Introduction to Texture Nodes
Posted on 13. May, 2009 by Andrew Price in Texturing, Tutorials
In this tutorial we will be creating a brick texture using nothing but procedural textures and Blender’s powerful new texture node system.
Let’s begin…
Start by adding a plane and rotating it to face the camera.
With the plane selected, add a new material and new texture. Those familar with blender will recognize that a new button labelled Nodes has been added. Click it. You will notice that doing so, disables the standard dropdown texture choices.
Now switch to the Node editor.
Again, you will notice a new button has been added to the header, in the shape of a spotted square. Click it to switch to the Texturing Node system.
By default you will see a checkboard and output nodes. Go ahead and delete the checkerboard node.
Creating the brick mask
Add a brick texture by hitting space then selecting, Add>Patterns>Bricks. Change the settings to the picture below and connect it to the Output node.
This basic brick texture will be used as the foundation to create our diffuse, bump, pattern and spec maps, so we want to make sure that if we change any of the settings, that all 4 textures update accordingly. So to do this, we need to create a group.
With only the Brick node selected hit Ctrl+G, and click Make Group. To make it easier to identify later, label it ‘Mask’:
The new node system allows us to add multiple outputs to the same node screen for each texture map that we need. In this case we are creating 4, so with the Mask and the Output nodes selected, duplicate it three times and label the outputs: Diffuse, Pattern, Spec and Bump.
That’s the basic brick mask set up. We will now move on to texturing each map accordingly.
Altering the Pattern Texture
Create two cloud inputs (Add>Textures>Clouds) and give them the following settings:
These cloud layers will be used to give the bricks a randomized texture pattern depending on the row and number of the brick. To do this, join each cloud layer to the brick inputs in the mask that is connected to the Pattern output:
The Bias setting can be adjusted from -1.00 to 1.00. This determines how much of Brick 1 and Brick 2 to use. Setting it to 0.00 will use both Brick 1 and Brick 2 evenly, creating a nice random brick texture, which is ideal for what we want.
Altering the Specular Texture
Just like we did with our pattern texture, we are going to be adding a texture that will reflect the light off our bricks. So in this instance the Musgrave texture works best (Add>Texture>Musgrave). Give the Musgrave texture the following settings (making sure you change the colors as shown) then insert it into the Brick 1 slot. Now change the colour of Brick 2 to black:
This will create a fine sandy texture that will reflect off the light.
Altering the Bump Map Texture
The bump is slightly different in that we aren’t altering brick slot 1 or 2, but instead converting the resulting texture to a normal map. To do this, add a Value to Normal node (Add>Convertor>Value to Normal) and place it in between the mask and the output as shown. Make sure that you change the connection on the output from Color to Normal.
This will ensure our bricks have nice bevelled edges.
The node system is now complete!
Adding the Node System to the Texture Panel
If you switch to the texture panel in our material settings, you will notice that our texture now has a dropdown list next to it, listing each of our outputs. This allows us to bring the textures from node system into our standard texture panel and change the blending options.
To start with select Diffuse from the drop down list.
Now swith to the Map To panel and make the following changes.
Going back to our Texture Panel, add another texture slot and change the output to Spec:
Switch to the Map To panel and make the following changes:
Add another texture slot and select Bump for the output:
Now make the following changes in the Map To panel:
Add a final texture slot and select Pattern as the output:
Switch to the Map To tab and make the following changes:
That’s it! If you render now, you should get a result similar to this:
I used the default brick size for this tutorial which is quite large. If you want to decrease their size, this can easily be done by altering the size of the texture in the Map Input field.
For example, altering those numbers to 3.00 yields this result:
As you can see the texture node system is incredibly powerful. It can be used to quickly create texture combinations that previously would have required the use of an image editor. This opens the doors to faster workflows, more realistic textures and more artistic license.
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial! If you have any questions be sure to ask. I’d love to see your end result, so feel free to post it below!
90 Responses to “Introduction to Texture Nodes”
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FloridaJo
03. Jul, 2009
@Simon.Void. Be sure to hit ‘Full OSA’.
simon.void
03. Jul, 2009
@FloridaJo: thanks, that was it.
