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Our member Ali has published really nice tutorial which will teach you how to cast shadow of 3D objects on 2D background in 3ds max 6/7. 3D Kingdom used to have this kind of tutorial before, but that link is dead since long time ago... ;)

Creating a drop shadow on background in 3D Studio Max 6/7

by Ali Muhammad Rizwan
www.ali.3dk.org

Everybody has been in learning stage forever. I am also learner and still learning and will be learning till death.

There is always problem with designers that they merge their 3d object into 2d scene but the problem is that there is no cast shadow in the animation and it makes trouble to artists. This tutorial will guide you how to create drop shadow on background in max.

Reset 3ds max and select the "perspective" viewport. From view menu, select "viewport background" as shown:

Then you will have a "viewport background" dialog bosx. Here click "file" button and select a bitmap which is located in the maps folder of your 3dsmax folder on your hardrive. Then "check" (dispa background) option and click "OK".

Locate file "Kopipi.jpg" in max directory.

You will have a picture in the viewport. Now we need to place our 3d object in this scene. Keep in mind that you have no objects till yet. I have a car in 3ds maxm (Red colour with ray trace material). Place your own object in 3d max viewport and match it with bitmap. I have rotated and adjusted my car so that it should be looking parked on the sand at the beach. You can see that;

After placing your object properly, you need some lighting effect in the scene. The scene is quite cloudy and light is not intense very much. We need to create a cast shadow on the sand for car. Therefore we need to create a plane just below the car so that the cast shadow will be generated over it.

Now we have placed the plane just below the car, please! align it in all 4 viewports. Now we need to apply material to the plane. Plane will have material of "matte shadow" not of any area of background bitmap. Open "material editor". Select a slot and then click "get material" button.

Then select "matte shadow" and leave all of the options as it is as shown:

Now assign this material to the plane. With this material, the plane will not be visible in the rendering but it will recieve shadow of objects over it.

Now to create shadow, we need to place lights in the scene. So, place 2 omni lights in the scene. One light should be on the side of mountains because I assume that light is coming from side of mountains. Place omnis as shown in picture below and watch them in all viewports.

Now select "Omni01" and go to modify menu. Select "cast shadow" option and shadow type:

Now select "Omni02" and go to modify. Uncheck "cast shadow" option and select "advance effects" to "diffuse" only as shown:

Now render your scene and it should be like the picture below:

If you want to create animation in your 3d scene, you will need to use camera match utility for your animation. Tutorial is coming soon for "Camera Match" Utility.

Write me for more tutorials which can solve your problem easily. 

Thanks for your e-mails and suggestions.

I would like to hear from you. Please! drop me your comments or your problems. How fine did you find this tutorial? email at ali_grafix@tutie.com

If you want me to help you, ask me. I will try my best to be.

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