Chapter 5. Creating Complex Natural Materials in Cycles

In this chapter, we will cover the following recipes:

• Creating an ocean material using procedural textures
• Creating underwater environment materials
• Creating a snowy mountain landscape with procedurals
• Creating a realistic earth as seen from space

Introduction

In Chapter 3, Creating Natural Materials in Cycles, we saw some of the simpler natural materials that are possible to build in Cycles, keeping them out of any landscape context to make them more easily understandable.

Now it's time to deal with more elaborate natural materials. In this chapter, we will examine the way to mix different basic shaders to mimic the look of complex natural objects and their environments (very often, these two things fit together neatly).

Creating an ocean material using procedural textures

In this recipe, we will build an ocean surface material, using the Ocean modifier and procedural textures to create the foam, and establish a set of nodes...