Making an Office Chair in 3ds max - part01 [Archive]

PiledotNET

20-12-2003, 01:53 PM

Hi guys, this is my first attempt to make a tutorial in English.

This is part01, making the wheel. You have to tell me how it is to keep going making it in the right way. Tnks.

----------------------------

In this tutorial I'm going to teach you how to create the model, materials and lighting of this render below in 3ds max 5:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-001low.jpg

In the chapters your're going to learn a lot of tecnics and tricks. I'm going to guide you step by step so any person I will be able to follow them. Hope you like it, lets begin!

PiledotNET

20-12-2003, 01:59 PM

* I have all the original pictures in hires. This is just a preview.

1) Create a Sphere in Perspective viewport, from this object we are going to model all parts of the wheel. Press the F4 hotkey to make all edges visible.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-002low.png

2) Rotate it 90º, now we have the direction of edges favorable to our objectives.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-003low.png

3) Convert it to Editable Poly, now we are going to create some new polygons. In Polygon subobject, select all top center polygons:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-004low.png

4) With Extrude tool, select Local Normal option at Extrusion Type group. Now specifie an Extrusion Height to create a superior layer.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-005low.png

5) From this layer, we are going to extrude new polygons, creating the conection between the wheel and the leg.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-006low.png

PiledotNET

20-12-2003, 02:01 PM

6) With a square selection of polygons, make a hole deleting them.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-007low.png

7) Adjuste the format of this hole to be similar to a circle.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-008low.png

8) Now in Border subobject, activate the Select and Move tool and select the hole. Hold Shift key and move it in Z axis, this is going to create new polygons.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-009low.png

9) After this, use Select and Uniform Scale tool to flatten those edges. Repeat the same process more 2 times.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-010low.png

10) If you find necessary, move the vertices of the corner between the layer and connector for a smooth result.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-011low.png

PiledotNET

20-12-2003, 02:05 PM

11) Now select this polygons in both sides:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-012low.png

12) Still inside the Polygon subobject, click one time in MSmooth tool and the polygons of your selection will be subdivided by a local Mesh Smooth. With this we are going to have a median-smooth transition from the layer to the conector.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-013low.png

13) If you wish, resize the polygons in the connector not affected by the local MSmooth to match the new size of the subdivided polygons.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-014low.png

14) The new polygons that we've created do not have an appropriate smoothing group. They aren't smooth as the others:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-015low.png

15) 3ds max have an excelent tool for this case, it calls Auto Smooth and can be found in Polygons Properties submenu. Use CTRL + A hotkey to select all polygons and click one time in Auto Smooth button. Automatically 3ds max will remake the selected polygons smoothing groups.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-016low.png

PiledotNET

20-12-2003, 02:11 PM

16) The base of the wheel is already completed, lets move to the last 2 details. Select the exterior polygons of both sides:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-017low.png

17) Make sure that Use Pivot Point Center option is selected and than use Select and Uniform Scale tool to flatten those polygons a little. With Use Pivot Point Center option 3ds max will use as reference the center of the two selection group to flatten them separately.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-018low.png

18) Now change to Use Selection Center option and do the same thing, the polygons will be moved to the center of the object breaking the ball looking of the wheel.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-019low.png

19) To finish the model, lets make a little detail in the center of the wheel. Select the middle vertice in the center of both sides.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-020low.png

20) With Chamfer tool, create a new circular group of vertices.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-021low.png

21) Back to Polygon subobject, select the two new polygons created and use Extrude Tool with a negative value to create a hole.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-022low.png

22) Select all polygons and use Auto Smooth again to ajust the smoothing groups and it's done. Since this wheel will not be in prominence, we will not need to worry about it details to deep.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001a-023low.png

End of Part 01. Tell me what you think, if it's to much detailed or not, thing like this.

Th3Eagle

20-12-2003, 02:12 PM

YOu're going great i just learned soemthing :D

Tom-3DT

23-12-2003, 01:06 PM

great start, looking forward to seeing more!

