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This tutorial is going to teach you how to convert a vector image into a 3D stained glass window model using 3D Studio Max. In order to complete this project we will be using splines shapes and the extrude modifier.
 
You will need an image saved in Illustrator vector format (AI) to follow this tutorial, such an image can be created using any vector graphics application such as Illustrator or Freehand, or even image editors that can export in vector format such as Photoshop and Fireworks. If you do not have an image ready now you can use our image to follow this tutorial. Download it here. Our tutorial will be divided into two parts, in the first we will create the frame of our stained glass, and then we will create the stained glass itself. Creating the stained window frameStart off by creating a new 3DS file , then go through File>Import and browse to the AI file to import it. Once you get to the AI Import window, select the option to merge the objects with the current scene. On the next window Select Single Object to be able to manipulate the object through the Extrude Modifier easily. Once you click OK you should see your design path laying down in the middle of your scene.  
We now have one copy of the path on the scene. To complete this project we are going to need two paths, one for the creation of the frame and the second for creating the actual stained glass. We can easily duplicate the path on stage by holding down Shift and then moving the path on the axis. That should trigger the Clone Options window to pop up, select Copy as the Object Type and click OK. 
At this stage you can optionally rename your vector graphics to frame and glass to later identify them easily.  ![]](http://www.oman3d.com/tutorials/3ds/stained_glass/11.gif)
We are going to hide the Glass object because we do not need it now. To do this simply select it and then Right-Click on it to access the Display menu and select Hide Selection to do just that. 
Moving on, Select the Frame Object on the scene and then access the Modifier Panel and select the Extrude Modifier from the list to add the Extrude Modifier to the frame modifier stack. Scroll down to the Parameters rollout and set the extrude Amount to 0.5 to add depth to your Frame Object. This should finish up our work for the frame of our stained glass.  
Creating the stained glassWe are going to start working on our actual stained glass. To start off we need to unhide the Glass Object, to do this simply right-click any spot on the scene and then select Unhide All from the Display menu. 
The first step in working with our Glass Object is to remove the outer rectangular shape. To do this, select the Glass Object and then access the Modify Tab to change the Selection Mode to Spline. You will then have to select only the outer rectangular shape by clicking once on it and then pressing Delete on your keyboard to delete it. 
You now need to add an Extrude Modifier to the object's Modifier Stack by selecting it from the list. Once you do that look for the Parameters rollout and set the Extrude Amount to 0.1. That should do it, you will notice that you will get an inverted shape result in comparison to our previous shape. This happened because the deletion of the outer spline of the shape changed the outcome of the Extrude Modifier to fill in the shape outline.  
The coloration of the window pieces goes beyond the scope of this tutorial, but that should not be too hard for the intermediate user. You can move the glass window to the right place, convert it to a polygon or a mesh and texture them to the way you please. 
Tutorial Soruce Oman3D
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