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Element 3D v1.6 Help Home

What's New

Getting Started

Updates

Element 3D v1.6 Element 3D v1.5

Installation and Compatibility

Installing Element 3D Specifications & Requirements Installing VCP model packs Updating Element from a previous version

Importing 3D Objects into Element

Importing 3D Objects Supported 3D Formats Exporting 3D Objects for Element 3D Exporting 3D Objects from C4D Object Transform and Anchor Point Settings Importing Pre-Fractured Geometry 3D Object Troubleshooting Baked Animation Sequences Exporting Animated 3D Sequences

Texturing & Materials

Building Materials in Element 3D Material Texture Slots Environment Textures (reflection map) Texture Channel Pop-up Material Presets Supported Image Formats Surface & UV Mapping Animated Video Textures Normal Bump Map Creation Minimizing Texture Artifacts Pro Shaders Advanced Material Options Opacity Maps Auto Map Size Limit

Animating 3D Objects

3D Object Groups Particle Replicator Particle Look Baked Animation Options Multi-Object Mode Adjusting the Anchor Point Group Utilities & Null Objects World Transform Animation Engine

Extruding 3D Text & Mask Shapes

Extruding Text Tessellation Options Bevel Options Use Layer as UV Bevel Presets

User Interface (Scene Setup)

Panel Descriptions, Preview, Browser, etc. Adjusting UI Panels Saving Presets Preferences Hotkeys Selecting Atom particle vs Replicator Array Changing the Environment map

Compositing Element 3D

Using Depth Compositing World Position Matte Using a Mask with an Element Layer Custom Layer Maps Using Matte Shadow plane Element 3D with 3D Camera Trackers Element 3D & Lens Flare Obscuration Custom Environment maps

Camera & Lighting

Camera Setup Lighting Controls

Render Settings

Environment Lighting Ambient Occlusion (SSAO) Fog Motion Blur Depth of Field Glow Camera Cutoff Tips for Large Resolution Comps Render Order & Opacity Maps Optimizing Render Settings & Performance

Sharing & Transferring Projects

Transferring Element 3D Projects and Assets Relinking missing files

Troubleshooting

Licensing Problems Model Browser Empty Plug-In Not Opening Render Problems Installer Errors Unable To Find Solution?

FAQ

Home > Texturing & Materials > Building Materials in Element 3D

Building Materials in Element 3D

There are a few different key options for creating great looking materials in Element 3D. You can adjust Diffuse, Specular, Reflection/Refraction, Illumination, Normal Bump, Occlusion, and Normal Bump, Environment. See Material Texture Slots for more specific descriptions of each material setting.

Beyond The Basics Video
• Customizing UI
• Adding textures
• Basic texture mapping options

WATCH NOW!

The main idea is that you can click on the the slots for those material settings and load your own texture maps into those slots. For example:

EXAMPLE
Create a metallic looking texture

1. Click on the Diffuse slot where it says "none set" and a popup window comes up, click on the Load Texture slot.
2. This will let you navigate to where your textures are located, and click open to select that texture map.
3. You can import JPEG or PNG files. Go here for recommended asset storing. This will help files stay linked together when transferring files.
4. If you have a Specular you can do the same process for selecting that map and loading it into the specular slot.
5. Now you can adjust each channel with the options that correspond to the Texture Slot name further down the material options window.
6. You can also save your material settings by right clicking on the Main Material Name slot and selecting Save as Material Preset.

LOAD A TEXTURE

SPECULAR

ADJUST CHANNELS

SAVE AS MATERIAL PRESET

EXAMPLE Create a metallic looking texture

EXAMPLE
Create a metallic looking texture