Bicycle Seat - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial

Bicycle Seat - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial
Hi again guys. This is our 6th 3d modeling tutorial of the bicycle 3d modeling tutorial series. In this part we will learn the 3d modeling process of the bicycle's seat. If you have any problems following this 3d modeling tutorial please fell free and comment or ask me any kind of questions. I'm here to help. So let's begin this 3d modeling tutorial.



Part 1 - Bicycle Fork - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial
Part 2 - Bicycle Frame - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial
Part 3 - Bicycle Crankset - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial
Part 4 - Bicycle Pedals - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial
Part 5 - Bicycle Handlebar - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial
Part 6 - Bicycle Seat - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial
Part 7 - Bicycle Wheels - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial
Part 8 - Assembling the Bicycle - 3ds Max Modeling Tutorial


Step 1: To start this 3d modeling tutorial Open or Reset 3ds Max. In the top left corner you can see the 3ds Max icon, click on it and click Reset, Save or Don't Save your work and click YES for "Do you really want to reset?". 

Step 2: So you don't get confused with the units setup change it so that we all work with the same type. From Customize, click on Units Setup, select Generic Units and International, click OK. I've use to work with the metric system, but I've found out the with generic it's easier for everyone.

Step 3: Work in the Front viewport("F" on your keyboard). From Create, Geometry, select Plane, change the Length and Width segments to 1, in Keyboard Entry leave X,Y and Z to 0, change the Length to 556 and the Width to 699. Click Create.

Step 4: Now, press "M" on your keyboard, and from Modes, in the top left corner of the new windows,  select Compact  Material Editor... Select the first material and click on the square next to Diffuse. Click on Bitmap and select this image(click to open). Click on the "Show Shaded Material in Viewport" and lastly click on "Assign Material to Selection" with you still having selected the plane created in step 3.

Step 5: Press "M" to close material editor. Using the Select and Rotate tool, holding down SHIFT, rotate the plane 90 degrees in the X axis. Select Copy and click OK.

Step 6: Using the Select and Move tool position the planes to intersect at bottom and form a 90 degrees angle.
Tip 1: Press ALT+W to switch between 1 and 4 viewports.
Tip 2: Press "G" to switch on or off the Grid.

Step 7: In Top Viewport(press "T"), from Create, Geometry, create a new plane on top of the reference image by clicking and dragging with the Length of 285 and the Width of 540, also change the Length Segments to 4 and the Width Segments to 10.
Tip: Press ALT+X to see trough the plane and position it accurately.

Step 8: Right click on the plane, select Convert to and click on Convert to Editable Poly. Go to the Modify that, enter Vertex selection mode, select the top half of the vertices and press Delete.

Step 9: Using the Select and Move tool position the vertices one by one like you see in the next image. Take your time.

Step 10: Change the viewport to Front by pressing "F". You will see a straight line. We need to reposition the vertices in this viewport as well. First select all vertices(CTRL+A) and move them down.

Step 11: Now, using the bellow image like a reference, reposition the vertices to fit the seat.

Step 12: Go in Edge selection mode, and 1) Select the bellow selected edges. 2) Click on Connect. 3) Reposition the vertices in Vertex selection mode.
Tip: Press F3 to switch between Shaded and Wireframe.

Step 13: 1)Make a Ring selection of the edges by selecting one and clicking on Ring. 2) Click on Connect. 3) From the Modeling tab, select Loops and click on Set Flow.

Step 14: 1) In Edge selection mode select one edge and click on Ring. 2) Click on Connect assuming you only have the Connect tool setup to create 1 new segments with 0 Pinch and 0 Slide. 3) From the Modeling bar, in Loop click on Set Flow to rearrange the edges.

Step 15: Exit any selection mode by clicking on Editable Poly. From the Modifier list add a Symmetry modifier. Set the Mirror Axis to Y and check the box for Flip. Right click on the bicycle seat and click Convert to -> Convert Editable Poly.

Step 16: On the back of the seat you probably have 2 vertices on top of each other like i have. Click and drag over to select them in Vertex selection mode. You should see "2 Vertices Selected". Click on Weld. If nothing happens, click on the square next to weld and change the amount to a higher number.

Step 17: In Vertex selection mode, take another look at your seat. Reposition the vertices to fit the reference image using the Select and Move tool.

Step 18: In Edge selection mode, make a Loop selection of the middle edges by selecting one and clicking on Loop. Click on the square next to Chamfer, set the Amount to 7 and the Segments to 2. Click OK.

Step 19: Now, in Vertex selection mode we need to Weld some vertices from the middle-back part of the seat. Activate the Target Weld tool and weld the vertices like bellow by clicking on one vertex and then on the second to weld.

