RGB Node

In the lecture Introduction to the shader editor, I don’t understand the logic in using the RGB Node, for example Mikey decides to leave his lamb shade and base exactly as they are because he likes the colour, but then he decides to add an RGB Node to it, which as far as I can tell has the same function as the base colour on the Principled BSDF, most of the other shaders also have a built in way to set the colour. Am I missing something here? Why would you bother adding the RGB node? It just seems like a pointless extra step to add. I’m sure it has it’s uses but the way Mikey was using it in this lecture seemed unnecessary to me.

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I think it is purely as an introduction to nodes. The RGB is very simple and clearly replacing the swatch in the principled BSDF. It is marginally easier to select the colour as the wheel shows up rather than needing to be clicked on to be brought out and changed. It is also setting up the understanding of why inputting an image via a node to that socket adds a texture to a surface. Change the colour with one, change an image with a different one.

The course is designed for complete beginners, so it needs to explain some very basic things first.

It would be harder to demonstrate with roughness for example.

In practice rarely would anyone use the RGB node I suspect.

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I also believe that’s just introduction. But also Mike goes on to exapnd on it in the next lecture to add a simple edge-ware.

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Thanks for your reply, I personally didn’t bother using it when I set my materials. At one point when Mikey set his materials he said I want this one to be the same colour, so he used the eyedropper to select it from the principled BSDF to add it to the RGB node, which he then plugged in to the principled BSDF, that is mostly what I was referring to when I mentioned it being unnecessary, even with the course being for complete beginners I don’t see the logic in teaching what seems to be a completely unnecessary step. I just feel like, yes introduce us to the nodes but do it in way that makes sense.

This lamp section of the course has been a bit of a mess overall, especially during the early grease pencil part, we never used that lamp for anything. It’s started to improve now, we seem to be staying on track in the 3rd half of the section.

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Next sections are good :slight_smile: I am glad that I went through this one (as otherwise I would still not use grease pencil, etc.), but didn’t enjoy it that much… And overall I think that this section should be overhauled at some point.

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I’m looking forward to the furry heads section, I am very interested in trying to learn sculpting, and it will be a nice intro before I start the character course, which I have already purchased. Plus Grant Abbitt is the instructor for furry heads section I believe (as well as the character course) and from what of have seen from Youtube and the drawing course he seems like a good teacher.

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Yes the use of the Grease pencil is a personal bugbear, I think it is stupid and a pointless distraction used here. The GP may well have uses in 3D but it is really part of 2d and animation. I think Mikey the instructor at that time just likes it personally. :grin:

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