This tutorial fakes an otherwise difficult PF workflow using 3DS Max’s Foliage object. It also covers the creation of some simple bitmap textures in Photoshop or any other image editor. The animation you’ll create will be lightning fast to render and easy to incorporate into any scene. We also provide the completed scene (see the end of the tutorial).

The Result

1/5 The Scene

First, we need to set mental ray as the default renderer. Open 3DS Max’s Render Setup {} window {“F10”}, click the common tab, scroll down to the Assign Renderer tab and set mental ray as the default production renderer.

Now, for a quick lighting system, go to the Systems {} tab and place a Daylight system in your scene.

Click the Modify tab {} and set the Daylight’s Sunlight to mr Sun and the Sky to mr Sky

2/5 The Leaves

As we’ve stated earlier, click 3DS Max’s Geometry icon {}, click the drop-down and select the  AEC Extended entry. Click the Foliage entry and place a Banyan Tree.

With the Banyan tree still selected, click 3DS Max’s Modify Tab {} and set the:

» Height to 200
» the leaf Density to 0.015
» the Pruning to 0.3
» Un-check the Trunk, Branches and Roots boxes

Switch to the Top view and create a camera. Remember that we’ll be animating the leaves by draging them on the Y axis only.

3/5 The Textures

To get the Foliage’s texture to look somewhat decent, we’ll need to create our own texture maps for it. Since the leaves are simple planes, this will be an easy task.

Open the Material Editor {}  {“M”} and select and empty slot. Click the Standard button and scroll down to the Scene Materials tab. Double click the BasicBanyan material.

The Foliage object is set-up for easy texturing and uses 3DS Max’s Multi/Sub-Object material. Click the Leaves material (num. 5) and take a minute to understand how it works. The material couldn’t be more simple. It uses an opacity mask for the leaf shape and a green color for the texture.

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