Create New Paint Layer window

The Create New Paint Layer window appears the first time you paint on a model. It also appears when you create a new paint layer using the Paint Layers window. See also Create a new paint layer.

Options available in the Create New Paint Layer window:

Name: Specifies the name for the paint layer.

Size: Specifies the size (resolution) for the image (paint layer). Values represent the number of pixels along X and Y for the image (square aspect ratio): 256, 512, 1024, 2048 (default), 4096. The larger the size, the finer and sharper the detail you can apply when painting.

Save As: Lets you specify the image file format and bit depth (8, 16, 32) for the image you are going to paint. For a list of supported image formats, see Paint file formats and color bit depth.

The higher the bit depth, the smoother the blending of colors in the image. Higher bit depth images can sustain color and contrast adjustments with less degradation in quality compared to low bit depth images.

Channel: Specifies on which paint channel to apply the paint and how it appears on the model as a result. The channels available depend on the currently assigned material type.

For example, if you want the paint to appear as the diffuse base color material for the model, select Diffuse (default). If you want to paint a bump texture that appears more tactile (for example, one that renders in relief or appears embossed), select Bump Map.

Channel types include:

Diffuse: Creates a diffuse paint layer.
Specular: Creates a specular paint layer for painting specular highlights.
Gloss: Creates a layer for painting gloss values which control the size of the specular reflection.
Incandescence: Creates an incandescence channel for painting or for specifying a file to be applied as an emission map within the material properties window.
Opacity: Creates a transparency paint layer. This channel does not look at color, only the luminance. However, bright colors make the effect more opaque, while darker colors make it less opaque.
Vector Displacement Map: Creates a layer for painting a vector displacement map on the model.
Bump Map: Creates a layer for painting bump values on the model.
Normal Map: Creates a layer for painting normal maps on a model or for specifying a file to be applied as a normal map within the material properties window.
Reflection Mask: Creates a layer for painting a mask to restrict any reflection map that is applied to the material.