Seashore tutorial

click here to view the rendered file

 

By Salma Hassaballa

 

 

Sure,   anybody who observes and feels the beauty of nature surrounding us is so lucky , as I believe that we , artists,  are the luckiest for we do not only observe or feel  but also we have the tools to  express  what we perceive .  Thank you God for creating this lovely nature for us.  Thank you for giving  us the ability to observe & feel.  Thank you again for giving us the talent to create.

 

 

Many tutorials have demonstrated the sea scene but  this one is different  

 

To start our tutorial we need to  create the shore object , the sky object and  the sea object

 

Making a  shore (land) object

  1. The shore object is simply modeled   by a plane with relatively high segments and a noise modifier  applied  (you can also add a Displace modifier  as I did in the following procedure).
    1. In the Top view, create a plane with length = 1460 & width = 1280 and whose length segments & width segments = 50
    2. Apply a Displace modifier with strength 20 and use a bitmap containing the contour of your shore.  I have used the image below

 

 

You can   achieve   very impressive landscapes by applying the displace modifier to your shore object, and a gray scale bitmap with the exact contour of the seashore

 

The plane after applying Displace Modifier

 

    1. Apply a meshSelect modifier , go to vertex level and change selection region to circular .  In the top view,  drag from the center outwards to make a circular selection in the middle of the plane.
    2. In the Edit menu choose Select, Invert

    1. Apply a noise modifier to the plane object with Z strength 20.  The noise modifier will affect the selected regions only.

 

 

The plane with noise modifier applied

 

    1. Press “M” to activate the material editor,  Get   a “ Ground_SandShore” material from the 3ds max library   & assign it  to the  plane object you have just created.
    2. In the Diffuse map channel,  change  the tiling  of the map to 5 in both the U and V direction. 
    3. Click on show map in viewport to see the material in your scene .
    4. Name the plane “Shore”

 

  1. Create a camera & light as shown as in figure below.
  2. In the Perspective view, activate the Camera viewport by hitting the C letter on your keyboard

 

 

Making a  sea object

 

  1. Create the Sea object by simply dragging a cylinder  in the top viewport with no height
    1. In the top view, create Cylinder whose radius approximately 580 , Height = 0 & Cap seg = 25
    2. In the left view move the cylinder upwards for about 10 to13 units
    3. Rotate the cylinder in the left view with angle 1 to 1.5 degree  around the X axis
    4.  Rename it sea surface
    5. Click with  the right mouse button then choose properties to go to the Object properties window.  In the rendering control section uncheck the Receive shadow & cast Shadow.

 

 

 

 

Making a  The Material of The Sea Object

 

5.      To create the Sea material, we are going to use the blend material to blend a transparent material ( in the shallow area) with  bumpy blue material (in the deep area)

a.       press M to open the material editor,  activate the second slot .

b.       Click on Standard button to change the type of material to Blend material,  When the Replace Material Window opens, check the Discard old material radio button and press OK.

c.       Rename it Sea Mat

d.      Click the button next to material 1.  Name the material “Deep   surface”.

e.        In the Diffuse color choose a deep blue color e.g. (R = 3, G = 3, B = 53), change the specular level to 41 & glossiness to 31

f.        Expand the maps rollout, Click  None next to the  specular Color map and assign a gradient ramp map , with gradient type linear , W angle = -90 and gradient ramp parameters as shown. (please note that this step is optional, you can do it only if you like to show the gradation  of colors in the sea)

 

 

g.       click on go to parent button  & go to Bump map and assign a noise map with a noise type turbulence, change the size of the noise to 40

    1. Animate the bump; go to frame 200 (final frame in the scene) ,activate the AutoKey button , change the X, Y and Z offset to 50, 50 150 respectively. Then De-activate the AutoKey
    2. click on go to parent button  &  then go to Reflection map, assign a gradient map type .  [Color 1 , R= 0, G = 0 & B = 127] .     [ Color 2 , R = 82, G= 255  & B = 250],     [Color 3, R = 255, G = 255 & B = 255].

