Surface Window

Select View > Surface or click the Surface tab of the Aggregate Window to open the Surface Window. Use the Surface Window to apply surface attributes and textures to objects.

Preview Tab: A preview of the Basics, Effects, and Mapping settings is shown on the sphere.
Image Tab: After pasting a rendered image and then saving a Surface Settings file, this image will be used in any ShadeExplorer catalogs.
Object Name: Once surface settings for an object have been created, its name appears at the top of the Surface Window. If using a master surface, its name will also appear here.
Create: Applies the Surface Window settings to the selected object.
Delete: Deletes the surface attributes from the selected object.
Advanced...: Opens the Advanced Shading Dialog Box.

See also Advanced Shading Dialog Box
Delete All: Deletes all the surface attributes from the selected object and resets to default settings. If the selected object is a part, surface attributes for all nested objects are deleted as well.
Load...: Loads a surface settings file (.shdsfc, .xmlshdsfc).
Save...: Saves the current Surface Window settings as a surface settings file (.shdsfc, .xmlshdsfc).
Use Pop-up Menu: Click to select a master surface to use.
Register...: Opens a dialog for saving the current Surface Window settings as a master surface. If a master surface is currently selected, the Register button is not available.
Duplicate...: Copies the selected master surface.
Unlink: Unlinks the object's surface attributes from the master surface. Only available when the selected object is using a master surface.
Info: When a plugin with custom surface attributes is installed, click this button to display the custom attributes. When a plugin with custom surface attributes is installed, click this button to display the custom attributes.
In Shade3D Standard and Professional, the Toon Renderer Advanced Options are displayed.
Quality: Specifies the quality as a ratio of the ray tracing quality in the Rendering Settings.
See also Surface Quality

Basic Settings

Inherit Checkboxes: Each surface attribute has an inherit checkbox to its left.
When selected, the attribute is not inherited from its parent, and can be modified. Changing the color for the attribute will automatically enable that setting.
Deselect the checkbox to inherit that attribute from the object's parent.
If a part is selected, holding Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) when deselecting the inherit checkbox will deselect this checkbox for all objects inside the part.
Diffuse: The intensity (brightness) of the diffuse reflection. Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting a different color. A color can also be dragged here from another color box.
Specular 1: The strength of the first specular value. Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the Specular 1 color.
Specular 1 Size: The size of the first specular value.
Specular 2: The strength of the second specular value.
Note Specular 1 and Specular 2 are independent. Using both Specular 1 and Specular 2 allows more accurate simulation of coated surfaces. For example, for a coating with strong specular highlights, Specular 1 can be set with a large size and relatively weak intensity, and Specular 2 set with a small size and strong intensity. Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the Specular 2 color.
Specular 2 Size: The size of the second specular value.
Reflection: The amount of reflection. Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the reflected color.
Transparency: The transparency. Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the transparency color. The transparency color is used for back pattern where the object is transparent, and the shadow.
Refraction: The refraction index.
Ambient: The amount of ambient light.

Note Unlike for distant lights, this is not a ratio of the light intensity.
Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the color of the ambient light.

Effects Settings

Roughness: Valid for path tracing. The degree of surface roughness used for reflection and transparency.
Anisotropic: The anisotropic ratio. Setting anisotropic enables you to set the specular size of the object for the UV direction. This makes it possible to simulate the phenomenon in which specular highlights spread out in a definite direction in materials whose surfaces have a regular, fine unevenness, such as a metallic hairline finish or glossy cloth.
Fresnel: The fresnel reflection ratio. Fresnel reflection is a phenomenon in which the reflectance and transparency change according to the angle at which a material is viewed. Using fresnel reflection can improve the look of materials that reflect light, such as glass and plastic.
Metallic: The strength of metallic effect. Unrelated to actual lights in the scene, virtual specular is reflected on the object surface at random, simulating a metallic surface with specular highlights. The metallic result is similar to applying a spotted pattern and selecting Wrap from the Projection pop-up menu. Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the color of the metallic effect.
Glow: The strength of glow (the intensity with which the object is irradiated). Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the color of the glow.
Soft Glow: The sharpness of soft glow. The intensity and color of the Glow attribute are also used for Soft Glow. Soft glow simulates the glare of lights. This is actually a simulation of specular highlights on the object surface as seen from a distant light placed at the eye point. The Glow strength and color are substituted for the intensity and color of the virtual specular highlights, and the size of the virtual highlights is specified by the Soft Glow value. In order to simulate light glare, set the diffuse color to black and the specular to 0. If there is a background or other objects behind the object, transparency must also be set. If Glow is set to 0, Soft Glow will not be displayed.
Back Light: The strength of back lighting. Back lighting is the intensity at which light from the rear is reflected by the object. If transparency is set, the back light can be reflected onto other objects. Back light simulates the effect on an object surface of light coming from behind or inside the object, such as a silica-coated light bulb or a lampshade. Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the back light color.
Aberration: The strength of color aberration. Aberration is only applicable to objects with transparency and refraction.

