Where to place a specular map
 

Hi,

should a specular map be placed on specular eccentricity, or on specular colour? It is to control how specular an area is, rather than the colour to be reflected - would that be eccentricity then?

thanks,

gubar.

What shader are you using? I know that there is a specular map in the blinn shader. Try middleclick-drag the file to the shader and select specularity, that should work.

I hope I was to some help. :)

Hi,

I'm using a blinn but I have a few options, here is a dump of them - is this where I should be looking?

thanks,

gubar.

Re: Where to place a specular map
 

Click the checker box right next to the Specular Color.
:beer:

Thank you, I though it was that one, but the word "colour" had me thinking that it was something other than a regular specular map.

cheers,

gubar

things to be aware when mapping your specular channels

1) Mapping the eccentricity channel will control the glossiness of the specular setting ie good for sharp hilites on lipstick or greasy skin etc

2)The Roll off is basically the spread overall

the above maps should be grayscale images

3)Specular color....says it all really (this map should be a desaturated map with a color tone in the hilited areas ie: skin would have a bluish sheen)

4)reflected color, this can be mapped with a grey image to keep the tone of reflections to a minimum or again you can do something similar like the spec color map


Cheers
Jay

cheers for that info Jay, I didnt know what all the options allowed you to do - but I do now :)

Si

Hi jay,

thanks for the info.

Wondered though, how do you create a specular colour map? Does the colour (for example, the desaturated blue in your example) actually control the colour of the specular highlights? I had assumed you used a grayscale image again, but that it controlled how much specularity appeared on the mapped parts (so that you could have, say, lower specularity on the smudges on a glass surface).

thanks, gubar.

Gubar

Yes, spot on, just by creating a gray image (but keeping it in RGB mode) just add a color tint to it.

Look at a spec map like a bump map, the white is the highest/brightest point or peak if you will and the darker areas are the lowest parts where lesser or no light can bounce.

As for a using in a glass Im pretty sure it would work that way, though it may need combining with a mild transparency map too so there are areas that aren't see through

Cheers
Jay

Thanks Jay.

Is the colout tint necessary then - would the grayscale on its own not suffice? I'm not sure if I see how the colout tint applies.

cheers again,

gubar.

Gubar

It depends on what you are after really, for hi lites on skin I'd put a bluish spec in. Its all trial and error and what suits your needs really

Cheers
Jay

Ok, I see what you mean - the map controls the the strength the colour of the specular highlight.

Thanks again for clearing that up,

gubar.