 

    1. click on go to parent button   & set the Reflection amount to 60
    2. Click on None next to Refraction map and assign a bitmap type. Choose sky.jpg as the bitmap (the sky.jpg image is found in the maps folder of the 3dmax ).
    3. click on go to parent button  & set the refraction amount to 70
    4. Now we have finished with the “Deep surface” material,  lets go one level up   to create the other material.  Click on go to parent button

 

    1. Click next to Material 2 , Rename the material “Transparent Mshallow”
    2. This material is very simple, all we have to do here is to drag the opacity value to 0

 

Note: The shallow material can be anything according to your needs. Once,  I have used    a fish  that was shot  from the Red sea.  I put the fish.avi  as a bitmap in the Diffuse map channel of the shallow material ,    so I had a real fish swimming in my sea !

  

p.      click on go to parent button  and click on None next to Mask, assign a gradient ramp map ,  with W angle 90 and gradient ramp parameters as shown.  Please note that you can change these values according to your needs

q.       Assign the “sea mat” material to “the sea surface” object

6.      Apply a UVW modifier to the “Sea surface” object  with planar type

7.      Render the scene. Your view should look similar to the rendered image below.

 

 

 

Making the Sky Object

8.      With a Hemisphere  & a cloud material you can easily create the sky object. 

a.        Create a sphere in the top viewport , whose radius = 1570 & Hemisphere = 0.5 (Refer to image below)

b.      Apply a Normal modifier with  flip normals checked

c.       In the Front view, move the sky object a little bit downwards  (Z= -60)

d.      Apply a UVW mapping with cylindrical  type

e.       Click with  the right mouse button then choose properties to go to the Object properties window , in the rendering control section uncheck the Receive shadow & cast Shadow

f.        Rename it sky

 

 

 

 

Making the material of the Sky Object

9.      We need to create & assign a Cloud material to the Sky object

a.       Press M to open the material Editor.

b.      In an empty slot , Rename the material “Cloud material” and assign it to The object sky

c.       Change the colors of Ambient, Diffuse & Specular to complete white

d.      Change the value of the Self illum to 100

e.       Expand the maps rollout, Click None next to the Opacity map channel and choose smoke in the material/map browser window.

f.        The X tiling = 0.25,  Y tiling = 1 & Z tiling = 2.  Size = 350 (See fig. on the left below).

g.       Optional, if you like more clouds , click to none next to Color 1 (black ) and assign another smoke map with X tiling = 0.4 & Y, Z tiling = 1 and the size = 150 (see fig. on the right below).

Render the scene. 

Making the Background

10.  We need to create a gradient of blue colors to mimic the sky that lies above the clouds

a.       Go to Rendering menu, Select Environment, when the Environment window opens, click   None next  to the Environment map

b.      In the material /map browser, select gradient map

c.       Open the material editor. Drag the gradient map in the Environment window   to an empty slot in the material Editor.

d.      Check the instance radio button when the Instance (copy) window opens

e.       Change [ color 1 to R = 0, G = 78 & B = 133],  [Color 2 to R = 153, G = 209 & B = 250] [Color 3 to R = 198, G = 230 & B = 252] You can change these colors according to your needs.

 

Please note that it is wise to use a background color that matches the colors of the Reflection & refraction maps used in the “deep surface” material  included in  the “sea mat”  material.

 

Making the Shore Splashes

11.  To mimic the foam hitting the shore we are going to use two particle objects that are emitted from curved lines similar to the wave shapes .  These curved lines are going to emit the particles within time interval.  You can use Deflectors to deflect the foam emitted as it hits the shore.

a.      In the Top view, Uncheck the start new shape button and choose the line tool

 

 

 

b.      Draw curved lines as shown as figure below. You can also use the arc tool.

c.       You can always go to the Modify panel to modify or refine vertices

 

 

d.      Extrude the curved lines with amount 5.7

e.       Name the curved object “foam source 01”

f.        Move the “foam source 01” object upwards by 13 units in the Z direction

g.       Since we only want to use these curves as particles emitter as we don’t want to see them  when rendering, right click the “foam source01”. Choose properties,  when Object properties window opens, uncheck Renderable in the Rendering control section.

