Convert your illustrator .ai logo into 3D with 3ds max

Wed, Apr 30, 2008

With this tutorial I will show you how to make a 3D logo from an existing vector designed in illustrator. We are going to use 3ds Max 8 and Illustrator CS2 but any version will do just well. Let’s go on…

First thing is to design the vector logo. In this tutorial i am going to use mine which is not too complex. Keep in mind two simple things.

First, keep your logo as “clean” as possible meaning that you’ll have to check for closed paths and not too complex fills. Use outlines to describe your logo’s form.

Second, you’ll have to “optimize” the logo after importing it into the 3ds Max, so the more job you’ve done in illustrator the less you’ll do in max. Next you will understand this clearly.

So this is the logo in a vector form, btw it’s the logo of my post production studio www.krama.tv

and this is the final 3d logo (with no materials).

Ok, let’s get into business, shall we?

When you finalize with the design save a copy as an illustrator version 8
File->Save as->Illustrator 8).
3dsMax doesn’t allow the import of newer version but only the legacy ai file (ver 8). If your logo is a simple one this won’t be a problem for 3ds Max. Again, I assume that you use illustrator cs2. Anyway, if your vector design software has option for .ai 88 this will work too (i thing CorelDraw does this, i am not sure though).

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Then launch 3ds Max and import the ai file.
(File->Import->ai Illustrator).
In the next dialog choose Completely replace current scene (but it’s up to you which option to select)

and Import Shape as a SINGLE OBJECT.

Selecting Single Object versus Multiple Objects helps you in better cleaning of your shape.

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Now you have to Scale up the logo in order to give it proper dimensions. If you leave it this way and apply for eg. an extrude modifier, setting the extrude value to 1 the logo will extrude very much. So scaling up by 1000 is a nice value to apply.

Select the logo shape…

In the tabs choose Utillities (the hammer icon) and click more…

Find and click the Rescale World Units…

Click the Rescale button at the right (a pop up window will come up), put 1000 at the scale factor, choose Selection and click ok.

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The logo shape will scale up. Zoom out the scene.
For a quick test apply an extrude modifier and play little with the extrude values. Check if you are happy with the 3d object. You’ll have to be kinda familiar with the Editable Spline modifier if you want to optimize the logo shape but you can check that the shape has a closed path and no double vertices causing troubles (if so welding the vertices will solve the problem and will close the path).

If you are familiar with vector drawing you will find that drawing a logo shape inside 3ds max is an easy job to do. But illustrator is a very powerful tool for you to ignore, i just hope that in the new version of 3dsmax 2009 a new ai import option will come up.

Please leave a comment for this tutorial (liked it or not) and share this link, it’s free!

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12 Responses to “Convert your illustrator .ai logo into 3D with 3ds max”

sherpinator Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 1:03 am

hey good beginner tutorial, but can you please show how you made the final render of it (with white material and shadow etc.) (sortof like a clay render) i want to make it like that.
lol thanks.

Anonymous Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 1:12 am

i followed your tutorial , but after i extruded it, i wanted to add a meshsmooth modifier to it bcoz it was so squared. when i did, the whole thing got covered in ugly lines and i have no idea why. i can meshsmooth other things just fine, just not splines that are extruded for some reason :\

Krama Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 1:46 am

Serpinator:

Thank you for your comment… The final render is based on Mental Ray Renderer, i used final gather and some basic mr material and lighting setup. I’ll post a basic tutorial in a couple of days.

Krama Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 1:57 am

Anonymous (Jun 11,2008 9:12AM):

Meshmooth modifier doesn’t apply well in all situations (spline modeling) because this modifier is based on polygon modeling. Splines (especially when imported from other software like illustrator) have many vertices (forming a polygon) and the final spline isn’t optimized for meshmooth.

So, in order to use meshmooth you have to “clean” your spline and keep in mind that 4 vertices draw a polygon not more…but again this might not have the result you want.

If you want to have round corners why don’t you use bevel instead of extrude? For more control you can use bevel profile.

Hope this helps, cheers
(I apologize for my poor english)

Kevin Says:
July 30th, 2008 at 7:04 pm

Hey thanks for the tutorial!

its a great help!

i only have one little problem, i made a vector logo in illustrator with round corners and all that stuff, you know how it goes haha

only when i import it in 3DsMax i get choppy corners in the spline, do you know how to get rid of that? cause i see that your logo has perfectly round corners and lines.

you would really help me out allot!

Kevin Says:
July 31st, 2008 at 8:55 am

here is the link

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/9310/logozj3.jpg/dontfollow

i will check my logo for any open sections.

if you want the .ai let me know!

Thanks again for the help!

Kevin Says:
July 31st, 2008 at 9:03 am

I found out that the previous link didnt work, here’s another

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/1011/testyl2.png/dontfollow

Krama Says:
July 31st, 2008 at 3:36 am

Kevin,

at first i want to thank you for your comment.

Well, the choppy corners you get in Max when you import the .ai is because (probably) the vector is an open path (?)
Try to close the vector path by joining the points together then export it as a legacy ai file and import it in Max.

