3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [345]
Painting with images
In the Brush Images rollout are two swatches for selecting an image and a mask to paint with. Clicking the swatches opens a palette of presets, as shown in Figure 32.4. Clicking the Browse Custom Maps Directory button opens Windows Explorer to the Viewport Canvas folder where Max is installed. Within this folder are all the custom images and masks that are included in the palette.
FIGURE 32.4
Custom images and masks can be added to the available presets in the Viewport Canvas.
Placing a new image or an image with an alpha channel (for masks) in this folder makes them appear in the presets palette and allows you to select and paint with them. The Reload Custom Maps button reloads any images placed in the folder so they can be seen.
To use an image or a mask, simply enable the Use option next to each. You also have several Rotation options including None, Random, and Follow Stroke. Figure 32.5 shows examples of each painting with stars. The left eye shows the None option, and all stars are oriented exactly the same. The right eye shows the Random option with each star oriented differently; the lower line shows the Follow Stroke option with the stars aligned in the direction of the brush stroke.
FIGURE 32.5
The image rotation options determine how the stars are oriented.
Within the Brush Image Settings rollout are some options for setting how the image is projected onto the object. The options include Hit Normal and From Screen. The Hit Normal option applies the image as if projected down onto the normal of the object. The From Screen option applies the texture as if projected from the screen position onto the object. Other options make the image fit within the brush size and offer tiling options of None, Tile, and Across Screen.
Using paint layers
The Viewport Canvas palette lets you paint on layers just like you can in Photoshop. To access the layers, click the Layers Dialog button in the Viewport Canvas dialog box. The Layers palette, shown in Figure 32.6, shows the current layers in a stack. Each layer can be named, and the layers are placed on the object with the top layers appearing on top of the lower layers. You also can select a blend method and an Opacity value. The buttons at the bottom of the Layers palette let you create new layers, duplicate the current layer, or delete a layer. The small light bulb icon to the left of the layer name lets you turn a layer on or off.
When a layer other than the Background layer is selected, you can use the Layer tool icons located at the top of the Viewport Canvas palette. These Layer tools let you move, rotate, and/or scale the current layer.
FIGURE 32.6
The Layers palette lets you work with layers for the current texture.
Caution
Be aware that you cannot erase any paint applied to the Background layer using the Erase tool. •
The Layers palette includes some menus that have many of the same commands found in Photoshop. For example, you can use the Layer menu to add layer masks, merge a layer down, flip a layer either horizontally or vertically, or flatten all visible layers.
The Adjust menu includes options for changing the Brightness, Contrast, Hue, Saturation, Levels, or Color Balance. You also have an Auto Levels option. The Filter menu includes filters for blurring, sharpening, finding edges, median, threshold, high pass, and distort.
Within the File menu are options for pasting from the clipboard, loading a bitmap into the current layer, saving the current bitmap (as a flattened file), or saving the image with all layers to a PSD file that can be reopened in Photoshop.
Tip
If you want to maintain the various layers after you're finished painting, be sure to save your texture using an image format that supports layers, such as PSD. •
If you've added any layers to your texture and you exit the Canvas, the Save Texture Layers dialog box, shown in Figure