Color Composite

Layer and combine two texture maps or procedural textures with control of Blend Mode and Alpha (transparency). The functionality is similar to working with image layers and blending modes in image editing software.

Color Composite nodes are commonly used create Opacity masks from multiple textures or to add gradients to textures.

Color Composite Settings

Alpha

This defines the transparency of the composited result. The transparency can be set by either using the slider or applying a texture. The behavior is very similar to the Clipping Mask parameter, but the Clipping Mask has additional controls.

Blend Mode

This defines how the Source and Background layers are blended together.
The following Blend Modes can be chosen: Normal, Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Soft Light, Hard Light, Darken, Lighten, Burn, Difference and Sum. The behavior of these is equivalent to the same blend modes found in most image editing applications.

Source

This is the first and top layer of the texture composite. If the Source texture has alpha (transparency), then this will be propagated to the composite.

Source Alpha

This defines the transparency of the Source layer. The transparency can be set by either using the slider or applying a texture.

Background

This is the second and bottom layer of the texture composite. If the Background texture has alpha (transparency), then this will be propagated to the composite.

Background Alpha

This defines the transparency of the Background layer. The transparency can be set by either using the slider or applying a texture.

Mask Mode

The following Mask Modes can be chosen: Red, Green, Blue, Alpha, Color.
The Red, Green and Blue options refer to the individual RGB channels of the Clipping Mask texture.

Clip Using Source

If the Source texture has alpha (transparency), then this will be used to mask out the composite. The composited result will only show where the Source texture is non-transparent.

Invert Mask

Use this to invert the Clipping Mask texture.

Color Composite example with Label Opacity

The examples below show how a Color Composite node can be used to create interesting Opacity masks for Label materials.

Flat material showing a Mesh texture
Flat material showing a Color Gradient texture
Flat material showing the blended result using Color Composite with Blend Mode Multiply
The Material Graph structure of above composite

Applying the Label mask

This Color Composite builds on the material graph above, but the material node has been altered.

Mold-Tech plastic material with Metal Label using above composite texture as Opacity
The Material Graph structure of this example

Color Composite example with Complex Label

The examples below show how a Color Composite node can be used to create a complex Label material.

Source Layer

Plastic material with Metal Label using a Color Composite for Color.
An Occlusion texture drives the transparency of the Source texture
The Background Alpha is set to 0.
The Material Graph structure of this example.

Adding the Background layer

Same material from above with a Background texture added to the Color Composite. The Blend Mode is set to Normal.
The Material Graph structure of this example.

Applying the Clipping Mask

Same material from above with a Clipping Mask defined for the Color Composite.
The Material Graph structure of this example.

Applying the Alpha

Same material from above with an Alpha texture defined for the Color Composite
The Material Graph structure of this example

Quick tip