In the real world, two main factors determine the appearance of a surface: what an object is made of, and light. When light hits the object, some of the light is absorbed and some of it is reflected. The smoother the object, the shinier it is; the rougher the object, the more matte it is.
In Maya, the appearance of a surface is defined by how it’s shaded. Surface shading is a combination of the basic material of an object and any textures that are applied to it.
In Maya, materials (also called shaders) define an object’s substance. Some of the most basic attributes of materials include color, transparency, and shine. For more information see Maya materials.
Factors beyond basic color, transparency, and shine that determine the appearance of an object’s surface (such as more complex color, transparency, shine, surface relief, reflection, or atmosphere) are defined by textures. See also Textures, 2D and 3D textures, Procedural textures, and File textures.