working on the free kitchen/dining room/etc models that I d/l - help please?

[AlienBZ]

Working on this free kitchen model that I d/l from this site http://www.3dmodelfree.com/

 

now I'm in the process of adding textures to the various structures of this kitchen, but somehow the black color that's covering everything in the kitchen is hiding the texture bitmaps on the smaller structures (such as the knives/the wire wall rack, etc) so how do I get rid of this black color so that all my bitmap textures would show up in all their glory for when I add my characters and animate them for a mini movie clip?

 

 

Thanks in advance.

[Cad64]

First you need to determine what the black objects are. Then you can address them accordingly.

[AlienBZ]

I think the black objects are the various parts of this kitchen model. As far as I can recall from the last time I worked on this model, these various objects are not specifically named (like "back wall", "cabinet", "kitchen bar" etc) but are instead numbered (as in "000" or "00", "001" or "01", "002" or "02" etc), and when I click on a numbered part from "Edit > Select by Name" the program responds by putting a white border/selection box/outline around that object. So how do I address them accordingly?

 

Also, I'd like to do away with the original names (this is some generic name of some kind, starts with an "A")/numbers of these parts and rename them giving them my own names (like "cabinet_front", "cabinet_top", "cabinet_bottom" "back_wall", etc) so I can address each one accordingly - how do I do this?

[Cad64]

If they are not named appropriately then you will have to decide what each object is and give them all proper names. This is why I don't like using free models, built by someone else. They are usually made without care for whoever downloads them.

 

If you want to rename an object, just click on it to select it, and then type a new name into the text box in the modify panel, as shown below.

[AlienBZ]

Today I followed your instructions on how to rename, and as of now I'm starting to select each of these black colored objects in the model and I'm in the process of renaming them, giving them meaningful names, like here:

 

 

so how do I remove the black color so that my bitmap textures will show up in their full splendor?

 

EDIT - About my cabinet (both the floor cabinet and the back wall cabinet) models - I'm thinking I'd like to make them look like the kitchen cabinets from the Brady Bunch DVD movie, but somehow when I try to select each face of these cabinets (especially the bottom floor cabinet) for bitmap texturing of each individual face of the model, it keeps selecting the entire model, even though I have it "select by polygon" and not "select by element" highlighted in the modify panel parameters on the right of the screen/work area. How do I make it stop selecting the entire object and select only by individual face instead?

[Cad64]

Can you post one of these "black" models with unselectable polygons here for me to look at?

 

Or tell me exactly which kitchen model you downloaded from that site, so I can download it myself.

[AlienBZ]

It was this one http://www.3dmodelfree.com/models/31765-0.htm

[Cad64]

Ok, the reason everything is black is because this file was set up for use with Vray. So all objects have Vray materials applied.

 

1. Click the "Render Setup" button, or go to the "Rendering" menu and select "Render Setup"

Make sure you're in the "Common" tab and then scroll down to the bottom to the "Assign Renderer" section

Click the button next to "Production: Missing Renderer" and select "Mental Ray Renderer".

 

2. Open your material editor. You will get a pop window with a list of errors. Don't worry about that. Just close the window.

In the material editor, go to the "Utilities" menu and select "Reset Material Editor Slots"

 

3. Drag a selection marquee around all the objects in the scene, so that everything is selected, and then apply a default material to them.

Everything should now be the default grey color. Now you can start applying your textures/materials.

[AlienBZ]

Ok, I added the default gray texture to everything, but why are the small objects (such as the wall rack structures, salt & pepper shaker structures, etc) still black?

 

Also, I'm trying to get rid of that "block tile" outline on the walls so I can make it resemble our kitchen (our kitchen walls do not have any sort of tiles on them, they're either painted plaster or wall paper) - how do I do this?

 

Also, in attempting to get rid of the tile outline on the back wall I deleted some of the default gray texture by accident, exposing my old turquoise paint texture that I added before I did this Vray render stuff as per your instructions in the post above this post, and it so happens that this turquoise texture is still sort of dark-looking.

 

How do I make all these new textures I intend to add brighter like it appears in real life?

 

And how do I get rid (or at least hide) the white/red, etc lines that are covering the sub structures of this model so that when I add the characters and animate them, it'll look like a movie clip from a home movie filmed with a good video camera?

[AlienBZ]

Also, since I'm hopefully going to get my driver's license after school lets out in May, do you think it'll be a good idea to pick up free paint/wood samples/chips from the local Lows home improvement and cloth samples from the local Jo Ann Fabrics stores and scan them at a high resolution so I can have my own model textures/cloth textures for when I make (or d/l free clothes) clothes (and the the max cloth modifier) for my people models so that my models will look real?

