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This page provides information on the V-Ray Hair Next Material.


Overview



V-Ray Hair Next Material is specifically designed for rendering hair and fur and provides settings for a workflow, based on the physiology of real hair. Instead of tweaking arbitrary colors that mix together, the new Hair Next material uses a simple melanin slider that determines the hair color just like in the real world. The material is the product of research based on the paper A Practical and Controllable Hair and Fur Model for Production Path Tracing.




UI Paths



||V-Ray|| > Hair Next Material


||Create|| > V-Ray > Hair Next Material (disabled Separate menu for V-Ray materials)


General Parameters


Melanin – The pigmentation component that gives the hair strand its main color. The higher the value assigned, the higher the concentration of melanin and the darker the hair strands are.

Pheomelanin – The redness (pheomelanin content) of the hair strand as a fraction of all melanin. 1.0 makes the hair redder. The ratio of melanin to pheomelanin determines how red the hair is. The pheomelanin amount has no effect, if the melanin is set to 0.

Dye Color – Applies a color tint to the hair. For a dyed hair look, set the melanin to 0, otherwise the melanin darkens the dye color and pheomelanin introduces redness to it. White means no hair dye. You can use a texture map here.

Texture – Specifies a texture map to be used as the Dye Color.

Mix Strength – Specifies the blend amount for the Dye Color texture.

Transparency – Controls the transparency of the hair. White is fully opaque, while black is fully transparent. You can use a texture map here.

Texture – Specifies a texture file to be used as the Transparency.

Mix Strength – Specifies the blend amount of the Transparency texture.

Diffuse Color – Controls the diffuse component of the shader. Use this for materials made out of cloth threads or other non-translucent fibers, as well as for dirty hair. You can use a texture map here.

Texture – Specifies a texture map to be used as the Diffuse Color.

Mix Strength – Specifies the blend amount of the diffuse color texture.

Diffuse Amount – Specifies the amount for the diffuse component of the material. You can use a texture map here.

Glossiness – Controls the glossiness along the hair strand. It primarily controls the width of the highlight, essentially how shiny the hair appears. You can use a texture map here.

Primary Glossiness Boost – Additional scaling factor to boost the primary reflection glossiness. This can be useful for reproducing the effect of shiny coating on rough-looking fur.

Softness – Controls the overall softness of the hair by how much the highlights are wrapped around the individual hair strands. Higher values make the highlights wrap almost completely around the strands giving the hair a smoother look, while lower values make it look crisper. 

Highlight Shift –  Shifts the highlights along the hair strand. Positive values shift the highlight away from the root of the hair, while negative values move the highlight closer to the root. Values in the range 2-4 are typical for human hair.

Ior – The hair's index Of Refration. The typical value for human hair is 1.55. The higher the value, the more reflective the hair strands.





Example: Melanin


The pigmentation component that gives the hair strand its main color. The higher the value assigned, the higher the concentration of melanin, the darker the hair strands are. In the example below, Pheomelanin is set to 0


Melanin = 0.1

Melanin = 0.2

Melanin = 0.3

Melanin = 0.4

Melanin = 0.5

Melanin = 0.6

Melanin = 0.7

Melanin = 0.8

Melanin = 0.9

Melanin = 1.0

0.1
1.0





Example: Pheomelanin


The redness (pheomelanin content) of the hair strand as a fraction of all melanin. A value of 1.0 makes the hair redder. The ratio of melanin to pheomelanin determines how red the hair is. The Pheomelanin amount has no effect, if Melanin is set to 0. In the example below, Melanin is set to 0.4.


Pheomelanin = 0.1

Pheomelanin = 0.2

Pheomelanin = 0.3

Pheomelanin = 0.4

Pheomelanin = 0.5

Pheomelanin = 0.6

Pheomelanin = 0.7

Pheomelanin = 0.8

Pheomelanin = 0.9 

Pheomelanin = 1.0

0.1
1.0




Example: Softness


Controls the overall softness of the hair by how much the highlights are wrapped around the individual hair strands. Higher values make the highlights wrap almost completely around the strands giving the hair a smoother look, while lower values make it look crisper. Melanin is set to 0.4.


Softness = 0.1

Softness = 0.3

Softness = 0.5

Softness = 0.7

Softness = 0.9

Softness = 1.0

0.1
1.0





Example: Highlight Shift


Shifts the highlights along the hair strand. Positive values shift the highlight away from the root of the hair, while negative values move the highlight closer to the root. In the example below, Melanin is set to 0.6.