Volume Settings

The volume settings affect the interior properties of the object. Volume rendering is used for simulating translucent objects with volume. Subsurface scattering creates the effect of light scattering on an object surface, simulating soft textures such as skin.
The following volume settings apply to both Volume Rendering and Subsurface Scattering.

Note Volume Rendering is available in Shade3D Standard and Professional. Subsurface Scattering is only available in Professional.

Note The Volume settings can be controlled (restricted) from the Mapping settings.

Type: Select either Volume Rendering or Subsurface Scattering for the volume calculation method.

Note Volume rendering results will differ depending on whether the object is transparent or opaque. If the object is transparent, the volume rendering calculation result is multiplied by the transparency color. The refractive index and color of the object inside the volume are also taken into account. If the object is opaque, the volume rendering calculation result is used without additional factors. The refractive index and any object inside the volume are not affected.
Decay Distance: The density of the volume. The light intensity falls to 0 after light entering the object travels this distance. Smoke and similar effects can be simulated by controlling this with the mapping settings.
Scattering: The weight of the volume settings. Use the color box to specify the volume color.
Transparency: The weight of the color of the transparent part and the shadow cast by the volume.
Decay distance varies with the color. The formula for the decay distance of any color is decay distance divided by transparency color. Use the color box to set the color of the transparent part and the shadow cast by the volume.
Glow: The weight of the volume glow color. Use to simulate a color, such as that of a flame, that is not affected by light intensity. Click the color box to open a color picker for selecting the volume glow color.

Mapping Settings

Mapping Checkbox

Select this checkbox to enable the mapping settings.

Layer Pop-up Menu

Specifies the layer index for the texture settings. Select New Layer to add a new layer. The name of the pattern applied to the selected layer is displayed to the right, in the Pattern pop-up menu. To layer multiple textures, select a new layer and then apply a different pattern. There is no limit to the number of textures that can be applied. By applying patterns to multiple layers, the textures can be blended. Blending is done for each surface attribute. The layer index indicates the layering order from bottom to top. The blend mode can be selected from the Blend pop-up menu.

Pattern Pop-up Menu

Specifies the pattern used for the selected layer.

Note Shade3D Professional includes an additional 10 solid textures to the ones described here.
See also Solid Texture

Stripes: A procedurally generated evenly-spaced pattern, vertical to the local coordinates. The direction of the coordinate axis can be selected from the Projection pop-up menu.
Checkered: A procedurally generated check pattern. The direction of the pattern defined in 2D can be selected from the Projection pop-up menu. By selecting Wrap for the projection, the pattern can be defined in 3D.
Spotted: A procedurally generated irregular shading pattern. Use the Softness slider to adjust the transition between light and dark. In particular, by applying this pattern to the Bump attribute, shading of an uneven surface with smooth and irregular variations can be simulated. Applying this pattern to the Environment attribute can simulate irregularly reflected highlights.
Marble: A procedurally generated irregular shading pattern defined in three dimensions. The direction of the coordinate axis can be selected from the Projection pop-up menu. Use the Turbulence slider to adjust the level of turbulence in the texture pattern.
Wood: A procedurally generated irregular shading pattern defined in three dimensions. The direction of the coordinate axis can be selected from the Projection pop-up menu. Use the Turbulence slider to adjust the level of turbulence in the texture pattern.
Log: A procedurally generated irregular shading pattern with an axis or center, defined in three dimensions. The direction of the axis can be selected from the Projection pop-up menu. Select Wrap for the projection to create a radial pattern. Use the Turbulence slider to adjust the level of turbulence in the texture pattern.
Wave: A procedurally generated irregular shading pattern defined in three dimensions. Use the Turbulence slider to adjust the level of turbulence in the texture pattern. In particular, by applying this pattern to the Bump attribute, shading of a wave-like surface can be simulated.
Ocean: A procedurally generated pattern with multiple waves overlapping irregularly. Use the Turbulence slider to adjust the level of turbulence in the texture pattern. In particular, by applying this pattern to the Bump attribute, shading of an ocean-like surface can be simulated.
Cloud: A procedurally generated pattern with an irregular distribution. In particular, by applying this pattern to the Bump attribute, shading of a wrinkled surface with irregular variations can be simulated.
Image: Use a 2D image from a file. The blend mode can be selected from the Blend pop-up menu when layering multiple images. From the Projection pop-up menu you can choose to use parallel projection mapping (X, Y, or Z), Wrap, Cylinder, or Spherical projection mapping. Select Load... from the Edit Image pop-up menu to select an image to load.

