3D basics Make a Panda | Digital Art Tutorial Written By: Neffy 26/03/2009 16:29

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Neffy's "3D basics Make a Panda"

written by: Neffy
"3D basics Make a posted: Aug/07/2007
Panda" hits: 1,896, views: 1,737
style points: 12
Learn how to use 3D studio Max simple
mangarevolution.com/Neffy/
tools to make your own panda !!!!

go-go-gadget.

Step #1
Welcome to my 3D
tutorial aimed at those
who have never done 3D
work before. I am using a
program called 3D studio
Max 7 you can download
a trial versions from The
official website however this
is Max9 (most things will
be the same)

To start with I'm going to

help you understand the
view ports as they are
vital in creating anything
with this program. The
image to the left is the
default view ports you will
have on opening 3DS Max,
to explain this better think
of your self as an object
in the middle of a never
ending box. Top view is a
camera looking down on
you, Front view is a
camera looking at you
front on, left view a
camera looking at you on
your left and perspective
is a camera that shows
you from any view. You
can move around the
scene and these views will
show you from those 4
angles simultaneously.

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Step #2
There are 3 Tools that are
most commonly used for
moving your self around
the view ports, these are
the Move, Rotate and
Scale tools shown in that
order as yellow squares.
When you are inside this
view port box, north,
south east ect are
represented by letters X,
Y and Z. The move tool
lets you move around the
box on these axis's you
can be constricted to only
Y movement, X and Y
movement or all 3 at
once. The same thing
goes for rotation and
scale.

We shall play with these

later on so its necessary
to only know there
location for now.

Step #3
Alright now we know that
lets make the first shape
of our panda, The body !

As you can see there are

a few little tabs in this
section of Max where only
going to focus on 2 of
them for this entire
tutorial so don't worry
about the others. For now
where going to be in the
Create Tab represented
by a white sparkling
arrow. Select sphere for
that will be the first shape
we are making.

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Step #4
To create a sphere in the
scene you will need to left
click once in the center of
your top view port keep
your finger down on the
bottom and drag your
mouse away like the red
arrow suggests. See a
sphere forming, release
the mouse button to
confirm and complete the
shape. Don't worry about
what size it is too much.

*Try* (not required)

This a few times if you
would like to get the hang
of it or try the methods
for creating the other
shapes on the list. To
delete the excess
spheres/shapes you might
have created click on one
until it is selected (the
shape will turn white like
in the image on the left)
and press the delete
button on your keyboard.

Step #5
For constancy through out
the tutorial ill show you
how to manually type in
the radius of the sphere
so that the other shapes
we create will be the
same size to the values ill
say later on.

Now we access the other

tab i mentioned this one
is called the Modify tab
represented by a Blue
bent tube. If the 2
underlined areas are
empty of text this is
because your sphere has
become unselected, select
it again by clicking on the
mesh. Now you can access
its radius give it a radius
of 20. Press enter to input
the value.

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Step #6
On creation of a shape
max picks a random
colour to assign to it, we
want the colour of our
panda body to be white
so still in the Modify tab
click the colour square
surrounded by red in the
image to your left to bring
up the object colour box.
Select white and click ok.

Your sphere will turn white

yay

Step #7
Now we are going to
create the head go back
to the Create tab, In top
view port do this the
exact same way you
created the body and give
it a radius of 15.
Something to note here is
that the new sphere you
have created is situated
inside the other sphere we
can tell this by looking at
the front and left view
ports, which we haven't
needed till now because
we only had one object.
Right click in the front
view port and you will
notice the yellow box
surrounding the top view
port move to the front
View port. This means the
front View port is now
active and you still have
your sphere selected. Left

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your sphere selected. Left

clicking in the view port
would have deselected
your sphere and its harder
to reselect it when its
inside the other sphere.
Using the move tool i
showed you in step 2 we
are going to use it to
move the head up on top
of the body constraining it
only to move on 1 axis's.
Hover your mouse over
the arrow pointing up until
it turns yellow then click
and drag to move the
head on top of the body
sphere. If the head is only
able to move up and down
you have done the right
thing and your head
should look like the 4 view
ports on the right of the
image.

