Learn to edit the colour and texture of BRIO Materials and apply an opacity mask.
BRIO materials have preset colours, texture maps, and shading settings, but you can use the material editor to adjust these settings for a more custom look.
This lesson will show you how to add a carpet material to your scene, adjust the colour, and add an opacity mask to give the floor a rounded, softer appearance.
Add a Basic Material
1. Select the floor
2. Open the material library
3. To give your floor a carpeted appearance, scroll to the basic material category and select “wool texture”. Close the material library.
Note: The basic materials category contains versions of the most common material types in neutral tones. They are designed to be more easily customizable,.
Change the material colour
1. With the object still selected, open the material editor.
2. Select the colour swatch.
3. Use the map or enter a HEX code to select a different colour. For this example, we’re choosing a darker shade of gray.
Note: Editing colours this way changes the colour that is overlaid on the material. You will notice the colours on the texture maps beneath still show through. If you are editing material colours in BRIO, choose one with a white base colour (the colour next to the “diffuse” slider).
Edit the material texture
Textures are preset by the artists who made the material, but you can use the sliders to adjust their strength if you like. Learn about each material setting here
Add an opacity map
Adding an opacity map can help you soften the edges of 2D planes, and alter their shape. In this example, we've applied a radial, transparent gradient map to give the floor a soft, rounded appearance.
To add an opacity map:
1. Select Advanced Options in the material editor.
2. Select the upload button next to the alpha/opacity channel.
3. Select your map from your computer files in .png format.
Opacity maps can be created easily in 2D design software like Photoshop. For this example, we are using a radial gradient with a 100% Black centre and 0% opacity edges, at 1024x1024 pixels.
4. Use the slider to adjust opacity as desired.
To reset the material to its original state, open the hidden menu in the thumbnail and select "reset"
Save Materials to your Library
Once you're happy with your material, you can save it to your library for future use by selecting "Add to Library" in the hidden thumbnail menu.