Lightwave 3D Building Tutorials

Just one out of an infinite number of possible building designs.

Lightwave is a major 3D animation software used by Hollywood and game designers to create computer generated images and animation. Using tutorials to create buildings can be an effective way to develop important skills in the program.

Large Buildings

A skyscraper like the one in Dan Ablan's book.

For beginners and intermediate users, Dan Ablan's books in the "Inside Lightwave" series is an excellent starting point with many tutorials on different subjects. It's particularly useful for beginners because the different tutorials are given in step-by-step, easy to follow instructions with clear diagrams and screen shots. Specifically, "Inside Lightwave 7" has an informative tutorial on designing a skyscraper.

Small Buildings

The subtle complexities of smaller buildings can be easily seen.

Tutorials on houses and similar small buildings can be a less imposing start, but in many cases are actually more difficult than larger skyscrapers because of the added amount of detail. The website Dough-cgi has a few different building tutorials, including a worn down building, a windmill and a village.

Interiors

One thing not to forget when designing buildings is that every exterior has an interior. Although designing both may not be necessary for your project, interiors can be another great way to expand your skill set and add realism to your project. A comprehensive mansion interior tutorial can be found at the 3D Total website. The tutorial is well explained and easy to follow.

References

• "Inside Lightwave 7"; Dan Ablan; 2002
• Dough-CGI: Tutorials
• 3D Total: MGFX Creating the Hall of a Mansion

Resources

• Read this Article in Portuguese
• Read this Article in UK English
• Amazon.com: Inside Lightwave 7
• Lightwave Tutorials on the Web