FUNDAMENTALS: Design 3D Basics for Users New to 3D

This is a series of introductory lectures and tutorials for those new to 3D. These videos cover Design3D versions 7.0, 7.5 and 8.0. They walk through simple tasks to provide basic working knowledge of Design 3D. Topics include the nature of X, Y, and Z axes, view manipulation, palettes, the nature of polygons, active grids, constraints, normals, the origin, working with cameras and lights and more.

1
GETTING YOUR FEET WET (free) (CX/SE)

Draw a bezier curve, create a lathe object.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This tutorial shows how to draw a bezier curve and also how to create a lathe object. This is a very basic tutorial intended for people new to Design 3D.
HERE IS THE START FILE

Use the Resource Palette.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This tutorial shows basic Resource palette usage. It also shows how to use the Scale tool to change the size of an object inserted from the Resource palette. This is a very basic tutorial intended for people new to Design 3D. HERE IS THE START FILE

Numerically position an object.
Video
This introductory tutorial shows how to use the Object Properties palette to numerically position an object. HERE IS THE START FILE

Model a paper airplane
CX version | SE version
This introductory tutorial shows how to model a simple paper airplane object using the polygon modeling tools.

Render two simple scenes. Video 1 | Video 2
This introductory tutorial shows how to perform some basic renderings of two simple scenes. It also shows how to insert a spot light and apply materials.
VIDEO 1 START FILE. VIDEO 2 START FILE

2
SIMPLE BASICS (free) (CX/SE)

Setting Preferences. Video
This fundamentals tutorial discusses basic preference settings.

View Manipulation.
Excercise 1 |
Excercise 2 |
More Info 1 |
More Info 2 |
More Info 3 |
This fundamentals tutorial discusses basic view manipulation, including panning, rotating and zooming. HERE IS THE START FILE

Palettes.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals tutorial discusses the various palettes in Design3D in order to help new users familiarize themselves with the application. HERE IS THE START FILE

X, Y, and Z.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals video discusses the basics of X, Y, and Z coordinates.
HERE IS THE START FILE

3
OBJECT LEVEL EDITING (CX/SE)

Moving Objects.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals tutorial simply shows how to move 3D objects.
HERE IS THE START FILE

Rotate Objects.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals tutorial simply shows how to rotate objects.
HERE IS THE START FILE

Scale Objects.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals tutorial simply shows how to scale objects.
HERE IS THE START FILE

Grids / Active Grids.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals video helps to explain the nature of grids in Design3D. Active grids are a fundamental feature of Design3D. They help translate 2D mouse movements into 3-dimensional space. This allows you to move, rotate and scale items in a precise way. Watch these videos to understand this important functionality.
HERE IS THE START FILE

Guides
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals video helps to explain what guides (constraints) are and how they help to precisely control movement, rotation and scale in 3D.
HERE IS THE START FILE

4
OBJECT TYPES(CX/SE)

Primitives.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals tutorial shows what primitives are and how to create them.

Polygon.
Video 1 |
Video 2 |
Video 3
This fundamentals tutorial discusses the basic building block of 3D geometry, the polygon.

Bezier/Spline.
Video 1 |
Video 2 |
Video 3 |
Video 4 |
Video 5
This fundamentals video helps to explain the nature of bezier objects in Design 3D.

Groups, Shapes & Instances
Video 4 |
Video 5
This fundamentals video helps to explain the difference between groups, shapes and instances. These are important mechanisms for structuring the content of a 3D scene.

5
BASIC POLYGON EDITING(CX/SE)

Converting to Polygon Mesh format.
Video
This fundamentals video helps to explain the difference between an object and an element.

Selecting/Deselecting Elements.
Video 1 |
Video 2 |
Video 3
These short videos demonstrate basic polygon editing features for beginners.

