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Flamingo is plug-in for Rhinoceros. Makes advanced rendering po-
ssble including refections and radiosity.
It consists of two modules, Flamingo Raytrace a Flamingo Photomet-
ric. Differences among those two modules consists in way of render calcu-
lation, i.e. resulting picture is different. Next differences will be described
later.
12.1 Materials and their editing
The fundamental setting of materials was more described in lecture
11. Both Flamingo modules dispose of libraries with default materials which
is possible to assign to objects or further edit.
Material assigning proceeds again over menu Object Properties
- - F3 - Edit / Object Properties and lower menu Material (s. 7. lecture).
In painted menu below an offer Assign by / Plug-in / Browse are unloa-
ded accessible libraries of materials. Fig. 12-1.
Unloaded libraries contain imitation materials from architectural and
building (carpeting, facings, brick, etc.) over various types wood, cork,
composites, variously pigmented sorts of glass, metals (aluminum, bronze,
copper, gold, silver, stainless steel, etc.), after as much as plastics or water
surface.
Selected materials is possible to edit, s. popup menu Material / Edit.
Shown dialog menu contains tucks (Fig. 12.2):
Main - Basic material settings:
Base color - Main colour adjustable according to RGB pattern book.
Refective Finish - Setting of surface refectance and type of refection
(objects refection, sharpness of painted refections).
Transparency - General transparency setting and surface transparency
(Transparent FInish - from transparent after milky - mat).
Maps - Bitmap mapping. S. lect. 12.2.
Highlight - Surface refectance setting by three characteristics - colour
(RGB), pervasiveness (Sharpness) and intensity.
Flamingo rendering
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Next setting feature is saved below button New... (Marble, Granite,
Wood, Tile, Angular Blend).
After material sending it can be saved with a name, e.g . to the users
libraries (User).

Materials dramatically affect the work time of render proces-
sing. Generally true: more settings mean more complicated ren-
der calculation. By one of expressive factors is transparency.






































Fig. 12-1 Material libraries and their editing.
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12.2 Bitmap mapping and practical use
Each of library material allows cover up the bitmap during the editing
that is mapped on solid surface at what is material applied. S. lect. 12.1.
Their usage will be explained on transparent material application
instance dissimulating grid on a surface. Such transparency respect during
rendering process a ray of light, thereby also shadows. E.g. grid simulating
over mapping on the surface reduce a fle size dramatically with the same
effect.
The bitmap unloading is placed in dialoguMaterial Editor (lect. 12.1),
the tuck Maps, a button Add, where is the name of bitmap put in.
Material mapping from libraries is more advanced than for basic mate-
rial, makes it possible to set the size of mapped picture (tuck Main) inclusi-
ve his placing on a fat, rotation or mapping plane (XY, XZ, YZ) - tuck Orien-
tation. The size of segment example bitmap is adjusted on 25x25 points.
Tuck Maps includes important setting. It depicts not only inline bit-
map but includes important menu Masking, comprehensive election for
adjustment of bitmap.
Fig. 12-2 Transparent material editing.
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The bitmap preparation in black and white combination in the format
TIFF or another that keeps alpha channel is very important for elected
application. For engaged example will be suffcient size bitmap 100x100
points.
To fnalize it is necessary to set next steps in tuck Advanced. Tick off
to command election Base Color - confrmation of original colours, Trans-
parency Color and Transparent Color a Transparent Intensity. Sending
happens application on the fnal material s. Fig. 12-4, rendering result s.
Fig. 12-5.




































Fig. 12-3 Lower menu
Fig. 12-4 Editing material
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12.3 Next functions of Flamingo
Setting ones from module of Flamingo like actual renderer is upper
popup menu amend about next sum Raytrace or Photometric according to
elect module.
The difference between singular modules consists in way of scenes
lighting calculation (other method of ray at passage through scene fol-
lowing). Unlikely it is possible to determine lights characteristics like obje-
cts. While in Raytrace adjust characteristics shadows, Photometric designa-
tes shadows achievement lights setting in watts.
12.3.1 Render setting
Compared to Rhinoceros renderer includes advanced extirpation
setting (Antilalising) in three levels, whereas by the best (High) it is possible
to determine his rate, thereby also quality. The next election is soft shadows
determination, refections or transparency sharpness and depth sharpness
(Depth of Field), see. lect . 12.3.2.
Among superaddition function is lined surroundings setting (Environ-
ment) displayed by the dialoque menu with the automatic background sele-
ction (Automatic cuts), coloured (Solid Color) or with a gradient. Second
sum in menu are extensive setting (Advanced) with possibility to interpolati-
on bitmap against a background or editable clouds display (Clouds).
Fig. 12-4 Transparency bitmap application to surface
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Scenes lighting without lights proceeds by common light simulated
sunwhose characteristics as the days of, season, colour, place, etc ..it is
possible to edit.
12.3.2 Depth of feld
Depth of Field means defocusing of scene at the direction more
closely or further from object, that is of focused. Tm je simulovna funkce
zaostovn lidskho oka a jej nahrazen pro plon obraz. Activation of
this function contains both Flamingo modules.
Correct setting of fuzz factor for focus distance is very important.
Example s. Fig. 12-5, Fig. 12-6.











Fig. 12-5 Depth of Field in Flamingo. Focus distance = 49, Fuzz
Factor = 30.
Fig. 12-6 Depth of feld practical use.
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12.3.3 Radiosity
Only Photometric module includes radiosity function.
This is the way of lights distribution to the surrounding space and his
effect. Resulting renders with radiosity are characterized by authentic sha-
dows, glosses and refections. Disadvantage is longer run time that accor-
ding to scenes setting is able to distinguish as far as about tens minutes.
Radiosity however doesnt need to enumerate always with everyone
rendering. Lights and shadows distribution is computed with frst render, it
is possible to save it and if any discontinous innovation like other view and
so on but only material characteristics change, rated radiosity is used also
for others renders, whereby abbreviates object time.
Radiosity control in Flamingo Photometric is placed in menu Photo-
metric. Is turned on by Use Radiosity command election. It is compute befo-
re and it is possible to save by order Save Radiosity Solution. Recalculati-
on - Calculate Radiosity.
The difference at radiosity usage is perceptible according to Fig. 12-7.
12.3.4 Additional functions
Flamingo (both modules) dispose of defned objects for exterior sua-
ve. They are placed in menu Raytrace or Photometric, function Add
Plant. It contains fowers, cactuses, needle-leaved trees, bushes, etc.
Contradistinguish also according to yearly period that is adjustable of each
of object.





Fig. 12-7 The difference in render without raridosity (left) and with radiozitou (on the right). Differences
are perceptible in spatial shadows distributon on a bed and in refexes on incurvate surfaces.