Tom

primitive

25-12-2003, 10:51 PM

Excellent. Keep on working like this and you've given the world a great tutorial. :)

PiledotNET

18-01-2004, 04:12 AM

*Just to remeber, I have the original images :)

Part02: Base elements of the chair.

23) After creating the wheel, resize it and move it away for the center of the scene.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-001low.jpg

24) With a Chamfer Box, create que first leg, like the picture below.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-002low.jpg

25) Now we have to raise this polygons, creating a nice detail in the leg. When making the shaders, we are going to apply a metal material to the leg and a plastic material do this new detail.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-003low.jpg

26) With only the leg selected, use the hotkey ALT+Q to enter in the Isolation Mode. In this mode, everything is going to desapeare but the selected object.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-004low.jpg

27) Convert it to Editable Poly, enter in Polygon subobject and select this polygon:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-005low.jpg

28) Then, use Grow tool and add to the selection the around polygons.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-006low.jpg

29) Apply to this selection an negative Extrude, with Local Normal option selected. Now the detail is created.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-007low.jpg

PiledotNET

18-01-2004, 04:14 AM

30) Press CTRL+I, this hotkey will invert the selection. Now we have the hole leg selected, but the detail.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-008low.jpg

31) Check if this selection have the Material ID 1, we are going to use the IDs to apply different materials to the leg like I sad before, one to the leg (metal - id 1) and one to the detail (plastic - id 2).
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-009low.jpg

32) Ivert the selection again and apply ID 2 for this polygons.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-010low.jpg

33) Exit from the Isolation Mode. Now we are going to make 3 central cylinders.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-011low.jpg

34) In the Top Viewport, create a Cylinder, this is going to be the bigger one. Remeber to center the object in the center of the scene, is always nice to have object lined up.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-012low.jpg

35) This is it in the Perspective Viewport.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-013low.jpg

36) Now again, enter in the Isolation mode pressing the ALT+Q hotkey. Convert this object to Editable Poly, enter in the Edge subobject and select the upper edges.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-014low.jpg

37) Use Chamfer Tool to chamfer them two times. The first time:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-015low.jpg

PiledotNET

18-01-2004, 04:14 AM

38) And the second time:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-016low.jpg

39) Lets smooth this new polygons changing to the Polygon subobject, selecting all object polygons and pressing the Auto Smooth button.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-017low.jpg

40) Leaving the Isolation Mode, this is what we have:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-018low.jpg

41) Using the same steps above, create one more cylinder in the center of the scene.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-019low.jpg

42) Select this two cylinders and enter in the Isolation mode. Enter in the Polygon subobject of the bigger cylinder and than select this polygon:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-020low.jpg

43) Use Inset tool to create a new group of polygons. Try to keep them near to the second cylinder.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-021low.jpg

44) After using the Inset tool, 3ds max will keep your preview selection, bevel this selection with Bevel tool. Create a hole, aplying to it a negative Height. Don't forget to use Auto smooth button to smooth this new polygons.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-022low.jpg

PiledotNET

18-01-2004, 04:15 AM

45) Next step, the third cylinder, create it using the same steps explained above.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-023low.jpg

46) Now go to Isolation Mode with the last two cylinders.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-024low.jpg

47) Convert the lower one to Editable Poly and use Inset tool in the higher polygon of it, just like the other cylinder.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-025low.jpg

48) With the same selection, move it up in the Z axis.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-026low.jpg

49) Use Inset tool again:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-027low.jpg

50) And finish it with a negative bevel.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-028low.jpg

51) The base structure of this object is done, we just have to smooth some edges. Same process, select this edges:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-029low.jpg

PiledotNET

18-01-2004, 04:16 AM

52) And chamfer them:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-030low.jpg

53) Select this edges:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-031low.jpg

54) And chamfer them:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-032low.jpg

55) Auto smooth this new polygons and it's done.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-033low.jpg

56) What we have till now:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-034low.jpg

57) Spin the wheel about 60 degrees to give it a more natural position.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-035low.jpg

58) With the Select and Link tool, link the wheel to the leg.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-036low.jpg

