LookdevX Node Libraries
LookdevX lets you create graphs using nodes from a wide variety of node libraries.
MaterialX libraries
Arnold: The Arnold category contains all the nodes for the Arnold renderer that support MaterialX. These include surface shaders, utilities, and more. The most widely used shaders to start with like the OpenPBR Surface Shader are found in the Shading sub-category. To learn more about each node, visit the Arnold documentation.
BXDF: The BXDF (Bidirectional Scattering/Transmission/Reflection Distribution Function) category is a collection of high-level material models used to define how surfaces look and behave in 3D rendering that is provided and maintained by the MaterialX foundation. It has ready-to-use material definitions including several surface definitions such as the Standard Surface and USD Preview Surface. Learn more at the MaterialX website.
Maya: The Maya category contains MaterialX translations of classic Maya shaders.
PBR: PBR stands for Physically Based Rendering. The MaterialX PBR Library is a core component of the MaterialX framework that provides the building blocks for creating physically-based materials — the kind used in high-end rendering to simulate realistic surfaces, volumes, and light interactions. The library includes BXDF Nodes (Bidirectional Scattering Distribution Functions), EDF Nodes (Emission Distribution Functions), and VDF Nodes (Volume Distribution Functions). To learn more about the PBR library, visit the Academy Software Foundation's PBR wiki.
Standard: The MaterialX Standard Library is the core set of predefined nodes and functions that power everything you build with MaterialX — from simple shaders to complex lookdev graphs. Think of it as the “standard toolbox” for material and texture creation in a cross-platform, renderer-agnostic way. To find out more about the Standard Library, visit the MaterialX Github stdlib repository.
Autodesk: The Autodesk category includes nodes shipped with LookdevX:
Color Transform: The MaterialX Color Transform Library is a specialized set of nodes designed to handle color manipulation and conversion within MaterialX shader graphs. It’s part of the broader MaterialX Standard Library, and it plays a key role in enabling consistent, flexible color workflows across different applications and renderers. To find out more about the Color Transform library, visit the MaterialX Github stdlib Github repo.
Lama: The Lama library in MaterialX is a modular system for building advanced materials, originally developed by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). It’s designed to give artists and developers a flexible, physically-based way to layer and combine different surface behaviors — like reflection, refraction, subsurface scattering, and more. To learn more about Lama nodes, visit Pixar's Lama Library Wiki.
NPR: NPR stands for Non Photorealistic Rendering. This library is a specialized set of nodes designed for non-photorealistic rendering (NPR). NPR nodes help achieve effects like toon shading, sketch or ink Effects, painterly looks and cel shading. To learn more about the NPR library, visit the Academy Software Foundation's NPR Github repository..
Translation: The MaterialX Translation Library is a set of predefined shader graphs that help convert between different material models — like translating a shader from one standard (e.g., Autodesk’s Standard Surface) to another (e.g., glTF PBR or USD Preview Surface). It’s part of the official MaterialX distribution, maintained by the Academy Software Foundation. For more background on the Translation Library’s role in converting between shading models, visit the MaterialX Home Page.
USD libraries
USD: The USD Material Library is part of the Universal Scene Description (USD) framework developed by Pixar, designed to manage and assign materials in complex 3D scenes. It uses the UsdShade schema to define and bind materials to geometry in a flexible and scalable way. To learn more, visit the OpenUSD.org Github page.
Arnold: The Arnold category contains all the nodes for the Arnold renderer that can be used with USD. These include surface shaders, utilities, and more. The most widely used shaders to start with like the OpenPBR Surface Shader are found in the Shading sub-category. To learn more about each node, visit the Arnold documentation.
MaterialX: The USD MaterialX library, also known as UsdMtlx, is a plugin that connects MaterialX with USD, allowing artists and developers to use rich, portable shading networks within USD scenes. It reads .mtlx files and translates their contents into USD-compatible data structures. This enables seamless integration of MaterialX materials, shaders, and looks into USD workflows, making it easier to manage and render complex scenes across different platforms and tools. To learn more, visit OpenUSD's UsdMtlx documentation page.
Custom Libraries
LookdevX gives you the option to load a custom library. Visit Add Custom Material Libraries to learn more.