Visual Glossary

Reflectivity & Gloss

Reflectivity relates to how reflective an object is, or how much light is bouncing off the surface. Reflectivity determines the color and intensity/brightness of highlights. Each sphere below has the same color and glossiness value. The only thing changing is the reflectivity.

Glossiness relates too sharp or blurry reflections and highlights. As glossiness decreases, reflections get less detailed, blurrier, and larger. As glossiness increases, reflections get more detailed, sharper, and smaller. Gloss maps should include subtle surface detail like scratches and smudges. High gloss surfaces that are very flat still show large reflections, such as mirrors. Each sphere below has the same color and reflectivity value. The only thing changing is the glossiness.

Color

Color hue refers to the dominant color family of the specific item. There are only six hues in existence. They are red, yellow-red (orange), yellow, green, blue, and violet (purple). These are the colors in a rainbow.

Color value is a measure of how light or dark any given hue is. A value scale is an arrangement of the ten major values in a line from light to dark.

Color saturation defines the brilliance, brightness, purity and intensity of a color. Saturation can be desaturated or oversaturated.