Step #8
Ok now we have a Body a
head, they are positioned
correctly and both the
colour white. Now lets
make some ears ! Please
ignore the snout like
sphere i made near the
head, i deleted it later as
it didn't look any good.

Our panda ear is going to

be a circle like everything
else so far it is going to
be created in the front
viewport have a radius of
6 and be positioned at the
top right ear spot. When
moving use the other
arrows of the move tool
to position the ear in the
spot shown. It is
important that you check
its position in ALL 3 view
ports, just because its the
right spot at the front
doesn't mean its the right
spot looking from the left.
It could be floating
2meters in front of the
face and you couldnt see
that happening in the
front.

Colour the ear black

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Step #9
1.
Here we use our first
modifier to add a more
ear shape to this ear
instead of it being a plain
sphere.

In the Modify tab where

it says "Modifier List"
open the drop down menu
with the little arrow and
locate where it says Bend.
This is a very long list so
to jump to the bend
modifier press B on your
keyboard. You will still
have to click the Bend
word for it to apply the
modifier to your sphere.

2.
If this worked there will
be a Bend above your
sphere in a little list and
you can now give it an
Angle of 45 and tick Y on
the Bend Axis.

See the little sphere turn

a bit pointy on its end
^_^

Step #10

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1.
Using the rotate tool i
showed you in step 2 we
are going to use it to
rotate the ear to face
pointy side down at the
head.

Hover over the inside

Circle until it is yellow as
shown then click and drag
the ear spinning it around
until it is the same or
close to what is shown in
the 2nd image.

2.
Now the ear is still pretty
sphere like when you look
at it in the Left view port
so we are going to use
the scale tool i showed
you in step 2 to make it a
bit thinner. In left view
port with the scale tool
selected hover your
mouse over the line
closest to the red arrow
(so it turns yellow) then
click and drag in the
direction the arrow is
pointing. The result should
be similar to the 2nd
image.

Step #11

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1.
Instead of doing all that
again for the 2nd ear (you
might want to just for
practice) we will use the
Mirror tool. Have your
ear selected and click the
tool shown in the red box
this will bring up a dialog
box, enter these settings
Mirror Axis X Offset -20
Clone Selection Copy
and press ok.

2.
Now we have 2 ears we
shall make the inside of
them. It is going to be
the same shape we have
already created so lets
Duplicate it using another
method. With the Move
tool that i showed you in
step 2 select the ear, now
in the Left view port
hover your mouse over
the arrow closest to the
Red one i have drawn (it
will turn yellow) and
holding down Shift key
move it like you would
normaly. It will make a
duplicate of the shape
press ok to the dialog box
that comes up making
sure that Copy is ticked.
Colour your new shape
pink

Now we use Scale tool

that i showed you in step
2 to make it smaller.
Select Scale tool and then
in Front view port where
going to not hover over
one of the handles but the
center you should see a
Yellow triangle like in the
image to your left. If you
have the yellow triangle
selected Click and drag
down you will see your
shape shrink.Move the
inside of the ear so it is
sitting just infront of the

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sitting just infront of the

main ear in the Left
viewport.

3.
Now we use the Mirror
tool to duplicate the inside
ear the same way we did
the main ear. Use these
settings Mirror Axis X
Offset -23.5 Clone
Selection Copy. You
should have some ears
like the shown image in
red now.

Step #12
For creating the face
where going to use a
more complicated shape
located somewhere
different.

1.
In the Create tab pull
down the drop down menu
and select Extended
Primitives, then select
capsule from your new list
of shapes (you might want
to play around and see
what the other shapes
do). Create a capsule in
your scene it is similar to
a sphere but requires
more clicks, don't worry
about the size just make
one and we will adjust the
parameters later. Click
and still holding drag to
determine the radius then
release to set, Drag to
determine the height then
click to set. Now go to the
Modify tab to change the

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Modify tab to change the

parameters, We want a
Radius of 4 and a Height
of 15.

2.
Now find the tool I
highlighted in red, this is
the Angle Snaps Toggle
it will allow us to Rotate
our capsule heaps easier
Instead of rotating freely
it constrains us so that
you only Rotate the
object by 5. I chose to
Rotate my capsule by 35.
You can try that or if you
want a different angle.
Now position the capsule
against the face of your
panda.

