Solid halo particles?

Support Compositing and Post Processing
1

I have an object with fur-like particles and a halo material. My problem is that the mesh itself needs a solid material, but with the halo material the Mesh-option (Particles>Display>Mesh) doesn’t make the object solid. The fur looks great, but the object is quite transparent.

Is it possible to have different materials for the mesh and the particles?

2

That would be a reasonable thing to do, wouldn’t it? I don’t think so, but can’t check now. I do assume you have tried a bunch of things already. You might be able to do something with an IPO or something, depending on what you’re doing exactly, but it wouldn’t be worth the effort.

Quick fix: In the old days, before meshes could be visible AND emit particles, we had to make two meshes. Should still work if you can spare the vertices.

Things to remember:

  • make your particle mesh invisible
  • parent it to the visible mesh or maybe group would work (just needed for moving it around)
  • reduce the geometry for speed: delete all non-particle generating polygons, no mesh modifiers, and if it’s still complex, decimate your particle mesh
3

Mesh and particles can have different materials.

  • Select your emitter, in the Editing Panel (F9), add a second material (“New” in Links and Material), adjust this materiel in the Shading Panel (F5).
  • Now in the Particles Panel, in Display, select the material you want for your particles (“Material: 2” for instance if the mesh has material 1).
  • If you want to render the particles plus the emitter, toggles “Mesh” in the same panel.
    Hope it’ll help you.
4

Thanks for the answers!
Bupla: I tried the way you described, but it doesn’t work for me. I have two materials in the Link and Materials. Mat1 is my fur/halo and is the one chosen in the Particles>Display. My Mat2 is solid and the Mesh-button is on.
Any clues whats wrong?

5

I’m not sure but I think that the first material shoud be the one used by your mesh. The second material (your fur/halo) would be for the particles. That’s why when you create particles, by default they’ve got the same material as the mesh.
In the Shading Panel (F5), delete the link to the material with the cross (the “X” on the right of the material’s name), dont be afraid it’s not lost, and reassign the materials in order to have the first material for your mesh and the second one for the particles.
You will see if it’s right in the Editing Panel (F9) in “Links & Material”. You should have :
“Mesh Name”
< 2 Mat 1 >
with the material of the mesh and when you click on the right arrow :
“Fur/halo name”
< 2 Mat 2 >
with the material of your particles.
It shoud be allright then.

6

That worked out just perfect. Thanks a lot!