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open the Render dialog box; set the resolution to 640×480, and select the Left viewport. Then select the Render Elements tab and click the Add button. Select Alpha from the Render Elements dialog box, click OK, and then click the Render button. The side view of the trumpet in the Rendered Frame Window renders along with an alpha channel rendering of the trumpet. When the rendering completes, click the Save File button in the Rendered Frame Window for the alpha channel and save the file as trumpet mask.tif.

3. Open the Musical notes.max file from the Chap 20 directory on the CD.

This file contains several musical notes created from primitive objects.

4. Select the Create⇒Lights⇒Standard Lights⇒Target Spotlight menu command, and drag to create two lights in the Top viewport. Position the first spotlight to be perpendicular to the scene and to shine down on it from above.

5. Open the Modify panel; in the Advanced Effects rollout, click the Projector Map button and double-click Bitmap from the Material/Map Browser. Locate and select the Trumpet Mask.tif file, and click Open. This projects a silhouette of a trumpet onto the scene. Use the second spotlight to light the music notes.

Figure 20.18 shows the musical notes with the trumpet projection map.

FIGURE 20.18

You can use projection maps to project an image in the scene, like this trumpet.

Tutorial: Creating a stained-glass window

When a light that uses raytraced shadows shines through an object with transparent materials, the Filter color of the material is projected onto objects behind. In this tutorial, you create a stained-glass window and shine a light through it using raytraced shadows.

To create a stained-glass window, follow these steps:

1. Open the Stained glass window.max file from the Chap 20 directory on the CD.

This file includes a stained-glass window for a fish market. (Don't ask me why a fish market has a stained-glass window.)

2. Select the Create⇒Lights⇒Standard Lights⇒Target Spotlight menu command, and drag in the Left view from a position to the right and above the window to the window.

This creates a target spotlight that shines through the stained-glass window onto the floor behind it.

3. In the General Parameters rollout, make sure that the On option is enabled in the Shadows section and select Ray Traced Shadows from the drop-down list.

Figure 20.19 shows the stained-glass window with the colored shadow cast on the scene floor.

FIGURE 20.19

A stained-glass window effect created with raytraced shadows

Summary

I hope you have found this chapter enlightening. (Sorry about the bad pun, but I need to work them in where I can.) Max has many different lights, each with plenty of controls. Learning to master these controls can take you a long way toward increasing the realism of the scene. In this chapter, you've accomplished the following:

• Learned the basics of lighting

• Discovered Max's standard and photometric light types

• Created and positioned light objects

• Learned to change the viewport view to a light

• Used the Sunlight and Daylight systems

• Used the Volume Light atmospheric effect

• Added projection maps to lights

• Used raytraced shadows to create a stained-glass window

In the next chapter you finally start animating objects, beginning with the basics, including keyframing.

Part V: Animation and Rendering Basics

IN THIS PART

Chapter 21

Understanding Animation and Keyframes

Chapter 22

Animating with Constraints and Simple Controllers

Chapter 23

Rendering a Scene and Enabling Quicksilver

Chapter 24

Rendering Non-Photorealistic Effects

Chapter 21: Understanding Animation and Keyframes

IN THIS CHAPTER

Controlling time

Using the animation mode buttons to create keys

Using the Track Bar

Viewing and editing key values

Using the Motion panel and trajectories

Enabling ghosting

Setting animation preferences

Animating materials

Creating previews

Max can be used to create some really amazing images, but I bet more of you go to the