Also i would like to see your logo, can you give me a link to follow?

Tell me if the problem has been solved or not.

Cheers

Krama Says:
August 4th, 2008 at 2:13 am

@ Kevin

Can you send me the .ai file?

Anonymous Says:
September 11th, 2008 at 5:00 pm

this tuto sucks…
they re so many good tutorials to put such a waste of time online…

Krama Says:
September 12th, 2008 at 1:23 pm

@ anonymous Sep 12 1:00 AM

I like criticism either good or bad. The only comments I (the admin) will erase, are advertising, spam, or those containing improper language.

This blog isn't actually a training center for max or illustrator but it is an effort in my spare time (and believe me I don't have much). Neither the design is what i like nor the english is correct (I am not a native english speaker).

Nevertheless, I will continue to bring on tips, news and similar stuff I LIKE and think that will help not the professional designer (probably already know those tips & tricks) but the novices and the hobbyists.

Actually this tutorial focus on one thing…the scale transformation of an .ai logo inside max. This is the tip in this tutorial. Try to import a logo without know this and see with your own eyes the how much time you'll spend by trying to figure out why your logo is meshed up with bevel or extrude modifier.

After all, if you think that this was a waste of time feel free to visit http://www.google.com and search for more professional tutorials by paying for them.

Thanks for your comment

danie Says:
September 14th, 2008 at 7:14 am

thanks a lot bro this is great… keep it up

sherpinator Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 1:03 am
hey good beginner tutorial, but can you please show how you made the final render of it (with white material and shadow etc.) (sortof like a clay render) i want to make it like that.
lol thanks.
Anonymous Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 1:12 am
i followed your tutorial , but after i extruded it, i wanted to add a meshsmooth modifier to it bcoz it was so squared. when i did, the whole thing got covered in ugly lines and i have no idea why. i can meshsmooth other things just fine, just not splines that are extruded for some reason :\
Krama Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Serpinator:

Thank you for your comment… The final render is based on Mental Ray Renderer, i used final gather and some basic mr material and lighting setup. I’ll post a basic tutorial in a couple of days.
Krama Says:
June 11th, 2008 at 1:57 am
Anonymous (Jun 11,2008 9:12AM):

Meshmooth modifier doesn’t apply well in all situations (spline modeling) because this modifier is based on polygon modeling. Splines (especially when imported from other software like illustrator) have many vertices (forming a polygon) and the final spline isn’t optimized for meshmooth.

So, in order to use meshmooth you have to “clean” your spline and keep in mind that 4 vertices draw a polygon not more…but again this might not have the result you want.

If you want to have round corners why don’t you use bevel instead of extrude? For more control you can use bevel profile.

Hope this helps, cheers
(I apologize for my poor english)
Kevin Says:
July 30th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Hey thanks for the tutorial!

its a great help!

i only have one little problem, i made a vector logo in illustrator with round corners and all that stuff, you know how it goes haha

only when i import it in 3DsMax i get choppy corners in the spline, do you know how to get rid of that? cause i see that your logo has perfectly round corners and lines.

you would really help me out allot!
Kevin Says:
July 31st, 2008 at 8:55 am
here is the link

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/9310/logozj3.jpg/dontfollow

i will check my logo for any open sections.

if you want the .ai let me know!

Thanks again for the help!
Kevin Says:
July 31st, 2008 at 9:03 am
I found out that the previous link didnt work, here’s another

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/1011/testyl2.png/dontfollow
Krama Says:
July 31st, 2008 at 3:36 am
Kevin,

at first i want to thank you for your comment.

Well, the choppy corners you get in Max when you import the .ai is because (probably) the vector is an open path (?)
Try to close the vector path by joining the points together then export it as a legacy ai file and import it in Max.

Also i would like to see your logo, can you give me a link to follow?

Tell me if the problem has been solved or not.

Cheers
Krama Says:
August 4th, 2008 at 2:13 am
@ Kevin

Can you send me the .ai file?
Anonymous Says:
September 11th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
this tuto sucks…
they re so many good tutorials to put such a waste of time online…
Krama Says:
September 12th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
@ anonymous Sep 12 1:00 AM

I like criticism either good or bad. The only comments I (the admin) will erase, are advertising, spam, or those containing improper language.

This blog isn't actually a training center for max or illustrator but it is an effort in my spare time (and believe me I don't have much). Neither the design is what i like nor the english is correct (I am not a native english speaker).

Nevertheless, I will continue to bring on tips, news and similar stuff I LIKE and think that will help not the professional designer (probably already know those tips & tricks) but the novices and the hobbyists.

Actually this tutorial focus on one thing…the scale transformation of an .ai logo inside max. This is the tip in this tutorial. Try to import a logo without know this and see with your own eyes the how much time you'll spend by trying to figure out why your logo is meshed up with bevel or extrude modifier.

After all, if you think that this was a waste of time feel free to visit http://www.google.com and search for more professional tutorials by paying for them.

Thanks for your comment
danie Says:
September 14th, 2008 at 7:14 am
thanks a lot bro this is great… keep it up

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