h.       Go to Create, Geometry,  and choose particle Systems from the drop down list.  Choose Parray button  (Parray is the suitable particle type since it emits particles from the surface of a certain object).

i.         Click and drag in any place in the top view to create the Parray

j.        While Parray 01 is  still selected, go to the Modify panel  and change its parameters as follows:

·        In the Basic parameters rollout ,  Click on Pick object under the object based emitter and choose the curved lines named “foam source 01” to be the emitter

·        In the Particle Generation rollout, leave the particle quantity as is , as we are going to change it in the curve editor,  in the Particle motion section set the speed to 1, variation to 50% , Divergence = 10 deg.

·        Still under the Particle Generation rollout , in the particle timing section, Emit start = 0 , Emit stop = 200 (End frame), Display Until = 200, Life = 34 and Variation 5

·        Still under the Particle Generation rollout, in the particle size section, size = 0.8, Variation = 25 %, Grow for & fade for = 10

·        In the Particle Type rollout , in the standard particle sections check  Facing radio button

 

k.      While Parray01 is still selected,  click  with the right mouse button and choose Properties.  When the Object properties window opens , change Multiplier to 5 in the Motion blur section, make sure that it is Enabled and click on image radio button.

l.        While Parray01 is still selected,  click  with the right mouse button and choose curve editor

m.    Expand tracks till you reach the Birth rate track

n.      In the curve Editor zoom out till you see the vertical values reach 300

o.      Use the Draw curves tool  in the curve editor and draw a curve similar to the one shown below

 

p.      Use the Reduce key next to the Draw curve tool in the curve editor toolbar to reduce the keys .  In the Reduce key window set the threshold to 20 .  Keys are reduced as shown as the figure below

q.      Finally, Delete extra keys & move keys if necessary so that the curve will look like the following figure.

 

 

r.        Click on Parameter out of range types icon   , When the parameter range out of curve window opens, choose loop type & click OK, your Birth rate curve in the Curve Editor should be similar to the one below

 

Click the Play Button to view the motion of particles

 

Making the Foam Material

12.  To create the foam material, open the material editor and click on an empty slot, Follow the following Steps:

a.       Rename the material   Splash

b.      In the Blinn basic parameters change the Opacity Value to 50

c.       Change the Ambient to (R = 120, G = 144 & B = 192), Change both the Diffuse and Specular Color values to (R = 230, G = 230, B = 230)

d.      In the maps rollout, Click on None next to the Self Illum map channel and choose particle age as a map type

e.       click on go to parent button  . Click on None next to the Opacity map channel and choose Gradient as a map type.  Check on the Radial radio button.

f.        click on go to parent button  . Click on None next to the Reflection map channel and select Bitmap.  Load Chromic. JPG from the Maps Folder.

g.       click on go to parent button . Set the Reflection map value to 50

h.       Assign the splash material to Parray01

 

 

Making the Second wave splashes

  1. We need to Clone the Parray 01 Object and keep all parameters as it is except for two things: the Emitter which will be another curve that lines up with the shore virtual border and the Birth rate Curve which will be shifted (since the waves along the sea do not splash altogether at the same time).
    1. Create the new emitter by using the line command and  draw curves similar to the one below (try to match the curve with the contour of the sea shore) .  Name the new curve “foam source 02”
    2. Extrude the “foam source 02” object by amount = 5.7 and check show end result button. in the modify panel
    3. Move “foam source 02” object upwards in the Z direction by 7 units
    4. Since we only want to use these curves as particles emitter as we don’t want to see them  when rendering, right click the “foam source02”. Choose properties,  when Object properties window opens, uncheck Renderable in the Rendering control section.

