Thea Render Material Lab Help
-
I am still playing around with the demo and cannot figure out how to make a material with multiple layers like we can in Kerkythea. I wanted to post this question in the Thea forums but I think I'm limited until I become a licensed user.
Aside from doing cg works I do murals and wall finishes. I been using Sketchup and Kerky to make visuals of what the walls will look like for the clients. My latest project is to do a wall with a metallic finish with metallic rag rolling in squares to give a modern look. I made alpha masks of the rag roll patterns to be layered on top of a metallic background. I figured out how to do it in Kerkythea but I am lost trying it in Thea.
This is a kerkythea render of what I'm trying to get in Thea. The material for the wall has 3 layers. One for the background, one for the corner rag roll boxes, and one for the center rag roll box. The rag roll layers are alpha masks. (please excuse the lighting...not the best just a test)
When I tried this in Thea, I got one of the rag roll patterns on the wall but it clipped everything else making the base wall transparent. Can Thea perform the deep layered material stuff like Kerkythea? I can't imagine it not being able to do so and more being a retail product.
I truly wish someone would make some workflow tutorials for Thea's material lab. I'm sure what I'm trying is not hard but not knowing where to dig makes the learning process longer than it need to be. The manual explains the areas of the interface but not any process on how to work with them. I wonder if all the treasure is in that mysterious licensed user forum area? I just want to make sure I can use Thea right away to do what I want once I make the purchase and not have it sitting on my hard drive for 6 months before I finally get it. Any help is appreciated.
-
Instead of using clipping, you need to apply a mask in the layer weight slot.
You should be able to use the technique shown here to achieve what you want.
-
-
@unknownuser said:
I figured out how to do it in Kerkythea but I am lost trying it in Thea.
Well the general principles for creating a layered material are really similar in both programs...Thea is much, much easier and, of course, powerful though.
-
Glad you found it useful Mistro11.
There's plenty more information on the Thea forum and I think that an official advanced material tutorial will be available soon.
-
An official material tutorial would be welcome! Thea is great and every time I read through a tutorial I learn something new and useful.
Advertisement