Overview

Materials are the unsung heroes of 3D graphics. In three.js, materials defines the appearance of 3D objects. They determines how objects interact with light, their colors, and their surface properties. In this post we will delve deep into materials in Three.js, exploring their types, properties, and how to apply them to create stunning 3D visualizations.

Understanding Materials in Three.js

In Three.js, materials define how light interacts with the surface of 3D objects. They simulate real-world material properties, such as reflectivity, shininess, transparency, and color. Whether you are rendering a metallic robot, a wooden table, or a glass sphere, materials play a pivotal role in conveying realism and aesthetics.

Common Types of Materials in Three.js

Three.js offers various types of materials, each catering to specific visual effects and realism levels. Here are some of the most commonly used materials:

MeshBasicMaterial

This is the most basic material type. It's unlit, meaning it doesn't respond to light sources. It's often used for creating flat-shaded or untextured objects.

MeshLamberMaterial

Lambert materials provide diffuse shading, which means they interact with light sources to produce soft and evenly lit surfaces. They are ideal for simulating matte or non-shiny materials.

MeshPhongMaterial

Phong materials offers specular highlights and shininess. They are used to create materials like plastic or metals, where highlights are sharp and pronounced.

MeshStandardMaterial

This is a versatile material suitable for most scenarios. It combines both diffuse and specular reflections, offering a good balance between realism and performance. It supports a range of features like roughness, metalness, and normal maps.

MeshPhysicalMaterial

Physical materials provide the highest level of realism. They simulate the interactions of light with a surface at a physically accurate level. This is perfect for achieving photorealistic results in architectural visualizations and product rendering.

Material Properties

Materials in Three.js have various properties that you can adjust to achieve the desired appearance for your objects:

• Color: The color property defines the base color of the material.
• Opacity: The opacity property controls how transparent the material is.
• Metalness and Roughness: These properties (Commonly used in MeshStandardMaterial ) define the material's metallic and roughness properties, respectively.
• Shininess: For materials like MeshPhongMaterial, shininess determines the size of specular highlights.
• Emissive Color: The emissive property adds a self-illuminated color of the material.
• Normal Map: Normal maps affect the surface normals, adding fine details and imperfections.

Applying Materials in Three.js

To apply a material to a 3D object in Three.js, follow these steps:

Create a Material

Instantiate the desired material type with the desired properties:

const material = new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial({ color: 0xff0000, metalness: 0.5, roughness: 0.7 });

Create a Mesh

Combine the material with a geometry to create a mesh:

const geometry = new THREE.BoxGeometry(1, 1, 1);
const mesh = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, material);

Adding to Scene

Finally, add the mesh to your 3D scene:

scene.add(mesh);