Architectural metal

[mtbmarsh]

Hi guys,
I'm making a building rendering and am trying to apply a copper/bronze type roof. I'm not concerned with exact photorealism, but I am having difficulty getting any type of decent result. I've read all the literature on the site, but still seem to be at a loss...
Any help would be fantastic!
Thanks

[Micha_cg]

Re: Architectural metal

Try to get a metal color texture and set it at the reflection layer filter color. The map give right colors for the metal. Try a glossiness of ~0.8. Also, set a diffuse layer with the same color map and use the reflection color (start with 220) to blend between metal and diffuse layer. So, you should get an oxidated metal look, lower reflection color value, more diffuse color (oxidation) look.

(at the material tutorial I show some examples of multilayer metals)

[mtbmarsh]

Re: Architectural metal

Ok here is what I've tried...

Set the diffuse layer to a bronze/copper colored image.
Reflection - Fresnel
Filter - same image as the diffuse layer
Highlight & Reflection glossiness to .8

it still looks nothing like metal! I have a vray sun and sky set.

[/img]

[mtbmarsh]

Re: Architectural metal

[mtbmarsh]

Re: Architectural metal

Another question is how do I line up the seams on the bottom and the sides of the roof? I've tried playing with the UVW and size/postion in the texture mapping widget...

[Micha_cg]

Re: Architectural metal

Ok here is what I've tried...

Set the diffuse layer to a bronze/copper colored image.
Reflection - Fresnel
Filter - same image as the diffuse layer
Highlight & Reflection glossiness to .8

it still looks nothing like metal! I have a vray sun and sky set.

No fresnel, disable it, it's for plastic ... .

[mtbmarsh]

Re: Architectural metal

OK great, I turned that off and am getting better results now...
So about lining up the seams? I have been playing with the mapping using "box", should I be using something else?

[dalomar_cg]

Re: Architectural metal

Play around with different mapping types. Which one works best depends on the type of surface your trying to map to. In the case of a roof a planar mapping that is rotated so that it is parallel with the roof might work (you'll have to do a mapping for each side or different pitch).

[mtbmarsh]

Re: Architectural metal

So do I have to explode the roof into all separate surfaces?

[dalomar_cg]

Re: Architectural metal

Maybe...Post a screen shot of it and I'll be able to give you a little better idea of what it needs. Just a roof is a bit too vague.

[mtbmarsh]

Re: Architectural metal

In the right side of the image, the seams just happened to line up. The left side where the roof wraps from bottom to side...the seams don't line up?

[dalomar_cg]

Re: Architectural metal

Yea...thats the thing about box mapping. You can have direct control over 2 faces, but the third faces is based on what the other two are doing. There is a simple fix...make all of your maps squares. That way the mapping is the same on all of the sides. With rectangular maps they will be stretched or compressed in one direction (what your experiencing). You could also simply explode only the surfaces that are on oriented on the face thats skewed and map that. Square maps are generally better workflow though.

[mtbmarsh]

Re: Architectural metal

By square maps, do you mean planar? or surface?

[mtbmarsh]

Re: Architectural metal

oh, you mean the actual image map...make it square. I'll try that!