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Table of Contents


Overview

This tutorial walks you through the steps of creating a shadow/matte catcher. Shadow catcher is a Matte object, which is not directly visible in the scene, but shows the received shadows.To achieve a photorealistic render, compositing a 3d object with a shadow on top of the environment map or just a backdrop, this  approach is ideal for the purpose.  

 

 

Without shadow

With shadow

 

 

 

Tutorial steps

In this tutorial, we will turn a plane into a shadow catcher/matte object. There are two ways of doing that.

First, open the scene you will use for this tutorial.

 

 

 

Making a Shadow catcher through the V-ray Object properties

Select the object, which will become a shadow catcher, in this case a plane. Right click on it in the viewport and select V-Ray properties.

 

In the Matte properties section, enable the following:

  • Enable the Matte object option
  • Enable the Matte for refl/refr option
  • Set the Alpha contribution to -1,0

 

In the Direct light section, enable the following:

  • Shadows (this option will make the object to receive shadows)

  • Affect Alpha

     

This turns the plane into a Matte object. Please note that this effect works only on objects that have these V-Ray properties set.

 

 

Alternatively, you can also use the V-Ray Shadow Catcher button  on the V-Ray toolbar, which will load the same settings for you. 

 

 

 

 

 

Making a Shadow catcher through VRayMtlWrapper

Another way of achieving this effect is through the use of VRayMtlWrapper. Open the Material editor, create a VRayMtlWrapper and assign it to the shadow catcher, in this case the plane. Enable the same options for the VRayMtlWrapper as the ones outlined previously.  ( Matte surface, Matte for refl/refr, Shadows, Affect alpha and set the Alpha contribution to -1,0.) Slect the Base material of the shadow Catcher ( this material will be visible in the reflections ), in this case a Vray Mtl. The effect will work on every geometry, that has the VRayMtlWrapper applied on it .

 

 

 

 

Notes

  • V-Ray 3.0 the V-Ray Material Wrapper does not support the 3ds Max Standard material.
  • When working with V-Ray GPU engine, make sure to set the Alpha Contribution to -1.
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