26/10/12 Creating 3d model building - Evermotion.

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in this tutorial, w e w ill make a 3d model building from still images(non-orthographic). w e can so easliy make 3d model if w e have any information about measurements. in first step i'll show you if w e
don't have any information and measurement of that building, and w e just have minimum reference image.

- Creating Guide Scene

setting up the guide scene.

We have tw o pictures as reference. These picture show a train station. It's located in Semarang, w ich w ere built
during dutch colonial. Exactly I don't know any information about its measurement definitely.

Reference image
Picture1
Picture2

Open MAX,

Displaying the Background in the View port.

Open view port background w indow

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Open view port background w indow
view >view port bacground..(alt+b)

View port "front".

background set in front view port.
w e can use any orthographic view port, because w e just need 2d view .

Click "Files.." button.

select ref image.

Check Lock zoom/pan.

background autoresize w hen zoom/pan.

Match Bitmap
background aspect ratio.

Background Texture Size

w e need fine detail in view port background.

Customize>preferences>configure driver>background texture size>check match bitmap as closely as posible.
but if ref image resolution is 1024, i prefer using 1024. so uncheck match bitmap size.

Maximize your view port and u can turn off grid.

press"G" to show /hide grid

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Point Perspective n Horizon.

Use Line to find Vanishing Point.

enable in renderer
enable in view port.

Vanishing Point
Look at the edge of the object from ref image, find VP in picture area and draw a line by continuing from
edge.
See pic. All red line from edges, parallel to y axis(w orld coordinate system).

We have had a vanishing point/point perspective. Its location must be arround there.

For the next step, w e should look for other vanishing point/point perspective. But for this ref image, it w ill
be so difficult to find them.
Approximately, there are 3 point perspective on that ref image.
You should know about point perspective system ( one point perspective - six point perspective ). see
links n references in the end of tutorial.

To solve problem of seeking other point perspective, draw line from that building basic form.
see picture

Additional Line Guide

Add additional lines. see pic

Horizon
Approximate location of horizon.(because w e cant see the horizon in ref image).
Horizon w ill be parallel to x axis (w orld coord. system). Most photographer w ill keep a horizon
horizontal.
Create a box as a line (automatically box is horizontal). We estimate the position of horizon. Position of
horizon and vanishing point not in a line. My estimation horizon w rong?

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Set up a rendering background

Set ref image as environment map.
On the menu bar choose: Rendering>Environment>Environment Map> pick Bitmap>select picture.

RENDER (same as ref image resolution, ex 1024x768)

Save as Blueprint1.jpg
Save MAX, w e might need it later.

Additional guide scene

Reset MAX

Repeat prev steps. there is such different, point perspective or vanishing point is out
of the scene.
use mousescroll to enlarge canvas.

Look for the horizon position by using box. Lengthen box untill passin VP. horizon cut
the VP, that is good forerunner.

Additional scene is ready now .

Set up a rendering background

RENDER. Save as Blueprint2.jpg

Save Max.

- Camera Matching

to match the perspective of a camera to a photograph. We w ill need accurate scene measurements.
but if w e don't have any information about measurment w e can still make an estimate and matching the perspective to ref image.

Measurements

Reset MAX

at frontview , use ref image as background.

Analyze ref image. find any object can be use as measure comparator. i use that oldman in the ref image.
w e estimate height of that oldman is 155cm(too short..no problem)

Create Box w ith height as high as building(line guide). Rotate box corresponding to Z axis perspective.
add segs box, height of segs as according to height of the people.
w e get 7 segs.

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Ctrl+N in any numeric field. to display Numerical exp ev. as a calculator.

155cm x 7 = 158.7V
10.85m = 158.7V
V = 0.0678

w e get h = 10.85m, V = 0.0678

press cancel to dismiss.
w e can display a calculator called the Numerical Expression Evaluator
ctrl+N in any numeric field. but You can't use Variables in the Expression Evaluator, but you can enter
the constants pi (circular ratio), e (natural logarithm base), and TPS (ticks per second). These constants
are case-sensitive.

