---
title: "Adding Displacement to Object"
canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VRAYHOUDINI/113279712/Adding%20Displacement%20to%20Object"
format: markdown
---
This page provides a Displacement tutorial for V-Ray for Houdini. Overview In this step-by-step tutorial, we show how to set displacement to an object. In the first part, we apply displacement using the  Displacement Properties  assigned directly to the geometry. Then, we go through a second case, where different displacement maps are assigned to different parts of an object. We use the  V-Ray GeomDisplacedMesh  node attached to a material in order to achieve the goal. To download scene files:  Want to follow along but don’t have a license?:  Object Displacement Create and enter a Sphere. Change the  Primitive type  to  Polygon Mesh  and set the  Rows  and  Columns  to  32 . Connect the  uvtexture SOP  and then turn the  Texture Type  to  Polar . We connect the Null SOP only for clarity in the node scheme. In the mat network, create  V-Ray Material Builder  and dive into it. Set the  Diffuse  color to 0.5; 0.5; 0.5 and  Roughness  to 0.25. In the  Render  tab of the Sphere, assign the material we just created. And here is the rendered result - a simple sphere: Let's add the displacement now. Select the sphere and from the V-Ray shelf, choose the  Subdiv Props . Note that in earlier V-Ray versions the Subdiv Props option is called Displacement Properties. This way, we add control over the object's displacement. In  Texture , set the path to the displacement texture of your choice. Set the value of the  Amount  accordingly. And here is how the render looks like with the added displacement:  Different Displacement Maps for Different Parts of an Object Different displacement maps can be set for different parts of an object. To do that, we have to add displacement per material and then assign those materials over the different members of the geometry. Let's see how this works. In a new file, create a sphere and enter its node. With Alt+drag-and-drop, copy the sphere two more times. This way, we create three different objects considered as one geometry item. Add  UVTexture SOP  for each of the three spheres. With the help of  transform SOP  nodes move them along. Create a  Merge SOP  that will bring all of the nodes into one whole geometry. The Null SOP is again added for clarity of the scheme. This time, leave the  Material  in the Render tab of the geometry empty. Do not add displacement properties from the Subdiv Props button (respectively the Displacement Properties button for earlier V-Ray versions), as this will be done for each material separately. In the mat network, create  V-Ray Material Builder , just as we did previously. Set the diffuse  Color  to 0.5; 0.5; 0.5 and  Roughness  to 0.25.  From the  TAB  menu >  V-Ray  >  Geometry , choose  V-Ray Displacement . Attach it to the  Surface  input option of the  vray_material_output  node. Do this for two more materials, assigning the desired textures to be used as displacement. Back in  Geometry  network, add the  material SOP  for each of the objects. Assign the respective already created materials from the  mat  network. Render. The result is three simple smooth surface spheres: In order to get a correct render, the geometry has to be "packed" before assigning the materials. That's why we set a  pack SOP  before the  material SOP . The geometry has to be packed when using this workflow because V-Ray deals with Displacement at the object level. V-Ray for Houdini exports each packed primitive as a separate object, providing you with the ability to partition the SOP-level geometry into individual shapes to assign different displacement maps to. This way V-Ray can apply the correct displacement for each object. Assigning Object Properties SOP and/or Displacement materials works with packed geometry. It is not expected to work with packed fragments. Now the render result shows the three spheres with three different types of displacement in one geometry item, just as intended.