Create 3D text in 3DS Max

I will show you how to create cool effect in 3DS Max. This tutorial will show you how to create 3D text
characters that can be used for icons signatures, webpage headers and it is overall a great tutorial for a beginner.
It will give you quick view of what can be done in a few steps and show you basic work flow in 3DS Max.

O.K. let's get started!

First, we want to create some text that will later be seen as 3D
text. Let's say we want to put '3D TEXT'' as 3D text.
1. On the right side of the 3DS Max click 'Create'
2. Click 'Shapes'
3. Click on the button 'Text'
When you do this, menu will appear under 'Text' button.

Search for the 'Parameters' and delete text that says 'MAX Text'.
Now add your own text, in this case this is '3D TEXT'. Now click
in the 'Front view' viewport, the 2D text shape will appear in the
viewport.

What we want to do now is to make this 2D text shape into 3D

text shape. We do this with the extrusion. First select the 2D text
shape, then go to 'Modify' and click onto menu 'Modifier list'.
Long menu will appear, now search for the 'Extrude' and click it.
What you did right now, is that 2D shape is become a 3D shape
already, however the text is like a thin plate. It does not have any
depth so it does not look like 3D text. We will take care of that in
the next part of the tutorial.

Click on the 'Segments' and change value from 0 to 10. Now set
'Amount' parameter to 100. As you can see 3D text now appears.

Now we can set material to the 3D text object, so that it will look
nicer.
1. Click on 'Material Editor' icon
2. Click on 'Diffuse' color channel (under 'Blinn Basic
Parameters')
3. From the 'Color Selector' choose red color
4. Now click 'Assign material to selection' and close
'Material Editor'
3D text will now appear as red just the way we wanted.

To make 3D text scene render better we will now add some

lights, also 3D text object will cast shadows onto itself.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Click on 'Create'
then click 'Lights'
Click button 'Target Spot'
Under 'General Parameters' find 'Shadows' and turn it
ON

Now we are ready to position light into the

scene.
1. Click on 'Top' viewport and position
lights left and right
2. now click on 'Left' viewport to position
lights height
3. Help yourself with the picture on left

We will add a floor to the scene so that

overall look of the render will look better.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Click 'Create' on main menu

Click 'Geometry'
Click on button 'Plane'
Now click and drag mouse in 'Top'
viewport to create plane that will be
used as a floor to the scene (left
bottom picture)
5. Check in 'Perspective' viewport your
scene (right bottom picture)

Congratulations, you have completed basic 3D text tutorial! You have learned:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Create 2D and 3D Text

Set material to objects
Create and set lights with shadows
Create plane (floor) for better scene rendering

http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tutorial/Create-stunning-3D-text-scene/26715