 

 

Note that you can always switch to smooth + highlights, and Edge faces    checked in the top view, to make sure that the new curves match with the shore contour

New Curves lining with the shore
 

 

    1. Select the Parray01 object ,  hit Ctrl V to clone it.  You have a new Parray object   named Parray02
    2. While Parray02 still selected, Go to the Modify Panel, in the Basic parameters rollout, click on Pick object under the Object Based Emitter  and select the “foam source 02”

 

    1. With the Parray02 Still selected,  click with the right mouse button and select  Curve Editor from the Menu
    2. In the Birth Rate track , Move all keys so that the first key lies in frame 30. Your Birth Rate curve should look like the one that follows

 

    1. If you click on both Birth rates of Parray01 & Parray02 your curve Editor should look like the following curve

    1. Click the play button to see the particle motion

Note: if while testing the particle motion , you found that particles are emitted inwards  (in the opposite direction) all you have to do is to select the emitter (foam source01 or foam source02) and apply a Normal modifier to flip its normals

 

 

Final Retouch:

  1. We need to create a Ripple space warp to make the motion of the waves more obvious.
    1. Under the Create panel  go to space Warps panel  and in the pull down menu select Geometric/deformable then select the Ripple button.
    2. On the top view, create a Ripple object with Amplitude 1 = -10 & Amplitude 2 = -5, Wave Length = 18 & locate it on the right side of the sea as shown as image below.

 

    1. Bind the   Sea object (Cylinder) to the Ripple
    2. While AutoKey is on & Ripple01 is selected , go to frame 70 change phase to 0.5, in frame 105 change the phase to 0.2 &  in frame 165 change the phase back to 0.5. Finally in frame 200 change the phase to 0.2 turn off the autoKey button.
    3. Render the scene. If  you want to decrease the ripple effect you can always increate the decay value of the ripple in the modify panel.

 

  1. You can also increase the feeling of foam & splashes by using Environmental Effects
    1. In the Top view, from the Create, Helpers panel, choose Atmorpheric apparatus from the pull down menu.  Select sphereGizmo to  create Spherical Gizmos    surrounding each spline in both the Foam source01 & Foam source02
    2. Scale them down in y  & Z direction  as shown as the Figure below

    1. Go to Rendering pull down menu and choose Environment and Add a Fire Effect whose Inner, Outer & Smoke colors are White and make sure that fireball radio button is on
    2. Click pick Gizmo & Select all Gizmos that surrounds Foam Source 01
    3. Change Density to 2
    4. Click on AutoKey , in frame 40 change the Density value to 0, in frame 85 change it back to 2
    5. Finally Rename the Fire Effect to Fire Effect Deep
    6. Open the curve Editor , Expand Fire Effect Deep tracks till you reach the Density track.   Move the first key to frame 15 , Press Shift and move the Second key at frame 40 to frame 60 , now a new key has been created with value 0 in frame 60. Go to frame 85 and press the Shift key while moving the key to 110, a new key has been created with value 2. And finally go the parameter out of range curves and choose loop type.  Your curve should look similar to the one below.

 

    1. Add another Fire Effect with the same as above.  But  this time select all  gizmos that surround Foam Source 02.  Rename it Fire Effect Shallow. 
    2. Open the  curve Editor and go to the Density track in the Fire Effect deep. 
    3. Right click the Density track in the left side of the curve Editor and select copy
    4. Expand the Fire Effect Shallow till you reach the Density track
    5. Right click the Density Track in the left side of the curve Editor and select paste.  Select the Copy radio button when the paste window opens.
    6. Select all keys and move them so that the first key lies at frame –4.  your curve should look similar to the one below

 

 

Now Render the Scene. And watch the beauty of nature.

 

 

The Beauty of Nature 

 

 

 

 

This  rendered scene was  built by using the technique described above  but with different Colors (it is obvious from the sky and sea colors)

Imagine, The farthest rock is having the same material as the other rocks, but it appears lighter simply because it lies beyond the cloudy sky.  This is one of the advantages of having a cloudy sky like this. It lets you feel the effect of distance on objects.

 

 

 

 

 

Material of the Sea was created as mentioned  above, but this time the Diffuse map channel  of the Shallow material used a bitmap type.  The bitmap contained an AVI  movie  of a fish from the red sea