Create a Realistic Looking Mailbox using 3ds Max and UV Layout – Day 1

on Mar 2nd 2010 with 39 comments
Tutorial Details

Final Product What You'll Be Creating

This entry is part 4 of 12 in the Best of 3D Studio Max – Part 1 Session
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This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series Create a Realistic Mailbox

In this detailed, three day workflow tutorial, you will follow the entire process of modeling, UV mapping, and texturing a lifelike mailbox using 3ds Max and UV Layout. Starting out in 3ds max with a simple box primitive, you will use poly modeling tools and techniques to build and shape our mailbox model. With the model completed, you will then move on to UV mapping using a combination of both 3ds Max’s unwrap uvw modifier as well as the demo version of Headus UVLayout. Finally, with the UV all packed away, you will learn some very useful techniques to build up the colors and materials of your texture.

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By

Rollover to read this author's bio or click through to see a full list of posts by this author.

A long time Cgtuts+ author, Chris has recently moved into the role of co-editor at Cgtuts+. Chris has nearly a decade of experience working with 3D studio Max and has authored many in depth tutorials for Cgtuts+ as well as other websites. A generalist by definition, Chris spends most of his time modeling, but has many years of experience in the area's of UVMapping, Texturing, Lighting and Rendering. On rare occasions when he's not wasting away in front of his computer, Chris enjoys playing hockey, skateboarding, watching movies and playing games. You can find more of his work over at christateonline.com.  

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  • matt

    awesome, thank you. Love your max video tutorials. Keep it up!

  • http://kickme.to/windybut WindyBut

    I have recently started to use UVLayout so I am looking forwards to these videos.

    I am downloading them now and I hope to watch them later on. So thank you for taking the time to create these videos.

  • gelu

    Chris Tate rules !! :D

  • EarthMover

    Looking forward to day 2. Nice job thus far.

  • Me

    Great tut, but im still wating for the UV part, this 2 parts are very basic modeling. Tnks anyway!!

  • BboyKoma

    Cool tutorial ;)

  • Bruno

    Nice tutorial… But it doesn’t look realistic to me.

    • http://www.christateonline.com Chris Tate
      Author

      I actually mention that later on in the tutorial. If I had kept it realistic, there would have been nothing to really cover in the texturing part of the tutorial. It would have just been two colors and a few scratches, and that’s it. I intentionally over did the dirt, grim and damage just to show how to make a more complex texture, but yeah you’d never see a mailbox this trashed in real life…

      • http://fladurs.co.cc Gustavo Valdez

        At least not in canada but you can see someones really thrashed in Mexico

  • http://arlingtoncruz.blogspot.com arlington cruz

    Love the detail in your tutorials.
    I hope to see more tutorials in the future. Keep up the good work man, and wish you continued success in your career.

  • haqzaf

    My modeling link:

    http://haqzaf.deviantart.com/art/Canadapost-Mailbox-Modeling-156017912

    Thanks Chris.
    I enjoyed modeling this mail box.

  • wassim

    Hi chris, i love your tutorials man YOU RULE !!

    Good Game

    Wassim

  • Infaas

    I think it would be better if we just rush to the UV mapping and texture part, don’t you?
    I don’t want to wait another week to watch the best part of this tut :)

    Thanks Chris

    • http://fouadkaram.daportfolio.com/ Fouad

      All good things will come in time :)

      Knowing the Tate bros, they always deliver an excellent tutorial.

    • http://www.christateonline.com Chris Tate
      Author

      Sorry man, but it’s not up to me. How and when the tutorial is published is completely up to the Tuts+ staff. Once the tutorial is completed, it’s out of my hands… but I’m sure the next part will be up soon :)

  • Bruno Américo

    all I know about 3D Studio max is because of you lol

  • KrLoZ

    Great tut, I can´t wait others tutorial uv mapping and other, here is my model http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4405784536_19219e8906_o.jpg

  • http://www.christateonline.com Chris Tate
    Author

    Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment guys, I really appreciate it!

