Any general guidelines or tips for creating colored transparent shaders in Carrara 6.2.1, like beer and dark colored glass. Some colored transparent shaders seem too bright and glowing, I'm probably missing something simple.

What's the difference between transparency and translucency?

What about transparent or semi-transparent objects within other transparent or semi-transparent obects, like beer inside a bottle, any weird effects?

Thanks peoples

I usually use a  subtle shade of the color I want, then put in a good index of refraction.  I actually find that the Crystal refraction setting works better than the glass ones.  Also use Black for the Glow.  Make the transparent setting 95-98, then Highlight about 20 or so.  Shininess is personal taste but I usually crank it up to at least 80.

Hope this helps.

Rich

try first to create the shader outside the glass. I think you will need to work with other objects to create the bubbles too.
Transparency is that it says
Translucency is the amount of ligt that cross the object, not necessary a transparent object, like a leave. Im some extreme cases translucency can be done using the SSS (subsurface scattering) effect for things like marble and skin.

 For the most success, the color channel needs to be black. If you want colored glass, change the transparency channel to a a color instead of a value. Carrara adds the color channel, transparency channel and shininess channel together which creates the glowing effect you describe - especially when the total value of all three exceeds 300%.

So, that's why it's best to put black in the color channel, and then use a color in the transparency channel - it keeps the total value below the "glowing" threshold.

Transparent objects inside of transparent objects is not a problem. For liquid, the sides of the liquid object should not intersect the glass, however - that will produce weird effects.

Translucency is good for opaque liquids like milk where a little light passes through but you can't see through it. Translucency is not a good addition to clear liquids.

Thanks, everybody. I'll try these tips out. Lots of good basic shader protocols and practices, applicable to shaders for other materials I'm sure.

GKD, yeah bubbles. Anybody have an idea for bubbles that doesn't include modeling them?

Condensation...?

The list goes on.

Thanks again.

I think I am gonna try this technique.  You learn something every day I guess.  Thanks.

Quote -  For the most success, the color channel needs to be black. If you want colored glass, change the transparency channel to a a color instead of a value. Carrara adds the color channel, transparency channel and shininess channel together which creates the glowing effect you describe - especially when the total value of all three exceeds 300%.

So, that's why it's best to put black in the color channel, and then use a color in the transparency channel - it keeps the total value below the "glowing" threshold.

Transparent objects inside of transparent objects is not a problem. For liquid, the sides of the liquid object should not intersect the glass, however - that will produce weird effects.

Translucency is good for opaque liquids like milk where a little light passes through but you can't see through it. Translucency is not a good addition to clear liquids.

I think that for condesation Mark Bremmer have a tutorial in his site. Bubbles in the liuid can be done with a sphere and replicator very easy.

 Bubbles and condensation are pretty quick work with the surface replicator. For condensation, you can control the  location of the drops with a texture map. For bubbles, replicate them on an object in the liquid but hide the object that they replicate on. Fast and easy.

Thanks for all the tips-got one more problem.  I'm trying to create a  grate type staircase for a spaceship (ship to surface).  I can (using the info above) create a black mesh.  However, I would like a colored one, can that be done?  What I have right now is a 2d rectangle black diagonal lines on a white background .jpg injected into the transparency channel>texture map. Looks great black.  Jan

Use your map in the alpha channel, choose a color in the color channel. You probably don't need the transparency for this type of thing.

Thanks Pat, that did the trick--need to explore that alpha channel more--one can put printing on glass or anything else, need to see what that channel can do for decals etc.  Again thanks for the tip Pat--Jan

just to concur, keep sum of diffuse + specular + transparency + reflection to 1.0.
if grtr thn 1.0,  the laws of optics dictate that the surface is emitting lite.