What Is PBR — and what is it good for?
PBR (Physically Based Rendering) is today’s global standardfor digital materials — used in architecture, 3D design, gaming, VR, AR,and AI.
It’s not just one photo of the material but a set of bitmaps– pictures – each describing the surface in a certain way to the 3D software they are being used in. One is saying what the precise color is, another one tells the software about its structure, another describes the glosiness, transparency, imperfections and so on.
✍️ Key takeaways
📌 PBR maps and what each does
📌 Main benefits of having real surfaces in PBR
What does a PBR material include?
Not every material requires all of the maps but these arethe basic maps and what they tell about the surface.
· Color (Diffuse) - true color
· Normal map (16bit and 8bit) / microstructure& detail
· Height (Displacement) map (16bit and 8bit)- depth
· Roughness and Glossiness map - glossiness & reflection
· Ambient occlusion map - soft shadows in crevices
· Metallic map
· Opacity map
How can you benefit from having your surface material in PBR?
· consistent look across all software
· ultra-realistic previews for architects
· materials work instantly in any 3D workflow
· better client presentations and faster approvals
If you want to be specified in architectural projects, your materials must be available in PBR.
What to remember?
PBR is the latest standard in material interpretation in the digital wold. It's crucial for everyone working in 3D from architects, designers or even in the fashion field.
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