Render

Everything needed to turn a finished piece into an image: the two engines, the lights, the materials and the mapping.

The concepts — which engine to use and when — are in Rendering, which is where the pages these cards link to live. Eight groups, left to right.

Render and materials

• Render and AnimationThe render panel and turntable animations.
• Apply Design MaterialsPuts the design materials on the piece.
• Safe FrameShows what the render will actually include.
• Lying on the GroundDrops the piece flat, as it would rest for a photo.
• Apply Render MaterialsSwaps in the heavier render materials.
• Batch RenderingRenders a queue of views or files unattended.
• Pair 3DThe mirrored twin, for a paired shot.

Realtime

• Realtime RenderThe viewer that keeps refining while you work.

KeyShot

• Live LinkingOpens the piece in KeyShot and keeps it linked.
• Update InstancePushes your latest changes to that KeyShot scene.
• ExportSends the piece to KeyShot as a one-off.

Panels

• EnvironmentThe environment the piece is lit by.
• LightsThe lights in the scene.
• GroundThe ground plane under the piece.
• MaterialsThe materials in the file.
• TexturesThe textures those materials use.
• LibraryThe material and environment library.

Lights

• SpotlightA cone of light aimed where you point.
• Point LightLight radiating from a single point.
• Directional LightParallel light, like the sun.
• Rectangular LightA softbox — the usual key light for jewellery.
• Linear LightA strip of light.
• Light PropertiesIntensity, colour and shadow of a light.
• Edit Light by Highlight LocationPlaces a light by dragging the highlight it makes.
• Set Spotlight to ViewPoints a spotlight where you are looking.
• Edit Light by LookingAims a light from the light's own point of view.
• Set View to SpotlightLooks through a spotlight.

Colours and materials

• Set Render ColorSets the colour a material renders as.
• Synchronize Render ColorsBrings display and render colours into line.
• Merge Identical MaterialsCollapses duplicate materials into one.
• Match Material PropertiesCopies one material's settings onto another.
• Set Material Source: LayerMakes objects take their material from the layer.

Texture mapping

• Show Texture MappingDisplays the mapping widget on an object.
• Planar MappingProjects the texture flat.
• UV MappingUses the surface's own UV space.
• Cylindrical MappingWraps the texture around a cylinder.
• Box MappingProjects from six sides.
• Spherical MappingWraps the texture around a sphere.
• Unwrap TextureFlattens the surface so a texture can be painted on it.
• Apply Custom Texture MappingUses an object you modelled as the mapping cage.
• Pack TexturesPacks the textures into one atlas.
• Refresh All TexturesReloads every texture from disk.
• Unpack TexturesSplits a packed atlas back out.
• Hide Mapping WidgetsHides the mapping cages from the viewport.
• Remove Mapping ChannelDrops a mapping channel from the object.
• Edit Mapping CoordinatesEdits the mapping numerically.
• Extract Custom Mapping ObjectPulls the mapping cage out as geometry.
• Match Texture MappingCopies one object's mapping onto another.

Surface effects

• Curve PipingRenders a curve as a pipe without modelling one.
• ShutliningRenders a groove along a curve.
• DisplacementPushes the surface with a texture at render time.
• Edge SofteningRounds hard edges so they catch light.
• ThicknessGives an open surface render thickness.