Jacquelin Vanderwood

August 1, 2000

In this 2-video series, Frank DeLise (a master at his craft), takes us step-by-step through the Materials Editor introducing each feature and what it does. 

The first video shows us the actual Material Editor, sample slots, explains all the buttons, the option menu, right-clicking to access more options, dbl-clicking a sample slot to enlarge the view, how to use the Materials Library, and explains in detail all of the icons. 

Further on we are shown the Materials Map Navigator and how to make our materials, add to our own Materials Library, grabbing materials from a .max file, plus networking & updating. Frank DeLise shows us how to navigate through the Material Editor, find our way through the schematic view and opening the trees. 

Map types are explained along with texture mapping, environment mapping, using various channels, and applying the textures in various ways. He explains the UVW mapping and it's mapping options along with mapping channels, compositing multiple textures, adjusting mapping coordinates, tiling, blurring options, noise rollouts, bitmap parameters, cropping a bitmap, alpha channels, setting time for animation, filtering and output. 

Then we're shown the Photoshop and Premier plug-in filters, procedural maps (all the various maps), creating reflection maps, gradients and their options, gradient ramp, and gradient type, and masking.

Video 2 is more of a project oriented tape where we learn to apply what we learned in Video 1. Project 1 shows how to apply material, creating metal and lighting, ambient lighting, diffuse color, specular color/highlights, creating texture, detail, and texture correction, applying material to multiple selections. Also 3d depth with a bump map, adding lighting to panels and how to modify the lighting, and specifying self-illumination. 

Project 2 is about the Anisotropic shader. This project teaches about non-symmetrical highlights, 3D highlights, diffuse levels and texture maps, orientation highlights, using Render Selected, mapping cylindrically and applying a bump map, tiling texture, reflection mapping with a photograph, and specifying shininess in some areas while leaving dirty areas dull. 

Project 3 is on the Oren-Nayer-Blinn shader and displacement. It shows how to create a planet surface, and polygon sub-division displacement. Project 4 is the Multi-Layer shader (multiple highlights). 

Project 5 is about the Metal shader and Strauss shader. Project 6 is on Blend Material and Raytrace, creating a background cylinder, flipping normals, camera mapping, making water, Fernel effect, and super sampling. 

Project 7 is about composite materials and masking off falloff. Project 8 is double-sided material. Project 9 is Matte Shadow (mostly used for special f/x). Project 10 is morphing materials. Project 11 is multi-sub object materials (creating glass).

There is a lot of material covered in these 2 videos. If you didn't know anything before about the Material Editor, by the time you finish you'll think you know everything. Frank DeLise is a great teacher and I "highly" recommend this series for everyone interested in furthering their 3D Max knowledge. Great!!

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Copyright 2000, Jacquelin Vanderwood, All Rights Reserved