User Manual

A node that outputs a material is frequently used, instead of an image, to provide other shading
options. Materials passed between nodes are RGBA samples; they contain no other information
about the shading or textures that produced them.
The Texture2D node is used to translate
a texture in the UV space of the object, as
well as set the filtering and wrap mode.
Composite Materials
Building complex materials is as easy as connecting the output of a Material node to one of the
Material inputs of another Material or Texture node. When a Material input is supplied just as
with a 2D image, its RGBA values are used per pixel as a texture. This allows for very direct
compositing of shaders.
For instance, if you want to combine an anisotropic highlight with a Blinn material, you can take
the output of the Blinn, including its specular, and use it as the diffuse color of the Ward
material. Or, if you do not want the output of the Blinn to be relit by the Ward material, you can
use the Channel Boolean material to add the Ward material’s anisotropic specular component
to the Blinn material with a greater degree of control.
Combining an anisotropic highlight with a Blinn
material using the Channel Boolean material.
Reflections and Refractions
Environment maps can be applied with the Reflect material in the 3D > Material category. This
node can be used to simulate reflections and refractions on an object. Reflections are direct-
bounce light that hits an object, while refractions simulate the distortion of light seen through
semi-translucent surfaces.
The reflections and refractions use an environment mapping technique to produce an
approximation that balances realistic results with greater rendering performance. Environment
maps assume an object’s environment is infinitely distant from the object and rendered into a
cubic or spherical texture surrounding the object.
Chapter – 76 3D Compositing Basics 1568