Cinema 4D Online Course | Cinema 4D for Beginners

Lesson 1 – Introduction & Workspace (10:32). To start you off, we provide a comprehensive overview of the Cinema 4D interface, a software used by architects and designers. We explain the layout of the software, including the file system, main menus, layouts, pivot and access tools, editing tools, snapping tools, viewport solo, rendering tools, material manager, creation tools, generators, deformers, fields, cameras, lighting tools, object tree, attributes, layers, timeline, commander tool, selection tools, and move, rotate, and scale tools. We also touch on the spline pen, which is used to add custom shapes to a scene.

Lesson 2 – Customising Your Workspace & Shortcuts (07:12). Next, we cover the customisation of the Cinema 4D interface, explaining that it can be tailored to individual work styles. We explain how to add tools to the toolbox and assign shortcuts to frequently used commands, such as ‘connect and delete’. This can be done through the command manager, where all Cinema 4D tools are listed. We also demonstrate how to drag tools into the toolbar for easy access.

Lesson 3 – Navigation (03:16). Upon opening Cinema 4D, four windows are displayed showing different angles of your scene. These windows can be maximised individually for a better view. Navigation around Cinema 4D can be done in several ways. The Alt key can be used in combination with click and drag to rotate around objects, right click to zoom in and out, and the middle mouse button to pan. The interface also provides tools for panning, zooming, and orbiting.

Lesson 4 – Imports & Exports (05:12). The software allows users to import a variety of file types, including 3D Studio, COTA, DXF, FBX, Illustrator, GLTF, STL, and OBJ. We demonstrate how to import a door model from the 3D warehouse by downloading it as a SketchUp file and merging it into the existing project in Cinema 4D. We also explain how to export objects, either as a whole scene or as individual items, in various file formats.

Lesson 5 – Working with Splines (40:16). In this lesson, we demonstrate how to use splines to model complex objects, starting with basic principles and moving on to more complex models. The tutorial covers how to use different tools and modifiers such as extrude, sweep, and lathe to create 3D objects from 2D shapes. We also demonstrate how to use the loft modifier to create a 3D shape from multiple 2D objects. The tutorial concludes with a practical exercise modelling an angle poise lamp using the techniques discussed.

Lesson 6 – Working with Polygons (13:10). Here, we demonstrate how to create and modify simple 3D objects like cubes and planes, and how to convert these into editable objects. You’ll learn how to create 3D objects from polygons, and how to use the extrude modifier to give objects thickness. We discuss the use of the knife tool to cut shapes into 3D models, and demonstrate the three modes of cutting: loop cut, line cut, and plain cut.

Lesson 7 – Modelling Seoul National University Museum of Art: Part 1 (54:20). The process involves creating the main building structure, supporting structure, and the foundation. Here, we emphasise the importance of accurate scaling and provide tips on how to manipulate polygons and use tools such as the pen tool, extrude modifier, and soft selection. This lesson also demonstrates how to import and use reference images, and how to adjust the landscape to match the building’s design.

Lesson 8 – Modelling SNUMOA: Part 2 (01:46:34). In this lesson, we add more detail to the building, including floors, roof, steel trusses, and window details. We also add a foundation mass and supporting column. You’ll learn how to use various tools and techniques in Cinema 4D to create these elements, such as the sweep tool, the pen tool, and the extrude tool.

Lesson 9 – Modelling SNUMOA: Part 3 (01:11:32). Here, we nail key details such as the U-shaped glass profile channels and how to adjust their size. We also demonstrate how to add the steel frame and unconventional windows. You’ll then pick up how to cut the glass panels to fit the building’s windows and how to colour the panels.

Lesson 10 – Modelling SNUMOA: Part 4 (30:34). In this lesson, we add final touches such as panel details, entrance details, glass balustrades, and doors. We demonstrate how to add glass panels to the building and how to duplicate shapes along a line using the MoGraph tool.

Lesson 11 – Introduction to Materials & Textures (16:14). Here, you’ll learn the different channels that make up a material, including colour, texture, diffusion, luminance, transparency, reflectance, bump, normal, alpha, glow, and displacement. We also demonstrate how to import textures and adjust settings such as brightness, reflectance, and displacement to create a specific look. You’ll then learn how to apply the created material to a 3D object and adjust its size and projection settings.

Lesson 12 – Texturing the Building (19:16). In this tutorial, we start by creating a frosted glass effect for the panels in the scene, followed by a brushed aluminium effect for the underside of the building and a concrete tile effect for the entrance. We also create a grass texture for the ground and a stone texture for the core of the building. Finally, we add a simple sun and sky lighting system to the scene.

Lesson 13 – Populating the Scene (12:38). Here, we use Cinema 4D’s extensive library to drag and drop trees into the scene, choosing an ash tree for its minimal branches. We then position the trees around the building, using the reference pictures as a guide, adding a denser set of birch trees at the back and some bushes for variety. We also explain the importance of using presets to add more details to the scene, rather than modelling every tree individually.

Lesson 14 – Cameras & Rendering (14:32). In the final lesson, we demonstrate how to add a camera and adjust its position and angle to match a reference image. We tweak the sun and sky settings to suit the view and expected visualisation. We conclude the course with a test render and review the final result, leading into a following on course on advanced rendering using Chaos Corona.