3ds Max

Overview
Autodesk 3ds Max is a professional 3D computer graphics program used by architects, interior architects, and landscape architects to create three dimensional models of buildings and spaces. This 20 hour course at CIS College takes you from the program’s basic geometry tools through to modeling a full architectural building, including stairs, windows, and doors.
You will practice with the same primitives, shapes, and modifiers used daily by 3D professionals, and finish by importing a 2D AutoCAD plan and turning it into a complete 3D model.
What You Will Learn
- Build 3D primitives such as boxes, spheres, cylinders, cones, tubes, and pyramids with precise parameters
- Work with extended primitives and move or copy objects along the X, Y, and Z axes
- Draw shapes and splines, including NURBS curves and extended splines
- Apply modifiers such as extrude, bend, twist, taper, mirror, and smooth
- Import a 2D AutoCAD plan and trace and extrude architectural walls into 3D objects
- Model 3D stairs, including straight, L-type, U-type, and spiral types
- Model windows and doors with accurate frame and leaf parameters
Course Curriculum
| Module | What you cover |
|---|---|
| Standard Primitives | Building boxes, spheres, cylinders, torus, teapots, cones, geospheres, tubes, pyramids, and planes with precise parameters |
| Extended Primitives | Working with hedra, chamfer box, oil tank, and other extended shapes, and moving or copying objects along X, Y, Z |
| Shapes and Splines | Drawing splines, using NURBS curves, extended splines, and drawing further interior objects such as closets and false ceilings |
| Modify Tools | Applying extrude, bend, twist, taper, mirror, smooth, FFD, and other modifiers to shape 3D objects |
| Drawing Architecture Buildings | Importing a 2D AutoCAD plan, tracing and extruding architectural walls, and using compound objects and boolean operations |
| Drawing 3D Stairs | Modeling straight, L-type, U-type, and spiral stairs with carriage, railing, and stringer parameters |
| Drawing Windows and Doors | Modeling window types such as awning, fixed, and casement, and door types such as pivot, sliding, and bifold, with frame and leaf parameters |
| Final Practical Exam | Modeling a complete 3D object combining the techniques covered in the course |
Who This Course Is For
This course is designed for architects, interior architects, and landscape architects who want to create three dimensional models of buildings and spaces.
Target audiences
- Architects
- Interior architects
- Landscape architects
Requirements
- Basic familiarity with AutoCAD or 2D drafting is helpful, since the course imports 2D AutoCAD plans