A shading model is a representation of how light bounces when it hits a surface. Different models simulate different types of materials better.
| Model | Useful for... | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Lambert | Matte materials (chalk, matte paint, unpolished surfaces). |
 |
| Phong | Glassy or glossy materials (plastic, glass, chrome). |
 |
| Blinn | Dull metallic materials (brass, aluminum). |
 |
| Lightsource | A special lighting model that has no shading. Can be used to represent, for example, the surface of a switched-on lightbulb. Objects shaded with this model do not cast light into the scene. |
 |
These shading models and their parameters (for example, color, shininess, and reflectivity) determine the base look for a shader. You can then modify the base look by mapping different types of textures onto the shader parameters.