---
title: "PxrFlakes"
canonical: "https://rmanwiki-27.pixar.com/space/REN27/542223474/PxrFlakes"
format: markdown
---
![image](media://573cd174-663e-441a-bb92-12c9d197dd34)

*Car Paint with flakes and coating.*


Produces a bumped normal that simulates flake-like results in specular or reflective material effects. Connecting this to a the Bump Normal parameter of PxrSurface can create metallic fleck paint.

### Input Parameters

#### Input Normal

Connect your bump pattern here if you wish to add flakes on top of it. Ignored if not connected.

#### Flake Randomness

This increases the distribution of flake normals, or their deviation from the base normal.

|  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ![randomness_0.0.png](media://59d1cbb2-9bf7-4a05-99aa-1bcacdcbe422) | ![randomness_0.1.png](media://bb4d6f27-cad8-4bd9-850f-227a158bac20) | ![randomness_0.2.png](media://5c16268c-bace-43cf-96fb-4aa224e8a2b8) | ![randomness_0.4.png](media://f802c04c-7253-404d-98e1-313e940ac8da) | ![randomness_0.8.png](media://66f6712e-bb85-4207-b3e1-230d13e7e10d) |

#### Flake Frequency

Changes the global size of the metal flake features.

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ![freq_10.png](media://dd55ea50-c8df-4d90-b7e1-ebc49c63c633) | ![freq_20.png](media://6cfa18cd-4fea-4fb2-a9ae-f12af8b408a1) | ![freq_40.png](media://a16f98a2-e60f-40f1-9e73-22cb315da44e) | ![freq_80.png](media://2221d546-367b-4f15-95d9-f6f545e31a7e) |

#### Flake Density

Changes the number of metal flakes for a given area. Valid between 0 (no flakes) and 1 (all flakes).

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ![density_0.125.png](media://3856326a-b18e-4d97-ae07-b477d9f152f8) | ![density_0.25.png](media://e56b3647-5380-4554-809a-9d37e78079d2) | ![density_0.5.png](media://022fce3c-78c1-4b06-ad71-391cfeb0e9a9) | ![density_1.0.png](media://9c4eb794-f29e-45f8-bc36-fbdd64613bad) |

#### Flake Size

Changes the size of metal flakes. Pushing the value above one will create something akin to galvanized metal.

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ![size_0.25.png](media://a3268dfe-530b-42e5-9b8c-a57a260552db) | ![size_0.5.png](media://0e828ae8-3ac9-407b-b8f7-c1e757b62d28) | ![size_1.0.png](media://ada04cab-7e88-4d32-aeea-f0f5d5bae580) | ![size_2.0.png](media://597578f6-861e-4871-9593-759629b8539e) |

#### Octaves

Number of octaves of noise to calculate flakes. Most of the time, 1 is enough.

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ![octave_1.png](media://d386576b-0da3-42e5-9562-2d5cd48e336c) | ![octave_2.png](media://872b100f-2958-4f4f-9034-0cab6a0b741b) | ![octave_3.png](media://b20935db-d85a-4f84-9e45-7f5a7f7f1947) |

#### Jitter

Jitters the flake's position. 0.0 gives a grid-like organisation and 1.0 looks very random.

#### Validate Normals

Make sure flakes normals are always in the same hemisphere as the original normal.

#### Match C++ patterns

Match RenderMan 23 C++ scenes but may slow down your render.  Use only when necessary.

#### Manifold

The manifold over which to apply the flakes.

The default (when there is no connected manifold) is `P` in *object* space. This will work fine if your object is not deforming.  
If your object is deforming :

- Add a `__Pref` primvar to your geometry in its un-deformed state.
- Create a [PxrManifold3D](https://renderman.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/REN27/pages/542224088) node and connect it to the [PxrFlakes](https://renderman.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/REN27/pages/542223474) node.
- In the manifold's *Pref* field enter: `__Pref`
- In the manifold's *Coordinate System* field enter: `object`

### Output Parameters

#### resultN

The bumped normal.

#### resultA

The flakes' mask. This is a black and white mask that may allow you to tint flakes or change their roughness, for example.