Can I combine textures to use in displacement modifier?

Support Materials and Textures
1

I guess the answer will be: no… but what do i know.

Goal:
I want to “stack” objects on top of each other and give each of them a displacement modifier.

What I managed to do:
Until now, this was quite easy. I created my object (a simple plane), subdivided it, gave it an array modifier (z-direction), and a displacement modifier. I set the texture coordinates to “Global”, so that each plane got displaced a little different.

As a displacement map, I used a simple “cloud” texture.

The problem:
I want to influence the strength of the displacement by the place of the object in the stack - that is: the lower the object is in the stack, the less the displacement.

My first idea was using vertex groups with a simple gradient… but that doesn’t work, because this is an array, not a single object.

Second idea was multiplying the displacement “cloud” texture with a gradient texture, in some way. But I couldn’t find a way to do that. I cannot see how this is even possible.

Does anyone have a solution for this question, or the problem in general?

2

Th easiest way I can think of is to apply the array modifier and then use vertex group weights within the displace modifier.

You might be able to do what you were thinking of, that is multiplying strength by a vertical gradient within the node editor and then using the true displacement feature.

3

Thank you.

I not only found out that applying the array and then using a gradient weighting was the easiest way… I needed to do it this way to excute some other steps in my workflow. I just spend too much time in GIMP trying to work on non-destructive actions. :wink:

And I did indeed find out how to use the node editor to mix textures to use. It is so easy… when you remember that you have to select the texture to edit in the node editor window. Stupid me… but now I know.

Thanks again… now I have everything to get this mini-project completed.

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