Part of Cinema 4D Essentials
TriPlanar
Cinema 4DRedshiftBeginnerFree
2 January 2023
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Triplanar projection is a texture-mapping technique that blends three planar projections to minimize visible seams and distortion, especially on complex or organic geometry. This makes it ideal for applying natural textures like rock, bark, or procedural effects without relying on UV unwrapping.
How It Works
- Three projections (usually aligned to the X, Y, and Z axes) are blended based on surface normals.
- Edge seams are automatically smoothed, and texture scale remains consistent across overlapping projections.
- Ideal for models with no UVs, imperfect UV layouts, or repetitive textures like stone, concrete, or terrain.
Use Cases
- Texturing landscapes, cliffs, and terrains
- Mapping procedural materials onto organic shapes
- Applying materials to imported or scanned objects without UVs
- Creating non-distorted textures for quick look development
Typical Workflow
- Apply a Redshift (or standard) material with a triplanar texture node.
- Adjust projection blend and scale parameters to minimize seam visibility.
- Control blend sharpness or smoothing to define transition zones between projections.
- Use masking or noise maps to blend different textures across surfaces.
- Optionally, layer the triplanar node inside a Material Blender for complex material stacks.
Benefits
- No UVs needed—great for rapid prototyping
- Seam-free texture application on irregular shapes
- Adjustable projection scale without re-uv mapping
- Compatible with procedural and PBR texturing pipelines
Video Credit: Cinema 4D Quick Tips.
Description: This video demonstrates Redshift Triplanar Mapping in Cinema 4D.
