Peter Aversten Look at Using Mari ISO, or Isolation Maps for Texturing and Look Development

Lead Texture Artist Peter Aversten shows how you can work with the Mari Node Graph to create ISO maps. What are ISO maps? ISO is short for “Isolation,” and is a way that you can provide a method for masking, selecting or overriding essential components of your project.

“When I start a project I take some initial time to think about what materials an asset is made of. Also, what special masks might be needed later on” Aversten says. “If I don’t have the immediate option to select materials on a patch or selection basis I create special masks or ISOs I later use in my texturing.”

Aversten shares his workflow and techniques for creating isolation maps. He uses the node graph in Maur to collect his mask nodes inside of backdrops. Using the Mari Extention Pack’s radio transmitter node, Aversten can declare the ISO maps for easy access anywhere. “The beauty of being able to declare masks using the extension pack is you don’t have to hunt around and connect nodes,” Aversten says.

Watch Aversten’s short 13-minute tutorial where he shows how to make the maps within a variety of scenarios in a production pipeline.