Landscape - Mountain Scene with Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights

Mindwatering Incorporated

Author: Abigail Black

Created: 04/15/2020 at 12:41 PM

Category:
Animation
Blender

Introduction
How to create a mountain scene with aurora borealis/northern lights

Prerequisite:
- Rock: diffuse, normal, roughness
- Snow: diffuse, normal, roughness
- "Procedural Night Sky with Stars and Moon in Eevee" tutorial

Blender Version:
3.1.x onward

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STEPS

Shift+A -> Mesh -> Landscape
Subdivisions X/Y = 312
Noise Type = Turbulence
Random Seed = 213
Noise Size = 0.75
Depth = 12
Effect Type = Rings
Falloff = X
Properties -> Modifiers -> Subdivision Surface
Simple
Viewpoint = 2
Go into Edit Mode
A -> U -> Unwrap
Go into Object Mode
Properties -> Materials -> Add New Material

Shift+A -> Input -> Geometry
Shift+A -> Input -> Texture Coordinate
Shift+A -> Vector -> Mapping (x2)
Shift+A -> Vector -> Normal Map (x2)
Shift+A -> Texture -> Image Texture (x6)
Shift+A -> Converter -> Separate XYZ
Shift+A -> Converter -> ColorRamp
Shift+A -> Shaders -> Principled BDSF (x2)
Shift+A -> Shaders -> Mix Shader

Geometry Normal output to Separate XYZ Vector input
Separate XYZ Z output to ColorRamp Factor input
ColorRamp Color output to Mix Shader Factor input
ColorRamp black/white arrows at roughly 0.780
Texture Coordinate UV output to Mappings 1/2 Vector inputs
Mapping 1 Vector output to Image Textures 1-3 Vector inputs
Mapping 2 Vector output to Image Textures 4-6 Vector Inputs
Scale = 20.000
Image Texture 1 Color output to Principled BSDF 1 Base Color input
Open snow/diffuse file
Image Texture 2 Color output to Principled BSDF 1 Roughness input
Open snow/roughness file
Image Texture 3 Color output to Normal Map 1 Color input
Open snow/normal file
Normal Map 1 output to Principled BSDF 1 Normal input
Image Texture 4 Color output to Principled BSDF 2 Base Color Input
Open rock/diffuse file
Image Texture 5 Color output to Principled BSDF Roughness input
Open rock/roughness file
Image Texture 6 Color output to Normal Map 2 Color input
Principled BSDF 1 output to Mix Shader upper Shader input
Principled BSDF 2 output to Mix Shader lower Shader input
Mix Shader output to Material Output Surface input
Normal Map 2 output to Principled BSDF 2 Normal input

Properties -> World
Color = Environment Texture
Open HDRI Sky file
Shift+A -> Input -> Texture Coordinate
Shift+A -> Vector -> Mapping
Shift+A -> Color -> Hue Saturation Value
Texture Coordinate Generated output to Mapping Vector input
Mapping output to Image Texture input
Image Texture Color output to Hue Sat Value Color input
Hue Sat Value output to Background Color input
Background output to World Output Surface input

Go into Object Mode
Shift+A -> Mesh -> Cube
G -> place cube above mountains
Go into Edit Mode
S+Z -> Select front face -> E -> Create a wavy appearance, repeat as wanted
Shift+D -> G -> move to side -> repeat as wanted until sky full of waves

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