Foundation 3ds Max 8 Architectural Visualization

By Brian L. Smith

Bonus material to accompany the book is available at the author's site, www.3das.com.

Each section of the book kicks off with a Quick Start tutorial, designed to provide an introduction to as many features as possible in the shortest number of steps. You can check out the 'Getting Started With Lights' Quick Start, right here.

In this book you'll learn:

• How to model an architectural scene and create stunning materials that breathe life into your projects
• How to use real-world photometric lights and global illumination to achieve photorealism
• Efficient project workflow and scene assembly
• Tips and tricks for the production environment that would take years to learn the hard way
• How to market your services to prospective clients

Welcome to the world of 3D architectural visualizations using the most powerful and versatile 3D software package on the planet: 3ds Max. In just the last few years, the visualization industry has arguably become the fastest-growing 3D industry, and may soon overtake all others in total number of users. Just as the use of CAD became the norm for nearly all architectural, engineering, and construction firms in the 90s, 3D visualizations have become standard practice today.

This book takes you through the challenge of learning one of the most complex computer programs ever created, by way of easy-to-follow tutorials and instruction. It specifically focuses on those parts of the program you need to know to produce stunning architectural visualizations.

The intent is not to show you every possible way to accomplish a task, but rather some of the fastest and most efficient ways. At the end of the book, there is a guide to marketing your services, as well as 20 top tips that took the author almost 10 years to learn in a production environment—sometimes the hard way.

3ds Max is a large and complex application—but by learning just the features that apply to visualizations, you'l be learning everything you need to know to get ahead in the industry in the shortest possible time.

Summary of Contents:

• PART 1 GETTING AROUND INSIDE 3DS MAX
  • Quick Start 1 Getting Started
  • Chapter 1 Navigating the 3ds Max Interface
  • Chapter 2 Working with Objects
• PART 2 MODELING
  • Quick Start 2 Getting Started with Modeling
  • Chapter 3 Modeling Basics
  • Chapter 4 The Critical Compound Objects Types (Loft, Boolean, Terrain, and Scatter)
  • Chapter 5 The Critical Modeling Modifiers
• PART 3 MATERIALS
  • Quick Start 3 Getting Started with Materials
  • Chapter 6 Material Basics
  • Chapter 7 The Critical Map Channels
  • Chapter 8 The Critical Map Types
  • Chapter 9 UVW Mapping
• PART 4 LIGHTING
  • Quick Start 4 Getting Started with Lights
  • Chapter 10 Basic Lighting
  • Chapter 11 Photometric Lighting
  • Chapter 12 Global Illumination
• PART 5 CAMERAS AND ANIMATION
  • Quick Start 5 Getting Started with Cameras and Animation
  • Chapter 13 Camera Basics
  • Chapter 14 Animation Basics
  • Chapter 15 Animation Controllers
• PART 6 RENDERING
  • Quick Start 6 Getting Started with Rendering
  • Chapter 16 Rendering Basics
  • Chapter 17 Scene Assembly
  • Chapter 18 Effect Basics
• APPENDICES
  • Appendix A Marketing Your Services
  • Appendix B Top 20 Production Tips
  • Appendix C Customizing 3ds Max
  • Appendix D Keyboard Shortcuts
  
  

  This book is part of friends of ED's 'Foundation' series

  The Foundation series is perfect for beginners to a technology, because it doesn't assume any previous knowledge. Each book in the series takes you step by step through your chosen technology, starting with the absolute fundamentals and working through all aspects of the technology, ultimately providing you with a firm grasp of the basics that will enable you to create your own applications or web sites. You will learn by following complete examples at every stage of your journey, often by extended case studies that you will build upon throughout the book. The Foundation series will give you the broad and solid base you need in order to progress to a higher level of expertise.

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