Introduction.

Chrome is both a simple and tricky material to do. It's tricky to get right the first time, but simple to do again once you've got it. All that chrome does is reflect what's around it, it doesn't actually have much of a surface itself. So in ShapeShifter terms, chrome is a material that has an environment map (from the Environment Panel) and that's about it.

Load up the file 'ringmask.psd'. This file contains the ring from which the selection set to create the material samples was generated.

If you loaded the ringmask file, you can Ctrl/Cmd-Click the layer with the ring to select it. If you didn't, create a new selection for the bevel.

Before you launch ShapeShifter, make sure you have selected a new layer. This will create the bevel without anything behind it. If you have something, say the black ring mask in the background, you might find the edges of the object appear blocky after you apply. This is because the edges are antialiased, and if something is beneath them the antialiasing will appear odd.

When you launch ShapeShifter, you will be presented with the default settings. These settings have a few things we don't want such as lights, colour, and transparency. Because Chrome just reflects what's around it, and because ShapeShifter environment maps carry their own lighting, we can remove all of that. If you wish, you can load in the 10 Second Chrome Preset from the tutorial's preset file. The rest of this tutorial assumes that you don't do that.

Note: Depending on the selection you have when launching, you may need to adjust the Bevel Scale in the Main Shape panel to prevent it bevelling too far. Ideally, you want a bevel that looks like a rounded shape and does not 'meet' in the centre causing sharp ridges.

The lighting for this preset is very simple. The environment map is going to provide most of our lights, so let's remove what's there. Once we've done that, we'll add a single light for some additional highlighting.

• Remove all the lights. Click each light and press the Delete key until you have removed them all. If the Ambient Light slider that appears when no lights are selected is above 0, slide it back to 0. This will give us a completely black bevel for the Environment Map to light.
• Add a light using the Add Light button.
• Set the Light Brightness to 35% and the Highlight Sheen to 0%.
• Move this light to the top left of the lighting preview.

This new light provides a bit of additional highlighting at the top left of the bevel, which enhances the appearance of depth.

The Environment Panel contains the controls needed to turn the mostly black object we have at the moment in to a chrome material. The first thing to do is set up the tinting to prevent our environment map being altered.

• Change the Tinting Color in the Environment Panel to white. This makes sure the Chrome isn't tinted when we apply the Environment Map.
• Set the Mix Environment slider in the Environment Panel to full. This gives us a completely tinted chrome surface.

Now let's add an environment map.

• Click on the small preview image, or use the menu's 'Import Environment' option to load an environment map.

The environment map you select will define what you get for your Chrome. If the map looks golden, you'll get a golden surface. If it looks like chrome, that's what you'll get. This method can be used to create all sorts of materials.

• A chrome material generally doesn't tint the environment, so locate the environment map 'chromeenv.jpg' that came with the tutorial and load it.

In one fell swoop you have changed the boring, black bevel in to Chrome. At this point you can either apply, or add a light in to emphasize the highlights. Let's try that out.

• Add a new light. Set its Highlight Sheen to 0, make sure it's white, and position it towards the top left of the lighting preview.

This adds a bit of light to the surface and can accent any highlights the environment map already had. Playing with the properties of the light can adjust the look of your chrome.