3.
Mirror the capsule so
your panda has 2 eye
sockets.

Step #13

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Lets speed this up you

should know all the steps
to do the following by
now, if you cant
remember then please
scroll up to where it is
explained in more detail
^_^

1
Create a sphere (go back
to standard primitives)
with a Radius of 3, use
the Mirror tool to create
the 2nd eye sphere.
Position them as shown
then selecting both hold
Shift and Move them to
duplicate. Colour these 2
new spheres Black and
Scale them down, position
these so they are just
poking outside of the 2
white spheres as shown.

2
Now make a itty bitty
sphere which has a
Radius of (point) .5 and
Move it into position use
the Mirror tool to
duplicate it.

Step #14

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For the nose make a

black sphere with a
Radius of 3 put a Bend
modifier on it like you did
for the ears (refer to step
9) and Move & Rotate
into position. Select one of
the white Eye dots and
holding shift duplicate it
and position on the tip of
the nose.

Now make a pink sphere

with a Radius of 3 and
Scale it down hovering
over the arrow pointing up
(like indicated) so it gets
squished. Use the Mirror
tool to create the 2nd like
always.

Step #15
Now that you have a cute
little panda face you can
add arms and legs, my
arms and legs are really
simple and craptastic
really but ill show you
how i added them. At this
stage however feel free to
do what ever you want to
your panda, Customize it
to wear/have anything or
use this process to make
other creatures, like a
frog or a pokemon !
Experiment the amount of
stuff you can make with
the default shapes and a
few basic modifiers are
endless ! try the skew,
twist, melt and taper
modifiers for more new
results.

1.
So where making Arms, I
created a Capsule from
the Extended Primitives
then applied a Bend

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then applied a Bend

modifier too it. Rotate it
into position.

2.
Take the arms and
holding Shift duplicate
them, rotate 90o and
position in the Leg area.
Don't forget a tail !

Stay with me to learn how

to render.

Step #16
1.
To make an image of your
3D work to show
everyone (and Me ^_^)
you will need to Render
it. To render your scene
locate the green teapot
circled and press it you
will get a box like what is
shown and most likely you
background will be black.
Which makes showing off
your panda rather hard, to
fix this go to the
Rendering menu and pick
Environment

2.
See where it says
background color :D yes
thats where you change it
click on the color area and
choose a brand new one
like white .. or pink or
even green.

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Step #17
Now we will learn how to
make your 3D model have
that lovely clay look to it.

This is done with whats

called a Skylight Its a
magical thing of magic. To
find it go to the Create
tab and instead of going
to shapes where going to
click that little light button
right there to bring up a
list of Lights ! lights are
good they like .. light your
scene and stuff XD

Click skylight and place it

ANYWHERE it doesn't
matter where it is.
Actually your not aloud
place it touching or inside
of your model .. so
anywhere around your
model :D Then go to
Modify tab and tick Cast
shadows.

You can now render again,

this time it will take about
3x as long as it did
before. Skylight does that
but if your patient you will
see your model appearing.
To save the image click
the save disk in the
render box :)

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Step #18
There you have it a cute
little 3D panda of your
own.

Thankyou very much for

reading this tutorial and if
you get stuck along the
way or have any hassles
then feel free to comment
or email me
Nefily@gmail.com or MSN
me
Nefquareiel@yahoo.com.au
and ill get back to you
^_^

(omg I hope this tute

works i cant edit can I
>.< doh !!! )

Artist Profile: Comments & go-go-gadget.

Feedback:
»Neffy
Level 4
Member
Green Alien
Commander
Toriano
Member
wow,you didn't even use textures and It still looks so darn cute!-
Since:
huggles panda-
Feb/13/2007
Page Views:
15,919
Page Hits: beefboy
21,259 that is sooooooooooooooooo cool you made 3dmax so easy for me.
Style Points:
1,173
Tutorials: 2
Neffy
Yay =D

Tutorials:
3D basics Make a Panda Kyo_luver
How to draw a Rose ^-^

Kyo_luver
Cute! And, i learnded stuff. X3

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Neffy
Awesome =D

klomp123
WOOT! A 3d tutorial!
I use blender 3d but it still helps me. :D

Neffy
Hehe thats good to hear :D

16 Comments & 14 Replies Total.

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