new to 3DS Max, learning your way around this massive piece of software can take a long time. It need not do. This video will teach you how to use some of the many hotkeys in the program to navigate it like a pro, easily accessing all of the most popular tools a ...more