Materials

The Materials command opens the Materials panel which specifies the color, finish, transparency, texture, and bump for use by the built-in Rhino renderer.

Materials panel toolbar

The Materials panel has additional browsing tools.

Add material

Click to select an action to create a new material.

Import from material library

Imports a material (.rmtl) from the Render Content library folder.

Create Physically Based material from texture files

Creates a physically based material from image files, or a PBR texture set (.zip).

Steps

1. Select one or more image files, or a PBR texture set (.zip).

   Free or paid PBR texture sets can be downloaded from the Internet.

2. In the Texture Selection dialog, set the material name, texture assignment, texture mapping, and units.

Choose existing

Creates a new material by using an existing material as the template.

Blend

Creates a new blend material.

Custom

Creates a new custom material.

Custom materials have all possible settings available in the editor.

Double Sided

Creates a new double sided material.

Emission

Creates a new emission material.

Gem

Creates a new gem material.

Glass

Creates a new glass material.

Metal

Creates a new metal material.

Paint

Creates a new paint material.

Physically Based

Creates a new physically based material.

Picture

Creates a new picture material.

Plaster

Creates a new plaster material.

Plastic

Creates a new plastic material.

More types...

Creates a new material from the Material Type Browser dialog.

Search

• Click the search box (magnifying glass) to display a menu for searching names, notes, or tags.

Search Names

Limits the search to names.

Search Notes

Limits the search to notes.

Search Tags

Limits the search to tags.

• When tags: is selected, a list of available tags appears. These tags are gathered from the materials, environments, and textures in the document.

• In the tags list, arrow keys move up and down and the selected tag is appended to the search.

• Type a semicolon to keep the selected tag and append a semicolon to the search.

• Backspace removes the last tag from the search.

• Once the focus is on the tags list, you can navigate the list using the keyboard with the semicolon and backspace keys appending and removing tags from the search without having to use the mouse.

Thumbnail indicators

The icons at the lower-right corner of a material thumbnail indicate the status of the material.

The material is used by objects not in selection.

The material is used by objects in selection.

At least one external image used by the material is missing.

• Pointing the mouse cursor to the icon shows information about the missing images.

• If any missing image is detected when Rhino opens a model, the Missing image files dialog appears.
• The Save textures option in the Save dialog stores images in the 3dm file to prevent images from missing.