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Hash, Inc. - Animation:Master

Using a decal to control hair placement


John Bigboote

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HI!-

 

I've always added Hair to my characters by creating a group and dropping the hair.mat onto it...now, I want to try using a decal with an alpha to control where the hair emanates from. I've realized i have NO clue on how to do this... I've read Holmes hair tutorial which covers using decals AS the hair (feathers) but I want to use the decal as the emitter...

 

I've done a search too.

 

Do I--- Apply the decal, change it's type to 'other' and then apply the hair to the decal? How does the hair know the decal is controlling it? Where do I put the hair material?

 

Thanks for any help-

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Matt-

 

Just did a quick check.

 

apply hair material to model/group.

add decal to same model/group.

Change decal type to other.

The properties driven box (right below where you've changed to other) should now present you with a pop up list of properties yo can drive with the image.

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Doh! I can't believe I didn't include a section on that in the hair tut. I'm going to write a note to myself to add a section on using a hair density decal.

 

... Seeing you in the newbies forum is freakin' hilarious :P

It just goes to show, nobody knows everything about this program. It's just too ... huge.

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OK--- I got this to work. The 'trick' I found was to NOT use an alpha-channel in the image file... so in the image file, use BLACK where you don't want hair, and WHITE where you want hair to be full... mid-tone gradients would give partial results, naturally. ALSO you will want the decal to cover ALL of the patches in the group you apply the hair/decal to, or else hair will grow full out of the undecaled areas.

 

Very interesting.

 

HERE is the project file if anyone wants!

DecalHair_DECAL.jpg

Decal_Hair.zip

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ALSO you will want the decal to cover ALL of the patches in the group you apply the hair/decal to, or else hair will grow full out of the undecaled areas.

 

Sort of like men as we get older discover hair growing out of previously "undecaled" areas? ;)

 

Hair decals was one of the first things I tried with hair way back when I started playing with hair. I can't remember if I used a hair decal for my Dave Bowman image contest entry. I think I did... but I can't remember. I used it extensively for Larry Liger's head and mane hair. Saved a lot of time. I used a hair color decal for his leg tiger stripes.

 

-vern

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