Dressing up the DXF

Dressing up the DXF These operations were carried out on the PC Windows version of Bryce 3D and only apply to imported DXF object files and then only those with a flattish configuration. Perfect for saucer shapes. The procedure does not produce the same effect on grouped objects created in Bryce.
	This is the plain grey Narn Fighter without any texture mapping as downloaded from Mateen Greenway's model pages. A superb model in it's own right but a little unexciting in it's naked form when imported into Bryce 3. So let's dress it up.
	Import the model into Bryce and make sure it is positioned flat and aligned with the X and Z axes. Select top view and with the model selected do a mask render. Export the image of the mask and then load it into Photoshop. Using the Crop Tool, crop the image as close as you can. Using Image Size, make the larger dimension about 500 pixels and maintain the proportions. It should look like this image on the left. This mask will be in the correct proportions of the model - this is important.
	Select the white area and colour it with a medium grey shade. Then apply a pattern of coloured stripes and blocks as shown to the left. Using the Airbrush tool spray on some battle damage in a brown colour and various other small marks to take the newness off.
	Create a new channel for the image, This will be the Bump Map. Make sure it's all white. Then add various black lines and blobs. Add black marks to align with the battle damage marks. You can view both the original image and the channel together to get the alignment right. When you're happy with the result save the complete image as a .psd or .tif file which will retain the bump map as an alpha channel. You should only have the one bump map channel before saving - delete any others you may have created whilst you made the image.
	Back in Bryce 3 with the model selected click on the M button and enter the materials editor. Click on the diffuse and ambient buttons in the A column of the colour section. This will cause a random material to be loaded. Click on the P button and Leonardo will appear. Click on the pinkish button above the P button.
	The Picture Source editor will appear. Click on the word Load above the rightmost of the three images. Select your .psd or .tif image in the dialogue box. Mine was called narntex.psd. The image will be loaded. Select Object Top as the mapping mode. Click on the checkmark.
	Your image will be mapped onto the object's top and bottom. Click M again and then click the bump map button in column A and increase the slider to taste. Add some specularity with the Specularity slider and there you have it. All dressed up and ready to fight! See another finished image.