Doc:2.6/Manual/Materials/Properties/Introduction

Introduction to Properties

Material Properties

Materials can have a wide array of properties. It is the combination of all of these things that define the way a material looks, and how objects using that material will appear when rendered. These properties are set using the various Properties panels.

Remember that the appearance of your materials are affected by the way that they are rendered (surface, wire, volume or halo), and by the rendering engine (Blender, Cycles, or Game) used. Most properties for images rendered using Cycles can only be controlled using the Node system.

The table below sets out the various Properties panels available, which Render Engine they are available for, and brief details of their scope. Details of their controls and settings are given on the relevant pages.

Material Property Panels
Panel	R	G	Description
Preview	X	X	A preview of the current material mapped on to one of several basic objects.
Diffuse Shaders	X	X	The basic color of the material, together with different models for dispersion.
Specular Shaders	X	X	The reflected highlights: color, strength and different models for dispersion.
Color Ramps	X	X	How to vary the base color over a surface in both Diffuse ans Specular shaders.
Shading	X	X	Properties of various characteristics of the shading model for the material.
Transparency	X	(X)	Can other objects be seen through the object, and if so, how?
Mirror	X		Reflective properties of the material.
SubSurface Scattering	X		Simulates semi-translucent objects in which light enters, bounces around, then exits in a different place.
Strand	X		For use when surfaces are covered with hair, fur, etc.
Options	X	X	Various options for shading and coloring the object.
Shadow	X	X	Controls how objects using this material cast and receive shadows.
Game Settings		X	Controls settings for real-time rendering of Game Engine objects.
Physics		X	??
Render Engine Key: R = Blender Render; G = Game Engine