Move Layer Buttons

Clicking

will move the selected layer up one.
Clicking

will move the selected layer down one.

Duplicate Layer

Clicking

will copy the selected layer. The new layer is added at the bottom.

Delete Layer

Clicking

will delete the selected layer.

Picture Box

Shows a preview of the mapping settings. When a pattern other than Image is selected from the Pattern pop-up menu, the preview shows white blended with the below layer. When Image is selected, the preview shows the blend results using the selected Channel Blend Mode. The pop-up menu can also be opened by right-clicking (Win) or Control-clicking (Mac OS) the picture box.

Edit Image Pop-up Menu

Click to open a menu for working with the image used for the selected background layer.

Note In addition to the above menu items, in Shade3D Standard and Professional plugin options will be available. These options allow plugin features to be applied to the image.

Image: Select between images that have been already loaded.
Cut: Cuts the image currently loaded in the preview.
Copy: Copies the image currently loaded in the preview.
Paste: Pastes an image from the clipboard to the preview.
Remove: Deletes the image currently loaded in the preview.
Load...: Opens a dialog for selecting an image to load to the preview.
Save...: Saves the image currently loaded in the preview to a file.
Set Crop Area...: Opens a dialog for selecting the area of the image to use.
Open: Opens the currently loaded external reference file with the associated application.
Edit Image...: Opens the Image Correction window, where you can apply various filters to the currently loaded image.
Convert to Normal Map...: Opens the Image Correction window, where you can apply various filters to the currently loaded image.

Channel Blend Mode Pop-up Menu

Specifies the alpha channel blend method for the image's pixel colors. This option becomes available when Image is selected as the background pattern.

Premultiplied Alpha: The image is mapped without blending the colors or alpha channel.
Transparent Alpha: The image is mapped using the colors as the Diffuse reflection, and the alpha channel as the Transparency. When Transparent Alpha is selected it will be used for Transparency even if that surface attribute is set to inherit. (If Transparency is set separately, the values will be blended.) Transparent Alpha is only available when Diffuse is selected from the Attribute pop-up menu.
Multiply Alpha: The image is mapped using the alpha channel multiplied with the image's pixel colors.
Grayscale (Luminance): The image is mapped in grayscale according to its luminance.
Grayscale (Average): The image is mapped in grayscale according to the simple average of its RGB values.
Grayscale (R): The image is mapped in grayscale according to its R channel.
Grayscale (G): The image is mapped in grayscale according to its G channel.
Grayscale (B): The image is mapped in grayscale according to its B channel.
Grayscale (A): The image is mapped in grayscale according to its alpha channel.

Attribute Pop-up Menu

Used to select the type of attribute applied to the selected layer.

