How to: Animate Material Properties in a 3-D Scene
This example shows how to animate the Opacity property of the Material applied to a 3-D model.
The following code example defines the LinearGradientBrush used as the Material applied to the 3D object.
<!-- The material specifies the material applied to the plane. In this case it is a linear gradient.-->
<GeometryModel3D.Material>
<MaterialGroup>
<DiffuseMaterial>
<DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
<!-- The Opacity property of this LinearGradient is animated. See Storyboard below. -->
<LinearGradientBrush x:Name="myGradientBrush" StartPoint="0,0.5" EndPoint="1,0.5">
<LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
<GradientStop Color="Yellow" Offset="0" />
<GradientStop Color="Red" Offset="0.25" />
<GradientStop Color="Blue" Offset="0.75" />
<GradientStop Color="LimeGreen" Offset="1" />
</LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
</LinearGradientBrush>
</DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
</DiffuseMaterial>
</MaterialGroup>
</GeometryModel3D.Material>
The Opacity property of this LinearGradientBrush is animated using the code example below.
<!-- Trigger the animation when the 3D object loads. -->
<Viewport3D.Triggers>
<EventTrigger RoutedEvent="Viewport3D.Loaded">
<BeginStoryboard>
<Storyboard>
<!-- This animation animates the opacity of the material applied to the 3D Object. -->
<DoubleAnimation
Storyboard.TargetName="myGradientBrush"
Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity"
Duration="0:0:2"
To="0.1"
AutoReverse="True" RepeatBehavior="Forever" />
</Storyboard>
</BeginStoryboard>
</EventTrigger>
</Viewport3D.Triggers>
Example
The following code shows the entire sample.
<Page xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="https://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>
<!-- This ModelVisual3D defines the lights cast in the scene. Without light, the
3D object cannot be seen. Also, the direction of the light affect shadowing. -->
<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>
<!-- The material specifies the material applied to the plane. In this case it is a linear gradient.-->
<GeometryModel3D.Material>
<MaterialGroup>
<DiffuseMaterial>
<DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
<!-- The Opacity property of this LinearGradient is animated. See Storyboard below. -->
<LinearGradientBrush x:Name="myGradientBrush" StartPoint="0,0.5" EndPoint="1,0.5">
<LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
<GradientStop Color="Yellow" Offset="0" />
<GradientStop Color="Red" Offset="0.25" />
<GradientStop Color="Blue" Offset="0.75" />
<GradientStop Color="LimeGreen" Offset="1" />
</LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
</LinearGradientBrush>
</DiffuseMaterial.Brush>
</DiffuseMaterial>
</MaterialGroup>
</GeometryModel3D.Material>
<!-- The Transform specifies how to transform the 3D object. In this sample, the object is rotated.-->
<GeometryModel3D.Transform>
<RotateTransform3D>
<RotateTransform3D.Rotation>
<AxisAngleRotation3D Axis="0,3,0" Angle="40" />
</RotateTransform3D.Rotation>
</RotateTransform3D>
</GeometryModel3D.Transform>
</GeometryModel3D>
</ModelVisual3D.Content>
</ModelVisual3D>
</Viewport3D.Children>
<!-- Trigger the animation when the 3D object loads. -->
<Viewport3D.Triggers>
<EventTrigger RoutedEvent="Viewport3D.Loaded">
<BeginStoryboard>
<Storyboard>
<!-- This animation animates the opacity of the material applied to the 3D Object. -->
<DoubleAnimation
Storyboard.TargetName="myGradientBrush"
Storyboard.TargetProperty="Opacity"
Duration="0:0:2"
To="0.1"
AutoReverse="True" RepeatBehavior="Forever" />
</Storyboard>
</BeginStoryboard>
</EventTrigger>
</Viewport3D.Triggers>
</Viewport3D>
</Canvas>
</Viewbox>
</DockPanel>
</Page>