[AlienBZ]

I figured out how to delete the "modern" bar stools that came with this model when I first d/l it, and how to import the garden variety kitchen bar stools from another 3d model that I d/l from another of the free 3d model sites linked to from this board

[Cad64]

Ok, I added the default gray texture to everything, but why are the small objects (such as the wall rack structures, salt & pepper shaker structures, etc) still black?

 

Nothing in my scene is black. Everything is grey. You must not have selected everything when you applied the default material.

 

Also, I'm trying to get rid of that "block tile" outline on the walls so I can make it resemble our kitchen (our kitchen walls do not have any sort of tiles on them, they're either painted plaster or wall paper) - how do I do this?

 

I think the answer to this is pretty obvious. You will have to delete those tiled walls and make new, flat, walls.

 

Also, in attempting to get rid of the tile outline on the back wall I deleted some of the default gray texture by accident, exposing my old turquoise paint texture that I added before I did this Vray render stuff as per your instructions in the post above this post, and it so happens that this turquoise texture is still sort of dark-looking.

 

How do I make all these new textures I intend to add brighter like it appears in real life?

 

Don't worry about that right now. You can adjust your materials later, once you have the entire scene built and lighting set up. And don't concern yourself with how materials look in the viewport. What is important is how they appear in the render, or animation.

 

And how do I get rid (or at least hide) the white/red, etc lines that are covering the sub structures of this model so that when I add the characters and animate them, it'll look like a movie clip from a home movie filmed with a good video camera?

 

Don't worry about those colored lines. They mean nothing in terms of rendering. It's just the edge color that displays in the viewport. If you want to change the edge color of an object to something else, simply select the object, click on the little color swatch next to the object name and then choose a different color from the "Object Color" pop up window. Be aware though, if you don't have a material assigned to the object, the entire object will change to the color you selected.

[Cad64]

do you think it'll be a good idea to pick up free paint/wood samples/chips from the local Lows home improvement and cloth samples from the local Jo Ann Fabrics stores and scan them at a high resolution so I can have my own model textures/cloth textures

 

Yes, you can do that if you want, or you can download free textures from the sites listed here: http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?25546-Good-Sites-for-Free-Textures-Materials

[AlienBZ]

Now I started working on this model - a living room that, IIRC, I d/l from the same place where I got this kitchen model. The living room model sub structures are all black, just like the kitchen was originally, but when I tried following your instructions for the Vray stuff as I did with the kitchen model, it didn't work on this living room model, although I was able to make some changes to it,

 

 

 

 

and as for some of these changes I'd like to make for the living room model, is make arch ways that look like our dinning room/living room archways, like this

 

 

so how exactly do I make archways that look like this?

[Cad64]

Now I started working on this model - a living room that, IIRC, I d/l from the same place where I got this kitchen model. The living room model sub structures are all black, just like the kitchen was originally, but when I tried following your instructions for the Vray stuff as I did with the kitchen model, it didn't work on this living room model, although I was able to make some changes to it,

 

If you're having trouble with a model that you've downloaded then you have to provide a link to that model so we can download and inspect it ourselves. I can't tell you why this model is black unless I open it up and take a look at it. If you followed my previous instructions then your model should be completely grey.

 

so how exactly do I make archways that look like this?

 

At some point you're going to have to start thinking for yourself, and trying things on your own, instead of just coming here and asking us to explain every little thing. That is probably the most simplistic archway you will ever have to make. It's all linear modeling, (straight lines). We have already discussed this type of modeling procedure in some of your previous threads where you asked about how to create windows and doors, so I'm not going to explain it again. Go back and search through your previous threads and I'm sure you will find the answer.

 

Are you still reading your Studio Max books? Some of the questions you've been asking lately are complete beginner questions. You've been using the program long enough that you should be able to figure out some of this stuff yourself. I shouldn't have to be explaining how to rename objects or change their color. Did you ever purchase the Studio Max Bible? If not, I recommend that you do so.

[AlienBZ]

If you're having trouble with a model that you've downloaded then you have to provide a link to that model so we can download and inspect it ourselves. I can't tell you why this model is black unless I open it up and take a look at it. If you followed my previous instructions then your model should be completely grey.

 

 

This is the living room model I d/l living room model WIP

 

and so far, I've deleted several items and added a new floor (after accidentally deleting the original floor), added a new wall with an opening for walkway/doorway and moved the sofa.

 

I've also moved the TV and the plant.

[Cad64]

The living room model sub structures are all black, just like the kitchen was originally, but when I tried following your instructions for the Vray stuff as I did with the kitchen model, it didn't work on this living room model

 

Ok, the models still appear black because there are no lights in the scene. So either create a light or turn the default lighting back on.

 

To turn default lighting back on, click the little "+" symbol in the upper left corner of your viewport and then choose "Configure" from the pop up menu.

 

In the Viewport Configuration window, go to the "Lighting and Shadows" tab

Select "Default Lights" and "1 Light" and select "Apply to all Viewports".