How do we create our own custom materials and store them in our own custom material library and custom asset library?” In the next three blogs, I will show how to do this. Here are the links to the other blogs in this series:
https://www.mgfx.co.za/?p=45827&preview=true
https://www.mgfx.co.za/?p=45834&preview=true
Note, we have already covered the material transform in the following blog:
https://www.mgfx.co.za/blog/engineering-manufacturing-design/sharing-custom-revit-materials/
We have also covered how to share custom material images:
https://www.mgfx.co.za/blog/engineering-manufacturing-design/sharing-custom-revit-materials/
The custom materials do not always work properly when used between different Autodesk software or on the Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Download the image that you would like to use. I use Sketchup Texture Club:
https://www.sketchuptextureclub.com/
This is the look that the user would like to have for their material when they render.
Next, take existing material and duplicate it. If necessary, swap out the appearance asset with an asset that has the required properties.
It might take some time to find the most appropriate appearance asset, but it is well worth your time to get familiar with them. Note, there are not only appearance assets but also physical assets for thermal and strength properties to be applied to the material definition.
Transform the image as required. Count the number of items and set the appropriate size.
Set up the correct graphics appearance pattern for the material (use a model pattern so the appearance pattern can be aligned and rotated by aligning the graphics pattern).
Make sure the appearance asset and graphics assets are aligned.
We cover how to create unique model patterns here, as well as some of the pitfalls to watch out for:
https://www.mgfx.co.za/blog/building-architectural-design/custom-revit-model-brick-pattern/
https://www.mgfx.co.za/blog/building-architectural-design/revit-to-autocad-hatch-pattern-pitfall/
If you need help adopting Revit or BIM (Building Information Modelling) in your practice, please contact Micrographics so we may be of assistance.