---
title: "PxrFlakes"
canonical: "https://rmanwiki-26.pixar.com/space/REN26/19661629/PxrFlakes"
format: markdown
---
![image](media://95e3261b-9b7b-4cb7-8813-3a78901ba4f1)

*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://55154d76-6945-48cc-b077-26aa2f09c302) | ![randomness_0.1.png](media://604ce3d6-5670-4060-aa65-42d3c0995169) | ![randomness_0.2.png](media://97e866a4-577e-4549-bae1-40147d60fb3c) | ![randomness_0.4.png](media://73b1c95a-3fe7-4b01-8426-be08bb055e2c) | ![randomness_0.8.png](media://796d0d47-556c-4d2a-b2a4-41a88205df04) |

#### Flake Frequency

Changes the global size of the metal flake features.

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ![freq_10.png](media://a5ad6091-6155-40f8-950e-2ed323a5a2af) | ![freq_20.png](media://1acd193c-303b-41e8-b051-ef2851118323) | ![freq_40.png](media://2a4b22fd-4990-4387-9d2f-3d267152df33) | ![freq_80.png](media://faa3eba9-688d-491a-aab0-8c89bd0fd70c) |

#### 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://b3f21b82-c555-4a03-8a86-7d2579758a15) | ![density_0.25.png](media://ac32aa20-7a90-4175-ba57-39a2a15ca62b) | ![density_0.5.png](media://56a92928-1d02-45af-85f1-fa0ccf36d7de) | ![density_1.0.png](media://d84e49d6-7338-4cc7-b4e2-0a1045a457a7) |

#### 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://1e286153-3ad8-4bc7-aaae-aa2f3695e5bb) | ![size_0.5.png](media://b48a77fc-3fe2-4d4c-8c98-feab005f1fab) | ![size_1.0.png](media://f0bd1e57-1159-496b-bf8a-9ba52ec66989) | ![size_2.0.png](media://269f33ce-96e6-41f4-9352-b564e6e9610e) |

#### Octaves

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

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ![octave_1.png](media://b39c7d59-c965-4e0d-9f1f-e5df65f55427) | ![octave_2.png](media://df00cd31-22fa-4028-9cab-d0862b69c3b1) | ![octave_3.png](media://72e84e14-9614-4afc-8e21-fa8aa2495e88) |

#### 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/REN26/pages/19661647) node and connect it to the [PxrFlakes](https://renderman.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/REN26/pages/19661629) 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.