Build a Mechanical Arm with 3ds Max & Substance Painter

Name: Build a Mechanical Arm with 3ds Max & Substance Painter
Rating: 4.4 (23 reviews)

Learn to create a PBR-Ready Game Asset from start to finish!

Created by3dmotive LLC

Last updated 12/2016

English

What you'll learn

Create a proper low and high poly game asset
Learn to properly create textures and use baking techniques
Make an asset ready for games and film

Course content

3 sections • 25 lectures • 5h 18m total length

Download Course Files Here!0:04
Introduction to the Course0:57
Begin this course by learning the pipeline to build a mechanical arm: modeling in 3ds Max, UV unwrapping, baking, exporting to XNormal, and texturing in Substance Painter.
Creating the base of the model17:26
Build the base of the mechanical arm in 3ds Max with a simple bottom cylinder, keeping it straight for easier placement and texturing using extrusion and loops.
Converting the Base to High Poly15:15
Transform a base model into a high-poly form by centering and aligning geometry, selecting faces, refining edges with loops, and converting to hyper subdivision using open subdivides.
Creating Add-ons for the Base16:45
Create base add-ons by modeling components in 3ds Max, using cylinders, spheres, and cubes, aligning and smoothing edges, duplicating parts, and refining with connect, scale, and rotate for the base.
Creating the Joints13:31
Create precise joints for a robotic arm by modeling interconnected segments, aligning the center line, and using loops and extrusion to form secure, connected elements in 3ds Max.
Creating the Top of the Model14:52
Create the top of the model in 3ds Max by extruding, aligning, and scaling faces, then connect and center components to form the arm’s upper section.
Creating the End Grip15:55
Learn to model the end grip for a mechanical arm in 3ds Max, detailing precise face selection, extrusion, scaling, welding, and cylinder assembly for a smooth, cohesive grip.
Applying the Finishing Touches10:14
Apply finishing touches to a mechanical arm built in 3ds Max, adding cylinders, cables, and joints, then texture and bake in Substance Painter.

Introduction0:41
Begin the course on building a mechanical arm with 3ds Max & Substance Painter with an introduction that frames the workflow and emphasizes boundary-based, space-efficient design.
Converting High Poly to Low Poly11:39
Convert a high-poly mechanical arm to a low-poly version in 3ds Max by deleting unnecessary geometry, hiding and simplifying faces, and using targeted optimization steps to speed up workflow.
Converting High Poly to Low Poly Continued15:20
Learn to convert a high poly model to a low poly version by removing unnecessary geometry, optimizing edges, collapsing faces, and mirroring changes across sides to speed up the workflow.
UV Unwrapping the Mesh19:03
Explore uv unwrapping a mesh in 3ds Max with Substance Painter, separating parts, aligning uv islands, applying projection, stitching uv shells, and baking textures for one cohesive model.
UV Unwrapping the Mesh Continued18:07
Learn to unwrap a mesh with UV projection, stitch seams, relax, and copy the unwrapped sides across the model while handling inner faces and texture space.
Finish UV Unwrapping16:56
Finish uv unwrapping by organizing objects into a compact, non-overlapping uv layout, adjusting scale for big, medium, and small parts, and saving the scene for a clean texture workflow.
Placing the UVs14:47
Place and pack UVs efficiently by fitting all parts tight without overlap, prioritizing larger UVs for major faces, and preparing for baking the final texture.

Introduction1:19
Apply texture maps, bake them, and import into Substance Painter to refine diffuse textures and metal and nonmetal surfaces for the final model.
Preparing Model for Baking18:36
Master preparing a 3ds Max model for baking by cleaning smoothing groups, exploding the mesh, adjusting vertices, beveling edges, and setting up ambient occlusion and textures for Substance Painter.
Baking Texture Maps17:03
Bake texture maps for a mechanical arm using 3ds Max and Substance Painter, fix normals in Photoshop, create color ID maps, and apply metallic roughness for realistic finishes.
Preparing normal detail in Substance Painter17:58
Create a new Substance Painter project from a mesh, configure brushes and spacing, and apply base metal color with surface imperfections to detail normal maps.
Finishing the Base Colors and Dirt17:38
Master finishing base colors and dirt on a mechanical arm model by applying surface imperfections, dust, normals, and roughness in Substance Painter, exporting maps and refining metal and welding details.
Applying the Small Details18:32
Apply the small details to a mechanical arm by masking, painting, and texturing in 3ds Max and Substance Painter, refining diffuse, normal maps, and roughness.
Finishing the Texture and Posing14:12
Finish the texture and posing of a mechanical arm using 3ds Max and Substance Painter by refining masks, applying stickers, adjusting heights, and optimizing lighting for realistic shadows.
Adding the Final Details, Presentation, and Course Conclusion11:27
Develop final detailing for a mechanical arm in 3ds Max and Substance Painter, tuning lighting, materials, and focal distance, then render and prepare the presentation for the course conclusion.
Bonus Lecture: Further Learning with 3dmotive0:18

Requirements

Autodesk's 3ds Max
xNormal
Photoshop
Substance Painter
Marmoset Toolbag

Description

In this course we will be looking on how to create a 3d asset from start to finish using 3ds Max. We will be focusing on creating an asset that is focused for games by using the correct texture and optimization techniques. We will be going over on how to create a proper high poly and low poly in 3ds Max and then on how to uv unwrap our low poly and prepare our scene for baking our normal and AO map.

We will then export everything out of 3ds Max and we will start by baking our texture maps using xNormal. We will then go over the best settings in xNormal to minimize any baking errors - and for the errors that are left, we will go over on how to solve those by hand. Once all our textures are baked, we will start by setting up our scene in Substance Painter and we will start texturing our model. In Substance Painter, we will go over on how to use materials, fill layers, generators, and other techniques to create the final texture for our asset. We will then go into Marmoset Toolbag where we will render our final model and create a nice beauty shot of the final asset.

More about the Instructor:

Emiel Sleegers is a self-taught 3d artist currently residing in the Netherlands. He's been teaching himself 3D art for the past 3-4 years, and has worked as a freelance artist on numerous unannounced projects. He's a lover of all things 3d and enjoys sharing the knowledge he has obtained with others eager to learn.

Who this course is for:

Students and intermediate artists should take this course in order to learn the up-to-date industry standard methods for creating 3d assets.

Build a Mechanical Arm with 3ds Max & Substance Painter

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Course Introduction and Modeling our High Poly Asset9 lectures • 1hr 45min

Building our Low Poly asset and UV Unwrapping7 lectures • 1hr 37min

Creating Textures and Materials for our Asset9 lectures • 1hr 57min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: