3D Mask

Such 3D masks can be applied to any 3D Modifier Modify a 3D geometry Read More to modulate its application on a per-vertex basis. 3D masks can also be applied to

Surface Display geometry's triangles as a surface Read More renderer components in order to modify their opacity. There is also a way of using

Image Layer This generator loads a still image and displays it. Read More or

Video File Generate an animated image by playing a video file. Play it either with its Transport or from a Timeline (by drag n dropping the layer inside it) Read More as a way to mask a modifier/component according to the UV map of its generator.

Creating a mask

To create a 3D mask in order to modulate a 3D modifier , right click on this modifier and select menu Masks: Masks :

Note that, similarly to 2D modifiers, 3D modifiers can have multiple masks that get automatically blended together. As usual, masks can be duplicated with Ctrl+D or with Ctrl + drag and drop.

Using Masks

A very common usage of 3D masks is to mask a Displace modifier, like in this example based on a uv-mapped 2D layer :

Remember that masks can be applied to any modifier. Here are a few examples: A Turbulence field modulated by the Age vertex mask:

Draw lines over a geometry using a Texture Coordinates mask over a 3D Thick Lines renderer:

Displaced Random Points over a plane using their color with a Color mask:

Use Layer vertex Masks over a Scale modifier to define shape of instantiate cubes over a Plane.

3D Masks can also be used to modulate the opacity of a specific surface renderer component. Here, a Fresnel Mask is applied on the diffuse component of a surface renderer in order to do a nice shiny light on the edge of the geometry, dependent of the object's normal and the camera position:

Type of Masks

Here is a review of 3D Masks applied on a Displace modifier applied on a 3D Layer Box:


2D Noise	3D Noise	Radius Texture Coordinates
Horizontal Texture coordinates	Angle Texture coordinates	Vertical Texture coordinates

Here is a review of 3D masks applied on a white Diffuse surface component over a black Diffuse surface component on a 3D Layer Geosphere. And, yes, there is also a system of particles.

Depth (tight distance interval)
Layer Mask	Age applied on the Opacity modifier over a Particle Emitter	Velocity applied over a Particle Emitter with a Friction Field

Parameters to all 3D Masks

Opacity (Percentage) : Opacity of the 3d mask
Inverse (On/off option) : Inverse of the 3d mask

CATALOG

Full - Mask everything

Random - Randomly mask each vertex

Group 3d Mask - Mask according to object id or particles group

Age - Depends on the age of a Particle to mask a modifier / effect

Velocity - Depends on the velocity of a Particles Simulate a particle system Read More

Noise - Vertices are selected depending on true 3D (or 4D) noise functions

Linear - Using a line in space as mask

Sphere - Mask with a sphere shape

Cylinder - Mask with a cylinder shape

Box - Mask with a box shape

Depth - Vertices are selected depending on their depth between a distance interval you choose

Normal - Vertices are selected depending on their normal orientation

Fresnel - Similar to Normal Vertices are selected depending on their normal orientation Read More , but specialized to select vertices that are oriented perpendicularly to the view direction

Texture Coordinate - Uses object's UV to mask vertices. Either vertical, horizontal, radial, angular or combinations of thoses

Color - Vertices are selected depending on their color

Function - Enables to use any other type of 3D mask with a Function Function that maps a number (percentage, time, etc.) to a value Read More (for advanced users)

Texture Geometry Mask - Use any 2D Layer A single 2D Layer Read More to mask vertices using object's UV

Tracking System - Use each Tracking System To visualize tracked points using a tracking device Read More tracker(s) as Sphere Mask with a sphere shape Read More