New York based Digital Artist Nicholas Breslow shares his Mari Tools 1.0, a collection of tools he wrote using Mari’s new shader API (2.5v2) that will offer some great additions.
Mari Tools Shader Features include
- Energy conserving Architectural shader similar to the mia_material_x
- Oren and Nayar Diffuse, Ward Isotropic Specular, Ward Anisotropic Specular shaders
- New Normal Map blend modes based on the work of Colin Barré-Brisebois and Stephen Hill
- Super Ellipse 2D, Super Shape 2D, Weave, Dots, Stripes Procedural shaders
nb_MariTools adds a new physically based, energy conserving Architectural Shader. The Shader operates similar to the mia_material_X in mental ray.
In fact, looking at the example renders, it operates pretty much exactly as the mental ray architectural shader does. Well, as well as it can without having the ability to ray trace inside of Mari.
nb_MariTools 1.0
nb_MariTools is designed to give you some help in your texturing workflow in the Foundry’s Mari.
In addition to the physical shader, Mari Tools also provides normal map blending and procedurals to round out the toolset.
Mari Tools Shaders
Mari Tools give you an Architectural shader that is based on the 3Dlight mia_Material RSL code that has some changes to it so that it can be adapted for Mari. It is quite similar to the mia shader available in Autodesk Maya or 3ds Max. It has included a Reflection and Refraction shader that offers a view independent preview of a reflective environment in real time.
Normal Map Blending
Mari Tools comes with two methods to blend detail normal maps with the base normals map using the “mix” and “add” blend modes. Mari Tools handles RNM Normal Maps, RLV Normal Maps, and UDN Normal Maps.
Procedurals
Mari Tools offers five useful procedural shaders, with Super Ellipse 2D, Super Shape 2D, Weave, does, and stripes. Super Ellipse 2D – AKA the “Squircle”, is a 2D procedural and looks similar to a rounded rectangle pattern.
The Super Shape 2D – AKA the “Superformula”, is a math based pattern that can recreate shapes and curves that can be found in nature.
The Weave, Dots & Stripes are enhanced versions of the procedural shaders that are found currently in Mari.
To learn more about nb_MariTools, including a download, installation instructions, and a walk though of all the features, check the page at nbreslow.com.
