Layering textures and effects in Dimension

[aDavid]

Hi there,

I'm trying to show off a mockup of a print design in Dimension, but I'm running into trouble with trying to layer designs and materials.  The design will have a base color, then a layer with a few elements of color pop which will have a layer spot gloss, then a design in foil.  

Each of these layers are designed in illustrator, and I was able to add each design to a plane object as a material element.  But, I wasn't able to add any texture or material to any of those layers, it only ever applied to the object itself.  So I tried putting each element layer on its own plane object, but I couldn't figure out how to make the object itself transparent, and only apply the material to the design element.  

Is what I'm hoping to do even possible?  

[Ussnorway]

its hard to understand but an image or two of what you have so far would really help

1. the best way to layer materials is to add a new model each time like I did for my dyson-spear
2. the trouble with having only one model and cutting it up or making parts of it transparent is that adds a LOT of extra load come rendor time + its hard to get clean lines on some models

[dam0b]

Sorry to hijack this post but oddly I was coming on to ask exactly the same question I think?

I to have a product tub with a label that has metallic/foil print on it so I need to give a metallic finish to part of my label.

I have attached my project file which just the label with a black background and text positioning. I tried to duplicate the text layer as a png over the existing label with the hope of giving this layer a metallic material thus hopefully creating a metallic text layer I could overlay on the existing label. This obviously doesnt work because I can't make the text layer an object I can add a material to, so I'm a bit stuck.

Dimensions project file:

https://we.tl/t-ac6y2ColWy

[Ciellchan]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but you are trying to give the text a Metallic finish? If so, you need to double click over the model on the layer section (not the folder but the box icon with the "label" name inside it). 
Once you double click on your model you will be able to see the layers inside it, select one of the PNG layers, and on the bottom right. you will the properties for the layers, there you can give both layer a "metallic" finish. 

I'm attaching here the examples, I apologize in advance as my UI is in spanish, but is right there where it says "Métalico".

Hope it helps!

[dam0b]

Thank you @Ciellchan, I did try this originally but for me, it was turning the whole png image plane metallic rather than just the text. Also, it was turning the text black.

What I did next was to completely remove the text png and start again. I have reimported it and now it seems to be working properly so I don't know if there was a glitch maybe?. I have also added some more lighting which really does make it more like the 'chrome' finish I was after.

@aDavid I have attached my latest render so you can see it's behaving like chrome now. Hopefully, this is what you were trying to achieve to?

[markmn]

Without an example image of what you are trying to accomplish...here's my my initial 'guess."