Adding an image with transparency on top of a material

[christopher_rose]

Sorry for the dumb beginner question but I've been trawling the internet and forums for hours now but my keywords just return non-applicable results.

I have created a simple metal tube with three material ID's; a chrome ring at the top, blue metal tube in the middle and a glass base (image 1). I have also created a simple pattern that I would like to place on this tube. I have created this as a .png with a transparent background as well as a black and white version for an alpha, should I need it (image 2).

I have made a poor mans attempt at UV unwrapping my tube (more learning to be done here) but have the specific area ready for my pattern. However, when I plug the transparent .png into the diffuse of the metal material my render turns out white (image 3). But when I plug my black and white version into the diffuse I can see that the pattern is in the right place (image 4) but the 'black' areas have darkened the metal material (I want the black areas to be transparent, to show the blue tube underneath). Both images are the same dimensions.

I am probably going about this all wrong, so could somebody please help me with the correct way to placing my pattern with a transparent background onto my metal tube?

Thank you in advance (I am using 3DS Max 2021 with Vray 5)

Image 1:




Image 2:


Image 3:


Image 4:

[fixeighted]

EDIT : too tired this morning so ignore that.

Just use a standard UVW map set to cylindrical - no specific need to unwrap in this case.
If you only want the pattern on a specific area, as in your example, then untick the tiling option in the map

Here is the setup.

[M.Max]

There are many ways to fix this, but the way I'll do it is the following :
1-Save the alpha as a separate image( Pattern_Alpha.***) and use it as a mask for the blend. you could use the ( Pattern.*** ) for the color, but if it is just simple color you can input that directly into the material, and no need for the texture.
2-Make sure the Blend Amount color under blender material is set to black otherwise you will get that darkening effect.

If both materials that you are trying to blend share the same physical properties ( reflection .glossiness ...etc) and only the color is different then I would recommend just using one material and plug that mask into any map that allows blending with mask like Composite map,Mix map,Mask map, ..etc .

[christopher_rose]

EDIT : too tired this morning so ignore that.

Just use a standard UVW map set to cylindrical - no specific need to unwrap in this case.
If you only want the pattern on a specific area, as in your example, then untick the tiling option in the map

Here is the setup.

Thank, but I still have tiling issues and unchecking the two tiling boxes in the image map seems to remove the map completely. Something I'll have to look into further but I can definitely work on your suggestion.

[christopher_rose]

There are many ways to fix this, but the way I'll do it is the following :
1-Save the alpha as a separate image( Pattern_Alpha.***) and use it as a mask for the blend. you could use the ( Pattern.*** ) for the color, but if it is just simple color you can input that directly into the material, and no need for the texture.
2-Make sure the Blend Amount color under blender material is set to black otherwise you will get that darkening effect.

If both materials that you are trying to blend share the same physical properties ( reflection .glossiness ...etc) and only the color is different then I would recommend just using one material and plug that mask into any map that allows blending with mask like Composite map,Mix map,Mask map, ..etc .

Thanks! Your last option (using a composite map) seems to have done the trick, or at least closer to what I am trying to achieve. Great!