Computersight -

This tutorial will explain how to set up visual references in 3ds Max 9, references can be extremely helpful when modelling technical props/items saving you switching constantly between your image and your modelling software. Although this tutorial is focussed around 3ds Max 9, the set up should be pretty similar for any other poly modelling software.

• To begin with your going to need some good image references, the better quality the more detail youll be able to go into when modelling your prop/vehicle/character. your going to need a front and side view, although any other views can help where the detail cannot be seen in the other images. For these images I suggest a website such as http://www.the-blueprints.com/, this is my personal preference; however there are many other websites similar that you can find if you look hard enough, alot of good images can even be found on Google. I went through my collection and pulled a few references that ill be using for this tutorial. 2 images a front and a side view of a Ford Fiesta the image resolutions arent the best, but i’ll live with it due to the simplicity of the car. I’d suggest you however find high resolution images.

• The first thing to do is gather all your images into one folder, it’s nice to be able to view everything in quick succesion once in a while. another reason why i suggest finding a good variety of views of your object on top of the basic front and side views. Okay now your in Max what your going to want to do in the left viewport is select Plane from the side bar under the create tab. then drag out a plane (it doesn’t matter what size, we’ll be changing this next). Next do the exact same thing for the front viewport, and then I like to move the planes into an ‘L’ shape as shown in the picture below.

• The next step is finding the image dimensions so that you can scale the texture on the plane, your going to want to go into the Modify tab of the sidebar with your plane selected and change the dimensions of your plane to the same dimensions as your image.

• Once you have the right images the next stage is applying your texture, you can simply do this by dragging your image onto your plane, or you can find yourself a viewport shader and then apply it for a better quality image but you should look into viewport shdaers etc. in more depth for this reason i’ll leave that section out.

• The only step is right clicking your plane, selecting ‘Object properties’  unticking ‘Show frozen in grey’ and ticking ‘Freeze’. You now have a complete set of references that you can work with, without fear of moving or selecting them. meaning the only workable meshes in the scene will be of your creation.