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How to: Apply Material to the Front and Back of a 3D Object

  • Article

The following example shows how to apply a Material to the front and back of a 3D object and animate the object to show both sides of the object. The Material property of a GeometryModel3D is used to apply a red Brush to the front side of the object and the BackMaterial property of the GeometryModel3D is used to apply a blue Brush to the back side of the object. The code below shows the application of the materials to the object:

<!-- This material is applied to the front of the 3D object (red side).-->
<GeometryModel3D.Material>
  <MaterialGroup>
    <DiffuseMaterial>
      <DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
        <SolidColorBrush Color="Red"/>
      </DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
    </DiffuseMaterial>
  </MaterialGroup>
</GeometryModel3D.Material>

<!-- This material is applied to the back of the 3D object (blue side).-->
<GeometryModel3D.BackMaterial>
  <MaterialGroup>
    <DiffuseMaterial>
      <DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
        <SolidColorBrush Color="Blue"/>
      </DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
    </DiffuseMaterial>
  </MaterialGroup>
</GeometryModel3D.BackMaterial>

Example

The following code shows the entire sample.

<Page xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" >
  <DockPanel>
    <Viewbox>
      <Canvas Width="321" Height="201">

        <!-- The Viewport3D provides a rendering surface for 3-D visual content. -->
        <Viewport3D Name="MyAnimatedObject"
          ClipToBounds="True" Width="150" Height="150"
          Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="10">

          <!-- Defines the camera used to view the 3D object. -->
          <Viewport3D.Camera>
            <PerspectiveCamera x:Name="myPerspectiveCamera" Position="0,0,2" LookDirection="0,0,-1" 
             FieldOfView="60" />
          </Viewport3D.Camera>

          <!-- The ModelVisual3D children contain the 3D models -->
          <Viewport3D.Children>

            <!-- Two ModelVisual3D define the lights cast in the scene. Without light, the
                 3D object cannot be seen. Also, the direction of the lights affect shadowing. -->
            <ModelVisual3D>
              <ModelVisual3D.Content>
                <DirectionalLight Color="#FFFFFF" Direction="-0.612372,-0.5,-0.612372" />
              </ModelVisual3D.Content>
            </ModelVisual3D>
            <ModelVisual3D>
              <ModelVisual3D.Content>
                <DirectionalLight Color="#FFFFFF" Direction="0.612372,-0.5,-0.612372" />
              </ModelVisual3D.Content>
            </ModelVisual3D>
            <ModelVisual3D>
              <ModelVisual3D.Content>
                <GeometryModel3D>

                  <!-- The geometry specifes the shape of the 3D plane. In this case, a flat sheet is created. -->
                  <GeometryModel3D.Geometry>
                    <MeshGeometry3D
                     TriangleIndices="0,1,2 3,4,5 "
                     Normals="0,0,1 0,0,1 0,0,1 0,0,1 0,0,1 0,0,1 "
                     TextureCoordinates="0,0 1,0 1,1 1,1 0,1 0,0 "
                     Positions="-0.5,-0.5,0.5 0.5,-0.5,0.5 0.5,0.5,0.5 0.5,0.5,0.5 -0.5,0.5,0.5 -0.5,-0.5,0.5 " />
                  </GeometryModel3D.Geometry>
                  <!-- This material is applied to the front of the 3D object (red side).-->
                  <GeometryModel3D.Material>
                    <MaterialGroup>
                      <DiffuseMaterial>
                        <DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
                          <SolidColorBrush Color="Red"/>
                        </DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
                      </DiffuseMaterial>
                    </MaterialGroup>
                  </GeometryModel3D.Material>

                  <!-- This material is applied to the back of the 3D object (blue side).-->
                  <GeometryModel3D.BackMaterial>
                    <MaterialGroup>
                      <DiffuseMaterial>
                        <DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
                          <SolidColorBrush Color="Blue"/>
                        </DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
                      </DiffuseMaterial>
                    </MaterialGroup>
                  </GeometryModel3D.BackMaterial>
                  <!-- The Transform specifies how to transform the 3D object. The properties of the
                        Rotation object are animated causing the 3D object to rotate (see Storyboard below).-->
                  <GeometryModel3D.Transform>
                    <RotateTransform3D>
                      <RotateTransform3D.Rotation>
                        <AxisAngleRotation3D x:Name="myAngleRotation" Axis="0,3,0" Angle="40" />
                      </RotateTransform3D.Rotation>
                    </RotateTransform3D>
                  </GeometryModel3D.Transform>
                </GeometryModel3D>
              </ModelVisual3D.Content>
            </ModelVisual3D>
          </Viewport3D.Children>

          <!-- Trigger the rotation animation when the 3D object loads. This animation is used to show
               both sides of the 3D object. -->
          <Viewport3D.Triggers>
            <EventTrigger RoutedEvent="Viewport3D.Loaded">
              <BeginStoryboard>
                <Storyboard>

                  <!-- This animation animates the Angle property of the AxisAngleRotation3D
                       making the 3D object rotate from -0 degrees to 360 degrees. -->
                  <DoubleAnimation 
                   Storyboard.TargetName="myAngleRotation" 
                   Storyboard.TargetProperty="Angle" 
                   From="0" To="360" Duration="0:0:4" AutoReverse="True"  RepeatBehavior="Forever"/>

                </Storyboard>
              </BeginStoryboard>
            </EventTrigger>
          </Viewport3D.Triggers>
        </Viewport3D>
      </Canvas>
    </Viewbox>
  </DockPanel>
</Page>

See also