Create a box according to w idth building.

positioning of box as close as possibly to horizon.
w e get 304.8

304.8 x V = w idth.
304.8 x 0.0678 = 20.665m

w e get w = 20.665m

Camera Matching1

Reset MAX

Displaying the Background in the View port.

select perspective view port. add "blueprint1.jpg"(w e have made before) in view port background.

Creating Basic Object

Create a box, w = 20.669m, h = 10.85m and l = any size
don't forget to change unit display.
Costumize>unit setup>display unit scale>metric.

Length

w e estimate length depend additional line helper/guide w e have made.

see pic.

w e assume that length is 30m.

the length is depend on you.

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Setup Cam era Matching

right click on 3d snap, check only vertex. then click snap to activate (S).

Create>helper>Camera Match>Campoint.

Cam era Point helper/3D Point.

Create point w th clockw ise, so w e can easily remember.

Open box object properties, uncheck backface cull. and check see-trough.
so w e can see box backface.

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Assign Position/2d point.

utility>Camera match>assign position. see pic.

w arning,"background image ratio should be set to that of the renderer, fix?" yes, ok.

a red plus sign displayed on the bitmap.

If a red/green plus does not appear, you might be using an OpenGL/direct3d driver. Press ` to redraw
the view port. If the red plus doesn't appear, change display driver.
Customize>preferences>view port tabs>display driver>choose driver>softw are>restart MAX

Create camera.

w e can see, box not match w ith w hich w e expect. that mean estimation of our length is w rong or
position of vanishing point is not accurate.

Fixing

change position of 2d point and assign new position. w e just need to assigning new position of
campoint05 and campoint06.
a good camera error range is about 0 - 1.5

Change the position w ith path at line guide w e have made.

With camera selected, click modify camera.

at camera modifier, Check show horizon.

horizon is not paralell to x axis(w orld coord system). it show it's raw photography or the photographer
isnt professional (it's my sister:) ).

almost perfect, fix it.

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Until w e have satisfied w ith match result. then w e see camera position w hich have been made.
the photographer height is about 165cm and camera position is about 160cm..

Camera matching 2

Camera matching for second image.

w e should hide 6 campoint w e have made into different layer.

Selection filter>helper
select all>Layer Manager>create new layer.
rename helper1>hide.

on other view port (say a left view port), change to perspective view .

add view port background w ith "blueprint2.jpg ".

Create new layer. rename w ith helper2.

Create campoint.
see pic

Assign position.

w arning again, ok..

before w e create camera, uncheck "use this point" at campoint 1-6, because w e dont need
now .
utilities>camera match>uncheck use this point.

Create camera,
error, not enough point, ok w e need 2 additional point.
the problem is, w here w e can determine position of 2 additional point.

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Open blueprint2.max, create additional line guide. and render>save as blueprint3.jpg.

Sw itch to matching w ork, change view port background w ith blueprint3.jpg.

re-set selection filter>all

select box> add lentgh segs, see pic.

Create campoint11 and campoint12. dont forget to activate snap.

Assign campoint11-12 position.

Create camera, fix it.

a good camera error range is about 0 - 1.5

create new basic object and match w ith blueprints.

w e can added more campoint if needed.

I hope this tutorial w as useful for you.

trust yourself..and sorry for the english.

w orkflow :

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Links and references:

other Architectural reference image to 3d, tutorial:

John R. Moreland, " Reference Photo Tutorial for Purdue Virtual Campus Project ", ;
this page about creating 3d from ref image, using orthogonal photo reference.
Olle Bergman, " 3d model from a photo ", : this paper about creating 3d from ref
image using SketchUp.

Point Perspective:

w w w .termespheres.com
w w w .olejarz.com

Other:

MAX user reference.

Ken milburn.Digital.Photography.Expert.Techniques.2nd.Edition.OReilly

problem and any question

fell free to contact me
email: Fabolousview @yahoo.com (w ith o).
YM: Fabolousview

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