How Do You Make a Water Material in VRay Sketchup?

by

Creating a realistic water material in VRay Sketchup can add an extra touch of authenticity to your architectural visualizations. In this tutorial, we will explore the step-by-step process of achieving a stunning water material that will make your renderings come to life.

Step 1: Setting up the Scene

Before diving into creating the water material, it is essential to set up the scene properly. Ensure that you have a suitable environment for your water element, such as a swimming pool or a lake. Place any necessary objects around the water to enhance the overall composition.

Step 2: Creating the Water Material

To start, open the VRay Material Editor by clicking on the ‘M’ button in Sketchup’s toolbar. This will allow you to create and edit materials with ease.

Substep 2.1: Base Layer

The first step is to create a base layer for our water material. In the Material Editor, click on the ‘+’ button and select ‘VRayMtl’ from the drop-down menu.

  • Name: Enter a name for your material, such as “Water_Base”.
  • Diffuse Color: Choose a light blue color by adjusting the RGB values (e.g., R:120, G:160, B:200).
  • Glossiness: Set the glossiness value to around 0.85 for a smooth water surface.

Substep 2.2: Reflection Layer

To add realism and reflectivity to our water material, we will create a reflection layer.

  • Create another VRayMtl material in the Material Editor.
  • Name: Name it “Water_Reflection”.
  • Reflect Color: Choose a lighter blue color (e., R:180, G:210, B:240).95 to enhance the reflectivity.3: Refraction Layer

    In order to achieve the transparency and depth of water, we need to create a refraction layer.

  • Name: Name it “Water_Refraction”.
  • Refraction Color: Select a slightly darker blue color (e., R:50, G:90, B:120).8 for a smoother refraction effect.

Step 3: Combining the Layers

Now that we have created all the necessary layers for our water material, it’s time to combine them using VRayBlendMtl.

  • Create a new VRayBlendMtl material.

  • Add Base Layer:

    • Select “Water_Base” as the base material.
      • Select “Water_Reflection” as the coat material and adjust the blending ratio accordingly (e., 70% base, 30% coat).

  • Add Refraction Layer:

    • Select “Water_Refraction” as the base material.
      • Select “Water_Reflection” as the coat material and adjust the blending ratio (e., 60% base, 40% coat).

Step 4: Applying the Material

With our water material ready to go, it’s time to apply it to our water element in Sketchup.

  • Select the water object by clicking on it.
  • Right-click on the object and choose “Apply Material to Selection”.
  • In the Material Editor, locate the VRayBlendMtl we created and click on it to apply it to the selected object. Voila! Your water material is now applied.

Congratulations! You have successfully created a realistic water material in VRay Sketchup. With this newfound knowledge, you can bring your architectural renderings to life by incorporating stunning water features that will captivate viewers.

Remember to experiment with different settings and colors to achieve your desired effect. Happy rendering!