Curtain Modeling

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To make a good curtain, you cannot do without Cloth imitating systems. The possibilities integrated in 3ds max 5 include the Reactor system and additional modules such as SimCloth or Stitcher. Beginning with version 5.0, Reactor is included in the package. Prior to this version, it was distributed as a plug-in.

If you do not need ultimate precision or animation of the curtains, the following method is good enough.

Tip 

If you want to create blinds in addition to the curtains, make sure they are closer to the window and have the right size.

• Create a broken line in the Top view (Fig. 9.13, a). Set the interpolation value to 0 (you will understand why later):

  • Main menu à Create à Shapes à Line

  
  Figure 9.13, a and b: Curtain modeling

  

• Extrude it by 200 cm (Fig. 9.13, b) and split it into five or six Segments. Do not forget to check the Generate Mapping Coords. flag!

• Apply the Edit Mesh modifier and make the folds by selecting and scaling the vertices (Fig. 9.13, c):

  • Main menu à Modifiers à Mesh Editing à Edit Mesh

  
  Figure 9.13, c and d: Curtain modeling

• Switch to vertex editing (<1> key) and non-uniform scaling (press the <R> key several times).

  

• Switch to the Use Select Center mode on the main panel.

  

• Move the vertices to one side.

• Apply the MeshSmooth modifier, specifying two iterations in the parameters. Apply the Noise modifier to "rumple" the result a little (Fig. 9.13, d):

  • Main menu à Modifiers à Subdivision Surfaces à MeshSmooth

  • Control panel à…à Subdivision Amount à Iterations

  • Main menu à Modifiers à Parametric Deformers à Noise

  

Note 

You do not need to invert the normals because we will use a two-sided material, but you should do it as a matter of practice (Main menu à Modifiers à Mesh Editing à Normal Modifier).

Do it yourself 

Try to make the laces holding the curtain aside. Use a spline and the necessary rendering parameters.

So, the curtain is ready. You can convert it to an Editable Poly, but hold off for now. You might have to edit it on the spline level first.

• Rename it Curtain and save the file as  Lesson09(curtain).max.

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