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IMPORTANT: To view the tutorial with larger images and screen shots please download the PDF or XPS files.
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This tutorial was written exclusively for The3dStudio.com by Rick Johnston of Dreamscape Studios (Member Link)
*** Creating an interstate road sign model using 3ds max***
To learn how to make the textures for this model, try our free textures tutorial that goes with this tutorial by clicking: (Product Link)
Interstate Road Signs Tutorial
Interstate Road signs are constant reminders when driving on the Interstate Highway System. They announce the next exits, distance, and direction to the next city and which lane we should be in to change to another Interstate Highway. The larger signs are mounted on truss structural bridges that span the road from one side to the other. These signs are large, heavy, and require a great deal of support. This tutorial will take you through the steps to building a large Interstate Highway sign like this. This model would serve you well in highway scenes and interstate highway scenes.
To build this project we will walk through the following steps:
Build the vertical supporting truss for both sides of the road
Build the horizontal truss for the interstate road sign
Mirror a copy of the entire structure
Apply materials
Build the sign and mounts
Apply materials
Make copies of the sign for each lane
Note: Materials for the signage are discussed in a separate tutorial.
Depending on your expertise level and experience this tutorial should take between one and three hours to build.
Let’s get started.
Build the Vertical Truss Support
Build a cylinder with a radius of 12.00, height of 30.00 in the top view. This cylinder should have 24 segments around and 1 segment in height and 1 segment for the cap. Build a second cylinder that has a radius of 10.00 and is 2 in height. It should have 24 segments around, 1 in height and 2 segments on the cap. Align the second cylinder over the first so that its lower surface is resting on the top surface of the first cylinder. See Fig 1-1
Fig 1-1
The first cylinder is complete and a second cylinder is added to the top of the first
Modify the mesh of the second cylinder. Select the sub object vertices to edit. Select the vertices in the middle of the cylinder cap (top only). You can do this easily by hiding the vertices on the bottom surfaces of the cylinder and then selecting the vertices on the top surfaces. See Fig 1-2
Fig 1-2
Vertices on the bottom surfaces are hidden and the middle top vertices are selected
Use the uniform scaling tool, scale the vertices outward to 150% of their original diameter. See Fig 1-3
Fig 1-3
Vertices are scaled to 150% of their original diameter using the uniform scaling tool
Now select the polygons in the middle of the top of the cylinder. See Fig 1-4
Fig 1-4
Polygons in the middle of the cylinder cap are selected for extrusion
Extrude these polygons upward 320 inches. Scale the polygons at the top down to 75% of the diameter. See Fig 1-5
Fig 1-5
Extrusion of the selected polygons is completed
Deselect the polygons. Collapse the stack for the object.
Select both of the cylinders. Make a copy 96 inches from the original in the top view. Make a third copy as shown in Fig 1-6 that makes up a triangle with the first two original sets.
Fig 1-6
The original two cylinders are copied to make six as shown above
Build a cylinder in the left view new the bottom of one of the support cylinders. This new cylinder should have a radius of 4 inches, a height of 96.00 inches, 24 segments around, 1 height segment and 1 cap segment. Make a copy of this cylinder and then change the height to 136.00 inches. Rotate the longer copy 45 degrees as shown in Fig 1-7.
Fig 1-7
New cylinders are built to form horizontal and diagonal truss supports
With one side of the triangle truss started you will need to make two copies, rotate them to align with the centers of two of the vertical supports as shown in Fig 1-8
Fig 1-8
More diagonal and horizontal cylinders are added through copying and rotating
Make a copy of all of the horizontal and diagonal supports and move them up above the originals. Rotate all of them 180 degrees in the top view from left to right. This will in effect mirror the copies from the originals. Align the copies to rest at the tops of the originals. See Fig 1-9
Fig 1-9
Mirroring makes the next level of truss supports without a lot of time building and rotating
Make copies of the original horizontal supports only. Move them up and locate them at the junction of the diagonal supports. See Fig 1-10
Fig 1-10
Additional horizontal supports are copied from the originals and placed at the location as shown above
Make a third copy of the diagonal and horizontals and build a third level of the truss and align them with the top of the previous section of truss. See Fig 1-11.
