"Fantasy Checkerboard"

I really miss working in 3D Studio Max…I haven’t worked in the program for awhile but I am a huge fan of taking 3D work into Photoshop for a fusion effect. I am currently looking into getting a licensed version of Max so that I can begin creating new photoshop/3D fusion projects again. A friend installed Max on my old computer and currently I am not able to get a hold of the installation disk…so that was the beginning of my hiatus from working with 3D.

I created a traditional and plain black and red checkerboard set with a wood base a couple of years ago with Max. I decided to update the look of the board in Photoshop today. I wanted to give it a magical fantasy look so I themed it in purples and pinks with glowing accents for the checkerboard pieces. I definitely like the revision. It makes me want to have a glowing checkerboard set just like it.

"Abstractis"

This piece was a mixture of modeling done in 3D Studio Max 6 and digital manipulation in Photoshop CS.

I first created an abstract land environment in 3D Studio max. This image is the original image with the blue sky background and the deep blue-green water flooring. After looking at it a bit more, I felt that more could be done with it, so I decided to render the image again and take it into Photoshop for further dressing.

I used various layer options, masking and digital painting as well as detailed text creation and treatment...and I came out with the magenta themed image. I felt the title Abstractis was appropriate and fitting.

"Moogle Room" and others

Moogle Room was one of my first big assignments with 3D Studio Max. The objective was to create a themed room. I've always liked the Moogle characters from the Final Fantasy series, so I felt inspired to create an elegant but sophisticated and playful room for individuals of Moogle size. I created a room and rendered it in various angles without lighting and then as a final touch, added lighting for the finished image.

When I first took a class in 3D Studio Max (version 6 was current at the time), I really didn't know what to expect. I had never taken a 3D Design class and I'd never done any modeling...however, I had been fascinated by animation and 3D artwork for the longest time.

I remember seeing 3D Studio Max's GUI back in 2002. A boyfriend, at the time, had the program and I would use his computer during visits. The program looked very complicated and intimidating. There were so many features and I couldn't make sense of them.

So when I took the 3D Studio Max course, I came in with this impression as well as a lack of experience actually using the program. I didn't know how I was going to do.

What happened is that I became obsessed with 3D Studio Max and found that I enjoyed it thoroughly. I wanted to know all that there was to know about it and I was especially fixated on lighting, materials and modeling. There were many nights I stayed up on my computer at home learning as much as I could about 3ds Max, doing online tutorials and experimenting with various designs.

I found that I learned very quickly and thus took to the program easily. This inspired me to contemplate on whether I wanted to explore animation professionally or stay with graphic design. I eventually decided to finish pursuing my degree in graphic design. I liked how versatile I could be in the learning process of this direction. As a result, I didn't invest myself in the program much further because I was so busy with other projects.

Learning 3D Studio Max opened my mind up to better ways of implementing chiaroscuro (use of light and shadow) in my 2D digital work. I found that using the program was a good way to train the eye in developing a better understanding of 3D perspective and effects. I'd like to get back to using it more often because when I visit sites such as 3DTotal, 3D Kingdom, CG Society and the like, I feel an urge to play around more in the program and see where I can take my skills...because I know there's potential there for more creative expression.