Material Study: Enhanced Realism When Creating Condensation via Normal Mapping

bdesign · July 08, 2018, 09:29:04 PM

While there is no substitute for the accuracy of creating condensation with actual geometry, I think this technique can enhance the realism and the illusion that the droplets are actually water on a surface when creating them via normal mapping. The trick is to map the IOR of the Glass (Solid) material with a black & white map that corresponds to the silhouettes of the normal map droplets. Plug the b&w map > Source of a Color Composite node, and set the Background to black. Plug a Surface Backside Mask > Source of a Color Invert node. Plug the Color Invert node > Source Alpha of the Color Composite node. Plug the Color Composite node > Input of a Color To Number node. Set the Output From value to the IOR of glass (1.52 in my example), and the Output To value to the IOR of water (1.33). Plug the Color To Number node into the Refraction Index of the Glass (Solid) material. This setup manually emulates the Refraction Index/Refraction Index Outside options of the Dielectric and Liquid type materials, with the benefit of being able to map them. Example renders below are:

1. Glass with IOR mapping setup
2. Glass without IOR mapping setup (IOR set at 1.52)
3. Normal map and corresponding IOR map

Coca-Cola glass model from GrabCAD by Ahmed Zawad Ul Hoque Shovon.

Cheers,
Eric

INNEO_MWo · July 08, 2018, 11:27:39 PM

Wow Eric.

You know how to amaze users!

Great job and good tutorial!!!

That made my day. Thank you.

Cheers
Marco

bdesign · July 09, 2018, 09:54:28 AM

Thanks very much, Marco. Glad to hear that

Cheers,
Eric

DMerz III · July 09, 2018, 11:54:42 AM

Very nice!

Will be even more impressive in 8 when you can utilize the displacement map

bdesign · July 09, 2018, 12:27:18 PM

Thank you, David.

Cheers,
Eric

Will Gibbons · July 11, 2018, 04:47:09 PM

Great material study. Nice execution!

feher · July 11, 2018, 06:25:43 PM

Very nice ! Thanks for sharing your workflow.
It's a keeper.
Tim

bdesign · July 11, 2018, 07:39:33 PM

Quote from: Will Gibbons on July 11, 2018, 04:47:09 PM
Great material study. Nice execution!

Thanks very much, Will! I appreciate you taking a look

Cheers,
Eric

bdesign · July 11, 2018, 07:40:26 PM

Quote from: feher on July 11, 2018, 06:25:43 PM
Very nice ! Thanks for sharing your workflow.
It's a keeper.
Tim

Thank you kindly, Tim! You're welcome

Cheers,
Eric

Hossein Alfideh · July 16, 2018, 07:23:06 AM

Cool study as always Eric!Thanks for sharing!

INNEO_MWo · July 16, 2018, 10:44:06 AM

Hey Eric.

I'm Pretty sure that you willl LOVE KeyShot 8!!!

Cheers
Marco

bdesign · July 16, 2018, 12:32:16 PM

Quote from: Hossein Alfideh on July 16, 2018, 07:23:06 AM
Cool study as always Eric!Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, Hossein! You're welcome man

Cheers,
Eric

bdesign · July 16, 2018, 12:34:23 PM

Quote from: MWo on July 16, 2018, 10:44:06 AM
Hey Eric.

I'm Pretty sure that you willl LOVE KeyShot 8!!!

Cheers
Marco

Hey Marco. I'm sure KS8 will be awesome! I haven't even had a chance to play with KS7 yet . . . still on 6.3.

Cheers,
Eric

Will Gibbons · July 18, 2018, 10:03:41 AM

Quote from: bdesign on July 16, 2018, 12:34:23 PM
Hey Marco. I'm sure KS8 will be awesome! I haven't even had a chance to play with KS7 yet . . . still on 6.3.

NOOOOOOOOO!!! You should get on the Beta when it's open (soon)

Despot · July 20, 2018, 08:55:52 AM

Great stuff Eric, can't wait to see what you do with KS8