Highlight Shift = -5

Highlight Shift = -1

Highlight Shift = 1

Highlight Shift = 5

Highlight Shift = 9

-5
9





Example: Ior


This example shows the effect of the hair's index Of Refration. The typical value for human hair is 1.55. The higher the value, the more reflective the hair strands. In the example below, Melanin is set to 0.6.


Ior = 1.55

Ior = 1.8

Ior = 2

Ior = 2.3

Ior = 2.55

Ior = 2.8

Ior = 3

1.55
3



Glint


The Glint rollout provides control over the Glint (focused highlight) and the Glitter (focused colorless highlight) parameters.

Glint Strength – Controls the strength of the colored highlights across and along the strand. See the Glint Strength example for more information.

Glint Variation – Adds a random glint variation along the strand. It affects the glint strength and orientation; the original secondary highlight strength and orientation; the softness, glossiness and highlight shift. See the Glint Variation example for more information.

Glitter Strength – Controls the glitter strength. Glitter is the additional more focused colorless highlight, which is randomly scattered along the strand. It is more pronounced with hard lighting, produced by small or collimated light sources. See the Glitter Strength example for more information.

Glitter Size – This parameter controls the size of the randomization pattern applied. Increasing the value increases the size of the pattern. See the Glitter Size example for more information.

Glint ScaleInternally, the variation along the strand is set in real world units. This parameter allows correction of the appearance of hair, which is not modeled in real world scale. Values below 1.0 shrink the variation pattern, while values above 1.0 elongate it. See theGlint Scale example for more information.




Example: Glint Strength


Controls the strength of the highlights along and across the hair strand. Melanin is set to 0.6 and all other parameters are set to their default values.


Glint Strength = 0

Glint Strength = 0.4

Glint Strength = 1

0
1




Example: Glint Variation


The Glint Variation randomizes the glint effect along the strand. Melanin is set to 0.6 and all other parameters are set to their default values.


Glint Variation = 0

Glint Variation = 0.5

Glint Variation = 1

0
1




Example: Glitter Strength


Controls the strength of the glitter highlights. The higher the value, the more pronounced the effect. Melanin is set to 0.6 and all other parameters are set to their default values.


Glitter Strength = 0

Glitter Strength = 0.3

Glitter Strength = 0.5

Glitter Strength = 0.7

Glitter Strength = 1

0
1




Example: Glitter Size


The Glitter Size controls the size of the randomization pattern applied. The higher the value, the more variation. Glitter Strength is set to 1 and all other parameters are at their default values.


Glitter Size = 0.1

Glitter Size = 1.0

Glitter Size = 10.0

Glitter Size = 100.0

Glitter Size = 1000.0

0.1
1000




Example: Glint Scale


Values below 1.0 shrink the variation pattern; values above 1.0 elongate it, so the effect is spread out.


Glitter Scale = 0.1

Glitter Scale = 1.0

Glitter Scale = 10.0

Glitter Scale = 100.0

0.1
100




Randomization



The Randomization parameters can be used to introduce variation of the general parameter values. When using randomization, different hair strands receive slightly different values for the below parameters, so in fact the randomization works on a per strand basis.

Random Melanin – Adds variation to the amount of Melanin in each hair strand.

Random Dye Hue – Adds variation to the hue component of the Dye Color. This makes each strand appear with a different dye color. This parameter has no effect, when Dye Color is not used, i.e. when Dye Color is pure white.

Random Dye Saturation – Randomizes the saturation of the Dye Color between hair strands. This makes each strand appear with a more or less saturated Dye Color. This parameter has no effect, when the Dye Color is not used, i.e. when the Dye Color is pure white.

Random Dye Value – Adds variation to the value component of the Dye Color. This makes each strand appear with a brighter or darker Dye Color. This parameter has no effect, when the Dye Color is not used, i.e. when the Dye Color is pure white.

Gray Hair Density – Adds variation to the number of gray hair strands. You can also assign a texture map to this parameter to specify areas where the density is higher.

Random Glossiness – Randomizes the Glossiness of each hair strand.

Random Softness – Assigns a random value for the Softness parameter for each strand. This makes some hair strands appear crisper, while other appear softer.

Random Highlight Shift – Adds variation to the Highlight Shift for each strand. This offsets the highlights closer or further away from the root of the hair on a per strand basis.

Random Ior – Randomizes the IOR value for each hair strand. This makes some strands more reflective, and others - less reflective.

Random Tangent – Adds a random offset to the hair Tangent. This makes the hair stands receive light from slightly different directions, which also means that the highlights is placed in slightly different places for each strand. Note that this parameter depends on the scene scale.



Tint


Primary Tint – The color tint for the primary component. Corresponds to the light reflected off of the outer surface of a hair strand. See the Primary Tint example for more information.

Texture – Specifies a texture map to be used as the Primary Tint.

