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Introduction
In this ShapeDiver blog post, Grasshopper expert Edwin Hernández explains how to enhance the rendering of 3D models in Grasshopper by properly applying texture mapping. He discusses common rendering issues, the importance of converting geometry to meshes for better performance, and techniques for applying textures using the ShapeDiverTextureTransform component or the Human plugin.
Edwin also covers different texture mapping patterns (planar, cubic, cylindrical, spherical) and transformations (move, rotate, scale) to achieve realistic material effects, such as color, metalness, roughness, and bump maps, ultimately improving the visual quality of models on the ShapeDiver platform.
Hi, my name is Edwin. I'm a Grasshopper expert at ShapeDiver, and in this blog post, I will show you how to enhance the rendering of your Grasshopper definitions by properly mapping textures onto your geometry and applying some attractive materials. Let's dive in!
One of the most common issues I've seen Grasshopper users encounter when uploading their definitions to ShapeDiver.com is "poor" rendering of their models. Great online rendering depends on several factors and two of the main ones are:
1. The online viewer used to display the 3D files (we've made some great improvements on ours since we first launched our website back in 2016, and we'll discuss this in a future post).
2. A proper setup of the 3D file itself. The main problem is that, on average, Grasshopper users excel at solving geometry problems, investing significant time into making definitions run as efficiently as possible. However, when it comes to how the models actually look... well, let's say that this part also deserves some attention. This is understandable, given that Grasshopper itself hasn't been widely used as a presentation tool, but with ShapeDiver.com, we're trying to change this.
First Impressions Last
Let's start with the way we present our models online. Compare these two sofa setups:
*Sources: sofa left, sofa right.
Technically, both are the same sofa. You can change exactly the same parameters on both, but... which one was more pleasant to look at and interact with? And most importantly: which one felt better?
In this case, it depends not only on having great textures but also on putting some extra thought and adding interesting scenery to transform something as "regular" as a sofa into something a bit more visually appealing.
Why Is It Important To Make Your Models Look Good?
Let's jump now to our main topic. When uploading your Grasshopper definitions to ShapeDiver.com, potentially anyone around the world will be able to check them out (if you set the model to public, that is), and to catch your users’ attention, first impressions should last. After all, there's only so much you can do through a device's screen, so you should use all the tools at your disposal.
Additionally, if you're planning to use your ShapeDiver model commercially, a good setup will make the experience more pleasant for your end users.
What is Texture Mapping?
Let's start by defining what "Texture Mapping" is. If you've previously worked with 3D modeling (or modelling, depending on where you're reading us from) and animation software such as Blender, Maya, 3Ds Max, or others, these concepts may already be clear to you, but let's assume they're not.
Texture Mapping is the application of coordinates to your 3D geometry using different patterns to enhance the realism of the object. These patterns can be planar, cubic, cylindrical, spherical, or completely random; you're even free to create your own custom patterns.
How Can Texture Mapping Be Achieved in Grasshopper?
There are two main ways we recommend to achieve this:
1. By using the ShapeDiver component "ShapeDiverTextureTransform" found in our plugin (if you haven't downloaded it from our Food4Rhino page, we recommend you to do so!).
2. By using the popular Grasshopper plugin Human for which on ShapeDiver we currently only support the texture mapping components marked in the image below:
*Texture Mapping with the Human plugin.
Let's start with our "ShapeDiverTextureTransform" component. As its name suggests, it was created to transform the texture mapping of a geometry. It will work wonderfully if the geometry has a pattern applied to it. This will be the case if you have used certain Grasshopper components to create them, which contain the native texture mapping effect that you want to achieve.
However, if you've altered your definition excessively, you may have unintentionally destroyed the native texture mapping, in which case you'll need to reconstruct your pattern using the mentioned Human plugin.
How Can You Know If Your Geometry Has A Correct Texture Pattern?
The easiest way to figure this out is to connect the element you need to render into the "ShapeDiverDisplayGeometry" component and give it a texture using the "ShapeDiverMaterial" component.
If you don't know how to add a texture image yet (something that we will show you further down in this post), simply copy and paste this link: https://i.imgur.com/V0uyKnM.png, which contains a texture checker, and connect it to the "Texture" input. By the end, you should be getting something like this:
*Texture applied to a surface created with the "BoundarySurface" component.
*Texture applied to a surface created with the "Loft" component.
As you can see, the first surface created with the "BoundarySurface" component has texture coordinates based on a plane that covers the boundary box of the geometry, whereas the second surface created with the "Loft" component has texture coordinates that follow the shape of the given element. Other components that create texture coordinates similar to those achieved with "Loft" are the "Sweep" and "RuledSurface" components.
Tip: Primitive objects also have their own texture coordinates.
Interestingly, the only primitive object that doesn't have a well-set texture map is the box. However, this can be solved by converting it into a mesh using the "MeshBox" component. In any case, it is recommended to always convert the final geometry into meshes to improve the performance of your definition (but we'll talk about this specific topic in another blog post). Converting to a mesh will preserve the texture coordinates of the primitive.
Finally, after you have ensured that your geometry has a good pattern, you can start playing with it by using transformations. The majority of these transformations can be found in the outputs of components, which are located in the "Transform" tab inside "Affine", "Array", and "Euclidean."
The simplest and most used transformations for Texture Mapping are "Move", "Rotate", and "Scale", and they can be combined by using the "Compound" component. Just create a list with those transformations in the order you'd like them to be executed and connect the "Compound" component into the "Transform" input located in "ShapeDiverTextureTransform" as shown in the following image:
If done correctly, you'll be able to achieve something like this:
Additionally, "ShapeDiverTextureTransform" allows you to randomize the texture in the X and Y axes if you don't want a symmetrical result.
What If The Geometry Doesn't Already Have The Texture Pattern I Want?
Don't worry! It's time to explore the second option: let's check how to create one from scratch using the Human plugin.
Let's say we have an asymmetrical shape created with the "Loft" component, which means it has a texture map that follows the shape of the geometry as we explained before, but we want the pattern to be symmetrical and aligned with the XY plane.
To achieve this, we need to use the "PlanarMapping" component available in Human. This component will reconstruct the texture coordinates of our geometry based on a plane and given domains in the X and Y axes.
*Before and After Planar Mapping
As in the previous example, you can use other primitive shapes to project textures on your geometry and achieve different effects.
*Source: http://www.rafaelservantez.com/writing/tutorials/3d/projection_types.jpg
Now that we have our geometry with the desired texture coordinates, what is the next step? Well, the next step is to find (or create) suitable materials for your model!
Creating Materials
ShapeDiver has two components used to apply materials:
"ShapeDiverSimpleMaterial" and "ShapeDiverMaterial". Let's start with the former.
1. "ShapeDiverSimpleMaterial"
This is ideal when you want to add a color or use one of our preset texture codes. These codes already include all the necessary settings to display great materials via our viewer:
