Orientation Rollout (Particle Paint)

Command entry:Select a Particle Paint helper.

Modify panel

Orientation rollout

The Orientation rollout controls the way particle seeds are oriented on surfaces. The orientation information can be used by the Birth Paint and Placement Paint operators to rotate particles in space. These options are useful when you plan to use instanced shapes with a visible orientation as particles.

ImportantTo have these settings affect the particle seeds, set these parameters before you create the seeds. Changing these parameter values after creating particle seeds has no effect on the existing seeds' orientation.

Interface

Generate Rotational Comp.: Enables control over the orientation of particle seeds. The remaining settings on this rollout are available only when this check box is on.

X-Axis and Z-Axis groups

Priority Axis

Sets the axis as the primary axis. When the X axis is chosen as the Priority Axis, each particle first aligned by its local X axis in the manner specified in the drop-down list, and then the local Z axis is used. If the Z axis is chosen as the Priority Axis, each particle is aligned first by its local Z axis, and then its X axis.

Reverse

Reverses the direction of the Priority Axis. This has the effect of rotating particles by 180 degrees so they point in the opposite direction.

[orientation list]

Use this drop-down list to specify how Particle Flow orients particles with respect to the surface of the painted object.

RandomOrients the particles on the surface at random, according to the chosen axis.
Align to Surface NormalAligns particles to the surface normal of the object upon which they were painted. For example, if X is selected as the Priority Axis, the local X-axis for a particle is aligned with the surface normal. This option is suitable for placing instanced grass or hair objects on a surface.
Align to World X/Y/Z-AxisAligns the particles along the respective world axis.
Look at ViewportForces all particles to align with the active viewport.
Look at Particle Paint IconForces all particles to face the Particle Paint Icon.
Follow StrokeAligns particles along the spray path in the direction in which the stroke was drawn.
Align to U/V/W Map VectorAligns particles along the U/V/W mapping direction on the surface of the painted object.

Divergence

Sets the maximum degree of variation off the chosen Priority Axis, expressed in degrees.