how to add a plain color background to a scene?

juantambor

Is it still possible to add a basic color background to a scene? the user guide indicated it was possible in the old version but I'm not seeing it in 4.9 - can someone point me to it?  thanks in advance

maclean

It's now done in the Environments pane. There are options for background color or adding a background image.

juantambor

thanks! 

Roman_K2

Don't forget that if you render your object to a TIFF file (say) you can have the background be a null or nothing - eg. it can float in a transparent layer.

Using an image editor this transparent layer or tile may then be positioned over some other, "background" layer of your choice. Also good for simple animations where you create 24 or 25 frames per second of animation, and you "nudge" your static object in is transparent field, to make it travel "across" the background in tiny increments; adjust "speed" as desired.

Another variant: sometimes you may want a bit of a darker, or lighter, edge on all or part of your object, perhaps to complement your background color (or some particular section of a multi-colored background image). Render once as a TIFF and set aside. Render again on a black (or white) b.g. color and then cut really close to the edge, with the polygonal lasso tool... moving slowly, especially on curves. Make various versions of partial "cut-outs" of your object and reassemble using the "Paste Special" or "Paste In Place" option in your image editor. Presto! Using more or less, trim area and adding some transparency (or richer contrast) on various layers or parts of your object you can enhance -- or knock down -- the edge contrast. Useful if, say, your object pokes out of the shadows into a sunlit area of your scene, or vice-versa.

They say the eyes play tricks but you are free to "trick" the eyes a bit too.