Help with Background Images, please

[deegz97]

Hi everyone,

New Max user and first time poster here! Hope everyone is well!

I have only been using Max a very short time, so this is a very basic question. I have searched this (and other) forums for the answer, I only became more confused...

My issue: I am trying to build a guitar (strat) in 3ds Max 2010. I have reference images that i can insert into the background of the front viewport, but only a quarter of the picture is visible in the viewport. I have seen others ask this question only to be told not to use that format. I have used this before with no issues. Also, sometimes the photo distorts no matter which checkboxes I have ticked. Very frustrating.

The others have been told to make a plane and use the image as a texture, but I have not even fooled around with textures yet...just trying to get modelling skills a little more solid before I start that.

So...could someone please offer some help - whether it is the image as background or help with texturing this plane (ie does the plane need to be the same size as the photo? how do I do that? etc...).

Again, I'm sorry this is so basic, but I have been searching around and just seem to get more confused.

Thanks in advance!

Jeff

[ronel]

normally the image reference will be mapped into the plane. the plane size is enough for the size of what you will model. the advantage of this is you can get along in any angle you want as you goes on modelling rather then putting it in the viewport background.