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28 July 2009

Maxwell Rendering in 3D Max

1.
First we have to create walls, so in top view we draw lines:




2.
Now, choose Extrude modifier and set Amount to 400:




3.
Next we have to convert our object to Editable Poly - just click right-mouse-button and fallow the instructions shown on the image:




4.
Now select all polygons or use element (mark on red on the image) and use Flip options:




5.
Next, select all vertical edges like on the image:




6.
Now we will use Connect tool add new horizontal segments:




7.
Now lets select all vertex that are marked on red on the image:




8.
And move those veryex up a little:




9.
Now, select few polygons - where should be windows:




10.
Next, choose Bevel tool and set its values like on th eimage:




11.
Next step is to choose Extrude tool and set its Height to -25:




12.
To finish our windows we just have to delete selected polygons:




13.
Now it is time for play with maxwell - put camera Maxwell Target in the scene:




14.
To see is it ok we have to change perspective view to Maxwell Camera:




15.
In camera parameters choose 35mm Stock Lenses:




16.
Now, when our main scene is finished it would be nice to have some furnitures in it - to make creation process faster we will use some models from Evermotion archmodels vol. 1. There are more than 100 high detailed models in *.max, *.3ds, *.obj and *.dxf files. If you are interested, you can purchase them for 99 Euro. More info can be found HERE:




17.
When we set Maxwell renderer you can set that samples of materials in material editor are disabled. Hope, guys from Next Limit will change this bug as soon as it possible:




18.
Now, lets assign shader maxwell difuse to the walls:




19.
For armchairs and couch lets assign maxwell plastic:




20.
Legs of table will have maxwell metal shader:




21.
And top of teh table will have maxwell dielectric shader:




22.
Now lets create emiter that will simulate sun. Of course, Maxwell has got its own sun simulation but we want to create it by ourself:) So lets create plane 30x30 - it have to be set on correct angel, depends on sun position. Next we assign shader maxwel emiter to it. And we change its color on white/yellow:




23.
Now we set our renderer. Change render time to 120 minuts. Maximum bounce to 5. Turn Low quality on and Phisical sky too:




24.
Here you can see rendering process:




25.
Well, we have to change Shutter speed to 560 - this should make our render darker:




26.
And I think we should change color of our furnitures:




27.
Now, lets turn low quality off:




25.
Well, we have to change Shutter speed to 560 - this should make our render darker:




28-31.
Here you can see few steps of rendering process:













32.
The last think I would like to corrct in our scene - change position of sun emiter and its Intensity. And lets change Shutter speed one more time:




33.
Here you can see final resoult:)

21 July 2009

Making of between past & future

THE CONCEPT
This was two shots on a small animation I did for a tv channel, the concept behind this
animation depends on the slogan of the channel, which is "Our screen takes you to
Paradise" ... from that point I tried to make my animation shows that idea, so I made
the old scene looks so old and the second scene gives the feeling of a clean and beautiful
place, and you will see the animation on the end of the tutorial...so this is the concept,
let's go through the work ...

MODELING
For the modeling I used editpoly on the most of the scene modeling, for the pot I made a
line and used lathe modifier.

The modeling of the flower was so easy, for the brunch I made a cylinder, but it looks like
the final result when I rig it .... The leaves are simple plans, then edit poly and shell/bend
modifiers (I used bend lately on the animation also) ... For the flower I used also plans on
editpoly with bend and shell modifier. The room is just a box with 2 faces deleted ...
just that simple.

LIGHTING
I used two light sources on that scene, the first one is a spot light with 1.3 multiplier and
light orange color, the second one is an omni with 0.8 multiplier and orange color ... I
placed them on the scene as you see...



TEXTURING
I made the textures on Photoshop using some brushes and some textures from some
textures sets... The scene rendered with VRay with the skylight enabled, and with some
color correction on After Effect -here is the final result...

You can see the final animation on that link:

Thanks for reading... and I hope that you enjoyed the making of this simple scene.

16 July 2009

10 Easy Steps to Become a Better Web Designer

A great designer is one who can create great designs long after the latest trends have passed. When in doubt always go back to basics & the fundamentals you learned when starting out. Here are some steps I personally take that have helped me become a better designer. My hope is that this will remind you of the little things we sometimes take for granted. Please feel free to add to the list if you have tips – interacting with the community & sharing the knowledge is what it’s all about.

1 . Trends

Keeping up to date on the latest trends is important – however “trends” does not mean “copy”. Get inspiration and create your own style. See this highly effective post of 2008 Design Trends.

2. Learn & Develop

Great designers are always learning and stay fresh on the latest styles. A great resource for finding specific collections for interface design on the web is PatternTap.

3. Think on Paper

Sketching should be your best friend, especially if your in the beginning stages of a wireframe or even simple list ideas. Getting away from the computer and onto paper gives you less distraction. Check out The Importance of Sketching.

4. White Space

Sometimes less is more. Don’t clutter your designs – readability is key to the success of a website. Minimal or Simplistic does not mean boring. For some great examples check out MinimalSites.

5. Technology / Applications

Keep up on the latest programs in your field (But Don’t Upgrade to CS4!) and if your looking for online training I suggest checking out Lynda.

6. Read

These are some great Magazines I recommend flipping through: .Net, Communication Arts, Computer Arts Magazine

If your having an inspiration block check out: Feeling the need for some Inspiration.

7. Know your Audience

Revisit the original creative brief, just because your designing something you like – doesn’t mean the client will like it. You have to look at the age group and demographic target your trying to reach, all these things are very important and you should take extra steps to not lose site of this.

8. Ask others Opinions

Recently I was redesigning a logo and simply “tweeted” on Twitter. I received over 45 replies as well as in depth detailed comments on my Flickr page where I posted the comps. You don’t have to show everyone either depending on the content, ask a colleague you trust. They may point out problems or errors that didn’t cross your mind.

9. Build a “Toolbox”

I keep a harddrive full of assets, code, old work & forms that I made need to grab someday. I organize it by the type of work (ex. CSS, Flash, Vectors, Forms). When your searching for something while working on a project it’s a lot easier when your organized. Trust me it will save you time!

10. Competition

Take a look at what other web designers are doing. Being aware of what’s happening in your industry is a must. There is not a shortage of gallery sites around but these are the ones I visit most: (http://screenfluent.com/)

(http://www.lightondark.com/sites/)

(http://bestwebgallery.com/)

(http://www.faveup.com/)

(http://www.webcreme.com/)

(http://www.designbygrid.com/)

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