Autodesk 3ds Max Essentials - Live Online training

This Autodesk-accredited live online 3ds Max training course with Armada is ideal for beginners teaching core skills for creating 3D models, rendered images, animations and games.

You’ll learn how to:

• Configure and render scenes.
• Create and edit 3D geometry.
• Understand and apply lighting and materials for realism.
• Create desktop animations.

The course includes a session looking at the most popular renderers used with 3ds Max, including ART, Arnold, V-Ray and mental ray, to help you ascertain the one that best meets your needs.

The Armada approach to live online training

You participate in the same course as in-class delegates, and we do everything possible to make your experience as close as possible to actually being in the classroom…

• Your course is Autodesk-accredited, hosted by an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) with vast experience of using the application professionally.
• You can see and hear our trainer, the other delegates and our trainer’s screen.
• Our trainer and the other delegates can see you (via your webcam) and hear you.
• We’ll post you a printed training guide, and make the course files and resources available for you to download.
• Your training is hands-on: you’ll practice and carry out exercises throughout.
• If you're learning to use an application and don’t have access to the software, we’ll send you a link to fully-functional trial software that you can download and install.
• If you need assistance, you can share your screen with our trainer, and pass control to
• You’ll receive an e-certificate confirming successful completion of an Autodesk-accredited course.
• You’re entitled to 30 days’ email support from your trainer.

We also offer this course with in-class attendance, a our centres in Bromsgrove (near Birmingham), Bristol, and Reading,

Certificate of completion

Digital certificate - Included

• Course outline - > download

3ds Max courses are hosted by Autodesk Certified Instructors who are experts in 3D design, CGI and the productions of visualisations and rendered images. They have been providing training in 3ds Max and similar applications to industry for over 20 years.

Typical topics that are covered during the three days are:

Introduction

• Understanding the 3D environment
• The 3ds Max user interface
• Command panels
• Other UI elements

Getting started

• Setting preferences correctly
• Viewport navigation and configuration
• Object creation and selection
• Scene management

Assembling project files

• Starting a project
• File linking
• Holding/fetching
• Merging files
• Importing/exporting

Basic modelling techniques

• Basic concepts
• Modelling with primitives
• Modifiers and transforms
• Reference coordinate systems and transform centres
• Cloning and grouping
• Polygon modelling tools

Modeling

• Modeling with 3D geometry
• Spline theory
• Working with splines
• Create 3D models from 2D objects
• Using shape modifiers
• Using lofts
• Creating multiple model concepts from one idea
• Polygon theory
• Creating and editing 3D polygon objects
• Using snaps and align tools for precision

Materials and Mapping

• The principles of materials and surfaces
• Introduction to the materials editor
• Different types of material
• Applying materials
• Using 2D maps
• Introduction to UVW mapping
• Editing UVW map coordinates
• Applying materials and maps

Lighting

• Introduction to direct lighting
• Creating 3 point and dome lighting rigs
• Shadows and shadow theory
• How to get the most from using shadows by adjusting their parameters
• Using sky light and light tracer for external scenes
• Colour light theory
• The daylight system

Cameras

• Physical camera
• Target and free camera parameters
• Camera paths

Rendering

• Review of the renderers available in 3ds Max: ART, Arnold, Scanline
• Review of populat third-party renderers: V-Ray, mental ray.
• Render scene dialog
• Scene states
• Batch render

This course is ideal for new users of 3ds Max and 3ds Max Design from all industries, including:

• Architects, designers and engineers.
• Game developers.
• Artists and animators who produce film and video content.

Where possible, delegates carry out exercises relevant to their industry.

Experience using an Autodesk application, such as AutoCAD or Revit is beneficial, but not essential.

Delegates need access to a computer with a stable internet connection and a webcam.

3ds Max also needs to be installed on the computer, to use during the course. If this isn't installed, Armada can provide details of free trial software to download.

If you have a Mac, please contact Armada.