finalToonR4: Hatching Tutorial (also exportable to 2D vector for Adobe)
21Cebas tutorial # 2 - how to use the hatching texture functionality in finalToon 4.0.
The Cebas all powerful and enhanced version of finalToon 4.0, launched October 2016. http://www.cebas.com/finaltoon
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Tutorial 2:
Scene: two lights, a camera and some objects in there as shown.
- the sofa set was downloaded from internet and you can find something similar to play with.
- in menu : 'finalToon' 'material/map browser' - replaces 'standard' material; the 'finalToon material' gives better selection control as it has better 'shadow', 'specular' etc controls.
- go to Material/Map browser - 'general', choose body color: the sample scene, we have selected 'finalToon Hatching texture'.
- finalToon Hatching is design to give the designer artist so much more power in texturing techniques.
1) BITMAP HATCHING
- two types of hatching: 1) 'bitmap' hatching : fToon auto-creates the hatching pattern and hatching map for you; 2) 'procedural hatching' : 'stippling', 'points', 'vertical' and 'horizontal' lines.
STROKE PATTERN
- bitmap - 'stroke mask' : finalToon comes with pre-sets and 'stroke patterns'. The stroke patterns have alpha channels and they have to be transparent where you don't need to see the 'stroke' pattern.
- fToon will draw the selected stokes over and over again internally and creates the hatching patterns for you.
- Next , select 'body' in the finalToon matl editor for the color of the body: in this scene this is selected as resembling a 'drawn on paper' effect, so it's a plain white color -- now do a test render.
- of course, this is way to ugly to be used as a hatching pattern, here the resolution is too low and the scale is not at its best.
- so next, we shall adjust the size of the 'stroke' patterns on the fT material editor. We reduce that to '40.'
- Then we adjust the bitmap size to an increment of '1024'. This will make it smooth and nicer.
- Do a 2nd test render now and you will see a much nicer result.
- you notice the modifications of the hatching patterns in the areas of light and shadow.
- However, the patterns still look too orderly and we want randomness in the hatching to resemble a hand-drawn effect.
ADJUSTING A RANDOMNESS STROKE STYLE
- To optimize this in toon, we go to editor again - 'Stroke homogeneity' / U-axis and V-axis: adjust and play around with these values; more V-axis adjustments will show more randomness.
LIGHT & SHADOW CONTROLS
- Go to 'stroke density' - 'light rise' and adjust the values. Light rise is a kind of specular light rise but in fToon it also controls the hatching ie. the density of the illuminated areas of the hatching.
- 'Shadow decay' adjusted the darkness of the hatching areas - check out the shadow corners of the sofa example.
- So these VIP 'shadow decay' & 'light rise' control shah\dow/light as well as gives fine contrast adjustments to your hatching patterns.
LIGHT
- the other obvious controls for LIghts/Shadows is your LIGHT.
- positioning of the light defines the how the shadow falls in fToon and the shadow controls the hatching pattern **
OVERALL DENSITY OF THE HATCHING
- test again by reducing the density value under 'stroke density': lower density means less stroke per area; e.g. medium value : 150 and darker value : 300
- instead of lowering the 'light rise', alternatively, adjust the min / max level under 'stroke density'. Min level can guarantee you in bright areas still some 'strokes'.
CHANGING STROKE PATTERNS
- at this point, we can still change stroke patterns via 'stroke mask'. It gives a complete different pattern texture to the sofa.
2) PROCEDURAL HATCHING
- fToon editor - 'Stroke Style' under 'Parameters: non-bitmap, resolution-dependent: 'stippling', 'points', 'vertical', 'horizontal'.
- 'Stroke mask' - 'map size' all works as controls, as would 'stroke density'.
- for 'point' please ensure stroke density min level at 10.0
- 'Strippling' renders out something like a lead pencil-drawn result.
- with fine adjustment, a designer can create something which is unique and no one else has the same look and feel.
VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL LINES
- test render the vertical and horizontal lines of Stroke styles as well.
-here you might need extra setup time for the lines to make the shadow and lights blend better.
- sample shows 'point' hatching: go to menu: 'Rendering' -'effects': 'Environment & Effects' to get fatter, thicker, stronger outlines for the object. Activate finalToon 'effects': 'Default edges' for an amazing variety of line effects ! 'Lines': 'Global scaling'. Line colors, size, patterns are all a matter of your choice!
USER DEFINED AMAZING LINE STYLES
- you can select to do the linestyle on a render element or the outlines only - checkmark 'User defined' - 'Shapes color' and do more.