Compound materials combine two or more sub-materials. Compound materials are similar to compositor maps, but they exist at the material level. Applying a compound material to an object creates a compound effect that often uses mapping. You load or create compound materials using the Material/Map Browser.

Using a filter control, you can choose whether the Browser lists maps or materials or both.

Different types of materials create different effects, behave in particular ways, or are provided as ways to combine multiple materials.

Note: The sub-material buttons and sub-map buttons for most materials and maps have check boxes beside each button. These let you turn that branch of the material or map on or off. For example, in the Top/Bottom material, the Top Material and Bottom Material buttons each have check boxes. Similarly, the Checker map has two map buttons, one for each color. Each button has a check box beside it that lets you disable that color's map.

These are the different types of compound materials:

Blend: Combines two materials by mixing their pixel colors, as Mix maps do.

Composite: Mixes up to 10 materials, using additive colors, subtractive colors, or opacity mixing.

Double-Sided: Stores two materials. One material is rendered on the object's outer faces (the usual side for one-sided materials, as determined by face normals), and the other is rendered on the object's inner faces.

Morpher Material: Morpher materials use the Morpher modifier to manage multiple materials over time.

Multi/Sub-Object: Lets you assign more than one material to the same object. Stores two or more sub-materials, which you assign at the sub-object level by using the Mesh Select modifier. You can also assign the sub-materials to whole objects by using the Material modifier.

Shellac: Superimposes one material on another.

Top/Bottom: Stores two materials. One material is rendered on an object's top faces and the other is rendered on the object's bottom faces, depending on whether a face normal points up or down.