Creating a New Material

QUESTION

I have an image on my computer that I would like to use in my plan as a material or I would like to create a custom material that can be applied to 3D objects. How do I do this?

ANSWER

Materials in Chief Architect have two primary attributes that determine what they look like in 3D views: patterns composed of CAD lines, and textures which are created using image files such as .jpg's or .png's. A new material with both a custom pattern and texture can easily be created in the User Catalog, which is located in the Library Browser.

If you want to import a new material that will be tiled seamlessly across a surface, make sure that the image that will be used will line up accurately to look realistic for 3D camera views.

In X17 and newer, you can also use the Material Builder to create a new custom stone, masonry, tile, or wood material.

To create a new material through the Define Material dialog

1. If the Library Browser is not already open, navigate to View> Library Browser .
   
   
   
2. Right-click once on the User Catalog folder and select New> Material from the contextual menu that displays. 
   
   
   Note: On a Mac, hold down the Control key while clicking to initiate a right-click command. More information about right-click commands on Apple input devices can be found in the following Apple resource: Right-click on Mac.
   
   
   
   
   

   If you would like to add a new material to a folder or subfolder in your User Catalog, right click on the desired folder and select New> Material. 

   
   
3. The Define Material dialog will open.
   
   The settings on the Pattern panel control how the material will appear in the Vector View, Technical Illustration, and Hand Drawn Line rendering techniques. When the Hand Drawn Lines on Top setting is enabled within the Standard, Physically Based, Clay, or Watercolor rendering techniques, pattern lines are also used.
   
   
   
   
   
   • Specify a Material Name.
     
     
   • If desired, choose a Material Color and a Pattern Type using either the drop-down menu or clicking the Library button.
     
     
     Note: You can manually create a custom pattern, or a custom pattern can be automatically generated based upon a texture image by clicking the Pattern From Texture button. However, it's recommended to only select this option after a texture image is specified for the material, which is discussed in the next step. 
     
     
   
   
4. The settings on the Texture panel control the appearance of the material in the Standard, Physically Based, Watercolor, and Duotone rendering techniques.
   
   
   
   
   • In the Texture Source section click Import and browse your computer for the image that you'd like to use as a custom material.
     
     If you see Select instead of Import, either click Select to choose an image from your Asset Management, or click the dropdown next to Select and choose Import.
     
     If using Traditional File Management or using X16 and prior, click the Browse button next to Texture Source File and browse your computer for the image that you would like to use as a custom material. 
     
     If using Traditional File Management and you see Edit Path instead of Browse, click the dropdown next to Edit Path and choose Browse.
     
     
   • Once it's specified, adjust the Scale and Offset and Angle settings to your liking.
     
     

     For more information on each of the options listed here, click on the Help button at the bottom of the dialog box to open your software's documentation.  

     
     
   
   
5. The settings on the Properties panel control how materials appear in most rendered 3D views.
   
   
   
   
   Note: To learn more about material properties, please view Video 83: Advanced Materials.
   
   
   
6. The settings on the Materials List panel control how the material is counted in the Materials List.
   
   
   
7. Once all desired changes have been made, click OK to add the material to the User Catalog.
   
   You can also click the Add to Library button to add the material to the User Catalog without closing the dialog box. This allows you to add several material variations to the library without the need to create copies beforehand.
   
   

Your new material is now available for use in any plan. 

To create a new material using the Material Builder*

*Applies to versions X17 and newer.

1. Select 3D> Material Builder  to open the Material Builder dialog.
   
   
   
2. At the top of this dialog, click Select Builder to select a material builder:
   
   
   
   
   • The Chief Architect Masonry and Stone Builder is helpful for creating various stone materials that can be used for stone walls or terrain pathways.
     
     
   • The Chief Architect Tile Builder is helpful for creating various tile materials with custom configurations, colors, and grout styles.
     
     
   • The Chief Architect Wood Builder is helpful for creating various wood materials that can be used for flooring, ceilings, or 3D objects
     
     
   • You can also Select External Substance (SBSAR) Files that you may have downloaded from the internet. This allows you to utilize other SBSAR files that aren't provided by Chief Architect.
   
   
   
   
3. Once you're done customizing your material, you can decide how it's added to your library:
   
   
   • Underneath Maps Included in Material, you can choose to include/exclude the Texture, the Normal map, the Roughness map, and the Metal map.
     
     
   • Fill out the Material Name, as this will be the name of the material once added to your User Catalog.
     
     
   • Adjust the Material Scale to your liking. 
     
     
   • Check the Open Material When Added to Library checkbox if you'd like to open the Define Material dialog once added to your User Catalog.
     
     
   
   

   The Material Name and Material Scale can always be customized after the material is added to the User Catalog. For more information, please see the Related Articles section below.

   
   
   Note: To learn more about this feature please see your software's Help documentation, or see our Custom Tile & Materials - New Material Builder video.
   
   
4. Once your material is completed click the Add to Library button to add it to your User Catalog.

MORE INFORMATION