Fig 1-11
Additional level of truss structure is created through copying the one below it
Build a box in the top view between the two cylinders that are aligned horizontally. This box should have a length of , width of and height of . It should have 1 segment in all directions. See Fig 1-12
Fig 1-12
Box is added to the top of the structure to become a tie in for the horizontal truss
Make a copy of the box and position it over the third vertical support as shown in fig 1-13.
Fig 1-13
A second box is added by copying the first
Using the Boolean command rollout, union all the cylinders and the boxes except for the original 3 at the very bottom. When you have completed the unions be sure to convert the object to an editable mesh. See Fig 1-14.
Build the horizontal truss for the interstate road sign
Build a cylinder in the front view. This cylinder will be a horizontal support and should have a radius of 8, height of 360.00, 1 segment on length and cap. Align the base of the cylinder over one of the vertical supports as shown in Fig 1-15. Make a copy and align it over the opposite vertical support. Make a third copy and align it as shown in Fig 1-15.
Fig 1-15
Three cylinders are added. The first was built in the front view and copies created the other two.
Build another cylinder, this one in the top view. This cylinder should have a radius of 3.0 and have a height of 96.0. Position this cylinder near the end of the first horizontal support. See Fig 1-16
Fig 1-16
A new cylinder is created which will become part of the truss work of the horizontal structure
In the front view make a copy of the cylinder and rotate in 30 degrees. Rotate the original 30 degrees in the opposite direction. Then make another copy and rotate it to the horizontal orientation. Then align them to intersect with each other as shown in Fig 1-17.
Fig 1-17
Vertical triangular supports are now complete and copied to create the supports across the length of the structure
Select all three of the recent cylinders and copy them in the left view evenly spaced 80 inches in distance for each copy and make 4 copies. See Fig 1-18 and Fig 1-19.
Fig 1-18
Copies are made automatically with the copy pop up dialog
Fig 1-19
Copies are completed of the vertical triangular supports
Build a new cylinder in the top view with a 3 inch radius, 124 inches in height with 24 segments around, 1 segment in height, and 1 segment in the cap. Position this new cylinder as shown in Fig 1-20.
Fig 1-20
A new cylinder is added that will become the diagonal supports of the truss work
Rotate this new cylinder 30 degrees to the left in the front view and then rotate it in the left view to align the top with the intersection of the next triangle top as shown in Fig 1-21.
Fig 1-21
The cylinder is rotated in two axes carefully to line up with each end intersecting with the ends of two other cylinders that make up one corner of the vertical triangle supports
Make a copy and rotate this copy 60 degrees to the right in the front view. Move the rotated copy to the intersection of the triangle on the other side. See Fig 1-22.
Fig 1-22
A copy of the diagonal is made and aligned in opposite fashion to the first
Now rotate and copy this cylinder again and this time rotate the copy to align with the bottom of the triangle. See Fig 1-23
Fig 1-23
Another copy is made of this cylinder and again rotated into a new position, this time spanning the bottom of the framework.
Select all three of the diagonal supports and copy them to span the distance between the vertical triangles as shown in Fig 1-24.
Fig 1-24
With one section of truss completed, the cylinders are selected and copied 3 times across the span to form the truss structure of the horizontal support
Now use the Boolean tools to union the three large horizontal supports, vertical triangle supports and diagonal supports associated with this past process. Do not union this with the vertical section we previously built. See Fig 1-25.
Fig 1-25
The Horizontal support is unioned and the converted to an editable mesh
Make a copy of the horizontal truss you just unioned and converted to an editable mesh and move the copy to the end of the first one. See Fig 1-26
Fig 1-26
A Second section of horizontal truss structure is added to the end of the first
Mirror a copy of the entire structure
Group all of the elements built up to now and move the axis point to the exact end of the copy of the horizontal truss support. See Fig 1-27.