Objects vs Elements
Video
This fundamentals video discusses the difference between editing objects in object mode vs. element mode. HERE IS THE START FILE

Rotating Elements
Video
This fundamentals exercise shows how to simply rotate geometry at the element level. HERE IS THE START FILE

Scaling Elements
Video
This fundamentals exercise shows how to simply scale geometry at the element level. HERE IS THE START FILE

6
OBJECT CHARACTERISTICS (CX/SE)

Object vs Element.
Video
This fundamentals video helps to explain the difference between an object and an element.

The Origin (Pivot).
Video
This fundamentals tutorial discusses the concept of the origin, sometimes referred to as the pivot, and how it relates to object transformation.

Sidedness.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This fundamentals video helps to explain the nature of polygon sidedness.

Scale versus Size.
Video
This fundamentals tutorial discusses the concept of size and scale.

Surface Shading (about normals).
Video 1 |
Video 2 |
Video 3
This fundamentals tutorial discusses ‘normals’ and how they relate to 3D geometry. Normals are a fundamental concept in 3D graphics and are very important to understand.

Materials.
Video
This fundamentals tutorial discusses materials, how they are applied, and other basic concepts related to materials.

7
SEEING YOUR SCENE(CX/SE)

Working With a Camera.
Video
This fundamentals tutorial describes how to use a 3D camera in Design3D.

Working With Lights.
Video
This fundamentals tutorial simply shows how to use spot lights.
HERE IS THE START FILE

8
UV MAPPING BASICS (CX 7 / 7.5)

UV Fundamentals 1.
Video 1 |
Video 2 |
Video 3
This tutorial discusses fundamental concepts in UV mapping for beginners. While this was recorded in version 7.0, it directly applies to versions 7.5 and 8.0. HERE IS THE START FILE

UV Fundamentals 2.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This tutorial discusses fundamental concepts in UV mapping for beginners. It specifically walks through the generation of UVs from a projected texture, and then shows how to manipulate the UVs in order to get a texture to correctly adhere to the object. While this was recorded in version 7.0, it directly applies to version 7.5 and 8.0.

UV Fundamentals 3.
Video 1 |
Video 2
This tutorial discusses fundamental concepts in UV mapping for beginners. It specifically shows how to generate projected UVs using the BurnUV function’s Box option. It then walks through the process of basic UV editing to stitch together various UV islands. This was recorded in version 7.0, but it also works inside version 7.5 and 8.0. HERE IS THE START FILE

9
SELECTED PROJECT TYPE TRAINING
GEARED TO NEW USERS
General Use
A simple project to walk through common project operations. (CX/SE)
Modeling and rendering a magnifying glass. (CX/SE)
Modeling
Some polygon editing basics for beginners.
Part 1 (CX7)

Model a simple triangular object with hole.
Project page (CX7)

Working with Normals.
Learn how to model using ‘normals’.
(CX/SE)

A simple coffee mug,
Create a simple coffee mug.
(CX7 only)

A simple gear, A basic polygon modeling exercise.
(CX7 version)
(SE version)

An antique phone, Model part of a simple antique phone. (CX7 only)

Project: Whisk, Learn how to model a kitchen whisk utensil.
(SE/CX7)

Project: Alarm clock, Part I, Part II, Part III (CX7 only)

Project: Retro wall clock, modeling for beginners. (CX7 only)

Texturing
Desk Calendar, White paper material,
Apply numbers to an object. (CX only)

Specular reflections, A tutorial discussing the nature of specularity. (CX/SE)

Projected textures and the local Z axis , Applying projected textures. (CX/SE)

Rendering
Desk Calendar, Working with direct lights, indirect light,
and Shadows.

Comments

  1. cooldaze

    Chris,
    I believe you have a bad link for the “4. Object or Element?” video….it takes me to the video on “3. Constraints” video instead.
    Good tutorials so far.

  2. Chris Tyler

    The Real Person!

    Author Chris Tyler acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
    Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

    The Real Person!

    Author Chris Tyler acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
    Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.

    Thanks, the link is fixed now.

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