This tutorial, intended for those new to 3ds Max, offers a quick introduction to the world of 3D while you play with some traditional elements of art. Using basic features of the program, you’ll create a composition of an orange and an apple, a windowsill and wall, a bottle and a knife. You’ll also add lights and a camera, and view the scene from different angles. The final steps introduce you to some basic animation.
Animated still life
When you learn to paint, you start with a still life, perhaps a bottle and some fruit arranged on a table. In this tutorial, you’ll make a “not-so-still life” that is animated.
The idea for this tutorial was taken from the Salvador Dali painting “Nature Morte Vivante,” in which the traditional elements of a still life are painted flying through the air. You’ll use the same idea for your first animation project in 3ds Max.
Skill Level: Beginner
Time to complete: 20 minutes
Features Covered in This Tutorial
As you do this tutorial, you’ll be learning a number of things at once:
All the files necessary for this tutorial are provided on the program disc in the \tutorials\still_life directory. Before starting the tutorials, copy the \tutorials folder from the disc to your local program installation.
