Add Bevel Node
Last updated
Last updated
This operator adds a bevel shader node to the material shader setup. It is designed to give a beveled look to the edges of your model without using the bevel modifier which in some cases for randomized meshes can create distorted geometry. However, this will only work using the Cycles render engine and show the effect in render view.
When you click the operator, you will be shown the redo panel and will need an input from you to start the operation. This basically just means you have to click or edit one of the properties displayed in the menu.
The bevel shader node will be added to the normal input of your material shader. If it has connections here before using the operator then the bevel shader node will place itself in front of them and connect them to its own normal input node as shown in Figure 2. This ensures that the bevel effect get added to whatever normal detail you already have in place and not override it.
Here are the operator properties and what they do"
You have two options here which are Add or Replace.
Using Add basically adds the bevel shader node to the material shader setup if it doesn't exist or just modify it if does exist in the material setup. This adds the bevel shader node to your current normal input connections.
Using Replace will add the bevel shader node to the material shader setup but will break any existing normal input connections.
This determines which material in the mesh object will be affected by the operator. Active will operate only on the active material in the mesh and All will add or modify the bevel shader node for all materials in the active mesh.
This will change the Samples property in the bevel shader node.
This will change the Radius property in the bevel shader node.
This will allow you to control the placement or location of the bevel shader node in the material editing space by modifying its X and Y axis position as shown in Figure 2.
The main advantage in using this compared to the bevel modifier is that it will not create distortions in geometry because it is only a normal shading effect on the sharp edges and is not really adding new faces to the model.
This is perfect for some random meshes because some or their parts can be really dense with detail and using the bevel modifier will certainly cause geometric distortions in these areas.
In Figure 4, you can see the spike being produced by the bevel modifier on a Random Loop Extrude mesh result. This is because of small details produced in that area contain some twists and turns that when beveled will result to some vertices being offset to create these "geometric spikes".
While you can't create really big or wide bevel effects with this compared to the bevel modifier. The Add Bevel Node operator specializes in micro bevel details that requires no additional topology or create problems in geometry in more detailed areas of the mesh.
