Tutorials for Lighting in 3D Studio MAX 7

Autodesk's 3D Studio Max software is a 3D modeling and animation program that is used by game design companies, special effects studios and others who need powerful software to complete their 3D work. When creating a 3D scene in 3DS Max, lighting is an important component as it affects how the final scene is rendered. Users trying to master lighting in 3DS Max 7 should be aware of the different lighting options in the program to gain a better understanding of how to get the exact lighting effects they want.

Instructions

1. Directional Lighting

   • 1
     Launch 3DS Max 7. Open the scene you want to add lighting to or create a new scene in the scene Viewport that opens by default when the program launches.
   • 2
     Click the "Create" tab on the left side of the scene tools toolbar to access the "Create" toolbar options. Locate the spotlight-shaped "Lights" button on the "Create" toolbar and click it to access the 3DS Max lighting tools.

     • 3
       Click the button labeled "Target Direct" to create a directional light that focuses on a single object or click "Free Direct" to create a directional light that focuses on a single location in the scene. You may also use the "Target Spot" and "Free Spot" buttons to create directional spotlights if you want the light to emit from a source within the scene instead of shining onto the scene from outside of it.
     • 4
       Adjust the general parameters and other lighting settings to meet the needs of your scene in the toolbar boxes that appear once your lighting type is selected. Once you've set the light source parameters, click the location in one of your viewpoint windows where you wish to place your directional light or spotlight.
     • 5
       Use the movement and rotation tools to position the light source exactly where you want it to illuminate your scene. Click the "Modify" tab on the toolbar to make changes to the illumination distance or other lighting settings if desired.

     Omni Lighting

     • 6
       Launch 3DS Max 7 and open the scene where you want to add lighting. Click the "Omni" button in the lighting options to select the omnidirectional lighting source.
     • 7
       Adjust the options for your light source to specify a light color, intensity, and other lighting options such as shadows and atmospheric effects. Click the location in your scene where you wish to add the light source.
     • 8
       Move the light source as needed using the 3DS Max movement tool to position it exactly where you want the light to originate. As omnidirectional lighting can be tricky to use in a scene; you may need to render the scene by pressing the "F9" key on your keyboard and then make further adjustments to the light source's settings to get the exact lighting that you want.

     Daylight

     • 9
       Launch 3DS Max 7, open the scene you wish to edit and select "Skylight" from the lighting options.
     • 10
       Select the sky color you wish to use, adjust the light's intensity and adjust the shadow options if you wish to create shadows. The "Skylight" option has few parameters that can be adjusted since it creates an omnipresent light.
     • 11
       Click a location in your scene to place the Skylight. Since the light creates an omnipresent lighting source that is modeled all around the scene, there is no need to adjust the positioning of the light source.