Blue print set up - Tutorial for beginners

This tutorial is prepared to learn how to setup a blue print while modeling Toyota Avensis car, the same procedure can be used while modeling any type of model when a blue print is used as an reference; it is ideally suited for beginners as it has a detailed illustration explaining each step with an image. I hope you will enjoy this tutorial and will learn few new things in Autodesk 3ds Max. Let us start now. First we have to select a nice reference image of a car which has enough details to work with. You can find loads of blue prints in www.The-BluePrints.com. First let us select a blue print which has enough details and later on we can find a reference image for the same in Google images. I have selected the blue print of Toyota Avensis car, you can as see the image below:
Blue Print.



Reference Image.
I found an reference image in Google as shown below:

Step 1

Now let us separate the views from the blue print by using any image editing application, I have used Adobe Photoshop for the same. Open the image in Photoshop and by using “Rectangular Marquee” tool select the side view from the blue print as shown in figure 3 and press CTRL C in the key board to copy the selection that we made.

Step 2

Now open a new document by pressing CTRL C in the keyboard or you do it by going to “File>>New” menu. When the “New” dialog box pops up enter the value of 720 pixels for width and 240 pixels for height as shown in figure 4. It all depends upon the size of the blue print, as you may have to change the dimensions for other blue prints. Make sure that it fits almost perfectly in the new document.

Step 3

Now just press CTRL V to paste the side into the new document and save it as an image file in your hard disk.

Step 4

In the same way do for front view and save it into your hard disk.

Step 5

In the same way cut the image of rear view and save it into your hard disk. Below the image for your reference.

Step 6

Do the same thing for top view and save the it as an image files. You can see the image below for your reference. You may be thinking from where the heck did the pink lines come, I created it just for reference, as it would be of immense help while modeling as the lines would indicate where the bonnet start and so on. {The dimensions for front and rear should be 320X240 pixels and for top view should be 720X320 pixels}.

Step 7

Now open 3ds Max. Select “Top” plane and click on “Plane” button in the create panel as shown below.

Step 8

Create a plane and enter the values for height, width and the segments as shown below.

Step 9

Now click on “Material Editor” button as shown below and map an image on the plane.

Step 10

When the “Material Editor” dialog box appears click on an open slot and select “Blinn” shader and click on the button next to “Diffuse” channel as shown below.

Step 11

When “Material/Map Browser” dialog box appears double click on “Bitmap” from the list of file type as shown below.

Step 12

Now browse through and select top view image file from the location where you have saved it as shown below and click on open button.