You can apply a texture to a surface, 3D model, or 3D text. You can move, rotate, scale, and animate the texture independently from the surface, 3D model, or 3D text. Since the texture and its axis are parented by the geometry node, animating the geometry's axis also animates the texture, which has the effect of keeping the texture properly in place on the model. A texture uses the specular highlight, diffuse colour, and shine set by its parent.

When adding a texture to a shaded surface, the texture is used when generating the shadow. The texture is only used to apply the colour to the shadow, so effects such as surface displacement will still reference the media associated with the surface. If a node has an applied texture, it is the matte setting of the texture that controls whether the object will be included in the various output mattes (scene matte, blend matte, for example).

To add a texture:

1. In the schematic, select the surface, 3D model, or 3D text to which you want to apply the texture.
2. Click Media.
3. In the Media menu, select the media you want to use for the texture.

   A texture uses the front and matte of the media. If you do not want to apply transparency to your texture, turn its matte off.

4. Do one of the following:
   • Drag the Texture node from the node bar and place it in the schematic.
   • Drag the Texture node from the node bar and place it where you want it in Result view.
   • Double-click the Texture node. You do not need to be in Schematic view to add a node in this manner.

   The texture object is added to the schematic with its own parent axis. The new axis is the child of the selected surface or geometry.
5. Double-click the Texture node in the schematic, or follow the tab population rules for the Object menu (see Populating Menu Tabs of Selected Objects).

   The Texture menu appears.

6. Select the texture and set texture properties as described in Applying Texture Mapping.