Realistic Materials in 3ds Max: V-Ray + Corona from Scratch
What you'll learn
- Learn to create realistic materials in 3ds Max using both V-Ray and Corona Render — from essential basics to advanced layered and mixed materials.
- Master a wide range of surfaces: wood, aged wood, scratched floors, plaster, metal, glass with drops, decals, fabrics, and more with full control.
- Understand how material nodes work in both V-Ray and Corona and how to build flexible, production-ready shaders for any architectural project.
- Gain hands-on experience with every lesson — no theory, just practical skills that will help you build any material you can imagine in both engines.
Requirements
- Some basic experience with 3ds Max is helpful
- 3ds Max installed (2020 or newer recommended)
- V-Ray and Corona Renderer installed (free trials work too)
- A computer that can handle simple test renders comfortably
Description
Want to create stunning, realistic materials in 3ds Max — but not sure where to start? Whether you’re just getting into archviz or want to boost your skills and land better freelance projects, this course is designed for you.
In this hands-on, beginner-friendly course, you’ll learn how to create high-quality, production-ready materials in both V-Ray and Corona Renderer — two of the most widely used render engines in architectural visualization. You don’t have to choose between them anymore — you’ll master both.
We start from the ground up, so even if you’ve never created a material before, you’ll quickly feel confident. From simple plastic or plaster to advanced, layered materials like aged wood, worn parquet, patina, scratched metal, glass with raindrops, translucent tulle, or a soft lampshade — you’ll learn how to build everything step by step.
You’ll discover:
How to navigate material editors in both engines
The logic behind shaders and node-based workflows
How to create a wide range of realistic surfaces
Smart techniques to speed up your work and boost quality
By the end of the course, you’ll have a strong material library for your portfolio — and practical skills you can apply in real client work or freelance projects.
No fluff. No theory overload. Just real-world, useful skills you can apply from day one — in your renders, in your portfolio, and in your career.
Who this course is for:
- 3D artists, designers, and archviz beginners who want to master realistic materials in 3ds Max using both V-Ray and Corona Render
- Archviz artists and 3D designers who want to create realistic materials for interiors and exteriors using V-Ray and Corona in 3ds Max
- Freelancers and studio artists looking to speed up their workflow and gain confidence working with two major render engines
- Beginners in architectural visualization looking to build a solid foundation in material creation across two major render engines
- Students, architects, and creatives who want practical, step-by-step training to build beautiful, believable materials from scratch
Instructor
- 4.7 Instructor Rating
- 23 Reviews
- 177 Students
- 5 Courses
My journey in 3D visualization began as a student in 2003. Initially, I approached it as a hobby, but soon found myself working as a visualizer in an architectural studio.
A few years later, I made the move to freelance work and established my own studio, RiverBlack, in 2009.
Since then, we have produced hundreds of remarkable architectural and interior visualizations for clients globally, utilizing cutting-edge tools such as ArchViz techniques, Corona Render, 3dsMax, Vray, and Photoshop in the rendering process.
Teaching visualization became a personal interest and professional necessity for me, as I trained my studio's employees. In 2018, I launched my first course, "The Effective Visualizer," which has been a rewarding experience seeing our student's works being featured in prominent 3D galleries worldwide.
Now I am sharing my knowledge with you on Udemy!