Introduction

This article is focused in converting theory into practice. We won't delve too deep into the theoretical part of how materials work from a physical point of view but will instead try to focus more on which parts of the theory are the most important for artists. There will be some more advanced practical tips but we won't also focus too much into practice.

Having a solid understanding of the theory behind light physics, is important for making more realistic and refined materials. Before you start reading this article it is strongly recommended to familiarize yourself with the theory behind Physically Based Rendering (PBR) - a concept that is going to persist and will be followed throughout all the examples below. There is a lot of information on the internet and you will find some links too at the bottom of this page - that's why there isn't a separate article here. A lot of smart people have addressed the topic already and my suggestion is to at least read through these couple of articles written by the guys from Substance:

The PBR Guide - Substance: https://academy.substance3d.com/courses/pbrguides

After you've finished going through these, you can continue to read through this article. Hopefully, most of the still unclear information from the Substance papers will be cleared here.

Contents

Conclusion

All the information in these articles illustrates the workflow used in most high-end VFX and Architectural studios. This is the industry standard and as such is meant to only help and facilitate the artists work. So do take the information you've read seriously but remember that even though some of these things haven't changed for the past 10 years, others could change a few times per year - you should always strive to look for the most current information and techniques used in the industry so you can upgrade your own skills. Good luck in creating some nice materials!