Mats H
16. Jul, 2009
Thanks for this tutorial. I’ve been looking forward to this feature for so long. Your introduction was a great start. I’ve made a bunch of attempts to create a cobbled streets in Blender — now it looks like it will finally be possible.
Thanks a lot!
BlenderNoob
27. Jul, 2009
When I add another texture slot for the Spec. I don’t get the output dropdown menu!
Anyone know what I did wrong?
thanks
steveHtml
04. Aug, 2009
Dayum ! Newbie meets new world ! THANK You, best lookin’ wall I ever created in 2 + yrs ! FANTASTIC Tut., Thanks Again !!! To “BlenderNoob ” , I went to texture panels & where it says add New INSTEAD Press the UpDown Arrow, the Node just created will be in the list my window lists default Tex & Node texture
Mark
12. Aug, 2009
can some one pleas tell me the specs for a computer that dose not frezzzzzzzz for god nows how long when you are doing all of these tutorials the only thing i can do now is model face and body
Mike
12. Aug, 2009
Well just for the record I have used blender on some lower end machines and though it takes quite a while to render at a decent quality, I have dropped down the render output to a real basic quality to see how it would look before letting the computers churn away at the final sharper render. Is there a chance that you have a hardware issue (maybe a memory chip has to be reseated by popping it out and putting it back in again) or something running in the background ( a program or virus/trojan/parasite or other problematic) application that is causing this.
Caitenni
12. Aug, 2009
For me to get the output dropdown menu you click on the button next to (left of)the clear box. Then click on the text that you were using on the first one. It should be easy to find because it should have an N in front of the name of the texture. That should give you the dropdown menu.
Mark
12. Aug, 2009
Ok when i try to render with lux render engin it gives me an error that tells me python script error: Check console and on the python windo that opens when you open bleder it is telling me (runtime error: cantconvert curve to mesh. Dose the curve have any segments?) can some one pleas tell me what it means and if it helps i wos doing the tutorial on grass
CJ
18. Aug, 2009
Thank you sooooo much for this tutorial!!! My problems with texturing have been non-stop ever since I got on this program, and I think 2.49′s Texture Nodes are my cure! Thank you for helping me grasp how to use them!!!!
gunjan
21. Aug, 2009
i like it ,really its agood tutorial
Craig
30. Aug, 2009
it says to delete the the checkerboard node.
But it doesn’t say how.
I can’t seem to select it so I can hit the delete key.
Disconnecting the line to the output node doesn’t work either.
Thanks in advance for any help
FloridaJo
30. Aug, 2009
Just left click, hit ‘X’.
Craig
30. Aug, 2009
O.K. got it.
go to edit mode (Tab )
select brick node.
on the menu bar choose NODE/ delete
great tut !!
FloridaJo
30. Aug, 2009
Sure, you can do that way too if you have lots of time on your hands. Duh.
Nombilian
14. Sep, 2009
Does anyone know how I can make such a tecture work on a cube, without just the upside being textured correctly?
I have already changed all the “map input” settings to “Cube,” but alas, it was to no avail. Is there any other way? I need my texture on the side of a building based on a cube.
Herman
15. Sep, 2009
Hi my name is Herman and I am from South Africa Kreursdorp (close to key west mall). I want to form a team to create a PC game using Blender GE. If you are interested to join me please send me an E-mail at hermandpienaar@live.co.za. It doesn’t matter if you are totally new to game designing. As long as you have a passion for 3-D designing and gaming!
Or invite me on mxit- 072-750-3553
amateur_blender
26. Sep, 2009
those are some sexy bricks
mjkd
29. Sep, 2009
i had to invert the normal map, for some reason…
but other than that its awesome!
ZukO
05. Nov, 2009
neato. now i want to learn more about how all of this works.
Ron Harris
07. Nov, 2009
For those of us who are more algorhitmically oriented, here is my take.
