Gradient measuring

[Darthlister]

Hey all,

Been away for a few months and seem to have completely forgotten how to create a gradient. I read the Tech Ref, but I'm not clear: When the techref mentions "measuring from the pivot", does that mean the center? Also, is it the center of the example sphere or the patch where the mat will be placed? For example, if I have a line of patches approx 50cm tall that I want to split between two textures, would the gradient read:

 

Start

X 0cm

Y -25cm

z 0cm

 

End

x 0cm

y 25cm

z 0cm

 

This is kinda puzzling me. I've successfully created these in the past, but I winged it, and I'm trying to gain greater control over them.

 

Thanks for any advice,

 

Rich

[Rodney]

I'm refreshing my memory but here's a little bit of a stab at this...

 

The pivot (for materials) relies on the translation settings of the material.

 

Example:

Set up a simple project with your matterial assigned to an object

While looking at that model in the Chor or wherever...

Go to the main material node and crack open the Translate settings.

Note how the colors changed based on that translate setting.

 

I may be missing something but I think the word pivot in the tech ref might refer to an older implementation where the material relied on a Named Group's pivot setting (which is one of the few places we can set a pivot that is actually referred to as a pivot in the interface). The notable exception to this is to create/adjust a pivot via use of one of the object manipulators (Translate, Scale... although I wouldn't think that'd change the pivot, and Rotate). This latter might effect the material placement in some way but I'll have to check. Edit: I don't think it can directly effect the material... there is (at least initially) no way for the material to 'see' that pivot.

 

So my take is that the translate settings of the material are the pivot for the material.

It can be center (and should be by default) but it can also be anywhere else in 3D space)

 

 

P.S. Thanks for asking the question. I learned a few things here.

[robcat2075]

Here is some visualization of what Rodney said...

 

clip3969MaterialPivotPoint.mov

 

 

[Rodney]

Great video Robert!

[Darthlister]

Robert,

Thanks for that; I appreciate it. Now I get it, although at first glance it seems counter-intuitive. Great vid!

 

Thanks,

Rich