Using the Refraction Node

Refraction is the familiar physical phenomenon of light traveling differently through different materials and thus reflecting differently off objects behind that material. For example, if you have a glass of water with a straw in it, the part of the straw that’s not in water appears to be in a different angle to the part which is in the water. This is due to water bending the light waves. PrmanRender uses raytracing to create this effect and you can use the Refraction node to adjust the result. Without the PrmanRender node and RenderMan software though, the Refraction node has no effect.

1.

Create a Refraction node by clicking 3D > Shader > RenderMan > Refraction.

2.

Connect the node to the PrmanRender node and set the controls to adjust your refraction:

• refraction index - slide to change the type of refraction.

• value - sets the intensity of the refraction.