In this chapter, we'll be making this art glass vase using the loft compound object. In 3ds Max, a loft is slightly different than it is in some other programs. If you've used to Maya, or more traditional NURBS modeling, a loft is usually just a surface that's drawn between two curves. Well in 3ds Max, a loft has one additional requirement which is that it must have a path, and this line here is the path of the 3ds Max loft.
The loft must have exactly one path, and it must have one or more shapes which are the Profile Curves. Okay, I'm going to open up the scene that just has only the splines in it. Here is the scene that just has only the shapes in it, and I'm ready to create a loft. To do this, I'll select the path. I'll tell you what, I'll make this bigger by hitting Alt+W so we can see it a little bit better. So I've got that path selected and now I want to go to the Create panel, and I'll go to a new category that you haven't seen before.
Under Geometry, select this pulldown list and go to Compound Objects. As the name indicates, a compound object is made out of two or more other objects. When I've activated that panel, now you'll see some of these are lighting up and some of them are grayed out. I need to have the path selected at this point or I will not be able to create the loft. You'll notice that if I click off of that path, now loft is grayed out.
Again, you got to have it selected first. Then click the Loft button. And at this point now, you have to select the profile curves, or the shapes. You'll see down here in the Create panel, Get Shape. Click that Get Shape button, and then click on one of the profile curves like this circle. And as soon as I've done that now, you'll see I've got a cylinder. Now my object color is currently black. I'll just go and change that.
You can see that better now. Very simple! I've got a loft now. It's a compound object made out of a line and a circle. Let's make it more interesting by adding another profile curve. To do this, I am going to get in a little bit closer, and I want to go into Wireframe Mode so we can see this a little bit more clearly. So I'll press F3 on my keyboard. Notice that there's a very small yellow X down here, that's our current position along the path.
I can change that position by adjusting this value here. This is a percentage of distance along the path. If I set that value to 50 and press Enter, now it's moved up to half way along the path. I've now set it up so that if I choose another shape, it will be positioned at that location. I'll click Get Shape, and then click on my star and there you go! Now I've got two shapes along the path.
I'll press F3 again, so we can see that better; I've got two shapes on one path. I can right-click to exit that creation and then I can go into the Modify panel, and I can in fact do those same things again. I can choose a location along the path. I will need to be in Wireframe Mode to see it, and I will probably have to get in very close. But I can do all those same things from within the Modify panel. I can choose a position along the path and then get a new shape.
But I basically got the shapes that I need now. Hit F3 to go back to Shaded Mode. In the next movie, we'll work on the aesthetics of this and moving the shapes around along the path and changing their parameters.
Author
Released
5/16/2012- Creating primitives
- Setting units and dimensions
- Modeling with splines
- Lofting objects
- Cloning and grouping objects
- Using the modifier stack
- Editing polygon meshes
- Working with subdivision surfaces
- Creating NURBS curves and surfaces
- Building materials
- Mapping textures
- Controlling lights and shadows
- Keyframing animations
- Rendering a sequence
Skill Level Beginner
Duration
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Introduction
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Welcome58s
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1. Getting Started
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Setting preferences2m 38s
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Using project folders3m 2s
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2. The 3ds Max Interface
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Navigating in the viewports2m 10s
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Using hotkeys3m 12s
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Transforming objects3m 42s
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Using axis constraints1m 54s
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Choosing shading modes3m 17s
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3. Modeling Basics
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Setting units5m 25s
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Understanding dependencies4m 30s
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Working with sub-objects3m 26s
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4. Modeling with Splines
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Creating shapes4m 35s
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Creating lines3m 10s
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Working with Editable Spline2m 13s
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Using different vertex types4m 34s
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5. Lofting
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Lofting a vase3m 56s
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Setting loft parameters3m 25s
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Editing a path3m 25s
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Adding a Shell modifier1m 49s
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Finishing the model3m 33s
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6. Modeling with Primitives
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Setting up the scene1m 25s
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Creating chamfer boxes3m 33s
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Cloning objects2m 35s
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Using the Array tool4m 17s
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Grouping objects1m 37s
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7. Using the Modifier Stack
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Laying out the scene2m 11s
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Working with Editable Spline4m 32s
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Applying a Sweep modifier1m 46s
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8. Polygon Modeling
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Selecting sub-objects2m 36s
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Bridging parts of a mesh2m 41s
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9. Subdivision Surface Modeling
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Using the Symmetry modifier1m 49s
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Working with TurboSmooth3m 5s
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Extruding polygons2m 8s
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Rounding out square corners3m 15s
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Choosing a transform center5m 55s
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Editing edge loops2m 34s
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Baking subdivisions5m 5s
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10. NURBS Modeling
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Understanding NURBS1m 1s
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Creating NURBS curves3m 9s
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Creating arcs and lines3m 36s
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Cloning sub-objects1m 50s
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Creating an offset curve2m 40s
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Creating a U loft surface3m 16s
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11. Modeling for Motion Graphics
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Setting up the scene2m 4s
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Creating text2m 2s
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Applying a Bevel modifier1m 14s
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Choosing bevel parameters2m 31s
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Deforming beveled objects1m 19s
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Importing Illustrator paths2m 44s
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12. Materials Basics
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Opening the Material Editor2m 29s
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13. Mapping Textures
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Applying procedural maps4m 10s
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Navigating shader trees1m 8s
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Tracking scene assets5m 48s
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Projecting UVW mapping4m 51s
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Mapping a bump channel1m 42s
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14. Camera Basics
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Working with Display layers6m 28s
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Creating a free camera2m 2s
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Using a target camera2m 18s
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Adjusting Field of View1m 30s
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Choosing an aspect ratio3m 55s
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15. Lighting Basics
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Understanding CG lighting7m 44s
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Creating a target spotlight2m 57s
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Choosing a shadow type2m 34s
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Optimizing shadow maps3m 25s
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Optimizing area shadows3m 27s
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Creating omni lights3m 53s
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Using the Light Lister1m 9s
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16. Keyframe Animation
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17. Hierarchies
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Understanding hierarchies1m 31s
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Controlling rotations6m 51s
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Locking transforms1m 28s
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Linking objects3m 13s
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Using Schematic View1m 48s
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Solving problems with scale7m 13s
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18. Controllers and Constraints
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Understanding controllers3m 22s
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Assigning a Link constraint1m 45s
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19. Rendering
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Specifying file output4m 46s
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Conclusion
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Goodbye34s
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Video: Lofting a vase