by Didik Wijaya
This tutorial needs you to understand basic use of 3dsmax.

This is last session in Creating Duck Toy tutorial. After we created duck model in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 tutorial, this time you will try to texture using simple color. We will use Multi/Sub-Object Material. This material type is useful when you want to texture single editable poly object, which each part of object need to be textured differently. Multi/Sub-Object Material, like its name, consist of several sub-material that can be applied to sub object level of an object.

1.Continue your previous tutorial. First, delete Turbosmooth modifier in Modifier Stack.Convert object into Editable Poly.

Before using Multi/sub Object material, plan by dividing object into parts. Each part has its own sub-material. For example I divide duck object into 4 parts. Each part should have its own material ID. Look at image below carefully.

2. Activate Polygon sub object selection. Select all polygons forming eyes. (a total of 4). Use Ctrl+click to select more than one polygons. After that, in Polygon Properties enter Set ID=1. This ID is the same with the one you planned earlier. Note: always press Enter after entering number. Next, you need to assign other object part (polygons) to different ID.

3. Select outer part of eye area and use ID=2. For easy selection, while inner part of eyes is still selected, click Grow in Selection rollout twice. Then, you just need to deselect polygons in inner area (Alt+click).

4. Select polygons forming body, and use ID=3. For easy selection, select inner eye area first, then click Grow twice. Pres Ctrl+I to invert selection. Then, deselect un-necessary polygons.

5. Last one, select polygons forming beak and use ID=4. For easy selection, select polygon at the tip of the beak, press Grow four times, then Ctrl+click to add more polygons.When finished, de-activate all sub-object selection..

6. Open Material Editor. Select one of unused material slot. Name this material "duck". Click Standard button. In Material/Map Browser window choose Multi/Sub-Object Material. 3dsmax will asked to keep old material as sub-material, just click OK. After you change to this material type, its parameters will change. In Multi/Sub-Object Basic Parameters rollout, click Set Number button. Enter 4, same as duck object part we set earlier.

7. Click button under Sub-Material, with ID=1 (01 - Default). Name this sub-material "eye black" and change Diffuse color to pure black. When finished, click Go To Parent button to go back to Multi/Sub-Object Basic Parameters.

8. Do the same process above to other sub-material, until you have 4 different sub-material like image below. I use different Diffuse Color to each sub-material. When finished, go back to Multi/Sub-Object Basic Parameters rollout, make sure duck object is selected and click Assign Material to Selection button to apply this material to duck object. Your duck object is now textured.

9. Apply Turbosmooth modifier again. Add some light and render. This image below is rendered using Light Tracer. If you want to know how to lit using Light Tracer, read this tutorial.

Finished 3D model duck toy is available for download

Creating Duck Toy Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Any question or comments regarding this tutorial should be sent to:
Didik Wijaya, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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