In 3D rendering, a basic material refers to a simple and fundamental type of material applied to 3D objects to simulate their appearance. Basic materials are typically used as a starting point or for objects that don't require complex surface properties. They provide a foundation for more advanced material systems, such as those involving shaders, textures, and complex lighting models.

How do Basic Materials Work?

Basic materials in 3D rendering work by defining essential properties of the object's appearance, such as color, reflectance, transparency, and emissive behavior. They are often used for quick visualizations, early stages of scene development, or for objects where a simplified representation is sufficient. As scenes become more complex, advanced materials with additional features and properties may be employed for greater realism and visual fidelity.

How do you make the material type to be basic in the 3D scene?

1. Click on the Add elements button in the top left corner
2. On the pop up hover over the “basic” section to open another pop up
3. On the new pop up you should see a 3D section
4. Click on the “cube” element to add it to the 3D scene.
5. Click on the cube element to select it
6. On the right side inspector panel you should see a “materials” section with a button that says “Cube’s material”. Click on it for a pop up to open
7. On the new pop up there is a feature called “Material type” with a dropdown menu.
8. Click on the dropdown menu and there should be two options available with one of them being called “basic”. Select this option to turn the material type to “basic” format.

👉 Want to learn about the standard material type?

Standard Materials