Mix Strength – Specifies the blend amount of the Primary Tint Texture.

Secondary Tint – The color tint for the secondary component. Corresponds to the light piercing through and reflecting off of the back surface of a hair strand.

Texture – Specifies a texture map to be used as the Secondary Tint.

Mix Strength – Specifies the blend amount of the Secondary Tint Texture.

Transmission Tint – The color tint for the transmission component. Corresponds to the light going through the hair strands.

Texture – Specifies a texture map to be used as the Transmission Tint.

Mix Strength – Specifies the blend amount of the Transmission Tint Texture.




Example: Primary Tint


This example shows the color tint for the primary component. Corresponds to the light reflected off of the outer surface of a hair strand. The Primary Tint color is set to Pink (H=0,S=48.25,V=93.18) and we adjust its hue value.


Hue = 0

Hue = 52

Hue = 102

Hue = 172

Hue = 255

0
255




Advanced



Trace Depth – The number of indirect bounces used to compute the effect of the multiple scattering. It can significantly affect the hair appearance, especially for light-colored hairs. The number of bounces necessary can vary from 5 for dark colored hairs, to 30 and more for light colored ones.

Subdivs – Determines the number of subdivisions done when calculating the scattering.

Compensate Energy – When enabled, compensates for a lack of light bounces in areas where the hair is denser and light cannot pass sufficiently.



Outlines


Enable Outlines – When enabled, adds outlines to the object the material is applied to. This option is disabled by default.

Line Color – Determines the color of the outlines. A Texture can be applied.

Line Width – Determines the width of the outlines in pixels. The soft limit is 100. Click on the  arrow to expand. A Texture can be applied.

Opacity – Determines how opaque the lines are. Click on the  arrow to expand. You can attach a Texture for the opacity. The Mix Strength option determines the percentage of blending between the Opacity value and the texture.

Outer Overlap Threshold – Determines when outlines are created for overlapping parts of the object. Lower values reduce the outer overlapping lines, while higher values produce more overlapping outer lines.

Normal Threshold – Determines at what point lines are created for parts of the object with varying surface normals (for example, at the inside edges of a box). Lower values mean that only sharper normals generate an edge, while a value of 0.5 means that 90 degrees or larger angles generate internal lines. Higher values mean that smoother normals can also generate an edge. Don't set this value to pure 1.0, as this fills curved objects completely. 

Overlap Threshold – Determines when outlines are created for overlapping parts of the object. Lower values reduce the internal overlapping lines, while higher values produce more overlapping lines. Don't set this value to pure 1.0, as this fills the objects completely. 



Inner Line Control


Inner Line Control – When enabled, allows the inner line to be edited further. This option is disabled by default.

Inner Line Color – Determines the color of the inner lines. A Texture can be attached 

Inner Line Width – Determines the width of the inner lines in pixels. Click on the  arrow to expand for the Texture option, where you can attach a texture to serve as the inner line width.



Options


Material Id Enabled – Enables the use of Material ID.

Material ID – The color used by the Material ID render element. You can also use a shader here.

Multimatte ID – The integer ID of the material to be used by the Multi Matte render element.

Round Edges Enabled –  Enables the round edges effect which uses bump mapping to smooth out the edges of the geometry during render time.

Radius – Specify a radius (in world units) for the round edges effect. Since the actual geometry is not being changed and only the normals of the faces are affected, large values may produce undesirable effects.

Consider Same Object Only – When enabled, the rounded corners are produced only along edges that belong to the object, which has the attribute applied. When disabled, rounded corners are also produced along edges formed when the object with the attribute intersects other objects in the scene. 

Corners – Choose which edges are considered in the calculation. Possible options are:

Covex and Concave – Considers all edges. 
Convex Only 
– Only applies Round Edges effect to edges with convex angles. 
Concave Only – 
Only applies Round Edges effect to edges with concave angles. 



Preview Settings


Override Preferences – When enabled, the parameters in this tab override the global preferences of the scene for the selected material.

Enable Preview – When disabled, the previews of the material in the Viewport and the Material Editor are disabled. The material is displayed in all black. This saves on processing power.

Enable Global Illumination – When disabled, global illumination is not calculated for the current material preview.

Quality – Determines the quality of the material previews. Higher values give more detail but slow down processing.

Editor Map Size – Determines the resolution of the material preview. If you have extra-detailed textures applied to the material, this option allows you to preview those textures in higher resolution at the preview step, without needing to render.

Default
64×64 (16 KB)
128x128 (64 KB)
256x256 (256 KB)
512x512 (1 MB)
1024x1024 (4 MB)
2048x2048 (16 MB)
4096x4096 (64 MB)


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