Independent developer Iman Shirani has released OSL-SDF, a collection of Open Shading Language nodes for Autodesk 3ds Max. The toolkit allows artists to build 2D and 3D shapes, patterns, and textures procedurally inside the Slate Material Editor without relying on renderer-specific plugins.
The system is designed around signed distance fields, a mathematical representation of shapes. An SDF stores, for each point in space, the distance to the nearest surface, with the sign indicating whether the point is inside or outside the shape. This makes it possible to define geometry and patterns in a resolution-independent way, enabling flexible modeling, deformation, and blending of shapes.
OSL-SDF introduces a node-based workflow where each function is represented as a separate node. The library includes primitives such as spheres, boxes, cylinders, stars, and polygons, along with 2D transformers for translation, rotation, and scaling. Combiners allow for Boolean operations and smooth blending of shapes, while repeaters generate tiled and radial patterns. Additional nodes support procedural detailing through noise, displacement, and outlines.
The toolkit works with Autodesk 3ds Max 2019 or later and requires a renderer with OSL and displacement support, such as Arnold, V-Ray, Corona, or Octane. Installation involves copying the .osl files into the 3ds Max OSL path and loading them into the Slate Material Editor, after which the full node set is available for use.
OSL-SDF is distributed under the MIT License and is available for free download. To find out more, visit Iman Shirani’s Github page.
