• All Files

16. Mari 4 - Merging Materials

Part of Mari 4 - Fundamentals and Best Practice.

Contents:

In the Video:

• Adding materials to the layerstack

• Importing materials from disk

• Applying several materials to a mesh using masks

• Controlling multi-channel properties

Test Your Knowledge

1.   How do you import materials you’ve previously created?
ClosedReveal answer

Export the material, then drag it from your file browser into your Personal tab in the Shelf palette.

2.   Name one way to assign materials to a specific part of the mesh.
ClosedReveal answer

Select the part you want to apply the material to, then drag the material onto it. If you have nothing selected, the material will apply to the whole mesh.

3.   How do you combine more than one Materials in a single mesh through the Node Graph?
ClosedReveal answer

The MultiChannelMerge node allows you to have a Base and Over inputs for both Materials as well as a Mask input, which you can use to mask out certain areas of your Over input.

Exercise

This exercise trains you to working with multiple materials and masking options.

1.   Click File > New to open the New Project dialog.
2.   In the Geometry tab, using the Path field select an object to be painted, then click Create New Project.
3.   In the Shelf palette, in the Mari Materials tab, select a material and drag it onto your object on the canvas, then add a second material.
4.   In the Layers palette, right-click the top layer and navigate to Layer Mask > Add Mask > Hide All.
5.   Use the Select tool and select the parts of your object where you would like to reveal your top material, then right-click and navigate to Fill > White.

Tip:  To apply a material to a specific part of your object without a mask, select an area on your object then drag the material onto it.