Section 7.6.7.5
Bumps

The bumps pattern was originally designed only to be used as a normal pattern. It uses a very smooth, random noise function that creates the look of rolling hills when scaled large or a bumpy orange peal when scaled small. Usually the bumps are about 1 unit apart.

When used as a normal, bumps uses a specialized normal perturbation function. This means that the bumps pattern cannot be used with normal map, slope map or wave type modifiers in a normal statement.

When used as a pigment pattern or texture pattern, the bumps pattern is identical to bozo or spotted and is similar to normal bumps but is not identical as are most normals when compared to pigments. When used as pigment or texture statements the bumps pattern uses the ramp_wave wave type by default but may use any wave type. The pattern may be used with color_map, pigment_map, and texture_map.

Section 7.6.7.6
Checker

The checker pattern produces a checkered pattern consisting of alternating squares of COLOR_1 and COLOR_2. If no colors are specified then default blue and green colors are used.

pigment { checker COLOR_1, COLOR_2 }

The checker pattern is actually a series of cubes that are one unit in size. Imagine a bunch of 1 inch cubes made from two different colors of modeling clay. Now imagine arranging the cubes in an alternating check pattern and stacking them in layer after layer so that the colors still alternate in every direction. Eventually you would have a larger cube. The pattern of checks on each side is what the POV-Ray checker pattern produces when applied to a box object. Finally imagine cutting away at the cube until it is carved into a smooth sphere or any other shape. This is what the checker pattern would look like on an object of any kind.

You may also use pigment statements in place of the colors. For example:

pigment { checker pigment{Jade}, pigment{Black_Marble} }

When used with normals, the syntax is

normal { checker BUMP_FLOAT }

Where BUMP_FLOAT is an optional bump size float value. You may also use full normal statements. For example:

normal { checker normal{gradient x scale .2}, normal{gradient y scale .2} }

When used with textures, the syntax is...

texture { checker texture{T_Wood_3A},texture{Stone12} }

This use of checker as a texture pattern replaces the special tiles texture in previous versions of POV-Ray. You may still use tiles but it may be phased out in future versions so checker textures are best.

This is a block pattern which cannot use wave types, color map, or slope map modifiers.

Section 7.6.7.7
Crackle

The crackle pattern is a set of random tiled polygons. With a large scale and no turbulence it makes a pretty good stone wall or floor. With a small scale and no turbulence it makes a pretty good crackle ceramic glaze. Using high turbulence it makes a good marble that avoids the problem of apparent parallel layers in traditional marble.

Mathematically, the set crackle(p)=0 is a 3D Voronoi diagram of a field of semi random points and crackle(p) < 0 is the distance from the set along the shortest path (a Voronoi diagram is the locus of points equidistant from their two nearest neighbors from a set of disjoint points, like the membranes in suds are to the centers of the bubbles).

The crackle pattern uses the ramp_wave wave type by default but may use any wave type. The pattern may be used with color_map, pigment_map, normal_map, slope_map and texture_map.

Section 7.6.7.8
Dents

The dents pattern was originally designed only to be used as a normal pattern. It is especially interesting when used with metallic textures. It gives impressions into the metal surface that look like dents have been beaten into the surface with a hammer. Usually the dents are about 1 unit apart.

When used as a normal pattern, dents uses a specialized normal perturbation function. This means that the dents pattern cannot be used with normal map, slope map or wave type modifiers in a normal statement.

When used as a pigment pattern or texture pattern, the dents pattern is similar to normal dents but is not identical as are most normals when compared to pigments. When used in pigment or texture statements the dents pattern uses the ramp_wave wave type by default but may use any wave type. The pattern may be used with color_map, pigment_map and texture_map.

Section 7.6.7.9
Gradient

One of the simplest patterns is the gradient pattern. It is specified as

pigment {gradient VECTOR}

where VECTOR is a vector pointing in the direction that the colors blend. For example

pigment { gradient x } // bands of color vary as you move // along the "x" direction.

produces a series of smooth bands of color that look like layers of colors next to each other. Points at x=0 are the first color in the color map. As the x location increases it smoothly turns to the last color at x=1. Then it starts over with the first again and gradually turns into the last color at x=2. The pattern reverses for negative values of x. Using gradient y or gradient z makes the colors blend along the y- or z-axis. Any vector may be used but x, y and z are most common.

As a normal pattern, gradient generates a saw-tooth or ramped wave appearance. The syntax is

normal { gradient VECTOR, BUMP_FLOAT}

where the VECTOR giving the orientation is a required parameter but the BUMP_FLOAT bump size which follows is optional.

The pattern uses the ramp_wave wave type by default but may use any wave type. The pattern may be used with color_map, pigment_map, normal_map, slope_map and texture_map.

Section 7.6.7.10
Granite

This pattern uses a simple 1/f fractal noise function to give a good granite pattern. This pattern is used with creative color maps in stones.inc to create some gorgeous layered stone textures.

As a normal pattern it creates an extremely bumpy surface that looks like a gravel driveway or rough stone.

The pattern uses the ramp_wave wave type by default but may use any wave type. The pattern may be used with color_map, pigment_map, normal_map, slope_map and texture_map.

Section 7.6.7.11
Hexagon

The hexagon pattern is a block pattern that generates a repeating pattern of hexagons in the x-y-plane. In this instance imagine tall rods that are hexagonal in shape and are parallel to the y-axis and grouped in bundles like shown in the example image. Three separate colors should be specified as follows:

pigment { hexagon COLOR_1, COLOR_2, COLOR_3 }

The hexagon pattern.

The three colors will repeat the hexagonal pattern with hexagon COLOR_1 centered at the origin, COLOR_2 in the +z-direction and COLOR_3 to either side. Each side of the hexagon is one unit long. The hexagonal rods of color extend infinitely in the +y- and -y-directions. If no colors are specified then default blue, green and red colors are used.

You may also use pigment statements in place of the colors. For example:

pigment { hexagon pigment { Jade }, pigment { White_Marble }, pigment { Black_Marble } }

When used with normals, the syntax is

normal { hexagon BUMP_FLOAT }

Where BUMP_FLOAT is an optional bump size float value. You may also use full normal statements. For example:

normal { hexagon normal { gradient x scale .2 }, normal { gradient y scale .2 }, normal { bumps scale .2 } }

When used with textures, the syntax is...

texture { hexagon texture { T_Gold_3A }, texture { T_Wood_3A }, texture { Stone12 } }

This is a block pattern which cannot use wave types, color map, or slope map modifiers.

Section 7.6.7.12
Leopard

Leopard creates regular geometric pattern of circular spots.

The pattern uses the ramp_wave wave type by default but may use any wave type. The pattern may be used with color_map, pigment_map, normal_map, slope_map and texture_map.

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