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A 3D texture algorithmically describes the structure of a pattern in 3 dimensions. An object to which you apply a 3D texture is thus “sculpted” out of the texture. Or, if you prefer, you can imagine that you are submerging the object in a tub filled with the texture. Amapi 3D provides some primary textures that you can use as the basis for other textures. |
You will be able to modify the texture parameters, such as the proportion, the perturbation, the grain, the density, the orientation, etc. You can also control colors by customizing the color ramp.
q The different primary textures
A 3D texture layer is built from a primary 3D texture. Amapi 3D displays a list of primary 3D textures from which you can select the one most appropriate for your project. The default primary 3D texture selected by Amapi 3D is the first one in the list.
Select the primary texture you wish to work with and adjust the parameters defining its structure.
q Setting the parameters defining the algorithms
¨ Density
Increases the number and size of the patterns applied to a given surface.
This parameter can be set for the surface as a whole or along one of the three orthogonal axes.
For instance: as you increase the Size parameter of a tiling texture applied to the floor of a room, you will see the size of the tiles decrease and their number increase.
This parameter is used only for the texture of type “cylinder” and “plane”.
¨ Orientation
You can rotate a layer along one of the three orthogonal planes. The current plane of rotation is always the one nearest to the current view plane.
Orientation of the texture according to the point of view
Proceed as follow:
1. Check the preview window to make sure that the correct plane is displayed. Otherwise, change the point of view using the hotkeys (see chapter User Manual/View).
2. Move the slider to rotate the texture one way or another.
¨ Proportion
Defines the relative importance of two parameters of a pattern. For instance, in a brick texture, you can modify the thickness of the concrete relative to the bricks. This parameter modifies only the “brick”, “grid” or “noise” textures.
¨ Perturbation
You can modify the regularity of a texture’s pattern through the Perturbation parameter.
The basic pattern of the texture is obtained with the Perturbation set to zero. For instance, the wood texture will show regular concentric circles, the marble texture will display linear strata.
The higher the perturbation index, the more distorted the texture will be.
¨ Grain
Like for a photograph, the grain determines the sharpness of the definition of a texture. You can set the grain value between 1 and 8. The higher the value, the sharper the grain and the longer the rendering time. You can assess the sharpness by looking closely at the texture.
The grain is taken into account only if Perturbation is not set to zero.
q Editing the Colormap
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The Colormap defines the repartition of colors of a pattern. You can define uniform or shaded strips of colors. The width of each strip will determine the proportions between colors. |
¨ List of predefined colormaps
Amapi 3D provides predefined colormaps that you can select and use as the basis for the creation of your own colormaps.
Display the list of colormaps and select the one you want to work with: the colormap is displayed in the current colormap visualization window.
Adding a colormap to the list
When you are satisfied with a colormap you have created, you can save it use in other scenes.
1. Click on the “Save” button.
2. Amapi 3D asks you to enter a name for the new colormap, which will be added to the list of available colormaps.
Deleting a colormap from the list
You can delete a colormap from the list as follow:
1. Select the colormap you want to delete in the list.
2. Click on the “Delete” button. The colormap’s name disappears.
¨ Visualizing the current colormap
Amapi 3D displays the modifications of the colormap.
You will be able to define strips of colors, uniform or shaded, limited by break points that you will create.
Break points are identified by small squares located at the top of the colormap.
¨ The break points
Break points are the points defining color changes, independent of any color shading applied.
Click on the small rectangle marking the position of a break point to select it. The rectangle becomes red indicating that this precise break point is selected.
The color indicated by the current break point is displayed in the Color Indicator, above the colormap.
Types of break points:
The type of the break point will affect the section of the colormap located to the right of the break point, up to the next break point.
There are two types of break points:
¨ Uniform: The section of the colormap located between the current break point and the one at its immediate right will be of the color indicated by the current break point.
¨ Shaded (default type): The section of the colormap located between the current break point and the one at its immediate right will present a shading of colors between the two colors indicated by those two break points.
Changing the color indicated by a break point:
1. Select the break point.
2. Click on the Color Indicator.
3. Define the color, following the dialog box’s instructions.
4. Click on the “OK” button if you are satisfied, otherwise click on the “Cancel” button.
Adding a break point:
1. Click in the Colormap at the exact location where you want to set a break point. Once created, it becomes the current break point and automatically takes the color of the colormap at this location.
2. You know need to indicate its type (see previous paragraph: “Types of break points”.)
3. You can also change the color indicated by the break point (see previous paragraph: “Changing the color indicated by a break point”).
Deleting a break point:
1. Click on the rectangle of the break point you want to delete: it becomes red.
2. Click on the little crossed square: the current break point disappears. The break point right to it becomes the current break point.
Moving a break point along the Colormap:
1. Select the break point you want to move as the current break point (do not release the mouse button).
2. Move the cursor along the Colormap.
3. Release the mouse button once you reached the correct location.
¨ The filter
We have seen that you can define how the components of the current layer will interact with one of the characteristics of the level zero layer. (See chapter User Manual/Rendering/Materials/The upper layers /Interactions between the level zero layer and upper level layers.) The “Operation” parameter indicates how the components of the two layers will be combined. The “Balance” parameters control the proportion of the components of the uniform zero level layer (operand) compared to the components of the current upper level layer. The higher the Balance, the greater the influence of the textured layer.
The filter defines the balance for each break point of the colormap.
It is displayed as a second, monochrome colormap, sharing the same break points as the main colormap (same position, same type).
A break point with a white color on the filter colormap means that the characteristics of this break point will be important when the operation is processed.
Example: We do not want one of the colors of the colormap to be affected by the operation. We set its filter at zero: a black color is displayed on the monochrome colormap at the position of the break point of this color.
To modify the balance of a color of the colormap:
1. Select the break point corresponding to the color. Amapi 3D displays a slider for editing the Filter for this particular break point.
2. Move the slider to define the balance.
Of course this balance has no effect if the “Replace” Operation was selected as the Operand.
