Appendix A: Setting up reference images in Photoshop for use in 3d max

Reference images are an important part of modeling in 3d max. The more accurate you start off, the more accurate the final result will be. Here's an easy to follow guide on how to prepare your reference images in Photoshop before putting them into max.

Step 1

I found this rather nice blueprint after searching on Google. Of course, we can't really open Max and stick it in, so we've got to modify it a bit in photoshop first. You can see that it's not very straight and here's a great trick to get around this problem:

 

Step 2

Zoom in until you see this line (marked in red )

 

Step 3

In the tool bar click and hold the eyedropper tool until the drop down menu appears. Then choose the measure tool

 

Step 4

Now use it to draw a line from point '1' to point '2'

 

Step 5

Now go Image>Rotate Canvas>Arbitrary.

 

Step 6

Up pops a screen which tells you how much of an angle the canvas is going to be rotated by. In this example it should be something like 1.1.

 

 

Step 7

Click OK and HEY PRESTO! We now have a straight canvas. (I told you it was a cool trick)

 

Step 8

Now select all the lighthouse with the marque tool, press Crtl+C to copy and Crtl+N to open a new document.

 

 

Step 9

This screen pops up. Leave everything as it is and click OK.

 

Step 10

Now press Crtl+V to paste our image.

 

Step 11

Click Image>Adjustmetns>Auto levels to make the lines a little darker.

 

Step 12

You can see I've taken the eraser tool and got rid of all the crap I don't need.

 

Step 13

We could use this as it is in 3dmax, but we wouldn't be able to see any of the 3d geometry because max uses white lines.

So let's change the background colour. Click Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation.

 

Step 14

When this screen appears, check the colourize box and choose a nice, darkish colour.

 

Step 15

Here's what you should have now. (Or something close, you don't really need to do it exactly like mine).

 

Step 16

All that's left is to select the crop tool and move the little squares to just outside the lighthouse.

 

Step 17

When you're happy with your crop, press enter and that's it! Easy. Save the image in whatever format you like and boot up Max. If you want to learn more about what Photoshop you do for you, click here.