Xara plus Blender questions

[ODdOnLifeItself]

Hello Frances,

That looks great.

I see that you have found the image mapping (your question from an earlier post).

I can't tell (and so, in this image it doesn't matter) if you've set the mapping for the sphere to Sphere Mapping? Just in case, you find that option here:



For the ground image, you can also give it some bump mapping to look a bit more textured. It's really easy to do, you only have to check the Normal checkbox, (under Influence), give it a small amount, and change the Bump Mapping Method to "Best Quality". Season to taste.



Something else, just so that you know... any images that are used for textures can (of course) control the coloring of an object, but they can also control other things, such as how textured the object appears (Normal), how transparent the object is (Alpha), etc. You can even stack as many as 10 textures (controlling various things) on top of each other for virtually infinite effects.

In the example below, there are no faces removed from the object. It is a simple, red sphere, but with a grid (composed of alternating black and transparent squares). By setting the objects Transparency to Alpha = 0 (obj invisible), and then using the mapped texture image, with the Alpha box checked and set to 1, the object will be transparent, but only where there was transparency in the original texture!



Blendfile for the above image...

Keep at it, Frances; you're already off to a great start!

Have fun!

James

P.S. One other little tip in case you go to use a texture with transparency. If you have a plane (let's say) and it has transparency, it will cast a rectangular shadow (ie. disregarding transparency) UNLESS you go to the Materials tab for the object receiving the shadows and go down to Shadow and enable "Receive Transparent". In the above example image, the floor plane must have this set or the shadow on the floor is of the entire sphere (no holes). Also, the inside faces of the sphere would not have been illuminated unless Receive Transparent is set for the sphere as well. This is one that had me pulling my hair out. I had added an object with transparency, but had solid shadows as if the object had no transparency. Finally had the answer, which I share with you here so you don't have to pull out any hair. (at least over that one)