Tutorial by Tarod

Start creating a cylinder with these parameters:
Radius: 12
Hieght: 200
Hieght Segments: 8
Cap Segments: 1
Sides: 10

Rename the cylinder to 'Trunk'.

Now click with right button on Trunk, and choose the option 'Convert to Editable Poly'.
Ok, go to Vertex Sub-object (Hot Key is [1]), take the second row of vertices and move it on Z axis to 185, move the third to 170, the fourth to 155, etc (15 units every row) until the last 3 rows. Once they are up, take the second from bottom and move it to 20 and move the third to 40. Ok, now scale these three groups of vertex until you see something like image on right (pic01). Once you've done this, take the middle row of the upper part of Trunk and with a 'Soft Selection' of 50 scale it like on the first pic. Ok, the base is done.

Enter Polygon Sub-Object (Hot Key [4]) and select from the bottom of Trunk, random faces you wish (I start with 3). Now make a Bevel (Hieght: 7, Outline Amount: -1) and move the faces down to align with grid. Repeat, changing the Outline to 2 (positive), and do it again this time with Outline -2 (remember to align the faces with grid on every bevel). Now make another bevel Hieght: 10 Outline -1. And finally, make another two bevels of Hieght: 10 Outline -1,5. This time, move the first slightly under the others on Z axis and the last bevel 20 units under the coordinate 0. Check image on left (pic02).

Well, now you can start seeing 'something' :-p

The next step is repeating the last with another 2-4 faces (and again, I selected another 3). Basically, you have to follow the same as before, but try playing with parameters cause we don't want to have the roots identical.
You have to end up with something like image on the right (pic03).

2-Branches

Ok, start on Polygon Sub-Object selecting the third row of faces (you can see on the pic). It will be easier to select if you right-click on perspective and turn on 'Edged Faces' (Hot Key is [F4]). This way it will be more clear. Select approximately half of the polygons on the row and start beveling the same way as before, but this time you don't need to align polygons so go on beveling until you reach as much 45-60 units (go beveling with variables Hieghts between 7-11). You have to get something like on this pic (pic04).












Now do the same with the row under this one. This time, make it a little shorter (35-45 units). Also, as you go beveling, try to deselect a polygon or two to make it a bit irregular. Keep doing it with the rows you haven't touched yet. You should end up with something like image under (pic05).

TIP: Try to apply MeshSmooth as you are working to see how it will look. Also you can create a reference with MeshSmooth applied to see the result as you are working on the main mesh.

Well, once you have beveled all the rows (proceding the same way as the roots) you must have something similar to image under (pic06).

TIP: For the upper branches, you have to bevel the faces and then move them up and on the second bevel, scale the vertex and move a bit down so the faces looks up to the sky and then you'll be able to bevel them up without problems.

3-More Branches

Ok, main skeleton is done. We need to start modelling a branch wich we will Scatter over the main branches.
Before starting, save it in another file (ex: tree-b.max ) and apply a MeshSmooth of level 1 over the skeleton, and then convert it to Editable Poly. Once you have the new mesh, select all the branches (from the first ones to the last, leaving all the trunk) and Detach them from the trunk. Name it like you wish (I named it Upper-trunk).
Now create a cone with these parameters:

Radius1: 2
Radius2: 0,4
Hieght: 40
Hieght Segments: 6
Cap Segments: 1
Sides: 8

Go to 'Modify Panel' and choose a 'Noise' modifier. Choose any seed and on Strength enter a value of 30 on each coordinate except Z where I entered about 10. Turn on Fractal and set the Scale to 80 with a Roughness of about 0.2 or 0.3. Ok, before the Noise create an UVW Map because we will not be able to map it later.

TIP: If you wish, before scattering the branch, you can stretch branches of the main trunk, because you can't do it later. Select the last faces of every branch and with 'Soft Selection' you'll have no problems to stretch them. (pic07).

TIP: If you want, you can Map the roots one by one by selecting the faces and applying an UVW Mapping cylindrical and aligning it from the top view -rotating it until the grid is parallel to the root- (pic08 -it's textured, I'll explain later how to do that material so don't worry). But take care, it only works AFTER applying the UVW Map on the whole model. You'll see if you don't make it well :-P

Well, let's go to finish the whole skeleton. Take the cone (rename it to Branch) and make a copy, because maybe we're going to use it later. Now, take it and go to 'Compound Objects' (on Create Panel) and search for Scatter. Once you've found it, click on it.
*REMEMBER THIS* Once you've used any tool of Compound objects, you can't undo (that means, save often before big steps).
Now click on 'Distribution Object' and choose the upper Trunk. You'll notice that the cone has disappeared. No problem, this means that it worked. On duplicates choose 50, on 'Distribution Object Parameters' choose Distribute Using Area. On Display choose only a 10% (for a better computer performance) and now change Duplicates to about 200 (or what you prefer).