Fig 1-27
Entire structure is grouped and the active axis has been moved to the exact end of the structure
Using the mirror tool make an opposite copy in the top view. See fig 1-28.
Fig 1-28
Mirror creates the opposite side of the structure and completes the structural part of this tutorial
Apply materials
Ungroup both side of the structure. Select all six of the lowest cylinders and attach a grey concrete material from the 3DS Max material library. Individually select these cylinders and apply a cylindrical UVW mapping to them.
Select the trusses and apply a gray metal material from the 3DS Max material library. See Fig 1-29
Fig 1-29
Materials added to the structural steel truss and the concrete foundations under the vertical supports
Build the sign and mounts
Build a box in the front view. It should be 92 in length, 72 in width and 6 in height. It should have only 1 segment in all dimensions. See Fig 1-30 for orientation location.
Fig 1-30
A box is built in the front view and oriented as shown above
Edit the vertices on the lower left in the front view as shown in fig 1-31.
Fig 1-31
Box is repositioned along the structure
Make a copy of the quadrangle box and move it about 8 inches to the left in the front view. Then modify the box editing the vertices as shown in the front view and left view in Fig 1-32.
Fig 1-32
The first box is copied and the vertices modified to prepare for a subtraction Boolean.
Select the originally built and modified box and use the Boolean tool to subtract the copy. See Fig 1-33.
Fig 1-33
The Boolean is completed and the structural frame for the sign is now obvious
Make a copy of this quadrangle frame about 120 inches from the first along the horizontal truss. Then move both out over the desired location. See Fig 1-34
Fig 1-34
The sign mount structure is copied to create the opposite side of the mounting
Now build a box in the top view to the right of the two sign supports. This box should be 176.00 in length, 12.00 in width and three in height. It should be centered with the sign supports and the right side surfaces flush with the left side surfaces of the sign support. The bottom surfaces of the sign supports and the new box should be flush. See Fig 1-35.
Fig 1-35
The first of the catwalk steel is added on the side of the mountings
Make two more copies of this box in the top view and leave a small distance between each copy. See Fig 1-37
Fig 1-37
Copies are made of the catwalk steel and a box is added to the underside to become the support
Build another box. This box should be 6.00 long, 62.00 wide and 6.0 high. It should have only 1 segment in each direction. Place this box along the bottom surface of the sign mounting and extending out under all three of the catwalk boards. Make a copy of this box and move it to a position directly under the other support. See Fig 1-38
Fig 1-38
The catwalk support is now copied to the other side
Now we need a sign plate. The sign plate is built with a box and should have a length of 172, width of 3, and height of 72. It should be positioned with the right side surfaces flush with the left side surfaces of the sign supports. See Fig 1-39.
Fig 1-39
A sign is added
Using the modify sub object tools select the corner edges and chamfer them to 6 inches one at a time. Repeat this process and chamfer the 6 corners to 3.0 inches. The result should look like Fig 1-40.
Fig 1-40
Apply materials
Group the sign support frames, catwalk and catwalk supports as shown in fig 1-41. Then apply the gray metal material to them.
Fig 1-41
Make copies of the sign for each lane
Select the frame group and the sign and copy this selection across the horizontal support as you wish. Be sure there is at least 12 feet or 120 inches center to center between signs. That is the lane width requirement.
Your tutorial is now finished and you should clean up and save your work.
You can now detail the model adding bolts and nuts to the bases of the vertical legs above the flange and concrete foundation. You can also add bolts and nuts to the catwalks. Whether you do or not is up to you. The rule of thumb I use is if it will not be noticed in the animation, don’t build it. You can always add it later if needed. This keeps your models smaller.
To make textures and materials for the interstate signs in this tutorial, you should refer to the tutorial “Interstate Sign Materials”
Good Luck and Good Modeling.
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