Diffuse: Applies the pattern to the object's Diffuse color.
Specular 1: Applies the pattern to the object's Specular 1 highlights.
Specular 2: Applies the pattern to the object's Specular 2 highlights.
Reflection: Applies the pattern to the object's Reflection color. The pattern is applied to the object's Reflection color by blending the pattern color with the object's color. If Reflection is set to 0, the Reflection mapping has no effect.
Transparency: Applies the pattern to the object's Transparency color. The pattern is also applied to the transmitted color and projected shadow color. For objects with Transparency and objects with shadows, the pattern is applied to the object's Transparency color by blending the pattern color with the object's color. If Transparency is set to 0, the Transparency mapping has no effect.
Mask: Holes in the pattern mask (cut away) the object surface. The mask is also applied to the alpha channel and any shadows.
Environment: The pattern is applied to the diffuse reflection of a virtual environment enclosing the object. This is then reflected onto the object's surface. When applying a procedurally generated pattern with no axis (Spotted, Wave, Ocean, or Cloud) to the Environment attribute, the virtual environment is cylindrical if a parallel projection (X, Y, or Z) is used, and has the same axis as the projection. If the Wrap projection is selected, the virtual environment is spherical. The virtual environment is reflected on the object in the same way as normal reflection, but the object's reflection attribute does not need to be set. The pattern is displayed even if the intensity of lights is set to 0. If Image is selected for the pattern, Cylinder and Sphere projections cannot be used. If the image resolution is not high enough, selecting the Smooth checkbox can be effective, especially on planar surfaces.
Glow: Applies the pattern to the object's Glow attribute.
Back Light: Applies the pattern to the object's Back Light attribute.
Weight: Applies the pattern to the mapping value of the above layer (with the next index).
Refraction: Applies the pattern to the object's Refraction attribute.
Roughness: Applies the pattern to the object's Roughness attribute.
Anisotropic: Applies the pattern to the object's Anisotropic attribute. The anisotropic effect falls off when the mapping color is 50% gray. At positions darker than this the anisotropic direction is reversed.
Fresnel: Applies the pattern to the object's Fresnel attribute.
Aberration: Applies the pattern to the object's Aberration attribute. The aberration effect falls off when the mapping color is 50% gray. At positions darker than this the aberration direction is reversed.
Ambient: Applies the pattern to the object's Ambient attribute.
Bump: By applying the pattern shading to the Bump attribute, an effect like a relief carving can be simulated. The pattern shading replaces the height information, which is applied to the surface normal vectors of the object. If a color image is used for image mapping, the simple average of each RGB value is used to create a grayscale pattern.
Normal: The pattern's RGB components are applied to the surface normal vectors of the object.
Displacement: Displacement maps use texture shadows to simulate surface irregularities. Unlike bump maps and normal maps, which change the angle of the object's surface normals to create a kind of pseudo unevenness, displacement maps actually add unevenness to the object surface. For this reason, shadows cast by the object will also exhibit this unevenness. A mapping color of 50% gray is used as the middle value, and positions brighter than this will be convex, and darker positions concave.; Note Available in Shade3D Standard and Professional.

Volume Decay Distance: Applies the pattern to the object's volume Decay Distance value.; Note Available in Shade3D Standard and Professional.


Volume Scattering: Applies the pattern to the object's volume Scattering color value.; Note Available in Shade3D Standard and Professional.


Volume Transparency: Applies the pattern to the object's volume Transparency color value.; Note Available in Shade3D Standard and Professional.


Volume Glow: Applies the pattern to the object's volume Glow value.; Note Available in Shade3D Standard and Professional.

Blend Pop-up Menu

Specifies the blend mode used for multiple layers.

Normal: Blends the pattern with the selected attribute's color or below pattern, according to the Mapping Weight value.
Alpha: Using the alpha channel as a mask, the image is blended with the selected attribute's color or the below pattern.
Add: Using additive synthesis, the pattern is blended with the selected attribute's color or the below pattern. In most cases the result is a brighter background.
Subtract: Using subtractive synthesis, the pattern is blended with the selected attribute's color or the below pattern. The color of the layers is inverted.
Multiply: Using multiplicative synthesis, the pattern is blended with the selected attribute's color or the below pattern. In most cases the result is a darker background.
Max: The pattern is compared to the selected attribute's color or the below pattern, and is blended using the brighter of each value. In most cases the result is a brighter background.
Min: The pattern is compared to the selected attribute's color or the below pattern, and is blended using the darker of each value. In most cases the result is a darker background.
Multiply (Legacy): Using the older method for calculating multiplicative synthesis, the pattern is blended with the selected attribute's color or the below pattern.

