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Angular Blend and ClearFinish Procedural Materials
AccuRender 3.1 includes two new procedural materials: angular blend and ClearFinish™. Both procedures blend between two different materials to create special effects. Use angular blend to create materials that change characteristics based on the angle of view to the surface of the object. Use ClearFinish to emulate thin, clear finishes on the surface, like car paint and lacquer finishes.
Angular Blend
In the following angular blend example, the material changes color from a light blue to purple. The surface areas that face the viewer are light blue. As the surface starts to curve away from the view, the color blends into purple.
To create an angular blend procedure, specify two materials and start and stop angles.
If the angle of the surface is 0 degrees from the view and the start angle, the first material will show completely. In the area of the surface that is angled between the start angle and the stop angle, there will be a blend of color from the first material to the second material. From the stop angle to 90 degrees from the view, the second material will be the only material showing.
ClearFinish Material
Like angular blend, ClearFinish manages two different materials based on the material’s angle to the view. ClearFinish emulates finishes that are covered with a transparent layer. These materials tend to be a deep color when you look directly at the surface, but as the surface curves away from the view they become highly reflective. Car paints with a clearcoat or clear lacquer finishes are good examples.
To create a ClearFinish procedure, specify a base color and a top coat.
The base material is the main color of the object. Use the color selector to choose the main color of the material.
The top coat is a transparent material that lies on top of the base material. You can adjust the index of refraction (IOR) to control how reflective the top coat is. The higher the IOR, the more reflective the top coat. You can also tint the top coat with a color. This way you can get the material to change the base color as it moves into it reflective state.
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