Shirim9 wrote:
> Hello All,
> 
> I am quite new to PovRay but has started doing some stuffs using it.
> However, i always spend 80% of my time choosing the right
> texture/pigment/color and etc and spend only 20% of the time doing the
> actual modelling. Am i the only one with this behaviour
> 
> Does anyone has any programs or tools in mind that can allow one to
> graphically choose the texture/pigment/color... I came across PovColor
> recently, but seems to be restricted to colors only? Correct me if i am
> wrong. I was looking for tools that allows one to explore things like
> waves, bumps, reflection, and etc.
> 

80% seems like a good number.
It indicates to me that you are taking good care getting the
texture right.  Much more than I did starting out.

I do not know of any tools like you describe but I wonder how useful 
they can really be.  It seems what you think you want is for something 
to automate the random trial and error.  What you really need to do is 
refine your process away from being so random. No tools can provide this 
sort of AI because there is simply no one solution to a given problem. 
The wood pattern makes great wood textures.  In the right circumstance, 
granite makes an even better one.  Gaining this kind of knowledge 
requires a two pronged attack.

One prong is to study the available information from tutorials, 
examples, and pre-written code (such as in the isowood includes) to 
master the known and common textures like metal, water, wood, glass, 
etc.  From this, ironically, you will learn that the texture variables 
do not act alone but in concert with the lighting and surrounding 
environment to achieve a particular sense of material.

The other prong is to take some time to do controlled test renders. Do 
all the different patterns, and explore how they are modified by wave 
forms, pigment_maps, extreme scaling, and turbulence.  You must also 
learn the basic ways of combining patterns, either through nesting in 
pigment_maps, averaging them, or mathematically by converting them to 
functions. You must also use contrrolled tests to explore how the finish 
parameters work, particularily in conjuction with different lighting 
techniques and environments.

I have been using POV since the late 90's and I have gotten to the point 
to where I rarely if ever approach an new texturing problem directly in 
the scene.  I usually begin with a separate test shape in a simple 
scene, and work up the texture there before applying it in the real 
scene.

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