Follow this tutorial step-by-step to create a 3D Nintendo Switch model to use in video games, graphic design and illustration projects whilst learning Cinema 4D quickly.
Some of the skills you'll learn in this tutorial include creating basic 3D modelling, importing reference images, adding lighting to the scene and basic rendering techniques.
In the first part (How to Create a Switch in Cinema 4D: Part 1) of the two-part tutorial, I showed you how to:
- How to Import Reference Images
- How to Prepare for Modelling
- How to Model the Switch
In this, the second part of the the tutorial series, I'll show you how to:
- How to Create Coloured Materials
- Color in the Nintendo Switch Model
- Render the Nintendo Switch Model
16. How to Create a New Material
Step 1
Located near the bottom of the screen there is a material selection window. Click on Create > New Material to create a new material to use that you can edit.
Materials are used to colour in the the Nintendo Switch.
Step 2
Double-click on the new material icon (displayed as a sphere). This brings up the Material Editor, where you adjust the various properties of the material such as the colour, transparency and reflectance.
For this particular style you'll only be interested in flat colour (Luminance).
Step 3
Tick the button for Luminance and untick the boxes for Colour and Reflectance. This will give the cel shaded look for the final image.
Step 4
Colour the body of the Nintendo Switch by adding the material to the object. Drag and drop the material to the object using the mouse. You can also drag and drop the material onto the object listed on the right of the screen.
17. How to Adjust the Material Properties
Step 1
In the Material Editor, click on the arrow button next to Texture and select Sketch and Toon > Cel from the menu.
Step 2
Click on the new Cel button that appears next to Texture to bring up a new menu.
Step 3
In this new menu, adjust the settings as follows:
- Change the Diffuse to match the image at below. It should be grey scale with the colour getting light from left to right.
- Untick Camera.
- Tick Lights.
- Tick Shadows
- Select Multiply from the drop down menu.
Step 4
Select a colour by double-clicking on the colour option box .
The Material Editor gives many different options for choosing and picking colours. These include RGB, HSV and so on.
Choose whichever option you're most familiar with as a flat colour. Because of the Multiply shading mode, the different colour shades will also appear in the material.
If the material has already been applied to the model, the colour of the model will automatically be adjusted to the new material colour. This is useful if you change your mind on a certain colour or a certain part of the Nintendo Switch model.
Choose the following colours for this tutorial:
- R: 84
- G: 100
- B: 153
Step 5
Because you've already applied the material to the model, the colour of the Switch is automatically adjusted to the new material colour.
18. How to Adjust the Shading
Step 1
To get a better idea of the shading and how our render will turn out as we work on it, click and hold the Render Button and select Interactive Render Region from the menu.
Step 2
Use the mouse to adjust the window so that it fits around the Nintendo Switch model. Look for the very small arrow on the right hand side of the window and use the mouse to drag it to the top right corner of the box (this increases the resolution).
Decrease the resolution by moving the arrow down if you find that the performance is decreasing.
Step 3
To change the way the light source is facing go to Options > Default Light.
You can also add a light object to the scene if you are more comfortable working that way.
Step 4
Change the light source in the Default Light window. Click where you'd like the light source to come from on the sphere and it will sync with the view port. Experiment with different lighting positions to come up with a lighting situation that you like.
This can be adjusted at anytime so you can change the lighting again if you changed your mind.
19. Other Lighting Solutions
Step 1
To set up the basic lighting, go to the Floor button located in the top menu bar. Primary-Click-Hold and then select Physical Sky from the menu.
Step 2
Make sure that Physical Sky is selected in the menu on the right, a new menu appears on the bottom right of the screen. Select the Time and Location tab and choose a time using the left and right arrow keys.
This changes the lighting of the scene (according to the time of the day). Choose a suitable time to light up the scene. You'll see how the lighting affects the scene in the viewport.
Step 3
To add a light to the scene, select the Add Light button in the top menu bar at the top of the screen.
