User Manual

Projection Mapping
Projection is a technique for texturing objects using a camera or projector node. This can be
useful for texturing objects with multiple layers, applying a texture across multiple separate
objects, projecting background shots from the camera’s viewpoint, image-based rendering
techniques, and much more.
There are three ways to do projection mapping in Fusion.
Using the Projector/Camera Tool to Project Light
When lighting is enabled, a Camera 3D or Projector 3D can act as a light with all the lighting
features. When Camera Projection is enabled or you use a projector, you can choose whether
the projection behaves like a spotlight or an ambient light; however, alpha channels cannot be
projected. Overlapping projections add together like any other light node. An internal clipping
plane (at around 0.01 distance from camera) limits how close the projector or camera can get to
the receivers of the projection.
Camera node used for a projection map.
Project a Texture onto a Catcher Material
If you do not want to work with light sources, you can use the projector or camera as a texture
projector. To work without lighting, a catcher is required in order to receive the texture and
apply it to a material. Only objects using this material will receive the projection. This offers
some advantages, like the projection of alpha channels, and texturing other channels like
specular color or roughness. If the software renderer is used, overlapping projections can be
combined in various ways (mean, median, blend, and so on) via the Catcher node. When using
the OpenGL renderer, one catcher per projector is used, and the results can be combined
using another material. Similar to the Light Projection technique, an internal clipping plane (at
around 0.01 distance from camera) limits how close the projector/camera can get to the
projection receivers.
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