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Fluid Effects

Apply a fluid texture to an object

To apply a 2D fluid texture to an object

1. Create the object and assign a surface shader to it (for example, Blinn). For information on assigning surface shaders, see the Rendering guide.
2. In the Attribute Editor for the shader, click the map button beside the attribute you want to map the fluid texture to (for example, Color). The Create Render Node window appears.
3. On the Textures tab, click Fluid Texture 2D.

Maya creates a 2D fluid container (fluidTexture2DShape node) and a place2DTexture node.

4. If necessary, move the fluid container so you can see it in the scene.
5. Add Density to the container. For details, see Add properties to fluid containers.
6. Modify the fluid attributes. For details, see Modify fluid attributes.

Note If the Color Method for the fluid texture is Using Shading Color, change the Color Input to Density and change the ramp to have at least two colors in the Shading section of the fluidTexture2DShape Attribute Editor. The surface shader uses the color at the 0 position on the ramp. The Density values use the colors corresponding with the position on the ramp.

7. Turn on Hardware Texturing (Shading > Hardware Texturing) and if the fluid is dynamic, play the simulation.

The fluid container does not appear in the software render.

Note When you drag and drop a fluid texture onto a shader, the Default connection connects to Color.

To apply a 3D fluid texture to an object

1. Create the object and assign a surface shader to it (for example, Blinn).
2. In the Attribute Editor for the shader, click the map button beside the attribute you want to map to (for example, Color). The Create Render Node window appears.
3. On the Textures tab, click Fluid Texture 3D.

Maya creates a 3D fluid container (fluidTexture3DShape node). The fluid container functions as the placement node, so no place3DTexture node is created.

4. Add Density to the container. For information on adding Density, see Add properties to fluid containers.
5. If Density is defined as Dynamic Grid, resize and move the fluid container so that the object is inside it. The texture will only render where the Density contacts the surface of the geometry.

If Density is defined as Gradient, move the fluid container so you can see both the container and the geometry.

6. Modify the fluid attributes. For details, see Modify fluid attributes.

Note If the Color Method for the fluid texture is Using Shading Color, change the Color Input to Density and change the ramp to have at least two colors in the Shading section of the fluidTexture3DShape Attribute Editor. The surface shader uses the color at the 0 position of the ramp. The Density values use the colors corresponding with the position on the ramp.

7. Modify the fluid attributes. For details, see Modify fluid attributes.
8. Turn on Hardware Texturing and if the fluid is dynamic, play the simulation. The texture appears on the geometry surface where the fluid contacts it.

The fluid does not appear in the software render.

Note When you drag and drop a fluid texture onto a shader, the Default connection connects to Color.