Create a Realistic Looking Mailbox using 3ds Max and UV Layout – Day 1
Tutorial Details
- Software: Autodesk 3ds Max 2009, and Headus UV Layout.
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Completion Time: 2 - 3 hours
- Software/ Hardware Requirements: Dual core PC and recent (GeForce 8 level) graphics card
- Supporting Files/ Plugins: Reference Images; Texture Source; Custom UV Checker
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
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.
This is Day 1 in a series. Go to Day 2.
Video 1
Download
Note: click the ‘Monitor’ icon to view tutorial in full-screen HD.
Video 2
Download
Note: click the ‘Monitor’ icon to view tutorial in full-screen HD.
This is Day 1 in a series. Go to Day 2.
Don’t miss more CG tutorials and guides, published daily – subscribe to Cgtuts+ by RSS.
Enjoyed this Post?
Subscribe to our RSS Feed, Follow us on Twitter or simply recommend us to friends and colleagues!
By Chris Tate
Join our newsletter!
Create a Tutorial, Get Paid!
Have something to teach the world? Want to earn money doing it? Tutorials, screencasts, and articles published here on Cgtuts+ are largely contributed by readers just like you! We'll pay you great money for good content. Find Out More
awesome, thank you. Love your max video tutorials. Keep it up!
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.
Chris Tate rules !! :D
Looking forward to day 2. Nice job thus far.
Great tut, but im still wating for the UV part, this 2 parts are very basic modeling. Tnks anyway!!
Cool tutorial ;)
Nice tutorial… But it doesn’t look realistic to me.
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…
At least not in canada but you can see someones really thrashed in Mexico
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.
My modeling link:
http://haqzaf.deviantart.com/art/Canadapost-Mailbox-Modeling-156017912
Thanks Chris.
I enjoyed modeling this mail box.
Hi chris, i love your tutorials man YOU RULE !!
Good Game
Wassim
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
All good things will come in time :)
Knowing the Tate bros, they always deliver an excellent tutorial.
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 :)
all I know about 3D Studio max is because of you lol
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
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment guys, I really appreciate it!
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
Really great tutorial!
Hope the next won´t take so long to be up.
Thank you for your effort!
Chau
What a great tutorial! I can’t wait to see the rest.
Thanks for devaluing our profession.
hey! Chris, Great tutorials
thanks man…. waiting next day :D
Hey Chris you’re an inspiration. luv u man
Thanks for these great tutorials all your hard work is very much appreciated.
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.
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!
Good Work!!… and very very cool Teacher. Thanks Man!
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..
sorry chris, my bad; it’s true : “…and loading in UVLayout I can NOT select the edges…”
Hi again Chris..!
I tested the UVLayout in another PC (32 bit) and that worked correctly!
I’m trying to solve the problem..
regards..
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
THANKS a lot….!
I hope to see more tutorials in the future. Keep up the good work man, and wish you continued success in your career.
greate! can you tel mi how do I can change orbit without push orbit button? it is wery importent for me
Thanks a lot for this tutorial! It was really educational and lifted my cg-modeling and shading to a new level.
I Love this Tutorial.
Thx a lot for it.
I hope to see soon more from you.
Best Greetings from Germany
Sesca
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
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!!