Weight

Specifies the weight of the texture.

Turbulence

Available when Marble, Wood, Log, Wave, or Ocean is selected for the pattern. The degree of turbulence.

Softness

Available when Spotted is selected for the pattern. The sharpness of the spotted outline.

Shielding

The brightness of objects with environment mapping can be shielded to account for the reflections of surrounding objects.

Height

Available when Bump or Displacement is selected from the Attribute pop-up menu. Specifies the height of the bump map or displacement map.

Division Pop-up Menu

Available when Displacement is selected from the Attribute pop-up menu. Specifies the level of subdivision of the displacement map.

Invert

Inverts the colors of the mapping image. This is particularly effective at inverting the direction of a bump map or the holes of a mask layer.

More... Button

Opens a dialog for adjusting additional shading settings if a solid texture is selected from the Pattern pop-up menu.

See also Solid Texture

Info Pop-up Menu

When a plugin with custom mapping attributes is installed, click this button to display the custom attributes.

Projection

The available projection methods depend on the pattern selected.

X: Parallel projection mapping in the X axis direction is used.
Y: Parallel projection mapping in the Y axis direction is used.
Z: Parallel projection mapping in the Z axis direction is used.
Wrap: Wrap mapping is used. Wrap mapping aligns the four corners of the image to the four "corners" of the object geometry, and the image is interpolated. For polygon meshes, UV mapping is done.
Cylinder: Cylindrical projection mapping is used. The image is enlarged horizontally in 360 degrees from a central axis.
Sphere: Spherical projection mapping is used. The image is enlarged both horizontally and vertically in 360 degrees from a central axis.
Box: Parallel projection mapping in the X, Y, and Z axis directions is used.

Link

This menu is used to display mapping layers sharing mapping coordinates. Linking layers makes it possible to set and link multiple mapping layers. By selecting a mapping layer its mapping coordinates are integrated with the current mapping layer.

Note Available in Shade3D Standard and Professional.

Position and Size Tab

Size

Specifies the size of the pattern.

M and R Buttons: Click the M button to temporarily memorize the size.
Click the R button to recall the memorized size.
- and + Buttons: Click the - (minus) button to halve the scale of the Size value.
Click the + (plus) button to double the scale of the Size value.

Actual

Enter an accurate texture size to set the pattern to this actual size.

Note Available in Shade3D Standard and Professional.

Set...

Opens the Set Mapping Origin dialog box for specifying the mapping origin.

See also Set Mapping Origin Dialog Box

M Button

Memorizes the current texture position.

R Button

Recalls the memorized texture position.

Reset

Resets the texture position to the point before it was modified using the Modify checkbox.

Modify

When selected, the mapping position and size can be modified.

Image Tab

UV

This menu becomes available when Wrap is selected as the projection method. Specifies the image interpolation method. By default, UV1 (Distance) is selected.

UV1 (Distance): This method equally compresses, extends, and interpolates the image tailored to the object distance in each of the vertical and horizontal directions.
UV2 (Parameter): This method interpolates the image tailored to the object control points in each of the vertical and horizontal directions.
If the surface is applied to a polygon mesh, UV1 through UV8 specify the layers.
In this case, interpolation methods are not used, but materials are assigned to specific layers. Because of this, UV layers of each figure have to be assigned numerically.

Smooth

Applies antialiasing to the image before mapping it. This is effective when the image resolution is not quite high enough.

Horizontal Flip

This option becomes available when Image is selected as the background pattern. When selected, the image is flipped horizontally.

Vertical Flip

This option becomes available when Image is selected as the background pattern. When selected, the image is flipped vertically.

Switch Axes

This option becomes available when Image is selected as the background pattern. When selected, the image's horizontal and vertical axes are switched.

Tiling

This checkbox becomes available when using projections other than Wrap. Select from None, Repeat, Mirror, and Edge.

See also Image Tiling Patterns

Repeat

Enter a number (or select a number from the pop-up menu) to specify the number of horizontal and vertical repetitions for the mapped image. The pop-up menus can be used to select a number between 1 and 10. Use the text box to enter numbers greater than 10. The left text box and pop-up menu specify the number of horizontal repetitions; the text box and pop-up menu on the right specify the number of vertical repetitions.