Textures and Shaders

In RenderWorks, textures are applied to objects to make them appear more realistic. Textures are composed of components called shaders. There are four shader types: color, reflectivity, transparency, and bump; each shader makes an independent contribution to the overall texture appearance. When creating or editing textures, the shader components are combined or excluded to achieve the desired texture effect.

In addition to using textures, realistic models can be enhanced with the use of backgrounds, weather effects, and the use of image files as props.

Four shaders contribute to a texture definition. Combining and adjusting these components causes a texture to appear as an image, colored, bumpy, shiny, and/or transparent. The following table defines the shader types:

 

Shader	Function
Color	Defines surface color; this can be a plain, uniform color, or a complex pattern like wood or marble
Reflectivity	Defines amount of light reflected by surface; it is dependent on surface texture properties and any light sources
Transparency	Defines surface transparency or opacity
Bump	Defines surface irregularities which give the texture a bumpy appearance

Shaders are divided into three categories: image-based shaders, wrapped shaders, and solid shaders.

Image-based Shaders

Image-based shaders are created from an image file imported into VectorWorks. These shaders are then mapped to the surface of an object.

Wrapped Shaders

Wrapped shaders are 2D patterns projected onto a 3D object surface. These shaders are noted with an asterisk after the shader name.

Solid Shaders

Solid shaders are 3D patterns applied to a 3D object surface. When a shape is changed or portions of the object cut away, the algorithm recalculates and portrays the object appropriately.

The following example shows the difference between a solid and a wrapped shader. In the solid shader, 3D spheres are used to make the polka dots; the shape of the dots remain circular even though portions of the object have been cut away. The wrapped polka shader uses 2D circles to make the polka dots; the shader reacts to the surface of the object, and the dots appear distorted where the object has been cut away.