How can I render a model with both alpha textures and backface culling?

Question

I just started learning Blender a couple weeks ago, I'm using it to make renders of Pokémon models.

I would appreciate it if someone could help me get a render of this model (Malamar): https://www.models-resource.com/3ds/pokemonxy/model/13117/?source=genre

I was unable to make it look like the sample image, specifically, the stomach part (the one with the yellow dots and the tentacles surrounding it) and the pink part of the tentacles.

I made some progress in Blender 2.79 Blender Render and Blender 2.82

In Blender 2.79 Blender Render I couldn't get the alpha texture to work, it makes the body transparent in the viewport but it shows the background behind instead of the yellow dots... When rendered, it is not transparent.

I managed to make the pink part, which looks all weird without the backface culling option activated, look good by activating the shader nodes. But I couldn't make the alpha texture show trasparency.

In Blender 2.82 I made more progress, I managed to get both the trasparency and the bakface culling but the backface culling makes the pink part of the tentacles look totally different.

If possible, I would also like to know from someone more experienced whether I got the alpha texture correctly or not. Is it normal that when I change the color in the Transparent BSDF node the color of the yellow dots changes as well?

Thank you very much.

Answer 1

Try this arrangement for your model. The way you have it setup in your image, you're mixing white with your image using alpha as a factor. If you want transparency, you will have better luck with this arrangement. Pay attention to the right side where I highlighted the blend modes - these are necessary for transparency. Pick Alpha-Clip, Alpha-Hashed, or Alpha-Blend (whatever looks best), just not Opaque. This should be applied to the Shadow Mode as well - depending on what type of shadows you want for your transparency.

Hope this helps