Creating nodes: Creating additional nodes is the first step to creating your own shader tree (remember that all shaders have at least a root node). To create a node, open the Node menu and select New Node>Category>Subcategory>Node to create an instance of your selected node in the Shader window. If you open the Node menu by clicking a node input, your new node will appear with its output already linked to your current node’s input. If you access the Node menu in any other manner (see below), the new node will not be linked.

Deleting nodes: To delete a node, select the node you wish to delete and either press [DEL] or select Node>Delete.

Linking nodes: After creating a node, you may need to link it to an input on another node. This is accomplished in one of three ways:

• Direct Link: Click the output of the node you wish to link and drag the cursor over the node or shader input you wish to link to. Release the mouse button to complete the link.
• Moving Existing Links: To move a link from one node to another, click the input you want to unlink and drag the cursor off the node. Place the cursor over the input node you wish to link and release the mouse button.
• Clicking and dragging: Click the input you wish to connect a new node to and drag. A node connection will appear. When you release the mouse button, the Node menu will appear, allowing you to create a new node whose output is pre-connected to your selected input.

You can link a node to as many other nodes as you wish and each node input can be linked to as many input nodes as you wish.

Accessing the Node menu: You can access the Node menu in one of four ways:

• Clicking the Node menu arrow in the Shader window.
• Clicking either mouse button on a node’s input. In this case, the Node menu will only have the New node option available and may (depending on the input) have quick access options for appropriate nodes to connect to the selected input.
• Clicking either mouse button on a node’s output.
• Right-clicking any blank area in the Shader window.