Well, well, well. You can make the test render. Remember to 'Save As...' but don't save over the old one. Is better to keep more than one file.

Create a Quadpatch 60x58 and go to 'Material Editor'. Select the second material and click on Opacity. You have to choose an Opacity Map, for default 3DS MAx ships with one you'll find on 3dsmax\maps\Organics\Leafo.gif. Once you've got this, go up on parent and on Diffuse choose bitmap and select LeafGreen.jpg (in the same directory as the Opacity Map). Copy Diffuse Map on Bump Map with over 85, and change Specular Level to 16. Copy the Opacity Map to Glossiness and go to Output (inside of Glossiness) there choose 'Invert'. Now, go up and assign the material to the quadpatch. Make a test render. Do you see this beautiful leaf? ;-)
Rename the quadpatch to Leaf. And remember to make it 2-Sided, if not, on the other side you'll see nothing!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. If you search by name (the icon next to select -on MAX6, under character on menu-) it is an arrow with a large list of something (Hot Key is [H]). If you click, it will show a list of ANY kind of object you've used in your scene (mesh, lights, cameras, dummies, space warps, etc) so use it and you'll notice you have the cone01 -or Branch, if you renamed it- and the Upper Trunk. Select this and delete it. You'll see that nothing has changed. That is because of the Scatter. When you Scatter an object over another, a copy of the base object is used while the original is kept. Normally, you'll save it because the material on the Scatter is the same as the material of the object scattered, but in this case we have the same material for the object scattered and the other. That's the reason we can delete it.

2-Wood Creation

Well, this is fast and easy. Click on Diffuse in the first material and then choose the option 'Mix'. Once you've found it click on map1. Try to search for textures as close to these as possible. Choose Bark5 (3dsmax\maps\Wood\Bark5.jpg). On map2, choose OLDWOOD.JPG (it is on the same folder as Bark5). Now, for the mix, we're going to use a Cellular (procedural Map from MAX). When you choose it, take the gray box and copy the color (drag & drop) where the white and the black are and accept. Now you can see a perfect mix of two maps. They've mixed at 50%. But this isn't what we're settling for, so take the variation parameter and change it to 15. Then, go to 'Cell Characteristics' and turn on Fractal, change size to 15 and go to parent to copy the mix to the Bump channel. The material is ready.

3-Borrowing God's Powers

Well, time to create whole tree, don't you think so? :-)
If you haven't yet, apply the map to the tree. You must have something like on image under (pic09).

Now it's time to rename the quadpatch to leaf and to make a copy of it. Also save again. Before Starting the Scatter, go to the branches -the last scatter- and in display put the 100% and convert it to editable poly. If you don't do it, when you scatter leaves they will scatter over a 10% of the branches you did (logic, right?).
Take the copy of the leaf and scatter it over the branches. Now go to display, change value to 10%, and then the Duplicates to about 2000. Change 'Base Scale' to about 30 and choose Distribute Using Area. Make a test render and... Viola!
You have a great, original and transferable tree :-P -It should look like this (pic10).

It's not that bad, eh? The only problem it has, is the number of faces (it can go to 200.000!) but you only need RAM to render. On viewports, there's no problem, because you choose display 10, 5 or 0% and you'll not notice the difference in performance having the tree there or without having it.

Also, it's not done for a close look, it will work great if you have it relatively far away but if you don't want an Opacity Map. But of course, you can use this technique to model a really great tree, I only explained you the way to model a mid-detailed tree. You can apply also an 'Optimize' modifier or a 'Multires' or, if you wish, a 'Relax'. Possibilities are infinite, you only need to adjust it to your needs.

TIP: If you want fast renders, disable the option Cast Shadows on the leaves. They need too much RAM (right click on it, then Properties -you'll find there-)

And what use can we give to this kind of tree? Well, anything you want. These two pics are rendered with the same tree I made while writing this tutorial:

This tutorial was written by 3D Kingdom Knight Tarod!

If you have any question(s), please don't hesitate to post a comment!

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