MAXON Computer Cinema 4D Tutorials: Modeling a Rook

- Chess Set

Chess Set:
Modeling a Rook
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CE Requires:
Version 6+

This tutorial will take you through the steps of how to model a Rook chess piece using Sweep NURBS.

Step 1: Create a spline using the B-Spline tool (Objects=>Create Spline=>B-Spline) similar to the one shown. Rename the spline 'RtSide' by double clicking on its name in the object manager. Your spline should be approximately 235m tall and 50m wide.

Step 2: Make a copy of RtSide by holding control and clicking and dragging the object in the object manager. Rename the copied spline 'LftSide'. In the coordinates manager enter 230 for the H field to rotate it. Rotate the RtSide by inputing -50 in the H field in the coordinates manager. Space the two splines apart as shown. Next you need to connect the two splines together. In order to do that you need to group the two splines into a null object. In the object manager go to (Object=>Group Objects) and drag a box over the two splines. Select the new Null Object and go to (Functions=>Connect). This will create a new spline which combines both of the splines in the Null Object group. Click on the old Null object and delete it. Rename the new spline 'SideR1' then select the points at the end of the spline as shown using the Live Selection tool (Selection=>Live Selection). Go to (Structure=>Edit Spline=>Join Segments). This will create a continuous spline. You now have your basic shape for the rook.

Step 3: Create a circle spline (Objects=>Spline Primitives=>Circle). Double click on the circle icon in the object manager to change its settings. Change the Radius to 4m, the Intermediate Points to Natural, and the Plane to XY. The circle will be the size of the pipe in the sweep. Rename the circle 'PipeR1' by double clicking on its name in the object manager.

Step 4: Create a sweep NURBS object(Objects=>NURBS=>Sweep NURBS). Rename it 'SidePipeR1'. Drag and drop the SideR1 object followed by the PipeR1 object into the SidePipeR1 sweep object.

Step 5: Create a cylinder (Objects=>Primitives=>Cylinder). Double click on the cylinder icon in the object manager and input 10m for the radius with a height of 5m and check the box for fillet with a radius of 5m. Rename the cylinder 'Base'. Position the base at the the bottom of the spline. Make sure you have both the move tool (Tools=>Move) and the Object Tool (Tools=>Object) activated to move the cylinder around. Use your side and top veiws to position the cylinder accurately. Make a copy of the base and position the copy on the other bottom end of the spline. Drag both copies of the Base into the SidePipeR1 object, making sure they are last in the heirarchy so they do not affect the sweep.

Step 6: Select SidePipeR1 then go to (Functions=>Duplicate). Check the box for 'generate instances' and change the number of copies to 3. Set all position values to 0. Click OK. Click on the new Null object in the object manager then go to (Objects=>Expand Object Group). Delete the Null Object.

Step 7: Rename the first instance 'SidePipeR2', rename the second instance 'SidePipeR3', and rename the third instance 'SidePipeR4'. Select SidePipeR2 in the object manager and rotate it by inputing 90 into the H field in the coordinates manager. Select SidePipeR3 and input 180 in the H field. Select SidePipeR4 and rotate it by inputing 270 in the H field. Position the four seperate sides from the top view (F2) so that the end result looks like this.

Step 8: Create a sphere (Objects=>Primitives=>Sphere) and double click the sphere icon in the object manager to change its settings. Change the radius to 25m.

Step 9: Move the sphere to the top center of the rook as shown. Use your different views to position the sphere accurately. Now group all of your objects together by going to (Objects=>Group Objects) in the object manager. Your cursor will change to a crosshair. Drag a box around all of the objects in the object manager. They will all be grouped in a new Null Object. Rename the Null Object 'Rook'.

Step 10: Create a Light (Object=>Scene=>Light) and double click on the light icon in the object manager to change its settings. When the settings dialog appears go to the general tab and select 'Visible' for the Visible Light field. Also, check the box for 'No Light Radiation'. In the Visible Light tab change the outer distance to 25m.

Step 11: Click on the Lens effect tab in the Glow drop down menu and select Blue 1, scale it to 80%, and make sure the only checked items are the 'scale glow with distance' and 'scale reflexes with distance'. Set the reference size to 600m.

Step 12: Click on the Glow Editor tab and change the size of the glow to 10%, and the Beams to 15%. Change the glow from Element 1 to Element 2. Change the color of Element 2 to a darker blue. Then change the color of the beams to a light green-blue color. Click on the Edit button to change the thickness to 0, the beams to 50, the breaks to 0, and the width to 50. Turn on Random Distibution and Random Beam Length. Click OK.

Step 13: Double click on the light in the object manager, rename the light 'LowerRLight'. Make a copy of it and rename the copy 'UpperRLight'. Position both of the lights as shown.

Step 14: Create a new material in the material manager (File=>New Material). Rename it by double clicking on the name under material preview. It will be named 'New' by default. Input 'BodyMaterial' into the rename dialog.

Step 15: Double click on the new material to open the material dialog box. You will see the different channels listed in the material dialog with checkboxes for each one. Checking a box activates the corresponding channel for that material. For this material you will need to check the boxes for Color, Reflection, Environment, and Specular. You can switch between the different channel settings by clicking on the channel text. Click on Color and set the brightness slider to 100% for a pure white color.

Step 16: Click on Reflection to go to the reflection settings. You will use an image for this channel. Click on the triangle to the right of the Image field to access a number of built in shaders and images for you to use. Use the gradient shader (Shader=>Gradient) for the reflection channel. The default gradient colors are red and blue, but you need them to be black and white. Click the Edit button below the image field to change the gradient colors. Click the Color 1 button and choose white from the color palette then click OK. Then click the Color 2 button and select black from the color palette. Click OK.

Step 17: Now go to the Environment settings. The environment channel gives the material somewhat of a fake reflection. It takes a given image and invisibly 'wraps' it around an object so that object will reflect it. You want to use another image for this channel so go to the triangle menu again and this time use the Water shader. Input 50% for the Strength under the Mix settings.

Step 18: Finally go to the Specular settings. Set the mode to 'Metal', with the width at 50% and the height at 100%. Close the material dialog.

Step 19: Create a new material in the material manager (File=>New Material). Rename it 'Water'. In the color channel use the sliders to select a light green color. The settings used here are R=70% G=95% B=80% Br=100%.

Step 20: Check the box for Diffusion and in the diffusion channel settings, use the Water shader for the image. The diffusion channel allows you to lighten or darken certain areas of the material based on an image.

Step 21: Check the box for Transparency and set the transparency brightness to 20%.

Step 22: Check the box for Environment and in the environment settings also use the Water shader for the image.

Step 23: Use the Water shader once more in the Bump channel. Be sure to check the activation box for the bump channel. The specular settings can be left as default.

Step 24: Click on the water material in the material manager and drag and drop it onto the sphere in the object manager. A dialog box will appear when the material is dropped onto the object. Change the projection to spherical and click OK. Now drag and drop the BodyMaterial texture onto the Rook. When the dialog comes up leave the settings as default and click OK.