This creates a Light Object which you can move around the scene. Move the light object using the Move Tool to a suitable position.
Step 4
To customise the lighting further, experiment with the light object options in the bottom right of the screen. Here you can adjust the Intensity, Light Type and even Colour.
20. How to Colour the Switch Screen
Step 1
To create a new material we can duplicate the material by holding CTRL on the keyboard and then using the mouse to click and drag the material to the side.
Step 2
Double-click on the new material to open up the Material Editor and select Luminance. From there we can change the colour to the following:
- R: 81
- G: 223
- B: 185
Step 3
Apply the new material to the screen by clicking and dragging it directly onto the object.
21. How to Colour the Joy-Cons
Step 1
Create a new material. Duplicate a previous material in order to keep the settings from before.
Double-click on the new material to open up the Material Editor and select Luminance. From there we can change the colour to the following:
- R: 61
- G: 182
- B: 255
Step 2
Duplicate another new material. Double-click on the new material to open up the Material Editor and select Luminance. From there we can change the colour to the following:
- R: 255
- G: 121
- B: 122
Step 3
Apply the materials to the relevant Joy-Con's by dragging and dropping the colours onto the objects in the viewport.
Use the list of objects in the object manager on the right of the screen.
22. How to Color the Switch Details
Part 1
To color the details of the Nintendo Switch (such as the joystick and the buttons etc.) we are going to use the dark blue material which was the first material created to colour in the screen.
- R: 84
- G: 100
- B: 153
Part 2
Apply the material to the rail of the Joy-Con by dragging and dropping it onto the object.
Part 3
Apply the material to the four buttons of the Joy-Con by dragging and dropping it onto the button objects one at a time.
Part 4
Apply the material to the joysick of the Joy-Con by dragging and dropping it onto the objects.
Part 5
Apply the material to the "-" button and the "home" button of the Joy-Con by dragging and dropping it onto the objects.
Part 6
For the remaining details, create a new material which should be a slightly darker colour than the first material that was created.
Choose the following colours for this tutorial:
- R: 73
- G: 87
- B: 133
Part 7
Apply the new material onto the details highlighted in the image below.
Part 8
For the last part of the Joy-Con, use the main blue colour and apply it by dragging and dropping it onto the object.
Part 9
Repeat the same steps for the second Joy-Con and replace the blue material with the red material.
Part 10
For the final details of the Nintendo Switch apply the dark blue material as shown in the image below.
23. How to Render the Nintendo Switch
Part 1
Click on the camera button to return to the camera view. This should be the same composition used in the previous tutorial 'How to Create a Switch in Cinema 4D: Part 1'.
Part 2
On the top menu bar, click on the Render Settings button. This brings up the render settings window.
Part 3
In the render settings menu, you can change the options to what you need. First, tick the Save Settings to select a file location, file format and alpha channel.
Select Alpha Channel if you wish to keep the background see through.
Part 4
In the Output Settings choose the resolution, height and width of the image.
Part 5
To ensure that the render is nice and sharp go to the Anti-Aliasing settings. Select Cubic (Still Image) which can be found under Filter.
Part 6
To create the final image, click on the Render button. Remember to select the right view in the viewport (front, right, left or perspective etc.) and that you're happy with the camera angle.
Choose a suitable angle in the viewport by navigating around the scene.
Part 7
To create the final image, click on the Render button. Remember to select the right view in the viewport (front, right, left or perspective etc.) and that you're happy with the camera angle.
Choose a suitable angle in the viewport by navigating around the scene.
The End Result
Wait for the final render to finish. Once the render is complete you can repeat the steps above and change the camera or the view port to create a new image from a different angle.
Throughout the course of the project you have successfully learnt how to:
- Import Reference Images
- Prepare for Modelling
- Model a Nintendo Switch
- Create Materials
- Colour the Model
- Render the Nintendo Switch
Feel free to share your own creations below. You can also export your image into Adobe Photoshop to enhance it further or to use it as part of a larger image.
