Creating Renderworks backgrounds
You can create custom Renderworks background resources that are saved with the file, display in the Resource Manager, and can be shared with others. Renderworks backgrounds can be incorporated as part of a Renderworks style.
To create a background:
From the Resource Manager, click New Resource, select Renderworks Background, and then click Create. Alternatively, from the Resource Manager, select Renderworks Backgrounds from the list of resource types on the tool bar, and click New Renderworks Background.
The Edit Renderworks Background dialog box opens.
Enter the name of the new background and select the type of background to create. Click Options to set specific background parameters.
Click to show/hide the parameters.Click to show/hide the parameters.
Parameter |
Description |
Name |
Enter a name for the background |
Background |
Select the background type to create |
None |
Creates a lit fog effect without an additional background |
Clouds |
Specifies a sky background with a background color and clouds; click Options to set the scale, background and cloud colors, and detail level. For Scale, enter a value from 1-10; a higher value yields larger clouds. For Detail, drag the slider to the right to increase the cloud resolution (requires longer rendering times). |
One Color |
Specifies a background with one color; click Options to select the color |
Two Color |
Specifies a background with two colors which blend to form a gradient; click Options to select the top and bottom colors |
Image |
Uses a specified image for the background (see Creating image backgrounds) |
Panoramic Image |
Uses a panoramic image file for the background (see Creating panoramic image backgrounds) |
Physical Sky |
Uses environment lighting to realistically simulate various sky conditions (see Creating physical sky backgrounds) |
Lit Fog |
Creates volumetric lighting effects, such as a shaft or cone of scattered light in fog, haze, or smoke. A point or spot light object must be inserted in the drawing, and Lit Fog must be selected in the Object Info palette for the light source object. Lit fog cannot be applied to directional, area, or line lights. |
Fog Density (%) |
Specifies the fog density; enter a larger value to increase the density of the effect |
Fog Consistency |
Creates either a smooth or uneven fog effect |
Receive Shadows |
Allows the effect to be blocked by solid objects, creating shadows; for example, when blocking a shaft of light by a table, so that light does not display under the table. Use Shadows must also be selected in the rendering options. |
The new background resource is listed in the Resource Manager. It is available for the Set Renderworks Background command, in the Edit Design Layers dialog box (see Applying Renderworks backgrounds for information), and on the Object Info palette for viewports.
To quickly edit a Renderworks background, press Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac) and double-click on the resource in the Resource Manager.
Backgrounds and lit fog effects can be used together.
Purge textures and backgrounds that are not used in the drawing file to reduce file size. See Purging items from a file.