Animating Texture Components

Animating a texture component is an effective way of creating motion within a material. When you change the orientation, position, or scale within a texture component, the texture elements (like dots, checks or patterns) will appear to move.

You can use this technique to create realistic wave motion in a water texture. If you change the position of the texture pattern at different points in the Timeline, the waves will appear to move over the surface of the object.

If you wish to avoid unexpected texture movement during a texture animation, use Object Space mapping mode for the texture. This way the texture moves as the object moves. However, you can create some very interesting effects using World Space.

You can also animate a texture component by altering the makeup of the texture using the Deep Texture Editor. Using the Deep Texture Editor you can change the make-up of any or all of the four texture components in a material.

To animate a material's texture components:

1. Select an object.
2. Click the triangle icon in the Animation Controls and make sure Auto-Key is enabled.
   
   
3. Apply a material preset from the Materials Preset Library.
4. Click the button that appears next to the object's bounding box. The Materials Lab appears.
5. Move the Current Time Indicator to the point where you want to start changing the material.
6. Click the button in the upper left corner of the texture component window. The Transformation Tools palette appears.
   
   
7. Adjust the position, orientation, and/or scale of the texture and click the T button to exit the palette.
   
   
8. Click the pink button in the upper-left corner of the texture component window. The Deep Texture Editor appears.
   
   
9. Adjust the values of the texture's components and click the OK icon to close the editor. You can also
10. Move the Current Time Indicator to a different point on the Timeline. The current time appears in the counter next to the preview controls.
11. Change the texture properties again.
12. Continue moving the Current Time Indicator and changing texture properties until you achieve the effect you want.
    
    
13. Click the OK icon to exit the Materials Lab.

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