PiledotNET

18-01-2004, 04:18 AM

59) Now this is very important because of the array we're going to create: select the Leg, go to the Hierarchy panel, click one time on the Affect Pivot Only button and move the Pivot Point to the center of the scene. After that, click one more time on the Affect Pivot Only.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-037low.jpg

60) Select the wheel and the leg, go to Tools > Array. Use these settings:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-038low.jpg

61) After this process, you're going to have 5 legs with 5 wheels.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-039low.jpg

62) Last step, aplying some new colors. Just for a better visualization.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001b-040low.jpg

Part 3 coming soon! :)

PiledotNET

29-01-2004, 02:17 PM

Pheeeewww!!! It's getting harder to describe step by step :)

Part03: Making the seat.

63) In Viewport Top, create a Rectangle (shape). Remeber to make a square and align it to the center of the scene.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-001low.jpg

64) Go to its Modify panel and raise the Corner Radius parameter.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-002low.jpg

65) Establish the height to the Rectangle in Perspective Viewport (Z axis).
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-003low.jpg

66) If you wish, enable the Display as Box option in the legs objects on Properties panel (right click). This will optimize the scene and improving your workflow if your system is slow.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-004low.jpg

67) Now create another rectangle in Left Viewport.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-005low.jpg

68) Convert it to Editable Spline, go to Vertex subobject and use Fillet tool to give the rectangle this form:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-006low.jpg

69) Now back to Perspective Viewport and select the Seat Rectangle (the first one), after this access Create > Geometry > Compound Objects > Loft. With loft tool we are going to create the Seat Border. Click on the Get Shape button and select the second rectangle we've created. At this point remember to select Instance option (under Get Shape button), with this any modification that the Shape suffer, Loft will automatically update the final format of the object.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-007low.jpg

PiledotNET

29-01-2004, 02:18 PM

70) I don't know If you noticed, but this border is with it's corners inversed. If this happen, go to Loft Modify Panel and inside Shape subobject rotate the gizmo.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-008low.jpg

71) Great, now select the Shape Rectangle and tune it's size.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-009low.jpg

72) Remeber the first rectangle that we used with the Loft tool? Select it and make a copy. We are going to create a cover for the botton of the seat.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-010low.jpg

73) Copy created, select and use Extrude modifier on it.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-011low.jpg

74) Now we have the border and the cover of the seat, let's now create the seat it self. To do this we are going to use a Box Primitive, create one and convert to Editable Poly.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-012low.jpg

75) Apply a MeshSmooth modifier with value 3 in Interations. Ok, we've broken the box looking but now we have a sphere looking.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-013low.jpg

76) To fix this, go back to Editable Poly root and create some aditional edges to sustain MeshSmooth interations.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-014low.jpg

77) Result:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-015low.jpg

PiledotNET

29-01-2004, 02:18 PM

78) Now it's up to you to resize the polygons of this seat to get close of the border boundary.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-016low.jpg

79) After a few tries, I got this shape below. You can do this with a ChamferBox Primitive, but I don't like it Smoothing groups.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-017low.jpg

80) With the Border, Cover and the Seat selected, enter in the Isolation Mode.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-018low.jpg

81) Select the Seat and apply an Editable Mesh modifier on it. Enter in the Polygon subobject, select these polygons and delete them. You problaby going to do this if you want to delete unecessary polygons or the botton of the Seat is overtaking the Cover boundary.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-019low.jpg

82) Great, now we are going to apply a FFD 4x4x4 modifier on the Seat to make some curvers.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-020low.jpg

83) Final curves:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-021low.jpg

84) Last step is change some colors and it's done for now.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001c-022low.jpg

Part 04 coming!

PiledotNET

02-02-2004, 03:06 PM

Part04: Making the back support.

Next step is create the back support of the chair. You are going to do almost the same steps used

on the seat, that's why you are just going to see a slide show.