1. Create a plane
2. Add a new material to it
3. Set texturing mode to nodes
4. Enter node editor
5. Select an input pattern
6. Create a group from the pattern. Name the group.
7. Duplicate the pattern and output node N times.
8. Rename each output node according to usage
9. Add additional nodes as input to existing nodes according to usage.
10. Add each node texture to the plane’s material and adjust map input settings as required.
11. Render.
Comment: This is probably not the best way to make photorealistic brick.
Question: Is there a way to see the texture on the object in the 3D View without taking other steps to convert it to a non-nodes texture?
Scope
17. Nov, 2009
Nice, well done tut.
I was lost until I reread and saw this…
“… Click it to switch to the Texturing Node system.”
About time I got into this.
Ammon
13. Dec, 2009
i cant get the last part – i can’t find where the map input or drop down menu is – PLZ help.
thx if you do
Astapov
23. Jan, 2010
Now if you dump your brick noise texture into the blue chanel of the normal map you would be spot on
.
Astapov
23. Jan, 2010
wait… its ether that or you convert it to a normal then dump it on top and zero out your blue chanel to the neutral blue on the noise bump.
Ralph
04. Feb, 2010
When I created all the nodes, they were available in the output dropdown for the first texture which was the one the nodes were originally created for. However, when I added the next texture, there was no output dropdown button.
I was able to do everything, but only if I first created a separate texture for each set of nodes. Then I got the output dropdown and it worked.
It appears that each texture has its own set of nodes which are not common to all the textures.
grumpyestonian
24. Feb, 2010
Nice tutorial. My first time using nodes. For some reason, when I render, the top and bottom edges of the bricks don’t reflect light right. For example, if I place the light to the top right of the plane
grumpyestonian
24. Feb, 2010
, the bottom edges of the bricks reflect light and not the top edges. The sides, however, behave correctly. In the example, the right side edges catch light, as you would expect. Any idea why this is happening?
Ralph- Read some of the other comments for a solution.
Terry Chong
10. Mar, 2010
awesome!!!! Great tutorial….really learn so much from it….keep going Andrew…i’m ur big supporter…Thanks~~~
Benjamin Bailey (Banor)
23. Mar, 2010
Very cool. I finally got around to going through this – I hope to actually try this out in Blender soon. Thanks! (The result does look pretty fake – but with your cool street scene, it looks great
– so, how did you make those street lamps? Or the wet ground? … very nice… 
)
A
11. Apr, 2010
Thanks for this! Why can the normal bump be applied/ mixed in the Node editor?
steve
21. Apr, 2010
hey ok now how doo you make the rest of the objects on the picture like the door and light poles and windows
Rayhan
25. Apr, 2010
Fantastic… I loved it and created some stunning tree textures…just using three images….
paul
31. May, 2010
ahh blender, love it hate it love the results, someone should invent a chip so I can put it in the back of my head and become a pro overnight………
Brilliant tutorial.
Skumar
02. Jun, 2010
Hey Andrew How do you get to the texture box and can you make a video tutorial about this pleeaseeeeeeeeeeee!
David D
18. Jun, 2010
Would some body be kind enough to explain how the doors were done in this scene?
Thanks
henrik
26. Jun, 2010
How do you make this in Blender 2.5? cant find how to make that brick pattern
nims111
12. Jul, 2010
People. I desperately need help. I NEED HELP~~~~~~~
I cant find the dropdown menu. i tried everything. can you plssss help me? plsss. i am depserate. pls comment.
Matt Jordan
18. Jul, 2010
For some reason, when I try this in 2.5, I can’t get the bump map to work. The node set-up looks identical to the one in the tutorial (other than slight color differences in the diffuse node and a different brick size). I can see outputs for all 4 map types in the node editor as well. When I assign each one to a texture channel, however, the Bump output is black. (The other 3 outputs all show up as expected.) I can get the Bump output to show up in the texture channel if I change the noodle connector from Normal to Color, but then the effect is unsatisfactory. Any idea what might be missing or going wrong? There’s a screen cap at my blog:
http://mattjordan.com/2010/07/17/blender-2-5-texture-node-problem/
Thanks in advance!