Blending multiple textures

Blend multiple textures using Layered textures, then attach them to a material or model as if they were a single media. You can set different Blend modes for each texture layer, and adjust and animate each texture individually to create interesting results.

There is a type of Layered texture you can use with a material, and there are types of Layered textures you apply directly to a model for use with a shader. See Choosing texture types.

The following steps describe using a Layered Texture asset for use with a material.

To create a Layered texture for a material:

1. Open the Shading Elements folder in the Asset browser.
2. From the Asset browser, drag a Layered Texture asset onto a model in the Viewer window.
3. In the menu that appears, select Attach Texture to Material > Diffuse.

   A Layered texture is added to the scene and appears in the Scene browser’s Textures folder. If the model had no material applied to it, a new material is added to the scene; the material is automatically applied to the model and the Layered texture is attached to the material’s Diffuse property.

4. In the Scene browser, expand the Textures folder and double-click the Layered texture.

   The Layered Texture settings appear in the Navigator window.

5. Click the Layer Settings tab to access the Layer Editor.
6. To add a new texture to a Layered texture, click the Add button in the Layer Editor. A new texture is added to the scene and attached to the Layered texture.
   Note

   You can also add a texture that is already in the scene. Drag the texture from the scene browser and drop it either into the Layer Editor or onto the name of the Layered texture in the Scene browser.

7. Double-click the new texture in the Scene browser.
   Note

   The new texture displays twice in the Textures folder; by itself and attached to the Layered Texture.

8. Select New Media in the Texture setting’s Media menu. A file browser opens.
9. Browse for a media file and click Open.

   The texture displays in the Texture settings.

10. Add a second texture to the Layered texture, then select new media for the second texture.
11. In the Layer Editor, adjust each layer’s Blend mode and Transparency. See Blend Mode.

    The two textures display together on the model in the Viewer window.

    Note

    If your textures have alpha channels, you can create interesting blending effects, such as a grass texture giving way to a pavement texture. To use a texture’s alpha channels, apply a shader with a Transparency setting, such as the Lighted shader, to the model.

For information on how to position your texture, see Choosing a mapping method, Tiling your texture, and Rotating your texture.