85)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-001low.jpg

86)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-002low.jpg

87)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-003low.jpg

88)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-004low.jpg

89)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-005low.jpg

90)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-006low.jpg

91)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-007low.jpg

PiledotNET

02-02-2004, 03:06 PM

92)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-008low.jpg

93)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-009low.jpg

94)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-010low.jpg

95)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-011low.jpg

96)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-012low.jpg

97)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-013low.jpg

98)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-014low.jpg

PiledotNET

02-02-2004, 03:07 PM

99)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-015low.jpg

100)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-016low.jpg

101)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-017low.jpg

102)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-018low.jpg

103)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-019low.jpg

104)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-020low.jpg

105)
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001d-021low.jpg

Part 5 coming :xyz:

PiledotNET

17-03-2004, 03:53 PM

Wow, I've been busy last weeks.

Part05: Connecting the seat and back support.

106) We are going to create two conections. One will connect the back support to the seat.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-001low.jpg

107) And the other will connect the seat to the center of the chair.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-002low.jpg

108) Let's start with this second object. In the Front Viewport create an Spline like this:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-003low.jpg

109) With Shift Key pressed, use Select and Rotate tool and rotate this shape making a copy of it (like Mirror).
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-004low.jpg

110) Do not forget to Weld this central vertex with the Weld tool in the Vertex subobject.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-005low.jpg

111) After this you can delete this vertex pressing the Backspace on your keyboard. Now you have one single object. Select this four vertices.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-006low.jpg

PiledotNET

17-03-2004, 03:55 PM

112) And fillet them.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-007low.jpg

113) Go to the Spline subobject, select the hole spline and use the Outline tool like this:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-008low.jpg

114) Now apply an Extrude modifier to this shape.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-009low.jpg

115) You can alway back to the base of this object (Line) and edit it vertices and segments.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-010low.jpg

116) Next step is make a cylindrical rubber in this area.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-011low.jpg

117) So create a Cylinder primitive.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-012low.jpg

118) Reduce it Side parameter to 8 and Height Segments to 1. Now we have a low polygon objetc.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-013low.jpg

PiledotNET

17-03-2004, 03:56 PM

119) Convert this object do Editable Poly and delete this big face.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-014low.jpg

120) Same for this face, delete it.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-015low.jpg

121) From the Subdivision Surface menu, enable Use NURMS Subdivision options and raise Interations parameter to 2. This will give you a subdivided model feedback in real time.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-016low.jpg

122) Go to Border Subobject and select the first border. Active the Scale Tool and hold the Shift key from your keybord, than click and drag X and Y axis at the same time. This will create new polygons and we're starting to shape our rubber.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-017low.jpg

123) Now with Select and Move Tool, hold down **** key againd and move the border in Z axis creating a kind of border.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-018low.jpg

124) Use the same tecnique of Scale Tool with shift key in the botton border.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-019low.jpg

PiledotNET

17-03-2004, 03:57 PM

125) If you wish, go to other Subobjects and re-shape it.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-020low.jpg

126) Model of rubber done.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-021low.jpg

127) Now lets connect the back support to the seat. In the Left Viewport, create a Line like this:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-022low.jpg

128) In Front Viewport move it to one of the sides.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-023low.jpg

129) And than chamfer the vertex located in the corner.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-024low.jpg

130) In any viewport, go to Spline subobject, select the spline, hold down shift key and move this line to the other side creating a new copy of it.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-025low.jpg

PiledotNET

17-03-2004, 03:58 PM

131) Go to Back viewport and click at Snap Toggle to enable snaping. Right click on the same icon and just enable Vertex Snaping.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-026low.jpg

132) Now create a Arc Shape from one vertex to other (of the support).
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-027low.jpg

133) Attach this new Arc to the other two Splines.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-028low.jpg

134) Access the Vertex Subobject and weld the vertices.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-029low.jpg

135) This is what we have so far.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-030low.jpg

136) Remeber the loft shapes? We have to create one more, start with a Rectangle.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-031low.jpg

137) Ajust it parameters:
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-032low.jpg

138) Now make a loft with this shape from the base spline been the path.
http://www.redpixel.com.br/forumajuda/3dtotal/001e-033low.jpg