Simulating Perforated Metal w/ Renderworks

[snowman]

Hi,

Could someone give me some advise on what is the best way to simulate perforated metal? I need to get the effect of some reflectivity with some translucency. I tried Silver Mesh texture but I don't like the way it looks at all. Any better ways?

Thanks

[Dave Donley]

Hello snowman:

Try using the Grid Transparency shader. It will make square screen-like holes. Use either of the Metal Reflectivity shaders for the metallic look.

If you want the holes to appear more round than square, applying a Dimple Bump shader can make the holes appear more circular even though they are still squares. Make sure that the Grid shader dimensions for width/height and grid size add up to 1 so that the dimples line up with the grid holes.

It would also be possible to create a bitmap with white for the metal and a black circle for the hole and use that as an Image Bump, but using the built-in shaders may be faster/easier.

[propstuff]

I did this a while ago, The most successful I found was an Image Transparency of the holes.

cheers,

N.

[snowman]

Hi, thanks for the advise. I tried the grid transparency shader with the dimple and it looks prettey good. A question for propstuff: for Image Transparency of the holes do I need to find an image of the perforated metal with white as the metal and holes in black and import the image? Do you know where I can find such image?

Thanks.

Jean

[propstuff]

>do I need to find an image of the perforated metal with white as the metal and holes in black and import the image?<

Jean,

That's right.

I made the "Hole" image in VW; grey holes rather than black, though I can't remember now, WHY I chose grey .

I could control the hole size and spacing exactly, as well as cropping so that it tiled perfectly.

Export as Image, import back in for transparency.

cheers,

N.