About shading models
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 |
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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.