3rd Edition
Deconstructing the Elements with 3ds Max Create natural fire, earth, air and water without plug-ins
3ds Max is the leading 3D modeling, animation, and rendering solution for artists, schools, and production environments. The unique tutorial approach of this book permits readers to learn essential techniques that every 3D artist needs to create CG environments by recreating the earth's elements of earth, air, fire and water. No extra plug-ins are required to perform the exercises. Draper studies the real world and then simulates it with 3ds Max -a unique approach that reflects classical art training.
"Deconstructing the Elements" allows artists to recreate natural effects using Autodesk® 3ds Max®. This new edition boasts all new tutorials. All editorial content is updated to be current with the current version of 3ds Max. Inspirational images cover every page as the author shares his professional insight, detailing the how and why of each effect, ensuring the reader a complete understanding of all the processes involved.
The companion web site includes all of the tutorials from the previous two editions, only available to purchasers of this 3rd edition - plus all new tutorials of the current edition. It's like getting 3 books in one!
Contents
Fire
Nuclear Explosion
Afterburner jet engine
Sparks & explosive sparks
Sparkler trails (long exposure effects)
Forest fire (from the air)
Underwater explosion
Smouldering paper
Earth
Oak Tree
Countryside landscape (uses Oak Tree result as focal point) Beach cliffs (cont in water section) Grass macro (extreme close-up, cont in water section) Mud volcano (bubbling / cracked mud) Impact crater (Meteor crater) Wrapped / strangling Vines
Water
Beach shore (cont from beach cliffs) with lapping shoreline waves Water droplet crown effect Whirlpool (bath plug?) underwater splash-in (eg parallel underwater view of an item splashing in) Icicles / frozen fountain Blood trails (aka ice splash) Frozen lake Dew on grass (cont from Grass macro)
Air
Steam vent
Heat distortion
Tornado barn destruction (re-vamped version) Dissipating contrail Aurora Borealis Black Smoker (underwater volcanic vent)
Video tutorials
Fire - rocket lift-off
Earth - Avalanche
Water - Boat Wake
Air - Galaxy
Biography
a UK-based visual effects animator and artist with 10+ years experience on large and small screen projects. Starting out as a fine artist and designer, his shift to CG animation led to key roles such as Lead and Senior Artist, Head of Media and, more recently, Visual Effects Supervisor / Director. Pete's work covers a broad range of disciplines and genres from visual effects to reconstructions, commercials to in-house training. He currently writes for 3D World magazine, providing tips, tricks, reviews and tutorials for 3ds max and other animation and graphics tools.
"A detailed, step-by-step guide to creating your own universe. Once again, Pete Draper helps everyone use 3D Max to the max!"--Mark Walsh, Supervising Animator, Pixar""Deconstructing the Elements with 3ds Max has become a standard, must-have tome for 3ds Max users of all levels. Pete Draper's many years of real-world production chops and ongoing industry writing are unmatched. The clear, step-by-step lessons of this book require no plugins and the final results are feature-film quality assets. I give it my highest mark for recommended learning and training resources pertaining to Autodesk 3ds Max.--Gary M. Davis, Autodesk 3ds Max Master 2007, 3D Animation & Compositing Specialist, Autodesk Media and Entertainment
"I am instantly blown away by the level of quality and professional content Pete Draper's new book contains. This book very thorough in demonstrating professional and production quality tutorials and exercising production quality work, while being very informative and easy to follow. Definitely the secret weapon to keep in your work desk draw to refer back to on a day to day basis! I thoroughly recommend this book both to beginners and advanced users alike, I am confident everyone will get a lot from this book!"--Allan McKay, VFX Supervisor
"This book is the definitive text on 3ds Max effects using Particles and Dynamics....Pete sets the standard."--Mark Gerhard, Imaginit Technologies