Step 20: In Vertex selection mode, using the Cut tool create a new line from vertex to vertex. In Edge selection mode remove the selected edges by pressing CTRL+Backspace.

Step 21: Keep the vertices align with the image. Also reposition the ones on the back.

Step 22: Again, reposition some more.

Step 23: From the Modeling tab, in Loop, click Set Flow for the selected edges.

Step 24: Using the Select and Move tool, select the middle vertices and move them down. Reposition them like in the next image.

Step 25: From the Modifier list, add a Shall modifier and change the Inner amount to 10. Convert the object back to Editable Poly.

Step 26: A little more reposition of the vertices using the Select and Move tool.

Step 27: In Edge selection mode, make a Ring selection of the edges, by selecting one and clicking on Ring. Click on the square next to Connect, leave the Segments to 1 and change the Slide to 75. Click OK.

Step 28: From the Modifier list, add a Turbosmooth modifier, change the Iterations to 2 and check the box for Isoline Display.

Step 29:Fist select the bicycle seat and Hide it by right clicking on it and selecting "Hide Selection". Then, from Create, Shapes make a new line like bellow. It should have 5 vertices.

Step 30: In the Top viewport, using the Select and Move tool position the vertices like in the next image.

Step 31: Select the middle vertices, and apply a Fillet of 13 to them.

Step 32: Expand the Rendering tab, check the boxes for "Enable in Renderer and Viewport", change the Thickness to 12 and 12 Sides.

Step 33: In the Top viewport, with the line selected, click on the Mirror tool, change the Mirror Axis to Y, select Copy, and change the Offset to about -379. Click OK.

Step 34: For the next part of this 3d modeling tutorial we need to create a pipe to connect the bicycle's frame with the seat. In Left viewport, from Create, Geometry, make a new Tube, with Radius 1 of 20, Radius 2 of 6.5 and Height of 60. Make 2 Height Segments, 1 Cap Segments, and 8 Sides. Convert the Tube to Editable Poly. Using the Select and Move tool and the Select and Rotate tool, position it on one of the lines.

Step 35: Now it easier if we hide everything else except the tube. So, with the tube selected, right click on it and chose Hide Unselected. In Edge selection Mode, select one edge from the middle on each side and click on Loop. Click on the Box next to Chamfer, set the amount to 0.5, check the box for Open Chamfer and click OK.

Step 36: In Element selection mode, select the top part and click Hide Selected.

Step 37: Now, let's close the holes. In Edge selection mode, select 2 edge from each side and click on Bridge. 2 new polygons will form. Repeat this step for all the other 3 holes(2 on the hided top element as well after you click Unhide all).

Step 38: Make a Loop selection of the middle edges from both parts. Click on the square next to Chamfer, set the amount to 29, the Segments to 2, uncheck the open Chamfer box and click OK.

Step 39: Now, in Element selection mode, select both elements holding down CTRL or by pressing CTRL+A. Using the Select and Move tool and holding down SHIFT, copy the elements to the other line. Clone to element and click OK.

Step 40: Select the highlighted polygons from bellow, click on the box next to Bridge, set the Segments to 2, Twist 1 and click OK. Repeat this step for the bottom part but this time with a Twist of -1.

Step 41: In Edge selection mode, ma a Ring selection of the Edges you see selected bellow. Select the top ones first and Connect them with 1 Segment and a Slide of -90. Them select the bottom ones and Connect the with 1 Segment and a Slide of 90.

Step 42: Repeat the last step to create these edges. Remember, Slide of 90 or -90. First the top part, then the bottom one.

Step 43: In Vertex selection mode, select the bottom middle vertex and click on the square next to Chamfer, set the amount to 25 and click OK.

Step 44: Still in Vertex selection mode, using the Cut tool, make for new edges, from the corners to the middle of the edge.

Step 45: Select the newly create 4 vertices, set the Constraints to Edge and using the Select and Scale tool, scale them up in the X and Y axis to 140.

Step 46: Select the middle polygon and Extrude it with an amount of 350. Press Delete when finished to remove it.

Step 47: Select the base edges of the pipe by selecting one and pressing Loop, click on the box next to Chamfer and chamfer them with an amount of 0.5 and 1 Segment.

Step 48: Add a Turbosmooth modifier like we did before with 2 Iterations, check Isoline Display. Unhide all and Delete the Reference image since we don't need them anymore.

This is it. We finished this part of this 3d modeling tutorial. We only did some basic things, of course this can be more complex. But for now it's OK, we are still learning. The tools used here will help you with other 3d modeling projects in the future.

3D Modeling Result:

Fell free to comment if you get stuck anywhere along this 3d modeling tutorial.

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