Leaf Tutorial

In this tutorial we created a leaf using clever material mappings on 3ds max.Firstly we opened the leaf in photoshop.Using the magic wand tool we selected the leaf.We then added a new layer and filled the background to black.
once the black layer is covering the edges of the leaf make a new layer below it and fill it with white.

Once this has been saved ,create a simple plane on 3ds max.Found in Primitive shapes.You will need to make sure you increase the number of length and width segments to around 30 to enable you to bend and shape the leaf later.

By pressing ‘m’ on the keyboard it will bring up the material editor and then choose the first available empty material.

Click on the small grey square next to the diffuse colour and then double click on Bitmap and choose the leafLARGE.jpg image.

Click Go to Parent button in the material editor.

Scroll down and locate the Maps tab from here click on ‘None’ in the box next to ‘Opacity’ Then double click on Bitmap like before. This time select the black and white image we made earlier.

Look back at the Maps tab of the parent material and click the ‘None’ box next to the ‘bump’ option. Then like before, double click on ‘bitmap’ and then select the original leaf image.

Click on the plane and then add the ‘edit poly’ modifier.Selecting the vertex and then with soft selection you can shape the leaf.