3D MAX TUTORIALS

 

Blend Material

Material Editor > Type button > Material/Map Browser > Blend

Blend material combines bricks and stucco.

The Blend material lets you mix two materials on a single side of the surface.

Note: Blend has an animatable Mix Amount parameter that lets you draw material morphing function curves to control the way that the two materials are blended over time.

Procedures

To create a Blend material:

  1. Activate a sample slot in the Material Editor.

  2. Click the Type button.

  3. In the Material/Map Browser, choose Blend and then click OK.

    A Replace Map dialog is displayed. This dialog asks whether you want to discard the original material in the slot, or retain it as a sub-material.

    Blend materials have similar controls to Mix maps.

To specify a component material:

  • In the Blend Basic Parameters rollout, click one of the two material buttons.

    The parameters for the sub-material are displayed. By default, a sub-material is a Standard material with Blinn shading.

To control the mix amount:

  • In the Basic Parameters rollout, adjust the Mix Amount value.

    You can also control the mix amount by using a map.

    Map used to reveal brick beneath stucco

To control the mix amount using a map:

  • In the Basic Parameters rollout, click the map button next to Mask.

    The Browser is displayed so you can select a map type.

    The intensity of pixels in this mixing map controls the mix. When the intensity is close to zero, one of the component colors or maps is visible; when it is close to full intensity, the other component is visible.

    Tip: Using a Noise map for the mixing map can give good effects that have a natural appearance.

    Tip: Mix Amount is unavailable while a map is assigned to this parameter. If Use Curve is turned off, the mixing map is used as is. If Use Curve is turned on, you can shift the effect of the mixing map's gradient ramp to reveal more of one material and less of the other.

Interface

Material 1 and Material 2—Select or create the two materials to be blended. Use the check boxes to turn the material on or off.

Interactive—Selects which of the two materials is displayed on object surfaces in viewports by the interactive renderer.

If one material has Show Map in Viewport turned on, this takes precedence over the Interactive setting. Only one map at a time can be displayed in viewports.

Mask—Selects or creates a map to use as a mask. The two materials will blend in greater or lesser degree according to the intensity of the map. Lighter (whiter) areas of the mask show Material 1. Darker (blacker) areas of the mask show Material 2. Use the check box to turn the mask map on or off.

Mix Amount—Determines the proportion of the blend (percentage). 0 means only Material 1 is visible on the surface; 100 means only Material 2 is visible. You can animate this parameter. Create Material Preview is useful for testing the effect. This control is unavailable if you have assigned a mask map and the mask's check box is turned on.

Mixing Curve group

The mixing curve affects how gradual or how sharp the transition between the two colors being blended will be. It affects the blend only when you have assigned a mask map.

Tip: For mottled effects, blend two standard materials using a noise map as a mask.

Use Curve—Determines whether the Mixing Curve affects the mix. This control is unavailable no mask is assigned or it is assigned but turned off.

Transition Zone—These values adjust the level of the Upper and Lower limits. If the two values are the same, the two materials meet at a definite edge. Wider ranges give more gradual blending from one sub-material to the other. The mixing curve displays the effect of changing these values.


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