    • http://zellersamuel.wordpress.com Zeller Samuel

      Hey Chris,
      I learned a lot from your tuts + your brother tuts
      Im learning 3DS Max and I started right in by the Roof Hatch tutorial

      You can see Roof Hatch, Spiral stair (ben), Table, and Barrel
      on my wordpress blog http://zellersamuel.wordpress.com/category/modelling/

      And by the way I added a link of your site and your brother site to my frontpage

      Im gonna do this tutorial when I got time ! Looks good
      Do you use Roakill UV also ? Its very strange to navigate but I like the automatic preview of the UV when you make a change !

      Do you gonna make tutorials with some infos on normal map and baking high poly to low poly ? For example this mailbox could be exported to zbrush and sculpted scratches + bullet holes. And then baked on the low poly one. Or the fire hydrant from Ben could be baked on a low poly model, instead of finishing the tutorial with the subd one.

      Thanks for all the tutorials you do and thanks to your brother also, its so usefull for people like me :)

      Cheers

  • Hector Bastida

    Really great tutorial!
    Hope the next won´t take so long to be up.
    Thank you for your effort!

    Chau

  • Roi-Kyi

    What a great tutorial! I can’t wait to see the rest.

  • M

    Thanks for devaluing our profession.

  • LuiSerrano

    hey! Chris, Great tutorials

    thanks man…. waiting next day :D

  • Eagle7

    Hey Chris you’re an inspiration. luv u man

  • VitalOverdose

    Thanks for these great tutorials all your hard work is very much appreciated.

  • ken

    Nice work Chris.
    Throw a little dust in the scene and there goes the doesnt look real comment.
    Thanks Much for your Tutorials.
    I have learnt so much from you and Ben.
    Cept I am realizing the kind of vision it takes to start deconstructing to reconstruct in 3d.
    And accolaides to yous for your teaching.

  • Philippe

    Your tuto is very good to learn and upgrade my knowledge in 3DS Max
    more quickly than the only help other ways,writing for example,
    your video is easy,clear.I can make some mistakes and go back every time
    i want!it’s very important to have the possibility to return and rectify theses
    errors,.Your subject is not so easy to realise for a beginner!
    so thanks again!

  • LuiSerrano

    Good Work!!… and very very cool Teacher. Thanks Man!

  • Mohsen

    Hi chris,
    thanks for this great training. it’s actually helpful.
    just in this step I’m facing a broblem. I’m not familiar with UVLayout..
    I literally fallowed the steps but after exporting the first object (Top object) and loading in UVLayout I can select the edges (putting the mouse over the desired edge and pressing C button).
    How can I do that?

    regards..

  • Mohsen

    sorry chris, my bad; it’s true : “…and loading in UVLayout I can NOT select the edges…”

  • Mohsen

    Hi again Chris..!
    I tested the UVLayout in another PC (32 bit) and that worked correctly!
    I’m trying to solve the problem..

    regards..

  • deutschlandv

    Hi man thank you for your tutors

    I work follow your tutors that’s cool!
    I have finish the model and the basic texture
    here is my model :

    http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk225/deutschlandv/00.jpg

  • http://www.alkabeergrafix.com Asim

    THANKS a lot….!

  • dccaidyp

    I hope to see more tutorials in the future. Keep up the good work man, and wish you continued success in your career.

  • Komoduz

    greate! can you tel mi how do I can change orbit without push orbit button? it is wery importent for me

  • http://www.random3de.se skepparn

    Thanks a lot for this tutorial! It was really educational and lifted my cg-modeling and shading to a new level.

  • http://eutopia-game.com Sesca

    I Love this Tutorial.

    Thx a lot for it.

    I hope to see soon more from you.

    Best Greetings from Germany

    Sesca

  • ali

    thx for nice tuts i think u brothers are create amazing tuts becouse its clear geomatery and nice modeling techniques thx so on keep modeling some nice things and send the tuts on tut+

    sorry for my bad english

  • http://vahidlancaster.com/ CG Portfolio

    Hello, i think that i noticed you visited my blog thus i came to go back the favor?.I’m trying to in finding issues to enhance my website!I guess its good enough to make use of some of your ideas!!