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Glass settings in IRAY

jdavison67jdavison67 Posts: 689
in The Commons

I have a question about the use of the settings "Refraction Index" and "Refraction weight" when working with IRAY Glass.

I constantly struggle with these settings to get glass that looks like glass, but does not magnify or distort the elements behind it.

If I set the refraction index to 1.00 it looks like there is no glass at all, if I set it above 1.30 the subject behind the glass becomes balooned like looking at a magic mirror at the amusement park.

To counter this I often set the index to 1.00 and then play with the refraction weight, to at least get some indication that there is something there, and not just a blank hole, but often this doesn't give the results I want. I think I need to mess with the reflectivity as well...but one thing at a time.

 

I just want glass that looks like glass, which is see through and reflective...

Also how do you make a tinted glass, which would appear dark unless a light was shined behind it? I've had no luck with this...

 

I look forward to answers on this as it has been a tough nut to crack when it takes five to ten minutes from the time I click render, to when I can see what my settings changes are doing...rendering is not quick with this glass stuff.

 

Thanks in advance, and sorry if I sound pissy, but i've been messing with this for 8 hours and I'm wired.

JD

 

 

Comments

  • frank0314frank0314 Posts: 14,710

    There are a lot of things that go into making a glass texture. I can only suggest to use the Daz included glass shader within Iray and study how they did it. You will need to apply a couple maps to get a good result. There is no magic setting that will get you by. It takes some work to get things to work in Iray that don't already have a setting for it. You will have to work with variety of setting and maps. A PA will even have an issue creating glass or mirror and the PA's have a pretty solid grasp of DS. You have a really good start with working with the weight settings. They will need to be adjusted to get you glass right.

  • jdavison67jdavison67 Posts: 689
    edited April 2016

    You mention maps.

    Are you saying that I need a reflection map in Iray to portray the reflection of things in the scene?

    I am able to get decent reflectons of things in close proximity to the glass, usually...maybe an example would help.

    Here is a render I did where refraction index was set at 1.00 and I messed with the weight to brig back the glass look, as it was redering like there was nothing there, until I did.

    In this example you can see it that the glass is obvious and not distorted:

     

     

    ChauffeurAdj crop.jpg
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    Post edited by jdavison67 on
  • jdavison67jdavison67 Posts: 689
    edited April 2016

    Ok this unfinished render shows my issue a bit better.

    The pitcher in front looks like glass, reflections and all, with basically default glass settign from IRAY preset.

    In the background, the people are standing behind a glass wall but there are almost no visual clues, that the glass is there.

    All my attempts to make the glass more obvious, without losing clarity, have been pretty horrible...

    Glass issues.jpg
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    Post edited by jdavison67 on
  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001

    How is the glass wall made?  Is it just a simple plane or is the glass actually modelled with a proper scaled thickness?

    Which glass settings are you using?

    If it is a single plane you need to be using 'thin wall' ON.  If it is modelled, then it needs to have a proper IOR (for window/plate glass that should be in the 1.50 range).

  • Nyghtfall3DNyghtfall3D Posts: 813
    edited April 2016

    Panes of glass aren't going to be noticeable without having them reflect something.  For example, this is a photgraph of a glass wall.  We can't see the glass because it's an interior shot with the sun shining in, but we know it's there because it wouldn't make sense to put doors in the middle:

    http://www.marvelbuilding.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/door-of-Contemporary-House-with-Glass-Wall-and-Plane-Concrete.jpg

    Here's another example.  We can't see the glass directly in front of the camera, but the wall parallel to the hallway is full of reflections.  That's because of the light coming in from the windows opposite the hallway, in relation to the camera angle.

    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Glass_Partition_Wall.jpg

    Try turning off the lights in your hallway and see what happens.  I think you'll see a reflection of the room you put your camera in.

    Post edited by Nyghtfall3D on
  • jdavison67jdavison67 Posts: 689
    edited April 2016

    Thanks guys!

    I see what you mean about the reflections at certain angles...I found I could get interesting resultts lowering the lights behind the glass wall.

    Great tip on the "Thin Wall On"  didn't even think about that.

    This is a very useful thread, and I hope it benefits many.

    I will post some results post full render.

    Thanks again!

     

    JD

    Post edited by jdavison67 on
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