Custom shadow catcher in mantra in Houdini




Custom shadow catcher in mantra

add mainobject add grid/bg apply shadowmatte (from utilities) add 2 mantra render nodes (name it main, AO) in first node, OBJECTS TAB -> exclude GRID (or bg object) (this renders the main object with alpha) in second node, OBJECTS TAB -> force phantom -> select MAINOBJECT here (this renders only the gridobject/bg with the shadow of main object to avoid the cropped renders: rightclick on mantra node -> parameters and channels -> edit parameter interface -> (left) render properties tab find exr data window drag this into META tab on right side now it should be in META settings in the mantra node uncheck it to get full width renders

src

http://yoong-cut-and.blogspot.com/2015/12/houdini-rop-not-crop-exr.html

v2

use a plane (grid) add white bg materials place it underneath object then go one node up (to geo node) check matte shading (this will hide it in render!) use this to toggle the shadow plane and object!!!! super fast easy shadow!!!!!!!!!!!!!! force phantom: add ring/geo here, it excludes it and just renders shadow!!

v3

mantra -> objects -> force/matte select "kreisding" objects here (it will be excluded from rendering then, so shadow is visible) materials -> utilities -> shadow matte apply this to the ground grid then set grey BG in render view (to see shadow!!!)



Published: August, 2018