[Cinema4D] Materials

Hello again everyone, you should know that C4D has more materials than you might except.

If you create a floor, or an object, it will have a default color. (actually the default color depends on the version of Cinema4D you're using. if you use R12 like me, the color will be a dark blue-gray)

But what if we want to make something, for example, glossy?

Here we go:

First, create a new material
https://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3446/22781289.jpg
or press Ctrl+N.

Then, choose your favourite color, I'll be making the material Red.
https://img803.imageshack.us/img803/463/83707249.jpg

Actually, this is a matte red, and I don't really like it.
Let's make it glossy.

Check the Reflection box, and you should see your example sphere like this:
https://img692.imageshack.us/img692/6412/23344332.jpg

This is not what we were looking for...We want a GLOSSY material.
Then, decrease the brightness from 5 to 15, and this is the result:
https://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8962/24977725.jpg

Now you can see that little reflectionon the sphere, it's good to see, but it's not the glossy I was going to show you, then, click on that arrow near "Texture, and search "Fresnel".
Like this:
https://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5612/31416456.jpg

Now, It's still too strange, indeed, you'll have to decrease also the Strenght of the Fresnel.
Remember: The mix strenght, should always be higher than the brightness, but not too high.. example.. for 10brightness, put 20mix strenght.

You'll get this:
https://img37.imageshack.us/img37/6000/29303580.jpg

You can change the example object, just right click on the sphere and choose your favourite, I like Double Torus with Shadow.
https://img32.imageshack.us/img32/1664/96937222.jpg

Obviously, playing with Reflection brightness and strenght, will make your material nicer, just as you prefer.

And If we wanna create a semi-transparent material? Like Glass or Water?

Again, create a new material, and check only "Specular and Transparency".
https://img834.imageshack.us/img834/9086/15312850.jpg

As you can see, the sphere is not visible anymore. you can recognize it by its specular.
So, decrease the brightness to about...85-90
https://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9536/11721549.jpg

The sphere is now visible and transparent, but it looks crappy. In fact, there's no refraction on it.. Change the refraction from 1 to 1.3-2
Don't add more refraction or it will look even worse.
Like this:
https://img30.imageshack.us/img30/1671/90408934.jpg

It's nice, but it hasn't reflections yet, then, do the same thing to create the glossy material;
Check Reflections, brightness to about 10, and Fresnel to about 20, you'll obtain this:
https://img849.imageshack.us/img849/4711/16510525.jpg

If you wish to make it look like turbulent water, then add some noise, this way:
https://img846.imageshack.us/img846/681/48968706.jpg

Now double click on the noisy texture, to play with it a bit.
I will make the bump map like this:
https://img543.imageshack.us/img543/5963/76025458.jpg

It's ready to use, but I'll tell you another lil trick ;)
You must turn on the Global illumination to make it work though, and you must have a well-lighted scene.

Add luminance, and set my settings, or make them quite similar:
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/6226/40058389.jpg

This is what they're going to look like on a nice scene (with reflective sky and lights):
https://img830.imageshack.us/img830/4614/98443412.jpg

Now play with your settings, and your preferences. Have fun!